Mad Mike Hughes' fatal rocket launch

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On Saturday, February 22, 2020, Justin witnessed Mad Mike Hughes' fatal rocket launch in Barstow, California. Justin filmed the entire launch and posted it to Twitter, which went viral with 5 million views in three days, garnering significant national and international media attention. He is quoted or mentioned in hundreds of articles across the country. Here are some of the highlights:


Mayor to Lead Delegation to Pasadena’s African Sister City (Pasadena Now article)

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Mayor to Lead Delegation to Pasadena’s African Sister City

Pasadena residents welcome to join delegation to Dakar-Plateau, Senegal, from March 10-19

By Justin Chapman, Pasadena Now, 2/3/2020

The Pasadena Sister Cities Committee announced that Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek will lead a delegation to Dakar-Plateau, Senegal, Pasadena’s African sister city, from March 10-19.

“Next month, the trip to Dakar-Plateau will serve to complete the official bilateral commitment,” said Boualem Bousseloub, chair of the Pasadena Sister Cities Committee’s Senegal Subcommittee.

“The Pasadena delegation will tour Dakar for educational and cultural purposes. During the trip, we hope to fortify our commitment to a meaningful and fruitful exchange of ideas for the exploration of Senegal’s place in the history of the African diaspora, the establishment of youth programs including student exchange and STEM events. An appreciation of the arts, literature and music of the two sister cities will also be highlighted.”

The trip will include meetings with officials and ceremonial activities, as well as a tour of the city of Dakar and visits to its open-air markets, museums, cathedrals and mosques. Dakar is 96 percent Muslim, though tolerant of other religions. Easter and Christmas are government holidays, for instance, and Muslim residents often have Christmas trees in their homes.

Officials at the U.S. Embassy also informed the Pasadena delegation that while Senegal is a conservative society, it is making positive progress on LGBTQ rights and there have been no recent active persecutions against LGBTQ people.

The delegation will also visit Gorée Island and its “Door of No Return,” a UNESCO World Heritage site that served as the infamous gateway of slavery to the Western Hemisphere, as well as Legu Village, St. Louis and Retba Pink Lake.

In June a delegation of Dakar-Plateau officials came to Pasadena, led by the city’s mayor Alioune Ndoye.

The Pasadena City Council approved Dakar-Plateau as Pasadena’s sixth sister city – and the first one in Africa – in August 2018, following an exploratory delegation to Senegal led by Bousseloub and Pasadena City Council member John Kennedy in March 2018.

Dakar-Plateau has a population of nearly 37,000 and is one of 19 district communes of Senegal’s capital of greater Dakar, with each district commune having its own city government. Dakar-Plateau serves as greater Dakar's political, financial and commercial center. Dakar is the westernmost city on Africa’s mainland, with a population of 1 million.

Senegal is not without its political turmoil, however. In March 2018, as the Pasadena delegation was touring Dakar-Plateau, the mayor of greater Dakar, Khalifa Sall, was sentenced to five years in jail for embezzling $3.4 million and falsifying documents. Sall and Dakar’s city government is not involved in the sister cities relationship between Dakar-Plateau and Pasadena.

Bousseloub envisions extensive exchange opportunities between the two cities, including police officers, doctors, students, faculty and administrators of schools and universities, scientists, artists, musicians, business executives and athletes. Ultimately, he would like to see the creation of an annual Pan-African Market and Arts Festival at the Rose Bowl, and invite all of the African consulates in L.A. to participate.

The idea of partnering cities grew out of the Twin Town concept in Europe in 1946 following World War II. Ludwigshafen, Germany was selected in 1948 by the Pasadena branch of the American Friends Service Committee. America’s involvement came in 1956 following President Dwight Eisenhower’s White House conference on citizen diplomacy, out of which grew Sister Cities International. Pasadena formally established its Sister Cities chapter in 1960.

“The Pasadena Sister Cities Committee worked long and hard to find an appropriate African sister city,” Tornek said. “The wonderful visit of the delegation from Dakar-Plateau confirmed that they made a great selection. Now it is our turn to continue the process and strengthen the relationship by traveling to Dakar-Plateau. Having visited all five of our other sister cities, I look forward to continuing this process next month and hope others will join our delegation.”

