Spotty Wireless Communication Is an Issue in Pacific Palisades

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Sue

This AT&T pole is located along Pacific Coast Highway.

On February 5, Pacific Palisades Community Council Area 8 Representative Reza Akef wrote an email to Circling the News and PPCC members that he wanted that body to address Spectrum/Frontier services here.

Akef noted that “The customer service doesn’t care when service doesn’t work because their first assumption is that it’s the subscriber’s fault…. For your information, the City of LA requires that every utility company maintain a representative that addresses such problems (this includes the wireless companies as well).”

CTN posted Akef’s plea in a February 7 Musings and responses were quick. The following day, we received the following letter:

“Where to start….  Last October all of the wireless communication went out abruptly in Castellammare and I believe Sunset Mesa, leaving about 1000 customers with no service.

“Countless calls to their 800 numbers resulted in the service finally resuming about two weeks later. AT&T all that time maintained that it was just my phone. I have been told by a source since then that AT&T knew exactly how many mobile phones were out of service but kept insisting that their towers were all working and showed GREEN needing no repairs.

“Their employees insisted that the towers working east of us were fine but did finally send someone out to look into the situation and magically service was restored. (All of us facing the ocean do not receive our service east of us.  Our service comes from towers along PCH.)

There has been continued vandalism to the AT&T equipment.

“We were all happy for about two weeks when the service went out again.  Multiple more calls were made to ATT.  Service was once again out for 10 or more days.  Service restored.  Service went out again and again through the holidays. Calls to their 800 number eventually sent repairmen out again, but enough was enough. I contacted the FCC.

“The FCC contacted ATT and I received an email response from Ruth Hussey, secretary to the president of ATT. After several days of my trying to contact her via my landline and email and no response, I discovered while going to Gelson’s for groceries that she had been leaving messages on my NON-WORKING mobile phone. Duh. I had given the FCC my landline number, but she claimed that she had not been given it and therefore was calling my mobile phone. I immediately called her on my mobile phone and gave her my landline.

“I explained to her the situation and hoped that it could be resolved quickly. The attached response was sent to me within minutes after I ended my call with her, and my claim closed. I would guarantee that most all of us up here have never seen a document like the one she sent me.

“I have had AT&T (with another service in the interim) for at least 25 years with no real issues. I was dumbfounded to see written words that claimed we had NO Service if foliage, weather, etc. hampered our reception. Really?!! and that we were allowed ‘limited’ service. Wrong. I knew it was another problem and most likely with their towers.

“As it happened while I was getting ready to send another email to the FCC, I saw an AT&T truck parked across my street. I went out and knocked on his door. He was trying to see if he could get reception on his AT&T mobile phone as his co-worker was repairing an issue elsewhere trying to fix our lack of service here.

“We had service restored January 13, but it went out again on the 17th. Service was not restored again until February 1. The worker was most informative and told me what I had already suspected: (my term) an equipment box next to a tower on PCH had been severely vandalized. They had been trying to get parts, had partly succeeded and were waiting for more parts. He sent me pictures of the issue. The ‘box’ is just south of Maestro’s restaurant connected to a light pole.

“I sent the pictures to Ms. Hussey. She has now called back claiming (after all these months) that she has sent someone out to check on the issue.

“Meanwhile we had service for a week? and now it is out again. I suppose this time ATT will blame it on the fog.

“I am hoping to hear from ‘my repairman’ and possibly Ms. Hussey today.”

Another resident wrote that there are three wireless services here: T-Mobile (merged with Sprint), Verizon (acquired by Frontier) and AT&T.

Regarding Spectrum (part of Charter Communications) and Frontier, the reader wrote: “They’re the landline providers for Internet and phone service in the Palisades. Frontier doesn’t offer wireless cellular phone service, Spectrum does offer wireless cellular phone, but they are only a reseller of service on Verizon Wireless.

“I don’t believe the City of L.A. has much clout with any of them, except for maybe a little with Spectrum. Most of that went away when the State of California took regulation of cable franchises away from the cities [2006]. There are studies that show that cable rates have risen more in California than in all but a few states since the change in regulation.”

A February 2 consumer column in the L.A. Times (“You’re Stuck at Home. So, Of Course, Cable and Internet Bills Are Rising, Again”) noted that “From February 1996 to December 2020, Mark Cooper, director of research at the Consumer Federation of America, said ‘Cable rates have soared by 250 percent. That translates to average annual increases of 3.9 percent — almost double the average inflation rate of 2.2 percent over the same period.’”

According to the story, “Rates for many of the communications and content services we’ve all grown to rely on over the last year have risen recently or will rise in 2021, and there’s little you can do about it.”

The Circling the News’ reader was hopeful because in December as “part of California’s approval of Frontier’s exit from bankruptcy, Frontier has agreed to expand their fiber optic Internet to many more areas. Likely the Palisades would be included. This would be huge for the Palisades because Spectrum is the only option for most of the Palisades, and threads complaining about Spectrum fairly regularly appear on Nextdoor, far outnumbering complaints about Frontier service.” The resident noted that Frontier already has service in Malibu, Topanga and parts of Santa Monica so “It would give them more contiguous coverage for marketing and sales” and it’s “mostly overhead lines, so construction is less costly.”

(Editor’s note: According to the California 2020 annual report of the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA), which is supposed to promote video competition and the deployment of more and better broadband services, there are 28 active SVG providers with the top five providers listed as AT&T, Frontier (acquired Verizon in 2016), Comcast, Cox and Charter. (https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/uploadedFiles/CPUCWebsite/Content/About_Us/Organization/Divisions/Office_of_Governmental_Affairs/Legislation/2020/DIVCA%20Report%20Dec%202020.pdf

Who do you have?

