CoInSide

THE SA ROCKS BLOG: Girl In A Coma's 10th Anniversary Show, Saturday Feb. 25th

2012-02-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

THE SA ROCKS BLOG: Girl In A Coma's 10th Anniversary Show, Saturday Feb. 25th

Army Air Forces Flyers Hat A-11

2011-12-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

Very nice yardsale find this morning. It is on eBay now. These images expand much better than the eBay version. SOLD: $59.99

Girl In A Coma: Just A Band

2011-12-03T01:58:00.000-08:00

Yeah right.
I just returned from the Echoplex in Echo Park and sit here trying to convince myself that I didn't just see the best rock and roll band in my 53 years. Somewhere in these pages is an incomplete list of bands/artists I've seen and I don't recall seeing any three times (Levitt Pavilion, open for Go-Gos and this). Right now I'm scratching my head wondering why everyone else doesn't get it.

The new record, Exits and All the Rest is a stunning piece of work worthy of a certain award whose nominees were recently posted. The set they performed covered about 85% of Exits and they didn't disappoint with a few from their previous releases. I small talked with a friend of the band at the swag table and she confided the set list has been adhered to for the entire tour. Songs have a way or morphing when a band takes them on the road but in their case most were true to the recording. The lone exception, Adjust may have taken a few steps toward becoming more bluesy.

Mini highlight of the night I got to chat for a few with bassist Jenn prior to going on. She was personable and appreciative, I confessed to her that I thought was as excited about the future of this band as I expected she was. If it were another topic it would be safe to say I was on fire about the band.

Funny story, I went with my eighteen year old and two friends of hers who never heard the band before. We drove from the Valley to the site and stepping out of the car I asked my daughter, You have the tickets-right? A few choice expletives later we were back in the car speeding home. Grab the tickets, back in the car after a stretch and zip to the concert. We missed the Blackheart Records label mate opener but saw the Dead Ships and another B-52's / Pearl Harbor and the Explosions like band that had me pacing.

The crowd was as mixed as one might see in Los Angeles at a typical 18 + night spot. We all packed toward the stage when the headliners came on. Bobbing and swaying to song after song as well as an occasional group jump when the song warranted it. Phannie and Jenn provided a killer back beat for Nina to perform her vocal assaults and her guitar work was superb as well.

I'm afraid this is the last small venue performance I will see of these girls. I laugh when I see the ticket prices at less than the price of a cup of beer at a Dodger game. They play tomorrow night in Santa Ana which just might be about as far as the there and back X's 2 trip we did for this show. The sound system played an early Police song when the show was over that made me recall a time in 1979 when I saw them at the Palladium prior to their mass appeal.

These are my grand daughters working it to Adjust. I commented at one point on the GIAC fb page (along with the video) that these girls, due to the fact their biological father is an idiot and deadbeat dad, are growing up without him in their lives. They went through a period where they wondered if he'd come to visit that weekend and be obviously periled when he didn't. Well, they've Adjusted. I think that's what the song is about??

Some great images captured here.

2011 San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade

2011-11-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

Knowing first hand that it is difficult to take pictures of a parade when you are in it, here are many I took from my vantage point just south of Richie Valens Park:

This next shot has my friend Frank (Desert Storm) centered unbeknownst to him.

On the spot ad libbing the announcers dubbed this, "a vet in a 'Vette"

Previously mentioned my friend across the street- looks like he made me in the following shot

Under the canopy across the street were the announcers for this area; as volunteers you say stuff like "Bless their hearts-they're trying." I almost swallowed my tongue when one of them said "Corpse-men" and called a cargo plane an "aircraft carrier". The other funny thing was the Dodgers Dream Foundation will open the freshly made over fields behind where the pictures are being taken. There will be a children's fundamentals clinic. The announcers said, "There's going to be a clinic too-come get yourself checked out."

Girl in a Coma: Exits and All The Rest; All this Filthy Beauty

2011-11-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

To call this a review in the classic sense would be misguided. To call it a critique would be one sided because I have admittedly fallen for this San Antonio trio, dare I say head over heels. I posses a unique ability/disability where music listening is concerned. The voice for the most part is an instrument. I, for the most part, cannot discern lyrics from songs unless I read them. I hear a phrase or a few words and don't need to find meaning. I just listen and either like or don't.

