Mesa Water District's New Logo

We here at GHPALS are an eclectic group, interested in a wide variety of things, and all things artistic. We have members who've lived here all their lives, and know a lot about what's gone on around here.

We've been following with great amusement the "rebranding" of Mesa Consolidated Water District to Mesa Water District. Some of the geezers in our group remember when it was called Costa Mesa County Water District. It changed its name in 1978 or so because it doesn't serve only Costa Mesa. It provides water to some parts of Newport Beach and unincorporated Orange County, but doesn't serve all of Costa Mesa; Irvine Ranch Water District serves some of the city.

Personally, we find the new name lame. Who does not think immediately of Mesa, Arizona, when they hear "Mesa Water District?" Apparently the word "Consolidated" was too dated. The district was formed in 1960 when several districts and the city water department joined together to create this new "consolidated" organization. A whole bunch of elected officials gave up their positions, voluntarily, when this happened.

We doubt that would happen today.


Anyway, apparently from what the newspapers are reporting, Mesa Water District tried to trademark their new logo, and failed.  We took a look at it from an artistic standpoint. Comments included "Trippy," "Lame" and "Where's the W or the D?" "Is it trying to look like a waterfall? We don't have  waterfalls here in town and the water coming out of my faucet doesn't look like that."

In other words, we were not impressed. They should have had a contest at the local schools or colleges instead of spending megabucks with unimaginative consultants. We have wonderful graphic arts departments at our high schools, and at Orange Coast College and Vanguard University. Too bad those kids didn't have a chance to show their stuff.

Comic-Con Badge Raffle

Well, your scribe will once again not be attending Comic-Con, though other members of the group will be. I'd hoped to get a badge in the latest opportunity, a raffle of the returned badges, but I lost out. Hopefully whoever won is someone who has not gone in the past and is thrilled to pieces that he/she has the chance now.

Look Forward to the Next Tremaire Book by Naomi Novik

One of our members read an ARC (advanced readers's copy) of the next book in Naomi Novik's series about Tremaire, the Celestial dragon fighting with the British in the Napoleonic Wars.

And she likes it.

We've been Tremaire fans since we picked up a free copy of His Majesty's Dragon at Comic-Con in 2006. We met the author one year, and had our copy of her latest book signed after standing in a long line. Fans like us gave her enough readers that her books started coming out in hardcover.

We must confess we kind of lost interest when the series went to Africa. That seemed far-fetched to us.

But with Blood of Tyrants the series has regained some of its energy. The title that is apt because there's all kinds of tyranny cropping up in this book.Tremaire and Laurence are on their way to China, with an unforeseen side trip to Japan. There they pick up an outcast who will probably become a problem in a future book. They aren't in China long before they are on their way to fight Napoleon in Russia.

It is always interesting to see how the various countries treat their dragons, and how that treatment is a reflection of each country's culture. Trouble is definitely looming with the Russian critters.

We encourage our members to read the whole series.