A U.S. News January 14, 2021 story (“Best Internet Providers in Los Angeles, California,” under Fast Facts About Internet Service in Los Angeles), notes “There are eight internet providers in Los Angeles available for home use. The cheapest internet service above 10 Mbps in Los Angeles is the $39.99/month 20 Mbps plan from Sonic. The fastest internet in Los Angeles is from AT&T Internet, with its 1,000 Mbps IPBB, Fiber internet plan. Of the eight providers in Los Angeles, three of them offer bundled services like cable TV and home phone. The average speed test in Los Angeles clocks in at 101.92 Mbps, which is 15.27% higher than the national average.”

What if you have a disagreement with your provider? 

First contact your local provider, and if they don’t respond, contact the FCC https://broadbandnow.com/guides/how-to-file-fcc-ftc-internet-complaint, 1)Once your complaint is submitted, your ISP has 30 days in order to respond directly to you while CC’ing the FCC; 2) stay on top of the complaint so it doesn’t get “lost”; 3) When you receive the ISP’s response, you can choose either to accept it or respond directly with a rebuttal. The ISP is then required to respond to your rebuttal;3) The primary way to plead your case against your ISP is by having adequate documentation. Save a copy of all emails and letters and consider recording phone calls if that practice is legal within your state. If you’re not able to record your conversations, at least make a note of who you spoke to as well as the time and date.

Posted in Community | Leave a comment

Palisades Recreation Center Director Erich Haas Says Goodbye, Looks Back on 13 Successful Years

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Sue

 

Erich Haas oversaw the renovation of the Rec Center Offices this past summer.

Goodbyes are so hard, particularly when a person is well-liked and done a great job, such as Erich Haas, who has been director of the Palisades Recreation Center for the past 13 years.

At the Recreation and Park Commissioners meeting on February 4, Haas was recognized for his 20 years of service with the City. His official retirement is this Saturday.

Patrons will miss his even-tempered and balanced approach at handling disagreements and scheduling programming in Pacific Palisades.

“I will miss Ms. Carmen and all the little ballerinas and the wonderful recitals they put on two times a year,” Haas said in a February 8 email to Circling the News, noting that it was one of his favorite park events throughout the year.

“All my thanks and appreciation to RAP Commissioner Joe Halper” (a Palisades resident). “He was instrumental in getting a lot of things completed at PRC before I retired. His support of our Center and everything we did was so important and appreciated. I will miss his unexpected drop-ins just to chat!”

CTN asked Haas to recall when he first came to the Center and his initial response. “I was surprised by the low turnout numbers for youth sports and the disorganization of the office at such a large recreation center,” Haas said. “I was also surprised by the disrepair and dirtiness of the facility.”

Today, the various youth sports leagues are huge and there are often waiting lists. The floors of the two gyms have been completely replaced three times and the outside basketball court was redone twice.

“The big gym rafters and outside hallway have been cleaned of all the dust, all the way up to the ceiling and the recreation office has been completely renovated,” Haas said.

Rec Centers have been closed since last March because of the pandemic, but in September Haas started Covid tracing. He said all City workers are designated Disaster Service Workers when a City emergency is declared.

“I had to go through extensive training,” he said, noting that he was supposed to work out of his office in the Palisades but, “This was quite difficult due to my office being temporarily in the small gym with phone and internet lines stretched out from the office because of the remodel that began in June and lasted until the end of August 2020.

Haas said the initial Covid tracing call volume was low but skyrocketed around the holidays.

“Daily I would be assigned between 10 and 15 cases per day that I would have to call. And from those calls I could end up with 30 or more contacts that I would also have to call. At the same time this high volume of calls was happening, the internet in the office was experiencing issues and it kept kicking me off, many times in the middle of calls.”

Because of internet issues, Haas was allowed to work from home. “The one thing I would like to stress is that this pandemic is real and it can be deadly for some people,” Haas said. “And I would like to stress to everyone the continued need for face masks, social distancing, and good hand hygiene practices.”

Although he doesn’t know who will replace him, he suggests that Chris Wilson, who is currently at the park and taking care of day-to-day issues, would be the right person to take over.

“Chris has been at the Center for more than 20 years as a recreation assistant, and almost two years as an emergency recreation coordinator. He knows the community and the staff,” Haas said. “He is also aware of all current and ongoing projects happening at the Park. In fact, the last youth sports season (spring 2020) which he oversaw, had our largest enrollment ever at 954 youth registered between softball, 5-pitch, t-ball, 4 year old t-ball, and girls and coed basketball. He is the right fit for the Center.”

The Park Advisory Board has also supported Haas. The members are volunteers approved by the City.

The annual egg hunt at the Park provided fun for residents.
Photo: Shelby Pascoe

Asked for his thoughts about maintaining a strong board, Haas replied, “Keep it diversified with members of varied interests, meet quarterly, elect a new executive board at the beginning of each new calendar year, be mindful and guard against long-time terms (unless institutional memory is needed) and if that is needed, maybe stagger terms to ensure achievement of this objective. Additionally, ALWAYS be transparent, open and honest with the community.”

Haas is planning to retire to Oregon near Portland with his wife, mother-in-law and “furry babies.” He told CTN, “I want a slower pace of life and less people. For my wife….the same, plus my retirement will go further up there. Additional perk for her, which she is looking forward to is NO SALES TAX on purchases.”

The furry babies include Geoffrey, a big 12-year-old black and white cat, “who was a homeless baby but ran into my lap when offered food when he was about three months old. Been with us ever since.”

The couple have a second cat, J, who is about 13. She was a feral and had kittens in the mother-in-law’s yard a long time ago. “She just kinda stayed with us through the years. We could not leave her behind, so we trapped her each time and took her with us when we moved.”

Conan, a two-year-old terrier mix, rounds out the family. “I got him from a woman who came into the Palisades office and asked if anyone wanted a puppy. So, I took him on a trial basis but fell in love with the little guy.”