Exits and all the Rest is the fourth full release as I understand. I stop just short of calling it Game 6 of this year's World Series. Again to use baseball terminology, as a pitcher's best might be referred to as filthy, I sum this CD in it's entirety as Filthy Beauty. I have all of the four releases and where the earlier CD's are concerned, I picked and chose, maybe favoring three to four songs each off Trio BC and the same from Both Before I'm Gone. Adventures in Coverland I liked all the way through.

Continuing the preface of this effort, I should say that I am 53 years old raised in So Cal and got to see a bit of this great country on the Air Force's billet. All I have heard and encountered where sound is concerned are who I am musically. Never picked up an instrument and currently own several thousand LP's, 45s and CDs. I have seen a wealth of concerts in my day. I detailed the ones I could recall at the bottom of this post.

At this point in my life it bothers me a tad when someone says, Your kids look just like you! My inner thoughts say Who else would they look like? Take this thought and apply it to the latest GIAC release. They sound like this band on one track, like that singer on another and so on. There are echoes of what they've heard and loved about others music in all the songs and thank God for that. Without that sort of reference there is blah. The more I listen, the more I realize their music in an obtuse way reminds me of Led Zeppelin. To try to nail down that though, I think they are, but a few degrees away from being a blues band, as was Zeppelin.

To the music...

Adjust: I have a sign in my office that reads, Maybe it's not home sweet home-adjust. As far as I know that's what the song is about. Take a blues riff and build a sense of comfort, then throw in a Nirvanaesque tempo change and there you have it.

One Eyed Fool: The obvious train of thought for my male mind is the male body part reference but there's a girl too. This to me is the drunken act of closing an eye to gain focus. One goes to a bar to meet drinkers.

Smart: The single from the new CD, this rings of a Morrissey/Smiths song that has the words, "Now I know how Joan of Arc felt". Again, only a reference. It also has that Lush, Blur, Kitchens of Distinction sort of ethereal guitar sound that I loved in the early 90's. It's great and I hope it replaces "Pumped up Kicks" on my local overplayed alt rock station. Pa-pa, da-da, pa-pa.....

She Had A Plan: Would this song be without Machete? Probably-but maybe not as inspired. Simple latin-bluesy Tito and Tarantula stylings. Love the psych break. The girl harmonies appear for the first time late in this song. I was hoping they's take something from the Go-Go's tour they did this summer.
So: I read someone's comment on facebook complain that rolling Stone called them "jangly". This is jangly bliss. If I was told a song had the word lullaby in the title, I would guess this were it from the lilting guitar intro. The aforementioned girl harmonies come to full bloom on this one. Nina is a few degrees away from yodeling.
Cemetary Baby: This has car commercial written all over it. My favorite track at this time (after about 10 listens). Mis-labled on the LP as it appears on the end of side one while the cover lists it as the first song on side 2. All this and a ukulele too. Heaven. I wrote my friend Frank Allison (of Oddsox fame and told him this beautiful song reminded me of some stuf they did.
Knocking at Your Door: The vocal on this recalls Blondie's Debbie Harry at her best. There is a tribal rhythm that reminds me of my Apache looking long haired cousin Jazze. I see him as described at his eulogy employing his younger brother to ride him from point a to point b while standing on the rear pegs of a moped as his brother drove him through the streets of El Monte. He was fucken cool.
Hope: This takes the tribal thing to the next level. If I had a mohawk this would be my anthem.
Control: First listen I thought this was the weak link. Not so after several. I am guessing those that bonded to the girl's early punk appeal like this most even though it is as close to the blues as it is anything else.
Sly: More big and beautiful soundscapes. Sounds like it has a timpani. Definitely has a little twang. on the hard right. This and the previous have the strongest Zeppelin aura to them. Couldn't tell a lie rings the chorus. It reminds me that the truth is often painful even though we claim to seek it always.
Mother's Lullaby: first time through this sounded like a confessional or coming out that the surprise was known already. This is growing to be a favorite.