In June, the Senegalese delegation met with Pasadena officials and visited the Rose Bowl, Caltech, the Tournament House, schools, museums and other Pasadena landmarks.

“I’m pleasantly surprised to discover a city that is human in its dimension,” Ndoye said between back-to-back Gold Cup soccer games at the Rose Bowl on June 15, featuring Canada vs. Martinique and Mexico vs. Cuba. “Pasadena is a very pleasant, beautiful and clean city. I find the city to be well-organized, humane and friendly. We are pleased to be involved in this program, and as we go we feel the pleasantness of the relationship. I’m hoping this partnership between Dakar-Plateau and Pasadena becomes a useful relationship between the two cities, highlighting education, scientific research, business and trade, culture, the exchange of people and questions of city management like waste, traffic and parking.”

Pasadena residents are welcome to join the upcoming delegation to Dakar-Plateau. Registration is now open and closes on Feb. 5. Depending on the number of participants, the approximate cost of the trip is $3,999 per person, which includes airfare, hotel, excursions and most meals.

To register or for more information, email psccafrica@gmail.com or click here. A deposit of $1,500 is due by this Wednesday, Feb. 5, and the balance of $2,499 is due Feb. 10.

The Pasadena Sister Cities Committee is also offering an exchange program this summer for students, ages 16 to 29, with five of its six sister cities: Ludwigshafen, Germany; Mishima – Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan; Järvenpää, Finland; Vanadzor, Armenia; and Xicheng District – Beijing, China. The deadline to apply is Feb. 20. Exchanges with Dakar-Plateau will begin next year.

For more information, visit passcc.org.

Reporter's Notebook: More From Last Week's West Side Candidates' Forum (Pasadena Now article)

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Reporter's Notebook: More From Last Week's West Side Candidates' Forum

By Justin Chapman, Pasadena Now, 1/27/2020

Chapman covered and helped moderate last Thursday’s forum held by several neighborhood groups in West Pasadena. Topics not included in his original story, include transportation and the Pasadena Way. A summary of the candidates’ closing statement is also included.

Participants in the mayoral race were Mayor Terry Tornek, District 5 Councilmember Victor Gordo, former Senior Commissioner Jason Hardin, and businessman Major Williams. In District 6, Councilmember Steve Madison faced off against challengers attorney Tamerlin Godley and nonprofit executive Ryan Bell. [Watch the forum here.]

On transportation

Williams called for a reimagining of how people move around the city. “We should implement an [automatic] walkway system like at the airport,” he said. “I’m working with tech guys right now come up with versions of that.”

Tornek said there’s a misconception that the city’s General Plan is anti-automobile.

“That’s not what it says,” he said. “It says we want to offer options to people. We’ve been enhancing our transit system and developing a more sensible system of bike paths around city, but we need to be realistic about how we achieve this.”

Godley also called for a realistic approach. “No one wants the congested nightmare that is the west side, but we need to stop our wishful thinking about mass transit,” she said. “We need to offer real incentives to get people out of their car.”

Hardin said he’s a strong advocate and user of mass transportation.

Bell said people won’t suddenly stop driving, but pointed out that the best cities are ones in which people can get around

without the use of a car. He called for mass transit to be free, go to more places and operate more frequently.

Gordo called for sustainability and better metrics of the impacts of transportation projects, and Madison pointed to improving intersections. “We will be forced by climate change to be smarter about our transportation solutions,” he said.

On ‘the Pasadena Way’

Pasadena prides itself on citizen involvement—known as the “Pasadena Way”—yet many residents feel that City Council has ignored their desires or recommendations. One example in which West Pasadenans felt ignored was the addition of a public bathroom at Desiderio Park.

Tornek defended the city’s process for making decisions and argued that just because the Council disagrees with a resident’s or a citizen group’s point of view, doesn’t mean they aren’t listening.

Godley said people are looking for more transparency and honesty in their city government.

Williams agreed, saying city leadership is not effectively communicating to its citizens.

