tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38945093479160947272010-01-29T21:13:34.664-08:00Torrance, CA Blog - stuff and nonsense in Torrance, the South Bay and beyondSo Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-28369997717052456312010-01-05T11:13:00.001-08:002010-01-05T11:22:02.252-08:00

Oi, we're broke. We'll be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday for the next two years.I'm getting my son-nut's teeth straightened, which costs as much as what we paid for our first new car. Of course, an orthodontist will tell you it's not what they do, it's what they know.One thing I know is $5500 is a lot for a bunch of wire and 24 trips to and from his office.I suppose it is

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-48960841484418117602010-01-03T09:27:00.000-08:002010-01-03T09:50:51.835-08:00

My hub-nut and two bro-in-laws put in a new, shiny marble floor into my bathroom. The old and ugly linoleum/vinyl floor is history, thank god. Bro-in-law #1 threw in the marble tiles, gratis - they were leftovers from another project. Bro-in-law #2 directed the installation and made all the tricky cuts. However, when you want to remodel your one and only bathroom, you have to get creative. There

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-70834293072635859052009-12-25T21:46:00.000-08:002009-12-26T10:06:01.144-08:00

We had our big holiday celebration on Christmas eve. We serve fish, which is an italian tradition, and technically shouldn't serve meat, but my mom brought a ham. My hub-nut bbq'd some really nice ahi tuna and salmon, and I baked some tilapia wrapped in parchment and cooked a bit of scallops. My hub-nut's mom brought some pesce stocco, which is a cod soup - the cod is reconstituted - sounds

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-22489564535476961752009-12-19T14:08:00.001-08:002009-12-19T14:22:15.633-08:00

Mayor of Torrance, Albert Isen, bantering with Groucho Marx on "You Bet Your Life". This wasn't the only Torrance resident to appear on the show. Here's another episode where a Torrance denizen appears. (The video was too long to post).

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-36612897712788900102009-12-14T20:48:00.000-08:002009-12-14T22:16:01.022-08:00

Last year's Christmas Gewgaws, here, and here, and here......all come together in this little video I've thrown together for you to enjoy. The gewgaws, ornaments and various stuffage represent years of collecting - some of the glass balls and glass ball strands are 50-70 years old. The manger items could have been purchased 50 years ago at Woolworths for 15 cents a piece. However, there are new

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-40843062284386315442009-12-12T18:44:00.000-08:002009-12-12T19:03:35.975-08:00

AAaarrgh.I was involved with an online game about a year ago. It took over my life. In the end, I was invaded and lost the village I cared for lovingly for months.The game? Tribal Wars. My son-nut has convinced me to join once again, which I did, contrary to any sense I may have.My hub-nut is a major player on World 23. He's been playing for quite some time and has amassed a significant

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-32855478691526259852009-12-08T16:45:00.000-08:002009-12-08T16:54:15.638-08:00

I must confess I prefer Halloween to Christmas.The best part about Halloween is it's a cheap holiday - typically, there is only snack foods and candy involved. Christmas is quite another story. Every year I swear I'm not going to drop a cartload of cash, and every year I fail miserably.So far, I've purchased these for my niece - I've always wanted a set, and so I'm foisting my regret on her. I've

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-59228555166705292302009-12-03T08:14:00.000-08:002009-12-03T09:21:13.757-08:00

This incident is of interest to me - I grew up in the neighborhood. I won't say precisely where, but my parents still live in the neighborhood. I know (casually, not biblically) the man accused of the shooting. He's relatively new to the neighborhood, compared with my parents, but he's lived there for at least 10 years, if not longer. No, he's not a crazy guy - just a quiet man in a quiet

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-5760130732701455172009-12-02T23:48:00.001-08:002009-12-03T00:09:23.611-08:00

Every year at this time, my family plays the Christmas Lights! Game - I take credit for its invention (if you play this game, please email me so I can tell you where to mail my royalty checks.)The game is played while driving in the car at night, typically while on the way home from the store, or practice. The rules are simple - the first person to spot homes with Christmas lights along the road

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-26589748807094233512009-12-01T00:26:00.001-08:002009-12-01T00:31:47.843-08:00

Yeah for chestnuts!Yeah for their hot steamy center!Yeah for their low fat calories!Yeah for their yummy taste!Yeah when the shells peel right off!Boo when one assplodes in the oven, coating the interior in chestnut shrapnel.Boo when the shells stick to the nut and you have to scrape them with your teeth.Boo because they take so long to cook.Boo when the last one you peel open is rotten.

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-30076858514594279172009-11-30T22:48:00.000-08:002009-11-30T23:17:35.719-08:00

Why collect ashtrays when one doesn't smoke? Good question. I do like the graphics on vintage ashtrays, and you may recognize one of the ash trays in this video from a previous Gewgaw posting. It's certainly not a huge collection by any means, just a few odds and ends casually acquired during short jaunts at a thrift.Smoking is an activity with a certain amount of mystery and attitude - who

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-22236077166715862592009-11-28T13:34:00.000-08:002009-11-28T14:02:59.579-08:00

We are lucky. Fat, and doubly lucky.On Thanksgiving Day, we ate at my sister in law's. On the day after Thanksgiving, we ate at my sister's.Two Thanksgiving dinners. Two turkeys, two stuffings, two pumpkin pies. Oooh, la la.Two opportunities to eat leftovers. If that ain't good ol' american gluttony, I don't know what is.Did not do any shopping - just ate, and chatted and plopped on the sofa. In

