Monthly Archives: January 2014
Jan 15 2014
Hottest Neighborhoods of 2014 #2 Eagle Rock @redfin #redfinreport

Eagle Rock claims the #2 spot in the Hottest Neighborhoods Redfin Special Report for 2014.

Hottest-neighborhoods_1280x960

Neighborhood (Metro Area) Pageviews
Change
Year-
over-year
Median Sale
Price in 2013
#1 Bernal Heights North SlopeSan Francisco, CA 196% $982,500
#2 Eagle RockLos Angeles, CA 128% $539,000
#3 Morningside-Lenox ParkAtlanta, GA 271% $540,375
#4 Upper Chevy ChaseWashington, D.C. 430% $873,000
#5 Desert ShoresLas Vegas, NV 61% $179,525
#6 Barrington OaksAustin, TX 316% $303,750
#7 Phinney RidgeSeattle, WA 178% $502,625
#8 ConcordiaPortland, OR 305% $355,000
#9 City ParkDenver, CO 276% $394,500
#10 Humboldt ParkChicago, IL 158% $189,450

 

The list measures “the greatest growth in popularity over the last four months”

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Jan 15 2014
Jean E. Ensminger – Aiding and Abetting a Culture of Corruption @caltech #pasadena
Jean E. Ensminger – Aiding and Abetting a Culture of Corruption
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
8:00 pm
Beckman Auditorium

How do we study corruption?  Follow the money.  Penetrate the networks.  Model the system.  In this talk we examine a large World Bank project right down to the village level.  We learn how an African cartel is born, nurtured, and propagated.  Through this case study we can see the process by which individuals, institutions, and ultimately entire states, get tipped into the vortex of systemic corruption.  What role does aid money play in this process, and what does forensic economics have to offer in both the diagnosis and the cure?

Presented by: Caltech Committee on Institute Programs

Aiding and Abetting a Culture of Corruption
Watson Lecture Preview

Jean Ensminger is studying a corruption network linked to aid money, using interviews and quantitative analytical methods to follow the money disbursed by a large World Bank project in Africa. Ensminger, Caltech’s Edie and Lew Wasserman Professor of Social Sciences, will explain the magnitude of the corruption problem and share some forensic economic techniques that could allow development donors to combat corruption by tracking potential fraud in real time. The talk will be at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15, 2014, in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium. Admission is free.

Q: What do you do?

A: I’m an economic anthropologist. I have spent my career trying to understand how economic systems work from the grass roots up in developing countries. Right now I’m studying the role of corruption in that process. Most corruption studies look at grand scandals on the national level, but I also want to understand the impacts of corruption when it percolates down to ordinary people at the village level. Once corruption reaches this level, it has usually become the social norm and works like a vortex sucking more and more systems and individuals into its grip.

There is no methods book that teaches one how to conduct a study of this sort. But that has been part of the excitement, as I had to invent the process as I went along. Had I not built up a lot of trusted networks from 30 years of research in Kenya this would not have been possible. Trust is everything in a project of this sort. Another thing this process has taught me is that time is your friend. The data get better and better.

Q: How did you get into this line of work?

A: I have worked with the Orma people in a remote part of Kenya for about 30 years. In 2004 a small micro project came to the village in which I stay, and it was part of a large World Bank project. I did a research paper on the corruption in that micro project that caught the attention of the World Bank. Given the reaction to my work by those running the project, I suspected that “where there is smoke there is fire.” As I broadened my inquiries, I rapidly deduced that the entire project was ripe for further investigation and important enough for me to redirect my primary research orientation.

Research like this is unusual even for an anthropologist. I was in the right place at the right time to do something that, to the best of my knowledge, has never been done quite like this before. I had a sabbatical coming up; I had research money available to me; and, because I had been working in Kenya so long, I had a network that gave me access to the top of civil society—people who are household names in Kenya helped me get started. I have never regretted this decision.

Q: Why are you doing this?