Hardin said he would work to “change the Pasadena Way,” which he and Bell argued doesn’t represent everyone in the city. Hardin also called for citizens to get more involved in city government.

Bell called for setting up listening sessions in areas such as Northwest Pasadena to make sure their voices are heard.

Gordo pointed out that elected officials have a responsibility to listen to their constituents.

Madison encouraged people to get involved in a city commission.

As for the bathroom at Desiderio, he added, “We haven’t heard the last of that issue.”

Closing statements

Bell said that the City Council is made up of landlords. As a tenant, he said he’d work to find housing solutions and “make Pasadena work for everyone.”

Godley pointed out that there was only one woman on the dais, and that the city would benefit from having a woman’s voice on the City Council.

Madison touted his record on the Council and pledged to maintain west Pasadena’s “great neighborhoods.”

Gordo said that if elected mayor, “It will never be ‘my way or the highway.’” He pointed out that he was one of the first to oppose bringing an NFL team to the Rose Bowl and that he consistently voted against the 710 tunnel.

Hardin said he’s not running to represent the city, but rather to represent the city’s people. He said his innate passion and curiosity in the issues facing the city will serve him well in office.

Tornek said he’s made progress on all of the issues he ran on four years ago. He said he worked behind the scenes to convince Metro and elected officials to abandon the 710 tunnel, that he understands “how the game is played” and how to get things done.

Williams said he is in the race to win it. He pointed out that he was the first candidate to throw his hat in the ring.

West Pasadena neighborhood associations hear from candidates (Pasadena Now article)

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West Pasadena neighborhood associations hear from candidates

District 6, mayoral contenders make their case

By Justin Chapman, Pasadena Now, 1/24/2020, Photos by Brian Biery

[First of two parts] Each of the Pasadena mayoral and District 6 City Council candidates laid out their views on issues facing West Pasadena last night at a forum hosted by three neighborhood associations: the West Pasadena Residents’ Association (WPRA), the Linda Vista-Annandale Association (LVAA) and the Madison Heights Neighborhood Association (MHNA). [Watch the forum here.]

About 200 people attended the forum at Maranatha High School, which was moderated by WPRA treasurer Blaine Cavena along with WPRA Advisory Council members Vince Farhat and this reporter, Justin Chapman.

Mayor Terry Tornek faces three challengers in the March 3, 2020, election: District 5 Councilmember Victor Gordo, former Senior Commissioner Jason Hardin, and businessman Major Williams. In District 6, Councilmember Steve Madison faces two challengers: attorney Tamerlin Godley and nonprofit executive Ryan Bell. At the forum, all seven candidates answered questions on homelessness, development, reclaiming the 710 stub, affordable housing, suicide prevention on the Colorado Street Bridge and more.

The candidates agreed on a number of issues, such as maintaining natural open space in the lower Arroyo Seco. But there were also clear distinctions between the candidates on other issues.

On homelessness and affordable housing

Pasadena, along with the rest of California, is experiencing a housing crisis, which contributes to homelessness and causes families to leave Pasadena, resulting in lower enrollment at Pasadena Unified School District schools and thus school closures.

Godley argued that the city “needs to push the county to fund and scale up existing [homelessness services] programs.”

Hardin said the issue is dear to him because he has experienced homelessness. He said he takes it very seriously and called for the creation of an Affordable Housing Commission.

“Inclusionary housing needs to be strengthened constantly,” he said.

Bell, a tenants’ rights activist, recalled how his landlord in Northwest Pasadena raised his rent by 110 percent, after which he discovered there were hardly any protections for tenants in the city. “I’m a strong advocate for rent control,” he said. “People can’t afford to stay where they are.”

Gordo called for a comprehensive strategy on affordable housing. “We won’t build our way out of this,” he said, adding that housing and homelessness are regional issues. “Pasadena needs to reclaim its seat on the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.”

Madison pointed to his strong support of raising the minimum wage and the number of affordable units in the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to 20 percent. “In addressing the gap between the haves and have nots, it’s important to remember living and fair wages,” he said.

