Glimpses of South Pasadena: Slow Down

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Slow Down

(Good advice for the weekend.)

25 comments:

Mister Earl said...: That looks like the one you took of you and me by the railroad tracks. It also looks like social distortion, which in South Pasadena, tonight, seems to have carried the day.

WV: imisti - a fact. Many of us are misty over the way the chief was pushed out.; January 9, 2010 at 12:08 AM
Sharon said...: I think I'll take your advise!; January 9, 2010 at 5:41 AM
Mister Earl said...: How about this one, even though we might not be Feelin' Groovy today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvlW4bEjB5A; January 9, 2010 at 6:17 AM
Anonymous said...: Fabulous composition Laurie!; January 9, 2010 at 6:37 AM
Yakpate said...: OMG!!!! I want this on my wall!!!

Breathtaking composition... I can't wait to see what Jutilda has to say about it!; January 9, 2010 at 7:38 AM
Judy Williams said...: Something about the words SLOW - makes me think that the shadow is just slowly stretching longer and longer until it is just a thin line. Excellent use of negative space. This would be fun in a black and white conversion too. I'm with Yak. This is great.

You guys are the only area in the country that is not blanketed in cold. It was an unheard of 19 degrees on our deck this morning. No snow, no ice, just bone chilling cold.; January 9, 2010 at 7:40 AM
billiboone said...: i usually just look but i had to comment on this one. i would hang this on my wall, too. love everything about it.; January 9, 2010 at 9:03 AM
Mister Earl said...: Laurie: I didn't realize stilt walking was among your many talents!

WV: kednedis. The foot condition you get from wearing keds as a kid even though your mother warned you they'd ruin your feet.; January 9, 2010 at 9:07 AM
pasadenapio said...: Take it long and slow.; January 9, 2010 at 11:12 AM
Auntie S said...: It's easy when you're older, it just happens! There's a difference between gobbling your food, and savoring the flavor, texture, aroma...slowing down can be a blessing.

The photo is wonderful, I did not see the letters SLOW in white until I read the comments, oh, boy...need new prescription???

I like the abstract patterns and textures, colors, the simplicity and directness of this image. I can see those quite well!; January 9, 2010 at 11:57 AM
Pasadena Adjacent said...: The concrete is forming the shape of the state of Texas; January 9, 2010 at 6:04 PM
Judy Williams said...: You saw the Texas shape that I missed.

Heh, anyone affected by the Northern Calif earthquake???; January 9, 2010 at 6:40 PM
Dixie Jane said...: Female version of, "Daddy Long Legs". I too missed the, "Slow" sign on the pavement at first glance. Wonderful composition, Laurie girl.

But my thoughts wander to what has wafted over the mountains and through the woods concerning your, "Chief." Although I am more than half way across the U.S., I feel the dismay. I am so sorry for all concerned and especially for the City of South Pasadena, CA.; January 9, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Petrea Burchard said...: I love the textures and the blue. Great shot, Laurie.

Judy, we didn't feel the quake here. I hear it was a big one, though.

Dixie Jane, what have you heard? I can't find a thing on the web.; January 9, 2010 at 9:00 PM
Mister Earl said...: Petrea: There's nothing on the web yet, but the City Council voted to interview other candidates, which caused the Chief to tender his resignation, as they knew it would. At the meeting on Jan 6 Laurie and I spoke as did several other people, including several former Councilmen. Not one person spoke against the Chief. And yet, the Council chose to go along with the plan of removing him. This is pure back room politics, but it's not the sentiment of the citizens who spoke out.; January 9, 2010 at 9:20 PM
Petrea Burchard said...: Thanks for informing me, Mr. Earl and Dixie Jane. I wonder what it is we don't know--money? WalMart? What's their big secret?; January 9, 2010 at 9:34 PM
Mister Earl said...: Not clear yet, but it's certainly not the feeling of anyone who's spoken out.; January 9, 2010 at 9:37 PM
Anonymous said...: There goes Laurie, flaunting her long, long legs.; January 9, 2010 at 9:39 PM
Petrea Burchard said...: In case you're not still subscribed, there's an interesting new comment on Laurie's December 30th "Keep the Police Chief" post:
http://southpasadena.blogspot.com/2009/12/keep-police-chief.html; January 9, 2010 at 9:42 PM
Mister Earl said...: Here are the comments of former mayor Odom Stamps:

For the past eight years the City of South Pasadena has experienced an unusually high percentage of turnover of almost every department head, often multiple times, including the City Manager. Consequently there is a dearth of institutional memory and the results are a loss of public employee morale, a lessening of the quality of services to the community, as well as numerous real and some costly problems due to lack of follow through on a range of issues, and confused (and broken) policy decisions.