Same topic, more :

CoInSide: Girl In A Coma Nina Diaz New CD Exits Due 11-1-11

More passion from NC

Gloves to Trade for Services

2011-11-02T06:16:00.000-07:00

Leather Motorcycle Jacket Unkown Make/Model/Era

2011-10-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Matt Kemp Dodgers Game Used Easton Cleats

2011-10-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Lucky but maybe not so regarding todays find. One game used cleat that appears to be that of the Dodgers' center fielder Matt Kemp. Here are a few images.

Oklahoma Quake Anxiety Relief

2011-08-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

No joking matter is it when the ground below you does what it shouldn't. I had the distinction of living in Whittier for the Sylmar quake, Sylmar for the Whitter quake and as luck would have it-finally got nailed by the Northridge quake when I lived 2 miles off the epicenter.

Returning to normalcy proved therapeutic however, the anxiety of when the next one would occur often overshadowed the goodness of said therapy. How to get the thoughts back where they belong proved a daunting task. One is to study the phone book's disaster preparedness section and have a clue what to do.

An industrial nurse where I was working during the '94 Northridge quake came up with a better solution.

Male employees would go into her office and declare they could not focus or get to a happy place where they could perform their duties. She had no magic pill or so she thought until it occurred to her the easy diagnosis was anxiety. What would she do if she had it? She'd pop a Midol. She tried it on a few and low and behold- it worked.

Obama Doesn't Feel Tremor: Takes Mulligan Anyway

2011-08-23T16:53:00.001-07:00

Fun with headlines- again

Girl In A Coma Nina Diaz New CD Exits Due 11-1-11

2011-07-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Don't waste another minute- go to NPR and get a fist listen off their new release due in stores November1st.

Early review: Smart is a ready to order hit soon to be overplayed at your local sorta-indie radio station. The underlying notion here musically is based on Morrissey's song that mentions Joan of Arc. Add some Cocteau Twins/Kitchens of Distinction sort of 90's ethereal pop and there you are. See you in month on Conan with this one.

The song So subliminally pays homage to David Bowie's 1977 song Sound and Vision. I love what they were able to do with one of his songs on their Covers release.

Full review- first take little editing:
CoInSide: Girl in a Coma: Exits and All The Rest; All this Filthy Beauty

My new favorite indie band. We got to see them at a free summer concert in the park at the Pasadena Levitt Pavilion. Stunning performance by a trio of women from San Antonio, Texas. They have some scorching originals and a strong catalog of covers. Here is an original that has grown on me:

Being obsessive as I can be (read am), I have chimed in several times on their Facebook page and said, Please-for the last time, cover Squeeze's "Annie Get Your Gun". I have a bid in on some tickets for an upcoming concert 8-2011 where they open for the Go Go's. LA WEEKLY blog review

http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/videos/girl-in-a-coma.html

Update:Got 'em!

Below is a random 45 picture sleeve I had laying around that I saw with new eyes and said, Damn- that looks like GIAC's Nina Diaz.

Nina's vocals cover a lot of ground. I'd be surprised to be the first one to say she covers it all from Hagen to Simone. This little tidbit would've been dreamy to see live:

When I think of San Antone I recall the little bit of time I spent there in 1980 at Lackland AFB. Somewhere near-maybe after graduation we were treated to a live band on the base. They were not worthy of a memory file but I do recall how it was like shooting fish in a barrel where appreciation is measured. We were so rock starved anything sounded good. I chimed in again a few minutes ago on the aforementioned fb page and suggested just that- a live Girl in a Coma show on the base.

This is a cool collectible of collectibles from that very Levitt Pavillion show in Pasadena: Signed Set List (Courtesy E.Agopian)

Reminds me of: Altered Images, Presents of Mind, Siousxie, Romeo Void

October 2008 Amoeba Records Hollywood show

Bombino at the Levitt Pavillion Pasadena

2011-07-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight was kinda special. I got to bear witness to Bombino-a group of musicians from central Africa, specifically Niger. We were told by their chaperon that it wasn't far from a town we westerners know as the middle of nowhere-Timbuktu.

I arrived early while the DJ was still playing an array of soul music. I usually bring my own chair to these free outdoor evenings in the park but tonight I left it in the car. I managed a seat on one of the few benches available to early birds. Irma was my neighbor to my right. She was saving two spaces for her grand kids and thought Poncho Sanchez was the artist. She casually mentioned she grew up in a house where jazz and Jimi Hendrix dominated.