Williams said he’s met with residents and stakeholder groups such as Union Station. “I want to know what services are available and what’s working and what’s not,” he said. “We need to focus on the economics so people can make more and afford housing.”

Tornek pointed out that this is the number one issue people raise when he goes door to door. “Pasadena is one of two cities in San Gabriel Valley that experienced a decline in homelessness,” he said. “But we have a long way to go; on any given night there are 300 people sleeping on the streets, which is just not acceptable. We have to preserve existing affordable housing and make use of city land.”

On local zoning control

In the last couple of years, in an effort to address the housing crisis, the state has passed laws that constrain the ability of local cities to set their own land use policies.

Hardin said he was in favor of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a way to help generate much needed housing.

“I understand people have concerns with protecting single family homes. These adjustments won’t demolish those neighborhoods but will create an incentive to create affordable housing. We should comply and increase our stock in affordable housing.”

Bell said local control is ideal, but that the city doesn’t operate in a vacuum. “Pasadena hasn’t been the worst at this but a lot of cities haven’t done what they can and should do to create housing opportunities for people in need and the middle class,” he said. “I would not be in favor of litigation. That money should go towards building affordable housing. The panic over ADUs is overblown. Not everyone will build an ADU, and those who do will help alleviate the shortage of housing.”

Gordo stressed that the city shouldn’t let anyone take away its local control, especially when Pasadena is doing its part in regards to affordable housing. “The state is penalizing the city and its residents for what other cities haven’t done,” he said. “It’s already affecting the fabric of our city. It’s very real and we need to push back. This one-size-fits-all approach the state is taking is wrong.”

Madison argued that since the state forced the city to lift its moratorium on ADUs, there hasn’t been a flood of new ADUs built. However, he added that “we have to have local zoning control.”

Williams said he supports ADUs but would like to revisit the issue in two years to evaluate the impact they’re having. “We need to create opportunities for people,” he said. “Some [zoning and housing related] decisions have been detrimental to lots of communities in the city.”

Tornek said he raised the idea of suing the state over these state-imposed restrictions in his State of the City address last year, but has since become persuaded that that’s not the most effective response. “I don’t want Pasadena to be put in the bucket of being ‘housing resistant,’” he said. “We need to lead by example by working to modify the legislation and I’ve already begun those discussions.”

Godley argued that ADUs will create congestion and parking issues. “We need to think creatively [about housing],” she said, citing examples such as renting-to-own, subsidies, and artist collectives.

On suicide prevention on the Colorado Street Bridge

The city recently hired architects to design suicide prevention barriers for the Colorado Street Bridge and presented several designs.

Gordo said the city should do everything it can to prevent suicides. “That includes better mental health programs and making sure the county does its part,” he said. “We should look at all alternatives.”

Madison pointed out that a new community lives below the bridge and said he supported the city manager’s decision to install temporary barriers. “I do support some [physical] solution,” he said. “We have a consultant studying it now and we will have public meetings starting in February. I’m confident we can come up with a solution.”

Williams also supported temporary barriers but argued that city resources should be going to affordable housing and homelessness, rather than consultants. “I think more pressing issues in terms of resources and funds should solely be focused on affordable housing and homelessness,” he said.

Tornek agreed that the temporary fencing was appropriate. “We can’t tolerate our iconic bridge being identified as the go-to location for suicide in the region,” he said. “We have to be honest: no matter what physical barrier is installed, it won’t be an aesthetically pleasing item compared to how it looked before the fencing.”

Godley said she’s glad the consultants have been hired to study the issue. “We need to look at what mental health services the county will provide,” she said. “We need to have a good relationship with the county.”

Hardin called for adding artwork and murals to the bridge as a way of changing the minds of those attempting to take their own lives. “If we just change the structure of it, they’ll just find another bridge,” he said. “Also, it will be expensive to maintain any physical barrier. Instead, we can do a one-time redecoration of the bridge to pay tribute to those who lost their lives there.”

Bell said he’d rather affect the visual image of the bridge than have it remain known nationwide as a place where people commit suicide. “We need to do everything we can to address the other issues, such as the sense of despair in this economy.”

