California: Laws With the Teeth of a Barbastelle Bat

So in writing the title I needed to reference an animal that has weak teeth. The Barbastelle Bat and the Aardwolf is all I could come up with according to WikiAnswers. Point is ….

California laws have no teeth.

I took a chance and watched the local news last night. I haven’t given the news here a chance since first arriving in Southern California because the first few nights H and I watched it, well it was bad.The actual quality of the news stories and the people reporting wasn’t much better when I took in the local NBC news last night but it did turn me on to a story.

They want to pass a law here banning metallic balloons, you know those ones that say “Happy Graduation!”, “Get Well Soon”, or “You’re Fired!” (I don’t know if they make one that announces your termination, but the idea of putting one of those on someone’s desk in the morning would certainly be a new approach). According to this news report, more than 200 power outages were caused last year by these balloons getting caught in hyrdo wires (hyrdo = electricity). I wasn’t quite sure about the validity of the law but then I thought about how much it probably cost to restore the power in each case; equipment, crews to go out and fix the issue and lost revenue from the hydro not getting to the end user. I came to the conclusion that as nice as the balloons might be, I get the point because they must be causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

So what is the fine going to be for selling these balloons if the law is passed? $100. That’s right, a mere $100. I have to imagine the costs I noted above will not be covered by the vendor selling illegal metallic balloons and getting fined once. $100? If you care enough to draft a law and get it passed then why not make it worth while? I have no idea who is going to enforce the law to begin with but I am pretty sure Joe-Shop-Owner will not be scared with the $100 fine he might face.

Which brings me to the upcoming cell phone ban here in California. It’s similar law to the one already in place in Chicago that makes it illegal to use a cell phone without a hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle. I think it’s a great idea because (1) People in California struggle to drive without a cell phone in their hand, (2) Everyone uses a cell phone here 24/7 it seems like and (3) Everyone talks on their phone while driving. So this is a good idea right? Help reduce some of the congestion and make people pay more attention? Not if the fine is a whopping $20 for the first offense and $50 each one thereafter.

Why bother passing a law if (a) you are not going to enfore it, and (b) there is no deterent in the form of a fine?

We Are Officially Without a Realtor

When the big hand crossed the little hand at twelve early this morning (or late last night, depending on if you are one of those half empty half full people) our listing agreement with our Realtor expired.

We are thrilled!

I’ve documented in the past the relationship we had with our Realtor and how unsatisfied we have been with his performance. He admits to showing up to less than 10% of the scheduled showings we had, did not use any signs outside on a regular basis or on the day of an open house. The biggest kicker for us however was the way in which he communicated to H and I, namely his condescending demeanor and his insistence on talking to us as if we were five years old.

He left a voice mail the other day asking me to e-mail him our decision on what to do with our listing. I wrote a short but polite e-mail, thanking him for his time but stating we would be moving in a different direction from this point forward.

His response was best of luck to us, and the phrase he loved to us over and over again:

“Wishing you well and know that I did my best to get you an offer in this
most difficult market.”

Wait a second, you did your best to get us an offer? I have conceded on a number of occasions that the market is quite difficult for sellers at this point in time. Buyers have the upper hand and there is plenty of inventory in our area. But please don’t tell me you did you best to get us an offer. Let’s see what his best consisted of.

• Not being present for more than 10% of our showings
• Having a grand total of two open houses in three plus months
• Having his administrative assistant cover one of the open houses for him as he had a friend in town and cited a prior engagement
• No signage on our property the day of an open house other than an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper taped to the main entrance door
• No permanent signage on our front lawn
• No advertisement in any local papers
• Utilized free marketing with the Chicago Reader and Craigslist
• We had to ask him for feedback from visitors and their agents, he never came forward and told us

We interviewed two agents initially and he came with good references and a well thought out plan. Little did we understand that as an independent real estate agent we were just a number to him. He listed our place and took a chance that someone would buy it. If it happened, great. If it didn’t, well that is the risk you take and what money did he lose in it all? Nothing.

So we have interviewed two more agents, one at length and we are wating for a market evaluation from the other. We hope to list again some time next week and hopefully we will have better luck “in this most difficult market”.

Tuques By the Pool

Americans start here: Tuque - In the United States, this type of hat is more commonly referred to by other names: knit hat or knit cap, sock cap or stocking cap, watch cap, (to)boggan, skull cap or sometimes as a ski cap. Here is the full Wikipedia entry.

Canadians start here - Americans continue here: So last night I hear some people down by the pool and take a look. There is a group of seven people, a mix of men and women, grabbing food from the bar-b-que (grill) and hanging out in and around the hot tub. Girls are in bikinis and guys are in their swim trunks.

