Winter Parasail Video

Winter is officially here and what a way to kick it off if you haven't hit the snow yet than by watching this awesome helmetcam of a parasail-ski glide over Mt. Superior in Utah. I caught myself twisting my head constantly and really feeling like I was floating. I kept saying, this is the part where I hit.

Enjoy...

Superior, Speed Fly from Marshall Miller on Vimeo.

A Sign Of Rescue In Pomona

I call it my sort of, 'Christmas Gift to the City of Pomona'.

It was a rainy Monday this week while I ran around town running errands with my daughter. I stopped in Downtown Claremont for my usual banking/post office routine. Then drove off to Downtown Pomona for some city business, finished by a drive to Montclair for more personal business. As we drove back to Pomona down Holt Ave, we turned right onto Indian Hill. As we approached Lincoln Ave, I noticed the usual street name was missing. All I saw was this:


As I drove past it, I noticed the sign on the sidewalk just laying there. I quickly drove around the block and stopped by the sign. My daughter looked at me with a 'you're gonna take it?' look. I got off, opened the back door and loaded the wobbly sign in. I could not believe the size of this thing. Up there it looks so much smaller, it was about 6 feet long! I picked up whatever debris was left and loaded it in.

My daughter had a sort of shocked/amazed look. I told her, I'm going to return this back so they can fix it. If I were to leave it there, some vandals would probably take it and destroy or tag all over it. She looked relieved once I said that.

I thought, what a good daddy I am, on top of that, what a good citizen.

We get home and one of my sons was there and said, 'holy crap, where did you get that, its cool'. Gave him the story and he went back to his business. I took the sign to the back room and laid it on the ground:


Now, being from Southern California, I thought this would look cool in my garage (at least for a second). I also was aware that this was a crime and knew better. Now if I was moving and wanted some 'memorabilia' well, uh... j/k

I picked up the phone and tried to call Daryl Grigsby of Pomona Public Works. I've met Daryl a few times at various events in Pomona in the past, a very nice guy. He wasn't in on Monday, so I spoke to someone there who was amazed and grateful I did this. I told her I know how expensive these signs are. She then told me I can return it back to the city engineering department or yard at my earliest convenience. I took it over to city hall directly the next day. People were looking at me and my daughter like we were crazy walking through the civic center in the rain with this sign.

All in all, a little sort of 'Christmas Tale' for the City of Pomona from myself.

A Cool Bookmas Tree

This time of year there are many types of trees around the world. I have to say this tree is definitely one of my favorites. Especially if you're a book lover or perhaps Ms. Lois, you'd go crazy to see this in person.

Made by "Thatcher" of Juniper Books, a custom book making company.


"Our estimate is that there are close to 800 books that make up the Christmas Tree! You can’t really see it from the photos, but we lit the tree from the inside, so it was glowing nicely through the spaces in the books."

You can visit their website here for more information and details on this bookworm creation.

Read A Book (Warning)

There's a positive message here... but I'd give this a 'not for kids' tag. Funny as heck and catchy song. If profanity and foul language offend you, do not view. It was also aired on the BET Network. If you like Hip Hop, you'll trip on this.

Now READ A BOOK! READ A BOOK! READ A MOTHA F***IN' BOOK!

On Tap @ Joey's BBQ Pomona

I've been frequenting on occasion lately the tasty Joey's BBQ Pomona. The bar area is where you'd find me anyways. I just wanted to let everyone know that they've upgraded heavily their brewskis, not to mention an awesome makeover with beautiful original concrete floors, and I am very proud of them. There are going to be some very exciting 'plans' for 2011 at Joey's, so keep an eye 'round here for the latest info.

I was there for a recent 'beer tasting' and of course, here are some horrible shots of the tap I took (I used an old ass little camera which barely works):

Yes, you see it correctly, two STONE's on tap!!
Oh yeah! RACER 5 IPA Baby!!!
(Plus the mandatory POMONA QUEEN or else I won't go)

Here's the beer menu (since my tap pics are so blurry):

Tax Cuts

Congress passes extension of Bush-era tax cuts

Mirror Pond Pale Ale

I had a little extra money the other day and said to myself, "it's time for some decent brew drinking at home once again". The economy has taken a toll on the common purchase of great microbrews, and therefore found myself mostly buying lame domestic swill to fill the fridge. You can only make so many 'micheladas' until you're completely sick of them.