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-32273323750299783912009-11-27T11:01:00.000-08:002009-11-27T11:30:52.981-08:00

Try as I might, I could not get this posted yesterday. However, better late than never. This is a great potluck item for someone who doesn't cook a lot because it can be cooked in one pot, takes just minutes, and is easy as can be. It can be made ahead of time, or at the last minute. The recipe is very forgiving - if you have very ripe pears, the pears will soften and disappear, if you use

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-78296275115525499022009-11-24T16:49:00.000-08:002009-11-24T16:59:05.222-08:00

I don't have caller ID, but I always know, right off the bat, if a telemarketer is on the line.First tell: Call at dinnertime. Second tell: silence...for several seconds. I know while they are on the line, they are trying to figure out how to pronounce our surname. Third tell: they never pronounce our name correctly.Forth tell: they always ask to speak to my hub-nut. Typically, by this point,

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-494813112495386202009-11-21T12:00:00.001-08:002009-11-24T20:46:01.392-08:00

I'm fascinated by exaggerated body modifications - scarification, ear stretching, implants, large area tattoos. The animation is just one drawing, but I moved it around on the Photoshop canvas, then copied into iMovie. Voila, fake animation. My father has a tattoo he acquired in the Navy over 60 years ago. From what he tells me, it's an anchor. I don't see it - other than it's blue blob.

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-61707432974209512702009-11-19T08:43:00.000-08:002009-11-19T10:28:48.871-08:00

I've been combing the City of Torrance website - I can't find any information on the Torrance Telecommunication Committee. Google returned very few results - all from either this blog or the meeting last week. This site provides maps of the locations of cell towers and antennas within four miles of any location. I used Torrance City Hall as the address, and it came up with these:These are

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-81697890875498688692009-11-17T02:56:00.000-08:002009-11-19T00:51:54.862-08:00

Things 'needed' 27 years ago:1. one land line telephone2. two cars3. radio with cassette player, cassettes4. one bedroom apartment6. one no-name 128k PC hub-nut assembled7. one tv8. cable9. one hub-nutThings 'needed' now:1. landline telephone in every room w/ answering machine2. two cars3. cell phone for each person in house4. additional iphone for hub-nut for work5. stereo, cds6. ipod, itunes7.

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-13398002946403592202009-11-16T09:17:00.001-08:002009-11-16T22:52:02.327-08:00

Get used to it, folks. San Pedro residents are up in arms over a cell pole near an elementary school.Within 4 miles of Taper elementary, there are already 166 towers, with two slated to go up. There are over 600 transmitting/receiving antenna.

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-2896278743669881242009-11-15T11:23:00.000-08:002009-11-16T09:41:57.418-08:00

Google Earth mapped image of cell towers in the United States.Although I am a skeptic in regards to the dangers microwaves generated by cell phone towers may cause humans, there may be issues in regards to smaller, fuzzier, buzzier organisms.If you're concerned about the proliferation of cell phone towers, please sign the petition at CLOUTNOW, the Coalition for Local Oversight of Utility

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-28105349405755490372009-11-10T16:23:00.001-08:002009-11-16T09:39:36.674-08:00

To quote a Torrance Telecommunication Commission member, "...cell towers don't just fall down...they're designed by engineers..."Apparently, the cell tower in this video didn't get that memo.Fortunately for this Maryland community, there were no buildings or people nearby. No one was hurt.But what if this tower was installed adjacent to a preschool - say, no less than a few yards? Well, that's

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-19841105653504380522009-11-10T12:24:00.001-08:002009-11-19T08:39:16.409-08:00

In regards to the proposed project on Sepulveda and Arlington, described as "... Telecom Permit to allow the collocation of a telecommunications facility with 12 antennas designed as a false tree by increasing the height of an existing pole on property located at....etc...". This description left much to the imagination. My initial thought was T-Mobile simply wished to 'glom' some additional

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-72457539507532613992009-11-06T17:25:00.001-08:002009-11-16T09:40:35.548-08:00

Would you know a fake palm tree if you saw it?Of course you would. Especially if it were 45 feet tall, made of concrete and plastic, and had telecommunication equipment 'hidden' in the spindly, faded, plastic fronds. T-Mobile wants to make the fake palm monopole in the parking lot at the corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and Arlington Avenue taller, bigger, badder, more dangerous and uglier. There's

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-33850324090072942952009-11-06T12:22:00.000-08:002009-11-06T12:54:40.504-08:00

A day or so after posting the preceding videos on anti-vax hysteria, my son came down with the flu.I got my flu shot a couple of weeks ago. I highly recommend the pharmacist at the Gardena Vons. The injection didn't leave my arm sore, probably for the first time since getting flu shots. She said the key was relaxing the arm as much as possible while getting the injection. I couldn't convince my

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-88030141116556205992009-11-02T09:48:00.001-08:002009-11-02T09:48:26.982-08:00

What happens when you let the lunatics run the asylum.

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3894509347916094727.post-30962892675469789182009-11-02T09:39:00.001-08:002009-11-02T20:53:56.014-08:00

Entertaining video that addresses the paranoia surrounding vaccines and flu shots.

So Cal Peeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09435736474801168116noreply@blogger.com0