Haas continued, “It has been an absolute pleasure and joy being the Director of Palisades Recreation Center.” He noted that the community, Park Advisory Board, Teen Council, parents and local organizations have always been supportive of the Center.

He sent a plea to the newly formed Palisades Teen Council, “In the short time before the pandemic hit you did so much…please keep it going after we get back to our new normal. You started a great organization for the Park.”

Haas also had high praise for his staff, saying “you guys are the backbone of the Center.”

To the park neighbors, whom he spoke with frequently, “Thank you for being ever vigilant and letting me know immediately when problems or issues arose so they could be handled immediately.”

He gave a shout out to Mike Tomas and Todd Ferrier with the Tennis Center “for always supporting our yearly community events such as Spooktacular and Eggstravaganza with your booth, presence and funds.”

During his years at the Center, Haas worked with the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association, AYSO, Seven Arrows, Village School, Corpus Christi, Palisades High School, Movies in the Park (where he barbecued the hot dogs every Saturday in August), the Will Rogers Run organizers and Super Soccer Stars.

“I loved the senior activity programs like badminton, pickleball, line dancing, volleyball, and bridge club,” Haas said. “I have come to know all of the seniors who partake in these activities and will miss them terribly.”

In March, Haas will load up a big U-Haul truck and drive north on Interstate 5. Once settled in Oregon, he plans to do some fishing, “which I have missed greatly.” He also plans to get in touch with former Rec Center employee and friend Bill Maniscalco, who relocated to that area several years back.

Haas wants people to know that he hopes he didn’t forget to mention any group, but “If I have, please know that it was my pleasure working with you all.”

As the Rec Center director, he was also a friend to residents. “I give my best to the RecCenter and to the community going forward,” Haas said.

A woman brought this dog to the Rec Center and Erich and his wife adopted it.

Posted in General | Leave a comment

New Restroom on Rose Avenue Cost the City an Inflated $2 Million

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Sue

The 10-stall public bathrooms cost taxpayers $2.12 million, which is about $210,000 a stall.                Photo: Courtesy Rick Swinger.

 

An expensive new restroom was built last year with L.A. Rec and Park funds at Rose Avenue along the Venice Ocean Park Walk. The 815-sq.-ft. structure includes 10 stalls.

The initial bid to replace the previous structure was $1,783,000, but thanks to 43 change orders by top bidder CABD, totaling $337,757, the eventual cost to complete the new structure was $2,120,757.

“That’s $2,500 a sq. ft.,” said Rec and Park commissioner Nicole Chase, regarding a project that had a start date of July 2019 and an end date of August 2020.

Commissioner Joe Halper questioned the numerous change orders, during a virtual Rec and Park Commissioner’s meeting on February 4. He pointed out that when the company hired to do grading in Potrero Canyon asked for $3.9 million in change orders, he said he felt that he couldn’t question that because “We didn’t understand what would happen with the earthwork.” Basically, there was no way to predict what kind dirt the grading company OHL USA, would have to contend with in the canyon.

But in the case of the bathroom building in Venice, there was a $50,000 change order associated with delaying construction until after the summer. “Wouldn’t we have scheduled this off season?” Halper asked.

Then there was a $20,000 request to change to fiberglass doors with reinforcement and an almost $50,000 change order for Broas Sparkle Finish. A $27,380 change order was requested for an additional bird deterrent, with $28,167 being granted.

Park commissioners, who are routinely asked to approve various change orders, feel like they are supposed to be financial stewards for Los Angeles residents, but have no options for limiting the amount of money spent on these orders.

Department of Recreation and Parks General Manager Michael Shull was asked by commissioners if the problem is that contracts put out for bids are often not “well-written” by City engineering, which results in bids that are inadequate and later necessitate change orders.

“No set of plans is perfect,” Shull said. “There are always change orders.”

Another commissioner asked if another problem is that a project is given to the lowest bidder, so contractors bid low, knowing they will receive the BID and then ask for and receive money for change orders.

“They could go low and know they will always get the change order. It’s a risk, but they do it,” Shull said.

He added that if the City pre-qualifies contractors, those people who get the bids generally have fewer change orders.

Commission President Sylvia Patsaours said she joins fellow commissioners in worrying about change order costs. “We, Rec and Parks, need to be careful in design,” she said.

Halper added, “We need to be judicious in change orders for the future.”

“Especially with the current state of the budget,” said Chase, who noted the large loss of personnel that this City department is suffering and will not be replaced. “Are we being more vigilant in how the contracts are bid?”

The commissioners felt that their hands are tied, and the process keeps repeating itself: a project is put out to bid, the low bid wins, and then the contractor comes back for change orders that result in a higher price tag and the commissioners have no choice but to approve it.

Shull offered, “We could carry a larger contingency—but that is owned by the owner.”

For example, the landscaping for Potrero Park is being put out to bid. The design cost is projected at $500,000 by Rec and Parks and the actual work and plants is set at $900,000, but in addition to the $1.4 million cost there is an additional $1.2 million contingency built in.

 

Posted in City/Councilman Mike Bonin, Parks | 1 Comment

Help Save the 2021 Junior Lifeguard Program

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Sue

Last summer, the County’s Junior Lifeguard Program was cancelled because of Covid worries.

The program, which is held at the beach for youth, ages 9 to 17, provides instruction in water safety, swimming, body surfing, surfing, physical conditioning, competition skills, first-aid, lifesaving, rescue techniques, CPR and the use of professional lifesaving equipment.

Last year a mom alerted Circling the News to the cancellation and said, “We’re supposed to keep our kids at home all summer. They’re not getting education; they’re not getting exercise. They’re spending all day baking and eating, they’re getting fat and dumb, how is that supposed to be good for them?”