I decided to roll the dice on where to purchase, something nearby North Pomona, since my daughter has cheer practice up there for the Claremont Wolfpack. I stopped at the Albertsons on Foothill and Garey. I crossed my fingers and hoped there would be something decent in six packs. I must say, this Albertsons still has it! They had several varieties of Stone and also Dogfish Head, and many more! This time I wanted to try the Mirror Pond Pale Ale made by Deschutes Brewery of Bend, Oregon.

Pale Ale as I have mentioned in the past, is my favorite style of beer. I couldn't resist the purchase. I also picked up a six pack of Sam Adams Latitude 48 degree IPA, I love to chase a Pale Ale with an IPA and once again return to the Pale Ale.

Here I am, watching the rise of the 3rd Reich on History Channel. I pour into a tall cold glass the brew of Mirror Pond. It starts off a little stronger than I had anticipated (the beer). It is much hoppier and seems a little more on the bitter side. It also has a slight malty taste to it. Hmmm, with so much hop I expected it to stay, but it goes a little flat towards the end. Nevertheless, a pretty tasty, slightly floral smelling pale ale. Decent and I would recommend this to anyone. I give it a 3.85 out of 5, not quite a 4 because of the extra hoppiness which is generally good, but the bitterness takes a bit of that out.

How About A Bamboo Keyboard/Mouse?

This looks kinda cool, but if I were a daily heavy computer user, I don't think this is what I would want. One of it's specialties is the ability to absorb sweat. Yuck...

"a unique product that evokes in the users a deep feeling of peace, calm and tranquility."

Chinavasion All Natural Full Bamboo Keyboard And Mouse Combo

Stages Of Decay

Abandoned stages large and small.

Grand old movie palaces, ballrooms, school auditoriums, theaters in hotels, mental hospitals, churches and jails. No matter how glamorous or shabby, they have one thing in common. Before being darkened forever, they were the sites of entertainment, pleasure and contemplation - sometimes for audiences who had no other means of escaping from their world.

These stages were visited over the course of several years and are now assembled here for a small showing, hand in hand.

Click here for a slide show: Stages of Decay by Julia Solis

Financial Terms Cleared Up

CEO -- Chief Embezzlement Officer.

CFO -- Corporate Fraud Officer.

BULL MARKET -- A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.

VALUE INVESTING -- The art of buying low and selling lower.

P/E RATIO -- The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER -- What my broker has made me.

STANDARD & POOR -- Your life in a nutshell.

STOCK ANALYST -- Idiot who just downgraded your stock.

STOCK SPLIT -- When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.

FINANCIAL PLANNER -- A guy whose phone has been disconnected.

MARKET CORRECTION -- The day after you buy stocks.

YAHOO -- What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 per share.

WINDOWS -- What you jump out of when you're the sucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share.

CASH FLOW-- The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR -- Past year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse.

PROFIT -- An archaic word no longer in use.

Back From Parade, ARTWALK Tonight!

Boy, was it warm or what? It hit 80 degrees today in what was a gorgeous day (minus the forehead tan). It was fun parading with fellow bloggers, I had a great time. Also great to see many other friends from everywhere waving at us. Now I'm off to a Christmas dinner in Simi Valley at 2pm, and then heading back tonight for the Pomona Artwalk for a great time. See you guys later and keep on blogging!

Tomorrow's Christmas Parade!

Don't forget to get out to Downtown Pomona for tomorrow's 'Christmas With A Kick' parade... This year will feature for the first time the members of the newly formed BLOG FOR A BETTER POMONA crew of bloggers parading through the streets! Anyone can join us if you have a blog, the only requirement is that you are within the city limits of Pomona. You don't have to blog about Pomona, just be based here. The parade begins at 10am. Here's a list of the blog participants as well as the parade route:
(click to enlarge)


If you need more information, click the Christmas banner located on the top right of the page!

