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I guess I?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ll start with the sad news today . . . A good friend of LASN and a great friend of the profession, Tom Papandrew, FASLA, past president of ASLA national (1993-94), and a man with many more titles and accomplishments has left us at the early age of 65.
Tom was one of the first ASLA?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ers to embrace LASN in those early years and instrumental in opening the lines of communications between LASN and ASLA national. It wasn?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?t that Tom was a close personal friend at the time, instead, it was his passion for the profession and vision that prompted him to get involved.
As you read through our Moment of Silence for Tom on page 118, you will find many more arenas in which he chose to get involved. It is a shame that such a passionate and energetic champion for the profession had to leave us at such an early stage of his life. We all will miss him.
You may want to visit landscapearchitect.com and search for ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Papandrew.?EUR??,,????'?????<? In the article of his passing, there is an opportunity to share your memories of Tom or offer a word of encouragement to his family and friends . . .
I hate to say goodbye, especially to one with so much passion . . . so for now . . .
Aloha, Tom. Mahalo, Bro . . .
Now, as I?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?m sure Tom would have wanted, we?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ll move on to something that might stir the fires of passion . . .
It?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s great to hear that H.R. 5951, the Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2008 has been introduced to the House of Representatives. Although, my feelings are a bit mixed.
According to the press release H.R. 5951 would:
Promoting physical activity is a great goal, although how riding transit does this I?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?m not sure.
Providing travel opportunities for the elderly is another great idea and one much needed throughout the country. As one with parents in their 80s and 90s, I can say first hand that providing them with a safe and convenient method of getting around town is not only in their interest but also in the interest of safety for those who are put at risk by drivers who just don?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?t have the same reflexes or reaction times needed to compete on crowded highways.
I don?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?t like the government stepping in though to try to reduce our dependence on cars. America is founded on personal freedom and cars are the epitome of freedom.
Personally, I like the idea of having hydrogen-powered cars drive themselves through GPS and motion sensors leaving only water as an emission. I?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ve seen these technologies and know they work, albeit in their infancy . . . I would like to see the ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Streets?EUR??,,????'?????<? bill include language that provides for this technology. In areas like Southern California, public transportation is just not a realistic method for getting around town . . .
Now, New York City . . . That?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s another world altogether . . .
After spending my first ever days in that third-world country called New York City last month, I can definitely say that I am in favor of anything that would eliminate the stench of Times Square. I now know why so many New Yorkers move to California every year . . . What a pit!!!!
Sure, New York is exciting. Yeah, it?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s great getting bumped into a thousand times a day all the while inhaling a metric ton of carbon monoxide-laced smoke and dust . . . No wonder so much of the ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Don?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?t Drill ANWR?EUR??,,????'?????<? and ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Pollution Crisis?EUR??,,????'?????<? catcalls come from NYC!
My recommendation would be to ban any kind of personal motorized traffic in Manhattan, widen the sidewalks, plant trees down the center of all those clogged arteries and run hydrogen based transit throughout the entire island. A few public restrooms would be nice, too. But please . . . Please don?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?t try to tell me urban sprawl is the problem and the solution is to centralize the community . . . Especially if NYC is the model . . .
Ok . . .That?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s enough. I guess you can tell where my passions lie . . . Maybe it?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s the Tom Papandrews, Cort Pauls, Don Roberts and Kay Tillers in me that kindle the fires of my passions . . .
In any event, please take a moment to remember those close to you and those who have made a difference in your lives . . . And keep the passion burning . . .
?EUR??,,????'?????<??oeGod Bless
George Schmok, Publisher
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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