For eight years one shining example to the contrary has been the excellent service and leadership of Police Chief Dan Watson. He stepped in to head up an organization that had endured several scandals and has overseen a complete reversal of that perception and reality - It is now a police force esteemed by our community. And the community let’s you elected officials know this at every appropriate opportunity, whether it has been the decision to keep the police as a part of our government rather than to contract the service out to the county sheriff, or the standing ovation Dan Watson received when city officials that attended were announced at the TOR Crunch Party last week.

Beyond establishing an exemplary work record, Dan and Kathy Watson also have given largely of their time and money in active community service work, including Rotary Club (past President), SPTOR, ACS Relay For Life, to name three. They are both fixtures at our community events. This man deserves the South Pasadena Review’s “Citizen of the Year Award”, for many jobs well done - not the humbling requirement of having to reapply for his job, as one among many.

Most of us can’t take the time to come and speak out at City Council meetings, and when we do, it’s usually to complain about something believed to be going wrong – not to attest to what’s going right. It was therefore an inspiration to those in the community who do follow government actions when our City Clerk, Sally Kilby and our City Treasurer, Vic Robinette got up to support Chief Watson. The following meeting eight more community activists, including former Mayor Harry Knapp and myself took the opportunity to do so. I expect that this will lead to a ground swell of support at the next meeting, until such time as this issue is resolved, and the Chief is accorded the respectful treatment that he is due.

This has been made necessary because of the public airing of the issues involving the Chief’s employment in the past two issues of our Newspaper of Record. After the shameful treatment that very recently played out in the pages of that same newspaper, leading to the dismissal of our City Manager – people who know and respect Chief Watson are understandably upset.

We expect that the City Manager would deal fairly and privately with his employees on any personnel matter, and he has a duty to investigate any allegation or complaint as well as the record of achievement in making up his mind. To my knowledge, City Manager John Davidson is doing just that. But because this process has been brought to public attention, and that the review of the Chief’s record extends past the expiration of his employment agreement, and that others are encouraged to apply, makes what should have been a private employment negotiation, an embarrassment.

Therefore I urge the City Manager to conclude his review with all deliberate speed, and if everything is found to the good, to quickly conclude negotiations with the Chief. Separately I urge the Council to get ahead of the rumor and innuendo mill with a resolution of support for Chief Watson and the great job you know him to be doing. Such a resolution would go a long way to reassure the town that our local government is professionally run, that it’s leadership respects long serving, capable managers, and also to buoy the morale of the City’s employees with the knowledge that a job well done is a secure job.; January 9, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Laurie Allee said...: Hi everyone,

I wholeheartedly applaud Mr. Stamps for his brilliant comments. Welcome to my blog, sir! If my email is any indication, GOSP is becoming a sort of meeting place for concerned citizens to question, rant and discuss this situation.

I've been too angry and confused to write with any coherence about this again yet. In fact, today's image was a bit of advice to myself. Take it slow... take it slow. I will post more early in the week.

I can say that I feel sick about the Chief's retirement announcement. I was one of the many concerned South Pas residents to speak at Wednesday's Council meeting. There were so many words of praise, admiration and support for a brilliant and dedicated public servant. After hearing such a chorus of voices I am even more shocked at the Council's silence and their continued intention to pursue other candidates.

I was at the grocery store a few days ago and one of the store employees said that he saw me on the Council meeting TV broadcast and couldn't understand why this was happening. Did I know anything? I wish I did. I think we all wish we knew what on earth is motivating this bizarre choice by our elected officials.

More soon, everyone. And thanks for commenting.; January 9, 2010 at 11:38 PM
Anonymous said...: I am a South Pasadena citizen and this is the first I have heard about this. Does anyone know why the city government would want to replace the chief? It doesn't make any sense. Who do they want to replace him with? Most South Pas residents don't know about this.; January 10, 2010 at 10:36 AM
Mister Earl said...: Some of us know, some of us have ideas. There seem to be a group of Councilmen who think that once the votes are counted, the city becomes their personal playground. We need to raise awareness and vote out this gang of three or four.

Take a look at a letter in Jan 10 Star News "Pols Gone Wild."

Email me at Misterearl@gmail.com; January 11, 2010 at 5:04 PM
Laurie Allee said...: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/rds_search/ci_14161113?IADID=Search-www.pasadenastarnews.com-www.pasadenastarnews.com

here's the link to the letter Mr. E mentioned; January 11, 2010 at 6:27 PM
Petrea Burchard said...: Can you post any of those emails you've been receiving, Laurie?; January 11, 2010 at 7:21 PM