Tomorrow, parents have a chance to try and save the 2021 program. According to constituent caseworker Jenney Eubanks, “Supervisor Hahn will be introducing an emergency motion at the Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow asking for the Fire Department to work with the Department of Public Health to report back on how to safely resume the Junior Lifeguard program this summer.

“If you are interested in speaking during public comment, please call the number below between 9 – 9:30 a.m. (877) 226-8163 and Participant Code: 1336503 or you can submit your comment at http://bos.lacounty.gov/

“Please indicate that you are speaking under general public comment.  Suggested message: ‘I am calling in to support Supervisor Hahn in making sure that the Junior Lifeguard program resumes safely this summer.’”

Additionally, let L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, the Palisades representative, know you support the motion. Contacts: (213) 974-3333 or email sheila@bos.lacounty.gov.

Posted in Health, Kids/Parenting | 1 Comment

Palisades-Malibu YMCA Update

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Sue

A volunteer at the YMCA helped pass out bags of groceries last Thursday.

Palisades-Malibu YMCA Executive Director Jim Kirtley spoke to Circling the News on February 4 about reopening the facility on Via de la Paz , tax deductions and the new food distribution program that is held every Thursday between noon and 2 p.m. in front of the building.

Last week, 50 bags of groceries were given away to workers at construction sites. “Please let workers and cleaning ladies that work in town know that they can stop by and pick up a bag,” said Kirtley, who is looking for volunteers to help on Thursdays. He needs workers from 10 a.m. to noon to fill the bags, he needs workers from noon to 2 p.m. to hand them out and additional volunteers are sought for the four-hour time periods.

“I’m also looking for help to get food to the Palisades Y from the Westside Food Bank on Wednesdays at noon and from the Collins & Katz Y on Thursdays from 9:30 to 10 a.m.,” Kirtley said. (Email him at jimkirtley@ymcaLA.org or call 310-454-5591).

Kirtley said that some members have been paying the monthly membership fee to support the Y but have not had access to any programming or the facility. This may mean their payments qualify as a donation to the nonprofit. If you are one of those people, Kirtley said you can contact him, and a form will be sent.

He also said that because of the pandemic, L.A. County only allows outside exercise, but that he is looking at possible ways to bring exercise machines outside. Let him know if you have any ideas.

Posted in Community, Health | Leave a comment

Alan Eisenstock’s Playlist: Dogs and Cats

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Sue

Editor’s note: When Palisadian Alan Eisenstock is not researching and writing one of his nonfiction books (18 thus far!), he pursues what he calls “a crazy labor of love side project” that he started last March: sending a weekly Covid-themed playlist of songs to his family and friends. These playlists (which can be downloaded on Spotify CLICK HERE. span rock ‘n’ roll and pop music from the 1950s to 2020, and Eisenstock adds one or two lines of commentary about each song that is clever, amusing and informative.)

Hi, Everyone,

According to an article in The NY Times entitled “Pandemic Puppies,” our year of Covid resulted in a run on pets. Feeling lonely, isolated and stressed, people purchased or adopted 70 percent more dogs and cats than they did the previous year. We now have a pet shortage. What to do? Idea. In memory of Snickers and Benchley, here are 27 “pet songs.” Listen up!

 

