Patricia McPherson in news again

[Michael Pajaro]

Our favorite cybernetic technician by day, environmentalist by night got another report on our local news yesterday. KNBC Los Angeles aired a follow-up report to their investigation into potential gas-leak dangers in the Ballona Wetlands, site of a proposed new housing development.

It was a big deal to get the local news station to do the first report, and it is a major victory for Patricia and her group that they decided to do a follow-up as well.




You can see Patricia in the report at http://www.saveballona.org

There are 2 quicktime videos you can download and a link to a streaming video feed (which may not work in some browsers.)

[tkr9]

It's interesting so many people both involved with and who watched KR actually really latched on to the justice angle and went on to try and help people out. I've met a few fans who actually joined charities and lobby groups after watching it, and in all honesty I think I took international politics at uni because of it, though I wouldn't say it was the only reason.

But I did work for a (completely unethical) company for a while, and began to really resent what they did, and now I could never go back working for that type of industry again. My salary will never be as high again, but it doesn't bother me.

Good on Patricia for taking up the gauntlet on this issue. I hope they are succesful in their campaign.

[Lyn]

I really don't think a housing development should be built on the Ballona wetlands area, so I'm all for Ms. McPherson to keep up her battle.
I hope the development project will find somewhere else to build other than a wet lands area......

[Knight224]

Developers are idiots (no offense if you are a developer!). I hope they rot and NEVER find ANYWHERE to build their stupid houses. Developers built all over my great grandma’s farm AND the wetland behind her farm. Now I have to look at it every stinking day and it is ugly as sin. So much for living in the country! They never even gave us a choice- and nobody stood up for us when they just took the land. Glad to hear someone like Patricia cares and I hope she succeeds in saving the Ballona wetlands.

[FuzzieDice]

Just recently the US Courts said that developers can take away people's homes and businesses if they want for "Private Projects" such as housing developments, malls, shopping plazas, anything.

My hat's off to Patricia for all her hard work. I really hope she succeeds.

[Lost Knight]

Yup. The federal government has reserved the right to take over any land it wants. If they wanted to tear my house down and build a mini-mall, I couldn't do anything about it. Here in New York it's pretty bad as well; the MTA will soon be able to issue tickets on the subway for standing on a skateboard ($100), walking between subway cars when the train is in motion ($75), putting feet up on seats ($100), riding a scooter in the subway system ($100) and wearing roller blades ($100) among other things. Next year they'll probably issue tickets for coughing too loud. And that's all on top of a recent and completely unnecessary fare hike because its a monopoly. It's just another example of our "freedom" here.

[TurbomanKnight]

Yup. The federal government has reserved the right to take over any land it wants. If they wanted to tear my house down and build a mini-mall, I couldn't do anything about it. Here in New York it's pretty bad as well; the MTA will soon be able to issue tickets on the subway for standing on a skateboard ($100), walking between subway cars when the train is in motion ($75), putting feet up on seats ($100), riding a scooter in the subway system ($100) and wearing roller blades ($100) among other things. Next year they'll probably issue tickets for coughing too loud. And that's all on top of a recent and completely unnecessary fare hike because its a monopoly. It's just another example of our "freedom" here.

Wow, when I went to Mannhattan the other day I thought my friend was bluffing when he said I cant put my feet up on the seat. Man, the city is so screwed up. That's why I want to move to Florida. I cant stand this crap anymore.

[FuzzieDice]

Well, in one way they seem to make laws to the extent we can't live. But another... you don't want to get run over, sit on a torn up seat, or get injured by a train though. And some need laws to tell them or they don't understand to do these things themselves. But then some don't care anyway.

Dunno.

[TurbomanKnight]

First off, trains in NYC have to padding on the seats. Jusr hard metal or plastic seats. Second, getting injured while switching cars through the interior doors are not dangerous. It's only dangerous if your being reckless. Some laws are not even needed.

[FuzzieDice]

You're right there. There's some really frivolous laws out there. Then again there's some very careless people out there too, unfortunately.

I'm wondering if there were no laws, no rules, what would happen? Would people just 'know better'? Or would they use it as an excuse to hurt others and cause a bunch of problems? And iwthout laws to stop others from punishing them for doing that, how far would they get?

I remember the Great Blackout in August a couple years ago or so where there was no power in much of the Northeast - I'm sure most of you in the eastern US would remember it. I remember listening to the radio and hearing how people were just being mindful regardless of traffic lights and in some spots, people got out of their cars to direct traffic (as it happened right around rush-hour that the power went south). Everyone was just helping people out suddenly, out of nowhere. Instead of cussing and road rage, people suddenly were letting people through, stopping at lights, waiting, having patience.

Odd that WITH laws and rules in place, people then just disregard them...

[Michael Pajaro]

Getting back on-topic a bit...

The unusual thing about what Patricia is doing is that this isn't simply about a bunch of tree-huggers trying to save some butterflies. Patricia has been doing a lot of her own scientific research and doing the legwork of collecting samples and can PROVE that there are dangerous, explosive gasses in the soil. This isn't just a sentimental cause, there is an actual physical danger here.

It's kind of funny... Bonnie was a super computer genious, yet by Patricia's own admission she still knows nothing about computers. But ask her anything about toxic chemical levels in ground-water and she can talk your ear off.

[tkr9]

I worked for a consultancy that helped developers once, in all my naivte - NEVER AGAIN!

[FuzzieDice]

Michael - she's a whiz at toxic chemical levels just like Bonnie was a whiz with KITT. I agree. Patricia is backing things up with evidence. But too the passion IS there. And having BOTH is a good thing because I think it's the key ingredients to success. Which I certanly hope she obtains. I wouldn't want to be living on top of explosive gases, that's for sure!