I thought I prepared myself by viewing some YouTube videos of the band that morning. Interesting but far from captivating in that media. Boy was I wrong. They play a sort of Saharan jam rock that takes the listener on a journey with every song. The kind of music that lends itself perfectly to soundtrack scores. Tears welled in my eyes as the first song concluded. I knew I was in a special place. I didn't know Irma well enough to joke aloud, If I should drop here and now- tell the paramedics my heart was filled with joy.

I am pretty much a whimperer where television shows like Home Makeover or Coming Home are concerned. I was in that choked up mode for a good part of the show. The drummer maintaining a sort of marching tempo and there was no bassist. The bass line was covered by the only English speaker in the group that had some sort of gourd on a table that was mic'd.

I found myself alongside the stage once Irma departed (we hugged!). I was doing a trance dance along with 30 or so percent of the crowd. Two encores and they were gone. The swag table was to my right, t-shirts, CD's and DVD's for a post concert feeding frenzy which I would partake in. I couldn't help thinking, Should I buy a CD or a van to follow this group around the country?

An L.A. Times story on Bombino.

From an interview I dug up- Okay- Googled:

Does he have any specific guitarist + songwriters that influence him?

Yes, he is influenced by Ali Farka Toure, a Malian guitarist, Ibrahim Abreyboun of Tinariwen and some occidental guitarists such as Dair Street and Jimi Hendrix.

I think the name before Hendrix is Dire Straits or more correctly Mark Knopheler.

Daily News Editor Haig Keropian, I Got Your Backing

2011-07-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

Not unusual for me to make a purchase from a local swap meet. Toggle through the many posts I've made here over the last few years and one will find a dozen or so stories of where I bought something and either sold it or refurbished it as Steve from Saugus would later describe as Recycled Art.

My most recent find is a watercolor print that had an address label on the back as well as a signature. First thought, Who puts their name on such objects? My analytical mind says maybe he took it to work and wanted it identified for that last day when it gets carted off in a cardboard box with all the rest of his personal affects. The fact it has a signature too was a little confounding. Maybe he wrote his name first, then later when address labels became available, added it.

Thankfully most items I purchase don't conjure up such thoughts, otherwise I would be haunted by all the crap I have accumulated in my home, office and garage. This one was unique. Googling the name I thought I might find an artist, instead I found an editor. Mr. Keropian edited the editorial page for the Daily News in Los Angeles and as most of the expired searches allude to was with the paper since it's Green Sheet days. He died in 2008 at the age of 91.

Like a baseball glove relacing expert can look at a an older glove and tell whether or not it has original laces, whether the party that relaced it knew what they were doing or used the proper lace, I was able to flip the piece over and surmise that whomever put this item together was probably not a skilled picture frame technician. The wire was stretched across the back and wrapped haphazardly at the ends. In fact, the wire used was a piece of electrical wire that was once insulated. The picture was secured to the frame by some 1" finishing nails that had rusted and begun to permeate the paper.

I can't say with any certainty anything about Mr. Keropian as I never knew him. A chance that any of the aforementioned were metaphorical would be just that- chance. I do suppose that when the proper forensics are applied we all leave a trace or two of who we are.

Haig, your picture that you cared enought to identify twice (not including the forensic details) will be hanging in an office here in Sylmar. Some picture hanging wire was exchanged , a piece of backing board added and the whole thing was taped for a finished look.

Rare New York Yankees Find

2011-06-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

This item is available for bidding now on eBay

Vintage Horsehide Leather Motorcycle Jacket Buco J-23

2011-06-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

This is on eBay now. Final selling price $819.00. In case you are the IRS, I sold this for a local swap meet dealer. He confided in me that he had it- one look and I said this is substantial. I said I'd try to sell it for a percentage. I would like to have someone there to take a picture when I start filling his hand with hundreds.

Just posted a different vintage leather jacket on eBay. Chipie

Foster the People @ Amoeba

2011-05-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

We had XM radio for a short time about a year ago and they did an Indie top 15 where FTP climbed eventually to the top. Apparently XM does not have all the hoops to jump through legally that commercial radio does. I recall commenting to a young person I know that these guys were keepers.