  1. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” The Beach Boys. From their definitive 1966 album Pet Sounds. Love the vocal harmonies and “Wall of Sound” orchestration. Tells the story of a couple who want to run off together in search of the vaccine.
  2. “Hound Dog” Elvis Presley. Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller originally recorded in 1952 by Big Mama Thornton. The song that propelled Elvis into stardom and rock ‘n’ roll into relevance.
  3. “Rockin’ Robin” Bobby Day. R&B singer and record producer, Bobby recorded this hit in 1958. Crazily enough, his real name is Robert Byrd. Makes sense that his biggest hit would be about a bird.
  4. “(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window” Patti Page. Patti, born Clara Ann Fowler, one of eleven children, recorded this novelty hit in 1952. Includes the lyric: “You can’t take a goldfish for a walk,” a painful lesson I learned when I was put in charge of our first-grade class’s pet goldfish. RIP Captain Nemo.
  5. “Bird Dog” The Everly Brothers. The brothers recorded this hit in 1958. The coolest kid at the CT shore was named Johnny and based on the lyric “Johnny is a Joker,” called himself Joker. We were close. I’d go up to him and say, “Hey, Joker.” He’d say, “And you are?”
  6. “Puppy Love” Paul Anka. Pop hitmaker and super songwriter Anka wrote this big hit in 1960 for Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. They were having a torrid affair while on tour. He said, “I love your ears,” She said, “Yours are bigger.” I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a few months later Paul wrote, “You’re Having My Baby.”
  7. “What’s New Pussycat?” Tom Jones. Welsh baritone Sir Thomas John Woodward belted this Burt Bacharach-Hal David composition, the title song from the 1965 film of the same name. Woody Allen wrote the script, his first produced screenplay.
  8. “Stray Cat Strut” Stray Cats. Brian Setzer formed this rockabilly band in 1979 in his hometown of Massapequa, NY, hometown of Jerry Seinfeld, Neil Diamond, Alec Baldwin,  Marvin Hamlisch, and sports radio superstar JT the Brick. Fancy town.
  9. “Cats And Dogs” The Head and the Heart. Seattle indie rock/folk band formed in 2009 sings about cats and dogs and a mouse, too. Cool song. Love the band.
  10. “Crocodile Rock” Elton John. 1972 hit inspired by Elton’s love of some obscure Australian band. He goes falsetto on this one and, yes, a crocodile can be a pet, according to some crazies who apparently live in a swamp.
  11. “A Horse With No Name” America. Remember from a previous list, America was formed in London and the band London was formed in America? Anyway, this was the band’s biggest hit, in 1972, and was #1 in Finland. P.S. In elementary school, my friendDanny Kerkhoff brought his pet horse to my house. My mother was not pleased.
  12. “Blackbird” The Beatles. McCartney wrote and sings this song solo off The White Album. Allegedly, Paul heard the caw of a blackbird and wrote this song. When the bird left, he sang, “Bye Bye Blackbird.” He did not.
  13. “Cats In The Cradle” Harry Chapin. From 1974, this is Harry’s only number one song. It’s about fathers and sons, not cats. I get emotional every time I hear it.
  14. “Three Little Birds” Bob Marley & The Wailers. Jamaican reggae legend Marley and his tremendous band sang this great song containing the lyrics “Don’t worry about a thing… every little thing is gonna be alright.” The 2013 World Series-winning Boston Red Sox, thanks to Shane Victorino who loved the song, made this the team’s anthem after the Boston Marathon bombing. “Boston Strong!”
  15. “White Rabbit” Jefferson Airplane. Grace Slick and company recorded this big hit in 1966. Grace wrote it claiming she took imagery from Alice in Wonderland and music licks from Miles Davis.
  16. “Puff, The Magic Dragon” Peter, Paul & Mary. 1962 smash hit written by Peter Yarrow based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a 19-year-old Cornell student. Everyone thinks the song is about smoking pot. Ridiculous. It’s about a cuddly pet dragon. And edibles.
  17. “Bird On The Wire” Leonard Cohen. From 1969. Leonard called this a country song and has been covered by many country artists, including Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. He said he wrote this for his girlfriend to cheer her up. Seriously? This is Leonard “Mr. You Want It Darker” being cheerful?
  18. “Saint Bernard” Ron Sexsmith. Canadian singer-songwriter and one of my favorites. You would think he wrote this about his dog. You would be wrong. He wrote this about the breed, saying if he ever got a dog it would be a Saint Bernard.
  19. “Walking The Dog” Rufus Thomas. R&B, funk, soul singer from Memphis. Rufus was a tap dancer and comedian and the father of the great soul singer, Carla Thomas. This 1963 song was his biggest hit.
  20. “Nashville Cats” The Lovin’ Spoonful. From 1966 and making the second appearance on the list. John Sebastian and company sing about country singers “clean as country water.” This song is not about actual cats. Just cool cats like the Spoonful.
  21. “I Love My Dog” Yusuf/Cat Stevens. This was actually the London folksinger’s first single and I’m thinking either he loved his actual dog or like Ron Sexsmith, he loved a fake dog. Maybe a Saint Bernard.
  22. “Mockingbird” Inez and Charlie Foxx. Brother and sister Inez and Charlie from Greensboro, NC wrote and recorded this huge hit in 1963. Many people mistakenly thought they were husband and wife. It was covered in 1974 by Carly Simon and James Taylor who were husband and wife.
  23. “Pink Rabbits” The National. Any chance I get I’ll put in The National. This is a great song from the 2013 album Trouble Will Find Me. It’s about a breakup and in this case a pink rabbit is not a pet, it’s a spiked punch made with strawberry ice cream and vodka. Tasty.
  24. “Let’s Pretend We’re Bunny Rabbits” The Magnetic Fields. Stephin Merritt and co-band members sing this silly love song about, ah, frolicking, from their 3-volume 69 Love Songs. I think he sounds a bit like Johnny Cash. Am I crazy?
  25. “Ben” Michael Jackson. From the 1972 film of the same name. Michael sings this touching song to his pet rat. Of all the strange goings-on at Wonderland, Michael having a pet rat seems kind of normal.
  26. “Octopus’s Garden” The Beatles. This is a great song from Abbey Road,written and sung by Ringo. While I respect those who might want an octopus as a pet, I prefer mine in the form of fried calamari with a side of marinara dipping sauce.
  27. “Wild Horses” The Rolling Stones. From the 1971 album Sticky Fingers.I know you can’t have a wild horse as a pet unless we’re talking about the Black Stallion. I don’t care. I love the song and I needed the Stones to end this.

And there you have it–27 “pet sounds.” Enjoy! Some advice–

 

Don’t Forget to Disinfect… and PLAY IT LOUD!

 

The link again: CLICK HERE.

Fact Check

Paul Anka and Annette Funicello did have a liaison while they were Mousketeers. But I have no idea if that inspired him to write, “You’re Having My Baby.”

Danny Kerkhoff did bring his pet horse over to my house. And my mother was not pleased.

LAST WEEK’S POLL QUESTION:

The Beach Boys v. The Eagles. In true L.A. progressive school style, there was no winner. The poll ended in a tie!

THIS WEEK’S POLL QUESTION:

Your favorite pet–dog or cat? Who you got?

 

Thanks so much,

Alan

alaneisenstock.com

 

 

 

 

Posted in Arts | 1 Comment

Palisades Alliance for Seniors Offers “Grief” Program on Zoom on February 18

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Sue

The Palisades Alliance for Seniors will hold a virtual meeting with the topic “What Is This Thing Called Grief?” at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 18.

Joanne Weingarten

The guest speaker will be Joanne Weingarten, Psy.D., Senior Clinical Coordinator of Adult Programs at OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center in West Los Angeles.

Weingarten works with grievers as well as those providing grief support services. She attended Phillips  Graduate Institute, where she received her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in diversity. She has more than 19 years of clinical experience – 10 in community mental health, and five serving as a supervisor.

Grief is the single most common experience, yet in our country and in our communities, it is often ignored and overlooked, for any number of reasons. OUR HOUSE provides essential grief support for a universal experience that deserves heightened understanding and acceptance.

During the program, the question will be asked: “What is grief?” Weingarten will review the Worden task model of the grieving process, and the natural responses to grief will be discussed.

The speaker has requested that everyone attending the Zoom meeting have their video cameras turned ON. She feels that seeing each other’s faces enables eye contact and helps everyone to feel connected, especially participants who may feel vulnerable sharing sensitive material.

