Palisades Park, Santa Monica

Before I write about our visit to Santa Monica on Tuesday, I must deal with Albert Pujols who left our beloved Cardinals. He just joined the Los Angeles Angels who offered him a 10-year, $254-million deal. It did seem so strange to see him on television out here accepting the Angel's sport shirt. The Los Angeles Times noted that it is a big costly gamble on him since he has been in "decline for two seasons". But the Angeles General Manager J. Dipoto noted: " if we call a decline going from super human to just great" ( he did not finish the thought, but I think I get his point).. he went on to say: "I don't think we have seen the last great days of Albert Pujols". So there you have it, straight from Los Angeles regarding the Cardinal's ex-great hitter. Another great brouhaha making the papers out here is a controversy regarding Christmas displays in Palisades Park. Tuesday was a cool day, due to a front coming through Monday which brought rain.The wind blowing off the ocean on Santa Monica Pier was a bit brisk so walked from there to Paliasdes Park. It is more of an overlook park as the bluffs there hang over Topanga Canyon.

As we walked through the park we came upon several life size nativity scenes and we noticed that those three scenes did not completely tell the Christmas story. What we saw next after those displays is pictured below.

What followed the above sign were further displays from the American Atheists espousing separation of church and state as well as quotations from our nation's founders. Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying that all religions are founded upon myths and fables. The next day, after we had visited the park, we found an article in the Los Angeles Times giving us the full story on the displays. For 6 decades churches of Santa Monica displayed the Christmas story on 14 plots in the park. A protest was raised and park officials decided to use a lottery system to dole out the spots in that prime location. The churches won 3 lots and other groups won 18. Some of the 18 spots stand empty, the others seem to be all promoted by the American Atheists. Interestingly enough, one of the nativity scenes is sponsored by the Sana Monica Police Association.