But there is one guy who looked ridiculous. He brings a plate of food over for everyone and is wearing his swim trunks. You can tell he either lives in the sun or hangs out tanning. The temperature outside at this point of the night is probably around 65 or so and this guy is wearing a tuque (call it whatever you want).

C’mon, a tuque by the pool? 65 degree weather? Has any Canadian ever worn a tuque and a bathing suit at the same time? If you did it was because you were out west in the hot springs and it was -35 outside.

Once again, anything in the name of fashion.

Animal Services in Los Angeles

As you may recall last week I took a walk to the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services to get Carter’s license. Back when we arrived in April I downloaded all the necessary paperwork and sent it in, along with the $15 fee. It wasn’t until the middle of May when we heard back from the department and they informed us they couldn’t send out a license because Carter’s rabies vaccination was set to expire during the time the license would be valid. So off we went to the vet, got the documents and I walked up to the appropriate office.

When I arrived at the Department of Animal Services I had to wait for 5 minutes for someone to get to the window and help me. When the young man came by I told him I was there to turn in our rabies vaccination and receive our license. Of course he was bewildered, took my documents and went to someone else. The older gentlemen that arrived didn’t quite understand but after a minute or so go the picture. He took everything and made some copies, told me it was taken care of and then sent me on my way. Except I still didn’t have a dog tag! I mentioned that it was paid for but they never sent it. Off he went, came back a couple minutes later with the tag and I was good to go. Annoying? Not really because the older man was pleasant and nice so it wasn’t that big of a deal. It did provide me with some insight though and I left feeling the department was kind of flying by the seat of their pants.

Fast forward to this article that came out yesterday regarding an audit of the department. The short version if you don’t want to read it:

• City is losing $600,000 - $1.2 million a year by not ensuring all dogs have a license
• 123,000 licensed dogs in Los Angeles but 400,00 - 600,000 without one
• Lots of turnover at the department and they are blaming that on why things are not efficient

But here is what did it for me, and it doesn’t have as much to do with the licensing department as it does with the city. One of the councilmen says greater efforts should be made to ensure all dogs have a license, and to do it his suggestion is: “I think we should ask the Boy Scouts to get involved or hire high school kids to help us go door to door and ask people if they have their dog licenses.”

Hold on a second. You are talking about almost a million dollars in lost revenue here. And your answer is to get the Boy Scouts or high school students to try and help collect it? Look, I don’t have the magic answer here but pinning the collection of a million bucks on high school kids or boys in funny outfits?

Why not make the dogs come in themselves and sign up for the license?

So let’s say a kid goes to the door and meets the angry bit pull owner whose dog doesn’t have a license. Then what? This kid is supposed to tell them they better head downtown and pay up?

Why not have agents for Animal Control head out to the dog parks and check for tags? Someone doesn’t have one, they pay a fine and have 30 days to be in compliance. We have been at a few dog parks since being here, headed out to some trails this weekend and not once have we ever been asked about our tags.

I don’t have the magic answer and I will not pretend to do so, but I do know that getting kids to do the city’s work isn’t the answer.

Hiking (really walking) in Los Angeles

We went for a hike on Monday … Okay it was probably more of a walk than anything but still, we were outside and moving.

H had the idea that we head out for a few hours with Carter and we originally contemplated heading to  Runyon Canyon Park in Hollywood but decided against it. As much as we wanted to be out for a few hours it was also the last day of the long weekend and we wanted to be home and rest for a while. So we settled on Elsyian Park for our excursion.

I don’t know how long we were on the trails for but it was at least an hour and a half. At times the weather was great - sunny with a nice breeze but more often than not the sun would break through the clouds and it was hot. This did not sit well with Carter who does not like the warm weather what so ever.

Carter has been known to go out of his way on a walk to find the shade and then slow his pace down, or lay down to get out of the sun. As you can see from the pictures below he had no problems setting up shop along the trail, getting a drink and hanging out.

After H got past the first hill (not much of a hill but it proved how out of shape the two of us are) the walk was great. It is kind of cool knowing you can travel five minutes by car and be amongst nature and just ‘get away’ per se. There were plenty of people on the trail, most of the nice and polite and lots of them with their puppies in tow. There was some dog poop along the way which I never really understand. I mean c’mon, would it kill you to bend over and pick it up? There were garbage cans all over the place to dispose of doggie bags so I am not sure what the deal is. Oh well, what can you do …

At one point we encountered quite a few bugs and they really seemed to like Carter. They were all over him! Just little fly like bugs and he didn’t seem to mind. He let us swat them off of him and we were sure to apply some flea and ticket medicine when we arrived back at home.

All in all it was a good time and something I am sure we will do again. I don’t think our family will be taking many real hikes. For one we are in no shape to do so and secondly Carter won’t allow it.