This is a free event, but you must register in advance by emailing palisadesalliance@gmail.com. Within 24 hours, you will receive an acknowledgment of your registration.

Other upcoming events recommended by the Senior Alliance:

  • Wednesday, February 10 @ 4 p.m.– Pell Center presentation: “Inoculating the Vaccines: Rumors, Disinformation and the Truth.”
  • Friday, February 12 @ 1 p.m.– JFCS Center for Children and Youth: “Staying Connected to Grandchildren While Physically Apart.”
  • Sunday, February 21 @ 11 a.m.– Morristown Festival of Books author talk featuring David Michaelis, whose new Eleanor Roosevelt biography Eleanor was published in October.
  • Sunday, March 7 @ 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.– Third Annual Westside Safety & Preparedness Fair sponsored by the Westside Neighborhood Council. Learn from local experts how to survive a natural disaster.

About the Palisades Alliance for Seniors

 The PAS is an intergenerational group helping seniors in Pacific Palisades stay connected with their community as they grow older and encounter some limitations. The 2017 U.S. Census update identified 1,649 Palisadians (seven percent of the population) aged 80 or greater. Notably, a full 25 percent of the local population was 65 or over. Visit www.palisadesalliance.org.

 

Posted in Health, Kids/Parenting | Leave a comment

Hugelkultur: The Antithesis of Lawns, Concrete and Astro Turf

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Sue

A raised hill, which is made of logs, leaves grass clippings and other compostable material, provides a perfect regenerative planting area.

Residents enjoyed a fascinating landscaping presentation on February 1 when Shawn Maestretti and Leigh Adams spoke to the Pacific Palisades Garden Club via Zoom.

Co-hosted by Palisades Beautiful, the duo from Studio Petrichor explained, “We are on a mission to restore the planet one garden at a time.”

Shawn Maestretti

Maestretti, a landscape architect who has designed gardens in California and Nevada and is a member of Climate Reality Leadership and a Kiss the Ground Soil Advocate, works with regenerative landscapes.

His co-presenter, Adams, is an eco-sensitive designer and horticultural interpreter at the L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens and has received a Global Citizen Award from the United Nations.

Their focus is not only the beauty of a finished landscape project, but how to build healthy soil and invite moisture into the landscape.

What’s important, they said, is learning how landscapes function and how to be a co-creator, rather than landscape “control.”

The two emphasized that true sustainability, given climate change, must come from regenerative practices. “Our living depends on healthy living soil,” they said, noting that the world has lost a third of farmable land in the past 30 years.

One challenge is in cities, where trees and other green pathways keep rainwater from going deep into the soil. But still, they argue, “We must stand up for urban forests.” They pointed out that desertification (the process where fertile land becomes desert, because of drought, deforestation or inappropriate agriculture) is increasing.

One method of working with the earth/soil is through hügelkultur (pronounced hoo-gul-culture), which means hill culture or hill mound. These are no-dig raised beds that can be built on lawns, on parkways and parks.

You start by putting mound logs and branches on the earth. Next, add leaves, grass clippings, straw, cardboard and compostable discards. Then top with soil.

The gradual decay of the wood provides long-term nutrients and as the branches and logs break down, soil aeration increases. The wood acts like a sponge, so when Southern California gets its occasional rain, that is stored and released during drier times.

Vegetables or plants can be planted on top of the dirt mound.

Leigh Adams

Maestretti and Adams emphasized the importance of plants in a city. “There is up to a 50-degree difference in temperature between hardscape (such as asphalt) and plantings.”

They showed photos of hügelkultur projects that they have done in various areas of Southern California. Pointing out one that is established, they said “This hugel has not been watered in five years.”

If you’re interested in learning more, a hügelkultur clinic will be held in Topanga on Saturday, February 20. There is a cost and limited spaces. (Visit: Studio-petrichor.com/events/)

The two speakers will work with private clients, and ask people to consider: “Do you want a produce garden or a process garden?”

One example of the start of a hügelkultur is at the Native/Environmental/Xeriscape/Temescal Garden in Temescal Canyon, just below Antioch. People walking the canyon have watched Palisades Beautiful member Michael Terry layer the earth over the past two years, and now there are mounds. (Visit: Palisadesbeautiful.org)

Landscaping plans include rainwater capture.

(Editor’s note: It would be nice if this kind of regenerative landscaping could be done in the parkway of Fire Station 69 or in Potrero Canyon.) 

Posted in Environmental, Geology/Dinosaurs/Earth | Leave a comment

City and State Leaders Address the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club (Part Two)

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Sue

(Editor’s note: Yesterday we ran comments by Mayor Eric Garcetti, U.S. Representative Ted Lieu and L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. Today, we include comments from State Senator Ben Allen, State Assemblymember Richard Bloom, L.A. City Councilmember Mike Bonin and LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin.)

STATE SENATOR BEN ALLEN

Allen, who has held his position since 2014, said that California would continue to vote by mail for all special elections and that the process “Worked well” in November. “It gave people a place to vote in person if they wanted with the convenience of voting any place in the county 10 to 11 days before election day and they could also vote by mail or use one of the drop boxes.”

He said he voted on January 28 to extend the state’s eviction moratoriums from January 1 until June 30. “There was no question in my mind we needed to do something.”

Regarding schools reopening, “The governor’s plan has run into some real challenges with advocates . . .there is an urgency for funding to reopen schools, but February is impossible,” Allen said. “Teachers prefer to be vaccinated prior to returning to the classroom, which is why we need to prioritize teachers for the vaccine.” He said if you look at other areas of the country there are ways to safely reopen without mass vaccinations first.

The state auditor came out with an audit of the Employment Development Department that was requested by legislators, and it found serious fault with EDD. “None of these findings are new, but it’s useful to have them confirmed by our state auditor,” Allen said.