A: Although economists have written a great deal about the negative impact of corruption upon economic growth, the level of corruption in aid is not well measured, and I think it’s important to know more. People may love foreign aid or hate foreign aid, but one thing most agree upon is that they would like to see it spent effectively, and certainly not to do harm. Corruption has a corrosive effect upon many individuals who are virtually compelled to participate because the system is pervasive. That is part of the human story.

In spite of all this, there is hope. What keeps me particularly fired up is that this project resonates with so many of the wonderful citizens of Kenya, including the scores of people who bravely provided evidence for this project. People have literally pounded the table to encourage me to keep going, to dig deeper, and to get the word out. It is a good feeling to have the passion I hold for my research shared with Kenyans.

– See more at: https://www.caltech.edu/content/aiding-and-abetting-culture-corruption#sthash.Ta0exaxb.dpuf

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Jan 14 2014
Artisanal LA for The Trade Event – @artisanalla

Trade

ARTISANAL LA FOR THE TRADE
January 24 – 26 | 9a – 6p

This Winter, LA Mart is partnering with Artisanal LA for the Trade to offer their buyers and designers unprecedented access to shop ten thousand-plus world-class gift, home, furniture, and lifestyle lines, all in one lavish market.  GALLA, Give And Live Los Angeles, is the new identity of LA Mart’s bi-annual Gift + Home + Design Center trade shows.  Artisanal LA is a pop-up community event celebrating the country’s finest local, sustainable and handmade edibles, home goods and lifestyle products.

Click here...

 

LA Mart/a.LA for the Trade’s Admissions Policy:

LA Mart is open to the wholesale trade only. For admittance, proper credentials are required. If you are unable to provide these, you must be accompanied by a qualified buyer and pay a $20 guest fee. For a list of acceptable credentials, please click here:https://lamart.com/buyers/registration/

 


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Jan 14 2014
Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op

Picture

Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op

Come join the fun!

Come join the FUN!, The free food garden outside the Arroyo Food Co-op is a neighborhood volunteer project, a place to meet neighbors and a place to learn about gardening and growing food. This is a Placemaking project sponsored by Transition Pasadena and the Arroyo Food Co-op.

You are invited to join us:
Monday, January 13, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Thursday, January 16, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Friday, January 17, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Saturday, January 18, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Sunday, January 19, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Contact: transitionpasadena@gmail.com

Arroyo Food Co-op
494 N Wilson Ave, Pasadena
(Corner of Villa and Wilson)

You are invited to join us!
Scheduled workdays:

Thursday,  January 16,  9:00 – 10:30 am,
Friday,  January 17,  9:00 – 10:30 am,
Saturday,  January 18,  9:00 – 10:30 am,
Sunday,  January 19,  9:00 – 10:30 am.

Sponsored by The Arroyo Food Co-op and Transition Pasadena, this free food garden, located at the site of the Arroyo Food Co-op, is a neighborhood volunteer project. It’s a place to meet neighbors, and a place to learn about gardening and growing food.

Additional dates and times will be scheduled.

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Jan 13 2014
Muir Ranch Ranch Longtable Dinner March 1, 2014, @chefsundeep of @KingsRowPub @muirranch @Cocoxochitl

March 1 is the 1st 2014  farm dinner at Muir Ranch with @chefsundeep of @KingsRowPub.

Tix $60 via indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pasadena-rose-garden-at-muir-ranch/x/1623374 Ra Sol is this seasons event producer and it’s going to be grand!

Here’s the link on eventbrite to previous events. More details to follow.

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Jan 13 2014
Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard State of City Event Jan. 23, 2014 at Pasadena City College

Mayor’s State of City Event Jan. 23, 2014 at Pasadena City College

Mayor's State of City Event Jan. 23, 2014 at Pasadena City College

 MAYOR’S STATE OF THE CITY EVENT JAN. 23, 2014 AT PASADENA CITY COLLEGE

PASADENA, Calif.—The public is invited to join Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, City Councilmembers and other civic and business leaders for the annual Mayor’s State of the City event on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014 in the new Center for the Arts building at Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the formal program starting at 7:00 p.m.

