Isaac Garcia's Blog

Pasadena *Was* Known For Its Trees

Pasadena is in the process of removing over a dozen, large, very green and shady Ficus trees.  It has something to do with the City (and the Playhouse District business owners) not wanting to share responsibility of maintenance and liability.  I'm not sure of the entire story.  I do know that I'm not a tree-hugging fanatic - and that I quietly blew off the emails I'd seen around the city on this topic.  But pictures of these huge tress being destroyed (at 2am!!!) looks horrible!  It looks traumatic!  It is very sad. Brutal.  (Photos courtesy of Branislav Kecman)

Here is the Pasadena Star News article about it.

Hail in Altadena

We had a good dose of hail tonight with some good lightning.  Exciting nights in Altadena, California.

Los Angeles Sunset from Altadena

Tonight's sunset over Los Angeles was one of the clearest I've ever seen.   Since the light was changing - I took a bunch of photos and have uploaded all of them.  Some have greater detail than others.

Click here to view it in full size for greater detail.

As you can see from the photos below - you can make out details such as the air traffic control tower at LAX, the Vincent Thomas suspension bridge, harbor bridge and the dock cranes at Long Beach, the span of water between the California shore and Catalina Island as well as the details of Lake Street in Pasadena.

Its Gonna Get Real Cold in Southern California

"We are in a pre-1950 type pattern, "said Martin. "We know we are due for a winter storm sometime this year. The type we may be dealing with will be ranked up there with the known years before 1950, which set record low daytime temperatures into the forecast region. With this, may come low elevation snow."

(Source via Ventura County Star)

Is this Global Warming?

Stealth Bomber Over Los Angeles (Pasadena)

A B2 Stealth Bomber flew over the LA skyline today - practicing for the upcoming Pasadena Rose Parade:

Pasadena Star News Forgets About Pearl Harbor

Front Page of PasadenaStarNews....NOT ONE SINGLE REFERENCE TO PEARL HARBOR.  Lest We Forget.

The local papers are run by a bunch of keystone cops.

Jet Fighters Over Los Angeles

I tried to take a nap this afternoon - but was awoken by the sound of jet airplanes overhead.  This is common in Pasadena as the Rose Bowl often attracts a stealth bomber flyover or the Thunderbirds or some other fighter jets. 

I was awoken at 3pm (kick off time for the UCLA versus Oregon State game).  I got up, looked out the window and laid back down.

I heard them fly over again about 15 minutes later.  Then, around 5:30pm I heard them again.  This time, I went outside and saw five fighter jets overhead.  I watched them fly around the LA basin for 30 minutes?  What were they doing?  I saw them group into formation and head towards Long Beach...and then I saw them over LAX and then I saw them over downtown LA (see the pictures below). 

Click on the pictures for higher resolution.  You'll see the fighters at the top of the photo.  They made several trips around the LA basin.  I saw five overhead a few times, but the photos only show four.

Anyone have any idea what was going on?

Cooper's Hawk in Altadena Backyard

My wife heard some rustling in the trees and then saw this beautiful hawk on our fence line.  From what I could compare on the internet it appears to be a Cooper's Hawk.  I was able to grab a ton of photos. 

Click on each of the thumbnail photos below to view the high resolution versions. 

  

  

Los Angeles Scorcher!

My neighbor about 5 houses away hosts a weather station.  He measured 108 degrees today!

February Snow in Altadena

I just uploaded a few pictures from the early February snow we had in the mountains behind us in Altadena.

You can view the photos here.