The EDD, which has paid out $110 billion in unemployment since March, is now under fraud investigation. According to a December USA Story (“In California: State Unemployment Fraud May Total $2 Billion”), Allen said, “A real ball was dropped there,” and that EDD had been outsourcing calls from those unemployed to local legislators’ offices instead.

Allen said he co-authored AB 110, which would require the state to crosscheck with the prison system records to thwart future unemployment fraud.

His office had been inundated with calls and tasked with trying to help people get unemployment. He noted that EDD is taking about eight percent of its calls and outsourcing the rest to legislators. “EDD can start taking these calls and expanding their hours,” he said. “It’s been a very dispiriting experience.”

Q. What is the strategy for banning single-use plastics?

A. “Contact our office, we’ll do a national push,” he said.

Allen has co-sponsored SB 54, which aims to reduce, to the maximum extent feasible, single-use packaging and priority single-use products. Also, to ensure that all single-use packaging and priority single-use products that are manufactured on or after January 1, 2032, and that are offered for sale, sold, distributed, or imported in or into the state into are recyclable or compostable. (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB54)

Q. Allen was asked about the bill that almost passed that would allow density development in high fire areas, such as Pacific Palisades. Will he support exemptions?

A. “We need to provide more housing availability and affordability,” he said, noting that the bills that have come out so far have not provided adequate flexibility. “I support more housing, but I’m not for one-size fits all.” He said that he and Senator Henry Stern had introduced SB 55, which would prohibit all commercial and residential in very high fire severity zones.  “It’s not where we ought to be building,” Allen said. “Enough is enough.”

Q. What is the status for wildfire funding prevention?

A. A new bond is being proposed that would raise $2.2 billion. “I’m for pro-wildfire funding prevention,” said Allen, who has been working on this for some time. He argues that in the long run, preventing fires will be cheaper than fighting them.

ASSEMBLYMAN RICHARD BLOOM

Bloom has announced that he plans to run for L.A. County Supervisor, after hearing Sheila Kuehl say that she is retiring.

“We are all troubled by the rollout of the vaccination program,” said Bloom, who was outraged when anti-vaccers tried to stop people from being vaccinated at Dodger Stadium.

Bloom said he had success introducing AB 1766, which provides more oversight on adult residential facilities.

He said he co-authored SB 91, a tenant eviction moratorium law, with protections for tenants and for landlords. “My staff will be happy to answer questions from constituents.”

Bloom also wrote AB 1788, which bans second-generation rodenticides that caused mountain lion deaths in the Santa Monica Mountains and other areas of the state. This bill was approved by the governor.

Bloom has also opposed the proposed law that would allow density housing in very high fire severity zones. He said he has a bill in the works that would make it easier to build in commercial zones.

Bloom said he has co- authored AB 71, which authorizes $2.1 billion for housing and homeless efforts. “This is an extremely important bill that I have high hopes for,” he said. (Editor’s note: This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, and with respect to taxpayers with taxable income under the Corporation Tax Law greater than $5,000,000 for the taxable year, would increase these tax rates from 8.84% to 9.6%, or 10.84% to 11.6% for financial institutions, unless the minimum franchise tax is greater.)

Q. The L.A. neighborhood prosecutor has said that the passage of state laws AB 1950 and AB 3234 means that prosecutors no longer have bargaining chips in trying to get people into rehab. How can you get reasonable discretion back in the neighborhood prosecutor’s hands?

A. “There is still discretion with judges,” Bloom said. “In preceding decades, we created a criminal justice system that loaded people into prisons and did little to rehabilitate them. That didn’t work. AB 1950 limits probation for one year for misdemeanors and two years for felonies. I think these are modest reforms. Statistics show we are not increasing crime.

“We have quality of life crimes that intersect with the homelessness,” said Bloom, who called the homeless population “one of the most complicated issues that I have ever seen and addressing it requires us to look at everything. The response to homelessness takes all of this into consideration.”

Q. Many of the homeless have mental health issues. What about more facilities?

A. “Absolutely, I couldn’t agree with you more; that’s what AB 71 would work with,” he said, and noted that right now there is a methamphetamine epidemic. “Housing for the homeless is a big issue,” Bloom said. “We need to provide housing, mental health care, better health care and a range of preventative efforts.”

 

CITY COUNCILMAN MIKE BONIN

Bonin, who was first elected to his position in 2013, said that we’re caught in “an unprecedented crisis. We’re in the middle of a public health crisis, an economic crisis with the worst [LA City] budget since the Great Depression, and a homeless crisis.”

“We cannot do it without federal and state assistance,” Bonin said, noting that the first two weeks of the Biden presidency was encouraging.

“We’re going to break down some barriers, tear down some silos. We’re going to take on some sacred cows and do things differently. I’m taking on what are traditionally sacred cows: police union, corporate landlords and fossil-fuel companies. We have to be bigger and different than we have been before.”

Q. We have hundreds of affordable housing units in Pacific Palisades. How much should we have and where would you put it and why?

A. Bonin said the State recently approved a regional plan, so “we know what the goals are, for how much and where.” He said that the City is working on the Mello Act. “We’ll be toughening that up.” (Editor’s note: the Mello Act was enacted in 1981 “to preserve residential housing units occupied by low- or moderate-income persons or families in the coastal zone,” and was responsible for keeping the 174 units affordable at Palisades Bowl Mobile Home Park.)

Q. Can you provide an update on the senior assisted living facility in the Highlands?

A. “It was challenged in Court, but it has prevailed in Court,” Bonin said.

 

LAUSD BOARD MEMBER NICK MELVOIN

Melvoin, who is vice-president of the board, said that LAUSD public schools have been closed for 323 days, but have managed to serve more than 100 million meals. “About 82 percent of our families are in poverty,” he said, and there are 17,000 homeless students. “About 20 percent of the meals we served were for adults that had no connection to the school district.”