The State of the City theme this year is “Arts + Innovation = Pasadena” and the City is proud to be partnering with Pasadena City College, www.pasadena.edu, as it celebrates the grand opening of the College’s new Center for the Arts building, also on Jan. 23, and its 90th academic year.

The State of the City event will be held inside the Robert & Adrienne Westerbeck Recital Hall at the new Center for the Arts building.  Free self-parking is available in the Lot 5 parking structure off Bonnie Avenue.  Signs will be posted and guides available to assist attendees to the Center for the Arts.  Spanish translation and assisted hearing services will be available on site.

Mayor Bogaard will provide his report on recent accomplishments by the City as well as future plans for Pasadena’s city government in 2014.  Vice-Mayor Jacque Robinson will serve as emcee.

KPAS, the City’s cable TV station, will record the event for future broadcast and webstreaming.  A broadcast schedule will be announced.  For more information, call Lorain Nagahiro with the Mayor’s Office at (626) 744-7210 or by email to LNagahiro@cityofpasadena.net.

The year’s event will see the return of information tables and displays from several of the City’s departments.  The information tables will be outside the new Arts building in a covered courtyard area near the theater’s main entrance.  The displays will be available before and after the event.  Light refreshments also will be available after the event.

For more information about the City of Pasadena, go online to www.cityofpasadena.net or follow us on Twitter @PasadenaGov.

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Jan 12 2014
Cheeseburger Week Pasadena 2014 – Home of the Cheeseburger

Cheeseburger Week Pasadena 2014 – Home of the Cheeseburger
Sunday, January 12, 2014 – Friday, January 17, 2014

With over 25 restaurants participating in this years Pasadena Cheeseburger Week it is slated to be one of the best years.

With special offers for cheeseburger lovers. You can participate in voting for the best.

The official website

The cheeseburger was said to be invented in the 1924 at Rite Spot which was located near the Colorado Bridge. The Rite Spot is gone, but the cheeseburger has been adopted by millions of foodies and tens of thousands of restaurants offer the dish.

Here’s the list of participating restaurants:

Some restaurants which appear to be missing:
Rounds Burgers
Hook Burger Bistro
Habit Burger
Russell’s Burgers
Novel Cafe

 

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Jan 11 2014
Quality HDMI Cables with Lifetime Warranty – Starting at $1.97


Quality HDMI Cables with Lifetime Warranty

Monoprice, Inc is an e-commerce leader specializing in high quality cables for electronics, home theater & audio components, PC & mobile accessories, and other consumer electronics & IT equipment. Established in 2002 and based out of its 173,000 square foot headquarters/distribution facility in the greater Los Angeles area, Monoprice has built its reputation over the last 10 years through positive word-of-mouth comments from its loyal customers.

Monoprice consistently delivers premium quality products at prices far below other national brands, and also provides unmatched customer service. Many of the company’s products are produced in ISO certified facilities that maintain the highest standards for production quality and work environment. Monoprice’s products have received positive reviews from several press sources, such as The New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, The Today Show, CNET, and Engadget, to name a few. In addition, Monoprice is a Better Business Bureau accredited business and was named an Inc Magazine “500 fastest growing company”` in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

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Jan 10 2014
Target Credit Card Breach Could Reach 110 Million

Target Credit Card Breach Could Reach 110 Million

If 1 is not bad enough, apparently Target saw it fit to announce that the credit breach which occurred several months ago could affect upwards of 100 million people.

Basically if you paid for anything at Target or Target.com with any sort of non-cash payment your credit card info was compromised and I would the only way to not be affected would be to go to the store and pay cash. Which appears to be a growing trend with consumers looking to stay off the radar of hackers.

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Jan 10 2014
IHOP All You Can Pancakes – Limited Time

IHOP All You Can Pancakes – Limited Time

New! All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes

AYCE Buttermilk

Stacks and stacks (and stacks) of our classic buttermilk pancakes. With authentic country flavor, our fluffy buttermilk pancakes are the signature favorite we’re famous for. Order early and often—All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes are unlimited!

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