Oil Changes, Fast Food and More LA Freeway Stories

As you may or may not know, back in the fall of 2007 we purchased a new 2008 Subaru Forester (2.5X w/ Premium Package). We love the car, it has been fun to drive and thus far quite reliable.

When it comes to servicing our mode of transportation we are very dealer loyal. There are a few reasons for this including our car is usually under some type of warranty and we don’t want to void it in any way. Sure we over-pay for a few services here and there but if anything is wrong we can always go back to the dealer and quite frankly I seem to trust a dealership slightly more (not much more) than some guy with a garage and a bunch of tools around the corner.

Back in Chicago we had numerous dealerships to choose from when it came to buying our car. We went with Grand Subaru in Bensenville not only because of their price but also their attitude and the way they dealt with us throughout the purchasing experience. Bensenville is about 20 miles away from where we lived, and it was too bad the dealership in nearby Evanston (5 miles away) turned out to be such a pain in the end because it would have been much more convenient. So the few times we have needed to get regular service or something has come up with the car, we drove out to Bensenville.

After an initial experience where the problem wasn’t corrected fully and our rental car was filthy, I raised a little bit of an issue. The service manager was quick to set us at ease, telling us they would always supply us with one of their cars from now on (and not send us to Enterprise) and threw in a free oil change. From that point on the service was always great. Not too much has been wrong with the car other than a $2 part failing in the rear wiper (covered under warranty) and the sun roof making a strange noise when fully retracted (covered under warranty). Whenever I took the car to the dealer I would sit in their waiting area, a small section in the show room that had a table, couch and a big screen television with DirecTV.

Back when we had a Volkswagen the service department (also in Bensenville) was the same more or less - decent waiting area with a tv and so forth.

So before we came out to California I took the car in for 7,500 mile service which included an oil and filter change, rotation of the tires and a check of all fluids. Total time at the dealership: 35 minutes.

Well it is time for our 11,500 mile service which is another standard oil change. There are two dealerships to choose from in our area which was strange to begin with. I mean back in Chicago we had the choice of probably a dozen but from downtown L.A. we only have two choices. After reading a few reviews we decided to check out Timmons Subaru in Long Beach, CA.

In the car I get this morning and battle highway traffic - which shouldn’t have been a battle to begin with but people here in L.A. insist on applying their brakes even though the car in front of them is 8-10 car lengths ahead. Another favourite is to apply the brakes when changing lanes. But anyway …

I had an 11:00 a.m. appointment and arrived on time. Head into the service office and give all the information and the guy asks if I am going to stick around today and wait for the car. Ummmm yeah buddy, it is an oil change (not even a tire rotation or anything else). He then proceeds to tell me where the mall is, the fast food places and how to get to all of them.

Then he drops it on me - total wait time for the car ….. two hours.

That’s right, two hours for an oil change.

Are you kidding me? Look I know you are one of the only dealerships in the area but two hours? How come Jiffy Lube can do it in 15 minutes? The dealership waiting area is right beside the one car they have in the show room and consists of a table, a few chairs and a 15″ television.

So I start walking the streets of LGB - JetBlue planes flying overhead from the airport. I finally settle into a local Burger King that (a) has not been renovated since the mid-80s and (b) doesn’t have any air. And to make matters worse I can’t get a WiFi single either. There is a stoner kid in the corner that insists on speaking as loudly as he can into his cell phone. The people working here at BK must be in a contest to figure out who can speak the loudest because they are practically yelling at one another. I cannot understand a word they say other than when an order is ready and they yell out “Order 358″ in barely audible English.

As I write this I have one more hour to waste. I have already consumed my Whopper combo and will now wander the aisles of Kohl’s for a while. After that my choices become quite limited. I can throw a few games at the bowling alley next door or continue to walk down the industrial road which all of this is located on.

Oh Los Angeles, it is never a dull moment with you.

P.S. Just an update as I sit in BK and write this …

- Workers from the airport are in the house, talking about strip clubs and burping as they eat. Keep it classy guys!
- A family has come in with their screaming kids who insist on throwing things around. Listen - don’t give the kid keys to play with if they are going to keep throwing them on the plastic seats! Damn it Ezera listen to your baby daddy!
- The BK crew’s loud talking contest has calmed down now that there are more people in here. I think the guy working the fry station won.

P.S.S. Now back at the dealership and waiting for the car …

- Kohl’s doesn’t carry bamboo bedding sets which makes them just like all the other major department stores. And if we do find them, we have to make sure they are deep pocketed.
- The bowling alley is right next to the ice rink. I went in the bowling alley - lots of people chucking rocks in the middle of the day.
- No WiFi here in the dealership.