Pasadena: Monday Mop-Up

It's Monday, and we definitely missed a lot of things last week (hey, we're only one blog). Below are a few of the more entertaining tidbits we overlooked in the Pasadena area. Think we still missed something (either in the Dena or anywhere else in the FC)? Drop it in the comments. And if you're eagle eyes spot on another juicy tidbit this week, fire it to us in an email.

Pasadena: International City of Fame: How does Pasadena make the French press (or at least the International Herald Tribune)? By being very sweet to drunk drivers and celebrities who want a nice jail cell. No wonder Snoop stopped by. -- Jennifer Steinhauer, IHT

Proctor Commits A Hillacious Obamanation: AP sells out, gives up celebrated independent status. Plus side: he can now influence the Democratic presidential nomination (preferably via top ten lists). -- Aaron Proctor

Pasadena Gets Sweetest Chopper Since MacGyver: Yes, the local jet-powered copters will soon sport some extreme thermal vision gear. Let's just hope criminals don't start pulling a Dutch when the chase is on. -- Todd Ruiz, PSN

Former Prez Candidate Goes Green, Makes Money: No, we're not talking Al Gore. Good ol' John Kerry, last seen in Pasadena slipping over a joke at PCC, was back in town a week ago, to sign his book about the environment. We don't mean to be chary about Kerry, but could he just be hopping on a bandwagon? Kerry had these inspiring words: ""Is this so big that you just have to hunker down at home and eat ice cream and watch TV?," he said. "No. We can all reduce the carbon footprint..." Thank you, JFK. -- Patricia Jiayi Ho, WDN

Duck Season, School Season, Duck Season, School Season: All PUSD schools will have an open house at the end of May, beginning of June. Their website will tell you exactly when you can find out why the charters schools are tearing it u-...ahem, what's going on at your local public school. -- PUSD

Pasadena Showcases Beauty, LA & Long Beach Green (With Envy): The Daily News says, "The Pasadena Showcase House has gone Hollywood." So, grown men are walking around in Robin costumes and local costume stores charge exorbitant amounts? Nope, the DN is just jealous as Pasadena shows off its domestic beauty. (Okay, so the house is in La Cañada and the designers who refurbished are based in the City of Angles...but the FC still dominates LA.) -- Daily News, LBPT

Centinel Flunks Home Repair Test: The Whittier Daily News asks, "Do you watch "This Old House?" Can you identify a photo of Bob Vila? Do you know the hours that Home Depot is open?" No, no, and...no. Hmm, looks like I wouldn't be able to help Rebuilding Together Pasadena, but their mission sounds great. -- Linda Fields, WDN

Quake insurance: It is worth buying?: That's the question the LAT asks and I admit I don't know either. I also didn't know the U.S. Geological Survey has a Pasadena office that monitors all the quakes in the state. Nor that Susan Hough lives in South Pasadena (even though she works at the Pasadena office). Boo and hiss for the traitorous Hough (traitor to Pasadena, of course) and a huzzah for Pasadena being earthquake central. Wait a second... -- Kathy M. Kristof, LAT