Also, he said, LAUSD has given out more than 100,000 iPads, computers and hotspots.

The district has overseen more than 400,000 Covid tests to staff, students and community. “We have health clinics at schools,” said Melvoin, who noted that LAUSD has made the schools available for vaccinations, if L.A. County wants to use them. “We have tried to be part of the solution because we know schools have become the social safety net of last resort in places like L.A.” He acknowledged that not only is this a path to get schools reopened, but that as great as the efforts are for online learning, “kids are suffering emotionally and mentally. Parents are suffering. We need to bring kids back.”

He acknowledged that the County needed to get Covid under control, but asked for the governor to provide a clear and consistent standard.

On LAUSD campuses, “We’ve replaced the HVAC systems with filters, we’ve installed plexiglass, we have masks,” he said. Schools have also put down arrows to ensure physical distancing.

Q. If we want schools to reopen, can’t we move teachers up on the vaccination schedule?

A. “Yes,” Melvoin said. This is something he has been advocating for months.

Q. He was asked about how many teachers are over 65 and may have already received the vaccination.

A. “About 10 percent of our faculty and staff,” he said.

(Melvoin was on Fox 11 LA with Dr. Drew and Elex Michaelson, talking about the challenges of reopening the schools. CLICK HERE.)

Posted in City/Councilman Mike Bonin, Community | Leave a comment

VIEWPOINT: An Unresolved, Ongoing Debate about Censorship on Nextdoor Palisades

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Sue

A movie was filming in front of Palisades High School on November 17. Teenaged actors were allowed at the school, but public school students were not.

Should the post ‘Schools Opening – Why Aren’t the Children the Priority?’ be censored on Nextdoor?

Our country was founded on free speech and that includes speech you might not like or speech that you may not agree with. Our Founding Fathers fought long and hard over the wording of our constitution and the subsequent Bill of Rights.

So that raises the question: Was it right for the January posting on Nextdoor Palisades, “Schools Opening — Why Aren’t the Children the Priority?” to be censored by Nextdoor monitors?

Yesterday, I was looking for the email chain regarding the Back to School in Los Angeles controversy when I noticed that one person had quoted the Constitution: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

When I clicked on the link to Nextdoor and tried to find the man’s complete message, the quote and the post had already been removed. Why? I sent a message to the person posting, but never received a response. Maybe he had been removed from Nextdoor?

The man who posted the January “Schools Opening” question was indeed censored, and when he responded on the site that “thought police” had taken down his posting, he was banned from the site for 21 days.

I reached out to several Nextdoor “Leads” to find out how someone can be banned from the site, but never receive a response. One helpful person directed me to Nextdoor’s Community Guidelines.

It turns out that not only can Leads flag a post, but community members can as well.

So, if I don’t like what you’re posting and I think it’s dangerous or subversive or I just want to get back at you, because you’re letting your dog poop on my front lawn, I can contact a Lead and suggest that the person’s posting be dropped.

Nextdoor would never entrust a freedom of speech issue to local people without extensive training, right? Wrong. One of the sole credentials for signing up to be a Lead is you might have been the first person to volunteer. And Leads can choose anyone they want as a co-Lead, which means they can vote with them on banning posts, which represents censorship.

Luckily, there are strict Nextdoor Guidelines, taking the guessing out of whether someone should be banned:

“We encourage members to have conversations about the issues that matter to them in a way that is constructive, civil, and builds community. I realize this isn’t always easy because we care passionately about the places we call home.

“That said, Nextdoor is not a place to attack, berate, belittle, insult, harass, threaten, troll, or swear at your neighbors or their views even if you strongly disagree with them. This includes communication within a Group or via private message.

“Please remember that each member is responsible for making sure their own content follows the Guidelines, regardless of what others may post. If you see members of your community violating the Guidelines, please report any inappropriate messages, report their account, or contact your Leads for support.”

The man who voiced what many of us have been saying, “Open the Schools,” was silenced and his post removed. When he objected to it being taken down and called a Lead “thought police,” he violated Nextdoor’s Guidelines.

Franz Kafka wrote, “I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we’re reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for? . . . But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide.”

As much as I have hated being called various names in recent years, including “racist,” “queer,” “Indian,” “Whitie,” “Dyke,” “Republican,” “Democrat” and “Ugly and fat,” and being accused of siding with one group or another, I will defend your right, as an American, to say those things.

I am strong enough in who I am that I don’t need your approval. I would like it, but free speech is more important.

How effective is local censorship? Extremely effective because it has been tried before and worked.

The following comments have been taken from a report titled “German Collaboration and Complicity,” by The Wiener Holocaust Library:

“. . .some citizens passed on information about their neighbors, family, and friends  . .  . and this was called informing.”

“Nazi propaganda presented the Gestapo as an omnipresent all-seeing, all-knowing group, but in reality there was just one secret police officer for approximately every 10,000 citizens of Nazi Germany. The Gestapo were therefore reliant on a network of thousands of informants.

“The information passed on by informants typically accused someone of breaking the law or of being a criminal in some way. The information provided was not always based on fact and could often be rumor or suspicion.

“For example, if someone had stereotypical Jewish features, they might be informed on to be a potential Jew, and would therefore have to prove that they were not a Jew to the Gestapo or face torture and imprisonment. Informants reported on a number of different undesirable activities, such as anti-Nazi sentiment, communist activity, Jews in hiding, people suspected to be Jews, and much more.

“Informers had various motives including antisemitism, racism, a strong belief in Nazi ideology and governance, fear, personal gain, professional gain, and personal disagreements (e.g. informing the Gestapo that someone was a communist in response to a personal dislike or argument with that person). Most informers were aware of the consequences of their actions.”

Posted in General | 4 Comments