Bye Bye Blogs

Every so often, some blogs will tend to 'die'. Stuff happens in life and therefore, the blogging seems to never continue. It is with deep regret that I must remove the following blogs from my links (sounds like an obituary I know):

Raw Pomona: I've removed them a while back, but it's still been 10 months since the last post.

Student in Pomona: Going on 9 months without a post, perhaps there is a child to be born now? I hear Anduhrew is poised to make a come back, and if so, will re-link.

Recentering El Pueblo: One of my favorite urbanist/real estate blogs in Los Angeles. 7 months of no activity but I still find myself going back to the archives.

Oh Pomona!: At one time, seemed to have died in December of 2009, but in May of 2010, made a rare comeback. And that's where it stood, 1/2 a year later no posting either.

Those Darn Pants

Nothing To See Here, Move Along

"One minute, the Air Force laughs off speculation regarding the X-37 as “innovation.” The next, it mentions a secret payload and gives reporters the whole “move along, move along” routine. If the X-37 really is an innocent space lab, why does the Air Force’s communications strategy seem designed to imply otherwise?"

Source: Wired.com

At A Bookstore Near You

Appropriately placed.

A Tucson Kinda Weekend

What a horrible blogger I am, there's no question. I'm always going to many amazing places and I either forget or just get too comfy and lazy to take pictures for 'many' of you to see. This past weekend we spent part of the week and weekend in Tucson for the holiday. I had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with Tucson family in a beautiful sagauro cactus-filled desert landscape wonder. I also attended a great wedding in old town Tucson. The church was gorgeous and the little town was great.

But before arriving in old Tucson, we temporarily stopped in Oro Valley to meet more family. We then left down the road to Tucson. As we approached, we could not help but laugh and make fun of the billboard sign we saw on the street corner (and one of the kids took the picture):


Yup, this was the saying of the whole weekend whenever we drove around town. RED MEANS STOP! GREEN MEANS GO!

I made plans to attend a local brewery named Barrio Brewery (they make 12 different beers), but unfortunately, my tight schedule did not allow this. I did manage to snap a picture of the old famous 'Z' Mansion. We attended a wedding at this location as well. It reminds me of the old Phillips Mansion of Pomona (but completely renovated to the max. Here's a shot from the street):


While I won't sit here and tell you all my adventures (Probably because I didn't take pictures and there's too many) I will tell you this. The little downtown area of Tucson we lingered around most of the time, reminds me SO much of Downtown Pomona and Downtown Claremont. I wanted to take pictures of the many Craftsman homes and homes with river rock foundations every time. The bad news, I didn't take pictures of the places I wanted to at all. The good news, as we left Tucson for good, I managed to take very ugly but quick pictures as the wife drove away. These are not the greatest images, nor the correct places I speak of. But strangely enough, I think you get my drift when I mention the similarity (And yes, too much 'fun' the previous few nights led to me being unable to drive this afternoon).

I realized that this is part of a historic district called 'El Presidio':


And here are the few, ugly, rare drive by snaps:






And as a bonus, we managed to have one last meal with some family before we left at El CHARRO restaurant, across the lot from the Z Mansion. Food was pretty decent, a little pricier than I expected. A total of 8 adults and 6 kids, no dessert... $361 including gratuity:


And in the middle of the outside eating area, there stood this cool Mexican Charro hat fountain:

Silver Lake In Pomona

Instead of getting inland kids to make the miserable drive out to LA for a show, local bands from Silver Lake decided to bring the Silver Lake scene to the Glass House in Pomona for a night of great music.


Bands performing include White Arrows, Superhumanoids, Gliss, Modern Time Machines, Twilight Sleep, Vanaprasta, Future Ghost, Light FM, Holloys, The Franks, Hands and Stone Darling. Tickets are currently available for the December 10th show.

The show takes place on Friday, December 10th. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.