Exploring the Threats and Opportunities of Cyber Diplomacy at PolicyWest (Public Diplomacy Magazine article)

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Read the full issue here.





Exploring the Threats and Opportunities of Cyber Diplomacy at PolicyWest 

Cybersecurity, the digital revolution, and the evolving roles of Silicon Valley and the U.S. government in national security and technology were all major and recurring themes at PolicyWest, Justin Chapman wrote in USC’s Public Diplomacy Magazine.

By Justin Chapman, Pacific Council on International Policy, 12/24/3019

As the world undergoes the Fourth Industrial Revolution, foreign governments and publics are becoming intertwined and interdependent like never before. What does this mean for diplomacy and international relations going forward? What role can public diplomacy play in this evolving dynamic?

Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, first introduced the term “Fourth Industrial Revolution” in a Foreign Affairs article in December 2015. While the Third Industrial Revolution encompasses the digital revolution, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterized by “a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres,” Schwab wrote.

Those disruptive technologies include the internet of things, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy storage, and quantum computing, among others.

Cybersecurity, the digital revolution, and the evolving roles of Silicon Valley and the U.S. government in national security and technology were all major and recurring themes at the Pacific Council on International Policy’s annual global affairs conference, PolicyWest.

Cybersecurity, the digital revolution, and the evolving roles of Silicon Valley and the U.S. government in national security and technology were all major and recurring themes at the Pacific Council on International Policy’s annual global affairs conference, PolicyWest. The event was held on October 4, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California, and featured a keynote discussion on Ukraine, a debate on defense spending, and several panels of experts discussing the most pressing global issues of our time.

Glenn Gerstell, general counsel for the National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Security Service (CSS), delivered a TED-style talk on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He implored the private sector to work with the U.S. government to help confront the growing cyber threats from the United States’ adversaries.

“Is there a danger that we will underestimate and thus not be prepared for the impact of technology? This is an unacceptable risk in the area of national security,” he said. “The digital revolution will present many benefits in the way we work, communicate with friends and family, shop, and travel. But it also presents risks and threats to the fundamental duty of government: to keep us safe and secure. We must be able to understand and stay ahead of the technological progress of our adversaries, whether they’re other countries, terrorists, or common criminals. This is not an area where we can play catch up.”

The cyber world exploits a unique gap in responsibility, and that that responsibility as well as technological capability is shifting from government to the private sector.

He said technological development is going to alter the balance between the private sector and the federal government in terms of responsibilities and capabilities relevant to national security. This is not just a domestic issue, considering the seemingly unstoppable influence of multinational corporations. Gerstell argued that the private sector has more data, increasingly more social responsibilities, and is directly exposed to the threat posed by a rising China.

“For the first time since the United States became a global power, it must now confront an adversary that presents not just a political or military threat, but also a fundamentally economic one,” he said. “But in this economic area, the playing field is not even. It’s our private sector that will bear the brunt of the effects of a cohesive, competitive China.”

He also argued that the cyber world exploits a unique gap in responsibility, and that that responsibility as well as technological capability is shifting from government to the private sector.

In the 20th century, he pointed out, “it was government that led the way in technological development and had the expertise, and it was often the private sector that was trying to learn from it and catch up with government. Now, in many critical areas, that’s exactly switched 180 degrees and we see that it’s the private sector that has a much greater level of technical capability, is spending billions of dollars on research and development, and has the expertise in key areas.”

The United States cannot confront the likes of China and Russia—who are quickly gaining ground in terms of cyber capabilities—on its own.

He posed the question: How must we adapt to this altered balance to achieve our goal of national security?

He called for the “melding together of the relative strengths and positions of the two sectors. Perhaps the best way to do that is through new or deeper public-private partnerships in figuring out how to handle data, collaborating to combat cyber malevolence, and confronting China in an integrated way.”

The only way that is possible is if the U.S. government articulates a consistent policy regarding China and communicates that policy to its allies and their publics around the world. Like previous growing adversaries, the United States cannot confront the likes of China and Russia—who are quickly gaining ground in terms of cyber capabilities—on its own. It needs to win the hearts and minds of Europeans, Africans, South Americans, and Central, South, and Southeast Asians, to name a few major players in this sphere. In other words, it needs to change course.

