Oopsies....

On December 16, 2008, the movers and shakers for Redondo Beach gathered for a ribbon cutting (read: photo opp) at our new fountain, corner of Catalina and Pacific Coast Highway.

It took more than a year to build - flower beds, curving walkway and sculpture in the center. It cost $1 million. The sculpture is supposed to represent our friends, the dolphins -- curving wings arching up toward the sky, but when the sun hits the glass and aluminum Just Right, they look like huge opalescent fly wings to me.

Nevertheless, the fountain (when working) has mists of water and at night, colored lights turn the wings different colors.

"All very well and good," you mutter, "But why the hell am I reading this?" Well, because it seems that the movers and shakers, hell-bent on beautification, forgot the power lines (220,000 volts each) are within reach of the gauzy mists put out by the fountain.

Edison (our electricity supplier) questioned in a letter to said movrs whether the fountain would perform as advertised and shut off automatically in "inclement weather" (wind and rain to us.) As it turns out, one side does; the other doesn't. This was discoveed by an independent contracting company (more taxpayers' money) and there will be no water misting until Edison and the City settle matters to their mutual satisfaction.

There is, however, a small detail that both sides have clearly forgotten. We are in a drought! We're about to have to have water rationing! Did they not realize that misted water is wasted water? It dissipates almost at once, never to return.

Whose bright idea was this anyhow? The Tar and Feathers Department stands at the ready ...