Happy Thanksgiving

Yeah, it's early I know. I realize that sometimes I'm on every other day, and sometimes I go 4 to 5 days or longer without the internet world. So, just to cover my behind, I'm wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

I did alot this weekend, stuff that I should have taken pictures of... oh well, like George Lopez says, "shi... what for? I'll memmer!"

Sunday Beer Tasting In Pomona

I was pretty much a faithful follower of Brother Tibbi's Sunday School when the gospe, err, uh tastings were held at DBA256. Since his departure from that establishment, my liver, palate & soul has felt lost in the world. Sure I've ventured to strange places in the world to quench my desire for the latest and greatest Ale of the world, but yet, couldn't go to the usual confessional to speak of my sins.

I remember speaking to the Perdomo brothers over at St. Joey's BBQ about perhaps allowing Brother Tibbi to continue his teachings at their cathedr, uh, bar. Brother Tibbi himself said the idea wasn't bad, but it seemed he had other callings to deal with for the moment.

Time went on...

Lo and behold! I found out recently through the pages of Ye Ol' Facebook, that this task I hoped for has come true. These are Brother Tibbi's own words:

"Sunday School with Brother Tibbi is this Sunday the 21st at 5:00pm. Be there or be like the storm trooper who eventually realized that those WERE the droids he was looking for."

So come by and check it out. Just walk in, sit and enjoy a tasty brew even if for a bit. Spread the word!

Sunday Nov. 21st 2010, Joey's BBQ 117 W. 2nd Street (corner of Garey Ave & 2nd) Pomona, CA 91766. Call if you have any questions, you can ask for Oscar (909)865-0699

Original Skrip, The Blog.

Here I am sitting with a weak cup of coffee in the late afternoon. I stopped to think for a moment, wow, I think I've been doing this 'blog' thing for a while now. I believe I officially started in February or March of 2009. That would mean in about 3 months this blog will be 2 years old.

Is this a good thing or bad thing? I don't know. I remember right before I blogged wanting to write about things that crossed my mind; community/local issues, art & graphic design, gardening, beer, politics and general rantings. I started with more of a gardening side, along with things between Los Angeles and Pomona. I then found an interest in strange & interesting stuff around the world as well.

A good friend (writer) suggested to me not to get into politics on my blog. I respect his experience and try to hold myself back as much as I can. I prefer to laugh at 'general politics' when I find it funny and silly. But I am very much into social causes, local and worldwide. I've decided if I am to go more into the political discussion world, perhaps a separate blog for that would entail (Right Cliff?).

I want to keep Original Skrip as a general ranting blog for the area as originally started. I truly care about Los Angeles County, as well as our state and nation. Being born in Hollywood, living throughout Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley, and now Pomona Valley, I've really learned to love the area (and hate it too). I am also a very deep historian for the Southwest U.S. and Northwest Mexico area. We have such beautiful history in these parts and perhaps I will add some of that knowledge to my blog.

I remember stories from my Grandfather, telling me of his father's tale of working in California and riding a horse for days through the rocky cactus area of Los Angeles/San Fernando. And also knowing that my wife's Paternal roots are now 8th generation Californio.

You still might catch a silly political joke here and there, but deep stuff, nah, I want to enjoy myself. I did enjoy my past support for Tim Saunders, that was personal. It's interesting to learn how some people play politics locally. I will from time to time, support a local candidate or cause, it's only natural. My next support will be for the upcoming re-election of Jose Huizar for Los Angeles 14th District.

Also, thanks to all the fellow bloggers that I have on my Around Town links. Without you guys, none of this would be possible. We all make a strong community and I enjoy visiting you guys and helping to spread the word for you. This is what makes us great!

La Evolución Silenciosa

"The Silent Evolution" in English that is...

This morning I stumbled upon these images of some very cool & strange sculptures/statues under the sea in Mexico. They are so lifelike it's amazing.



To see more images of La Evolucion Silenciosa, visit:
Jason deCaires Taylor's website

Also, here's a little more info:

"Take a dive and see the 400 eerie “bodies” serving as the seed to a new artificial coral reef. The underwater sculpture by Jason deCaires Taylor titled La Evolución Silenciosa (The Silent Evolution) sits ~30 feet under water off the coast of Cancun/Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The sculpture is made with material that attracts all types of sea critters; with time a spirited coral reef will spring to life in its place."