In a disheartening and potentially dangerous trend, the Trump administration has been dismantling existing cybersecurity protections put into place by the Obama administration. According to a recent Axios article, “at least a dozen top or high-level [White House] officials have resigned or been pushed out of a cybersecurity mission that was established under Barack Obama to protect the White House from Russian hacking and other threats.”

As American democracy falters, so too does the image of the United States in the eyes of the world, making the job of the public diplomat that much more difficult and elusive.

Not to mention the cybersecurity threats to our elections, only increasing and becoming more sophisticated as we round the bend to 2020.

The Trump administration has done virtually nothing to prevent another intrusion into our elections by Russia or anyone else. As American democracy falters, so too does the image of the United States in the eyes of the world, making the job of the public diplomat that much more difficult and elusive.

At PolicyWest, Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic, a company that specializes in technology solutions for electronic voting systems, said our society’s failure to catch up with election technology is “shameful” and has “caused a lot of confusion.”

He suggested the United States learn from the small Baltic nation of Estonia, which doubled down on and strengthened financial and election security through technology after a devastating cyber-attack from neighboring Russia in 2007.

There are countless tools for today’s public diplomats to utilize in cyberspace in order to articulate U.S. foreign policy objectives to international audiences, strengthen relationships between the American people and publics around the world, and exchange and celebrate diverse cultures.

During a panel at PolicyWest on the intersection of Silicon Valley and national security, Sarah Sewall, executive vice president of policy at In-Q-Tel, a not-for-profit venture capital firm, said the questions we are facing today about technology combine “the hard security pieces with the human rights and values pieces.”

“When we think about the changing nature of power, what undergirds the United States’ ability to be a leading power in the globe and a force for good, we’re seeing a shift in the sources of that power toward technology,” she continued. “Technology is becoming the currency in which power is accrued and exercised. Who is going to be the most innovative and advanced in not just thinking about AI but adopting and using and implementing AI?

Who’s going to own the biotech revolution, which has the ability to transform everything? Some of the United States’ adversaries have the view that this is the race for global leadership and power.”

Public diplomats have unprecedented opportunities to reach a virtually limitless audience around the world. But they also need to stay vigilant against the threats posed by technology.

Because of these advances in technology, public diplomats have unprecedented opportunities to reach a virtually limitless audience around the world. But they also need to stay vigilant against the threats posed by technology: facial recognition, deep-fakes, lifelike online bots, machine learning, and automated microtargeting, to name a few, all have unprecedented pros and terrifying cons.

And they also shouldn’t forget the lessons of the past. There are some foundational elements of public diplomacy that reliably work no matter the medium, such as listening and approaching cultural relations in a cooperative, rather than self-interested, manner. The long-lasting impact and reach of soft power should not be underestimated.

There are countless tools for today’s public diplomats to utilize in cyberspace in order to articulate U.S. foreign policy objectives to international audiences, strengthen relationships between the American people and publics around the world, and exchange and celebrate diverse cultures. Virtual exchanges, digital broadcasting, and e-sports—in addition to social media and multimedia—are all areas that have a lot of potential for achieving public diplomacy objectives.

The U.S. government must make its own cybersecurity and that of the private sector—as well as U.S. allies—a top priority again. If the tenor of the discussions at PolicyWest are any indication, we’re not there yet.

But first, the U.S. government must make its own cybersecurity and that of the private sector—as well as U.S. allies—a top priority again.

If the tenor of the discussions at PolicyWest are any indication, we’re not there yet.

__________________

Justin Chapman is the Communications Officer at the Pacific Council on International Policy.

This article was originally published in the winter 2019 issue of USC’s Public Diplomacy Magazine.

Learn more about PolicyWest 2019; watch the keynote discussion on Ukraine and TED-style talks on LA and international trade, election security, climate change, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution; and read a summary of the debate on defense spending, cybersecurity discussions, and other insights. Check out more photos from the conference on our Flickr page.

The views and opinions expressed in the pieces above are those of the author and speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Pacific Council.