How To Sneeze Properly Via 1945

No More Islands (In Montclair)

Another business bites the dust (what else is new?). Islands, the famous tropical burger spot in Montclair off Moreno Street near the Montclair Plaza, is closing it's doors for good. I knew something was up about a year ago when their burgers got smaller. I remember asking them why and they responded saying it was to promote an affordable combo of burger, fries and drinks. I figured this was happening at all Islands. Well, it certainly wasn't the case. I recently went to Island's in East Pasadena and the burgers were as big as usual.

Well, a year later and now it's closed as of this weekend. I am saddened, not because I really don't go anymore, but because it is a VERY GOOD burger to grub on. I also got partial inspiration on its landscaping for my semi-tropical backyard.

But the facts seems to be a mix of the economy and nearby business closures, lease expiration, and outdated shopping center.

One Week Later

GOP Recycling

Broken Halo IPA

I've been drinking this brew for a couple of months now. In fact, started drinking it right before the release of Halo Reach for the Xbox 360. Coincidence? Perhaps...

This one is made by Widmer Brothers, most famously known for their Widmer Hefeweizen. They make a wide variety of other styles as well. This one is in the IPA style and it seems pretty good. When you first take a swirl, you really feel like this is going to be a Stone IPA clone, seriously. But then after you drink, there seems to be some space between the full hop flavor and bite. You'll keep a slight hoppy bite at the end, but not as intense. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It makes it pretty drinkable. It still retains a fresh taste and goes down pretty well. Pretty decent, I give it a 3.75 out of 5. Oh, and it also boasts a 6.0% Alcohol content.

This was purchased as a 24 pack case of 4 varieties. Purchased at Ralphs in Pasadena, off of Lake Avenue near the 210. The 4 varieties are: Widmer (Hefeweizen), Drop Top (Amber Ale), Drifter (Pale Ale) and Broken Halo (IPA).

I'll be reviewing Drop Top in the near future as well.

Where Do You Want That Tattoo?

Thinking of getting a tattoo? I found this funny chart of common locations on your body for tattoo placement. Are you ready to be labeled as such?

(click to enlarge)

From Japan To China

Check out these actual directions from Google maps. More importantly, check out #43 of the directions.

Click here for Google Maps.

Awesome Robot Costume!

Now this guy really went all out in creating this Mecha Warrior Halloween costume!

Sheet metal, aircraft aluminum, and other parts: $600.
Rivets, bolts, hardware: $250.
Tool purchases/rentals: $200.
Spraypaint: $90.
Truck rental to carry costume: $210.
Hours: 250+.
Looking like you could take down a tank: priceless.

Blogger Excerpt Of The Day & Election

Love this quote from a fellow blogger:

"I’m going to refrain from knee-jerk reactions concerning the results from last night. It would be too easy to wax philosophic about how stupid people elect stupid people…but I’m rather upset just now, and I’m hoping a day or two of sober reflections will help to ease my disappointment and frustration. I’m not so sure, but the results are what they are, and so we’ll have to live with the fallout for the next two years.

One thing I will say is that this election truly represents the triumph of anger, propaganda, and the Big Lie over objective reality. After eight years of the corruption and ineptitude of George W. Bush, the American Sheeple have allowed themselves to be convinced that Barack Obama is now solely responsible for the mess we’re in…after only two years in office. Of course, if Democrats weren’t afraid of their own shadow, if they could have acted instead of reacted, we likely would be having a much different conversation this morning.

I’m upset, disappointed, and more than a little disillusioned this morning…but I’m certainly not surprised. To paraphrase a very wise man, you’ll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American Sheeple. And if you believe that Americans get exactly the quality of representation they deserve…well, even you should be surprised that our standards (and our attention span) are so low."

Damn…I’m really going to have to turn this into a gardening blog…"

District 5 Winner

Looks like Tim might have lost this one :(

According to the results, here is the outcome.



Candidate-Votes-Percent
GINNA E ESCOBAR....1,449....36.95%
TIM SAUNDERS....1,377....35.11%
JORGE GRAJEDA....830....21.16%
INGRID E LUEVANO....266....6.78%

Registration for District: 9,652
Precincts Reporting 11
Total Precincts 11
% Precincts Reporting 100

Wow, only 3,922 out of 9,652 voted in this election for District 5! So if this is offical, looks like Tim Saunders lost by 72 votes. Oh boy! I guess if you have firefighters knocking on doors spreading lies and fear, it works.

Regardless, I wish the best for Ginna Escobar, who I have met before. I guess the mayor gets one 'dissenter' out in order to keep order and HIS rule of law. I do hope that Ginna does the right thing for District 5 and the City of Pomona, not the Mayor & County's soldout Pomona.

Also, a pleasure to meet Ingrid tonight. She seemed pretty nice and honest, but since she wasn't paraded around by Mayor Moochie or County/Union interests, no one really voted for her. Next time Ingrid, next time.

And Tim Saunders, what a great guy. I know you'll still be involved in Pomona politics and the community, and I wish you the best. It's hard to win on honesty nowadays. I guess this city needs to be back in the dumps once again so the people can revolt. It looks like backward is the way for this country in general this election.

Don't worry everyone else, there is some stuff happening in the very near future where 'City of Bell-like' things will be coming out. In a way, I'm glad Tim isn't part of the council, as everyone will want them ALL OUT soon.

Okay, enough politics. Frickin' commercials were practically giving me an ulcer! Since the Lakers are back, looks like Southwest commercials will once again drive us nuts. Want to get away?

The Teabagger Candidates... LOL

Pay attention to where these Tea Party loons want to take this country, disregard Keith's excitement while explaining. Seriously listen.

If you want take this country backwards, I suspect you'd probably vote for these guys. The future of this country is in dangerous harm. Idiocracy, here we come!

Vote Today!

Just a reminder to get out there and vote today!

Election District 5 - Pomona, Phillips Ranch, Westmont

I wanted to put up a little post about the current election happening for City Council in District 5. I just want to tell residents of the area, to simply Vote For Tim Saunders. Why? Because this is the ONLY person in the council who is 100% for the people of his district and the city. This is the kind of person you want to represent you, he truly is a people's person and does what is best for everyone. He isn't like some current people who run around town feeling that they deserve 'entitlement'.

Unfortunately, The 2 people running against Tim Saunders (Jorge Grajeda & Ginna Escobar), will only make Pomona into the mess it was with Norma Torres. And we all know what happens in cities like Bell, CA. You should have heard them speak at the forum, you would have laughed your ass off.

Do not buy their lies to get your vote. I do not want to sit here and tell you the things I am aware of these particular candidates. Do your research and connect the dots, it's pretty simple.

Generally, I don't get all involved with local elections and stuff, because it is all political bureaucratic crap. But when I see a good person, truly one who isn't in it for the self-interest and 'entitlement' like many others, I say something. It's a rare thing.

People of District 5, Tim Saunders is rare gem you get once in a blue moon, just like George Hunter would have been a truly great Mayor if it wasn't for the dirty politics and tactics of 'certain' people. These are the same people behind some of these candidates.

And now I'm off to a nice cup of coffee and dreaming for a better Pomona... (while I still live here)


Endorsed by Pomona PD

McDonald's Set To Raise Prices

Cheap and unhealthy food that more and more are eating in this economy is now going to cost you more. It's pretty much a done deal...

"The firm said it expected commodity costs to rise up to 3 percent in 2011. The price hikes are expected in Europe and the United States, but the firm did not release details.

"We'll actively look at opportunities and with some optimism the economy will get stronger next year and we'll get price increases," Chief Financial Officer Peter Bensen said."

I'm lovin' it! Wait, not anymore 'cause I can't afford it.

Source: UPI.com

Strange Photo

Jerry Schatzberg’s 1966 portrait of the Rolling Stones; from left, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman (seated).