Me: fifty plus year old drive my seventeen year old from the Valley to Hollywood after work the other day to catch a free show at Amoeba- the World's Largest Record Store. We are an hour early despite L.A. traffic. I dropped her off to get in the 100 yard plus line of fans that extended along the side of the building. My first instinct was to pass on it and circle back home becasue I did not think that many people fit in there. It's a record store.

I park and grab a box of CD's I'd set aside to sell to the store. My daughter is midway in the line I call her and tell her to hold her position but that I might be able to shoehorn us in. The Amoeba barely interested old rocker guy offers $62 in store credit or $46 cash- I opt for the latter.

I tried to slide into the show but got pegged by the able and abundant staff that were herding in the crowd. Eventually we get inside and are directed into the Dark Metal row of the CD section. (Damn-no Antagonist). Facing directly toward the side of the stage, but rather close, still- I didn't expect much.

The band takes the stage and open with an electronic array of washes and sounds and a guy on a free standing tom that recalled the Blue Man Group for a moment. The band worked the set with passion and enthusiasm and I add later- with keen pop/dance sensibilities. The songs were easy to absorb on first listen. I bought the CD, to which I would listen to later, to this point had only heard the (minor) hit "Pumped Up Kicks". The electronic blips and oscillations I would later discover were true to the Torches release.

After hearing the first song live, I wrote the word ethereal in my notes page of the iPhone. Driving away from the set, thoroughly satisfied, I thought how much this group reminded me of a Chip Foose Overhaul. Especially one I saw the other day where he worked over a '54 Ford four door. Not much to start with but damn what a strong finish. Something old, something new, something borrowed and blue.

My selection for their next single: Alt.radio: Life on the Nickel, Commercial.radio: Warrant

Reminds me of: Ween, Manu Chao, Filter, The Cowsills, Scissor Sisters, The Wondermints

1957 Pacoima Airplane Crash vs. 1975 Katherine Edwards Crash

2011-04-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

I like the Olympic Cafe restaurant in Sylmar for several reasons other then the food. Located on the west side of Sylmar where San Fernando and Trueman streets meet, I spoke to some locals that thought the place was closed -years ago. The proprietor, Pete, has only been there ten years or so but the clientele bring in the history of the community. I once overheard a rant in which Joe, who'd just returned from a chemotherapy session, explain the sociology of the neighborhood, "The cops would steer us back into the neighborhood if we strayed" he explained. Ultimately his point was that he'd married a woman from a few blocks over and that was the norm.

Today I discovered I have something in common with a few of the regulars despite being some 10 years younger than many of the retired guys that either eat there or sit around for their own amusement drinking coffee and reading the newspaper . In this entry I described being eyewitness to an airplane crash that happened in 1975 at and above Katherine Edwards Jr. High School in West Whittier. As it turns out some of the folks that frequent the Cafe bore witness to the crash that was featured in the opening scene of the movie La Bamba. Well documented within the web; the following from Wikipedia:

On January 31, 1957, a Douglas DC-7 operated by Douglas Aircraft Company was involved in a mid-air collision and crashed into the schoolyard of Pacoima Junior High School in Pacoima in the San Fernando Valley...

As I woke this morning I found my daughter asleep on the couch with the television on having attempted to stay up and watch the Royal Wedding II. I mention this because recently the Olympic Cafe was used to make the Train "Marry Me" video about getting married. It goes back to some Clint Eastwood movies that featured an orangutan. The service and the food are good but the history is rich.

Fun At Work, Oak, Caligaris and Lowenstein Recycled Art

2011-04-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

Part 1 Oak Chairs

The images below show a before and after of some old oak chairs we had peppering some of the office spaces at the company where I run the facilities and maintenance side of things. It would have been cheaper I suppose to replace these with Office Depot supplied Chinese goods but I couldn't see the value in that.

We stripped and sanded the wood, tightened up the connections and gave it a black stain finish. Lalo's in Sylmar reupholstered and replaced the foam padding and the result was what most agreed to be a retro looking chair.

We set them up in one of our departments and the results were amazing. Everyone liked them or requested theirs be next. The color was chosen because it is in the new logo.

By no means was this less expensive than a new replacement but we think we have a legacy piece that folks are already proud to have in their office spaces. Amazing how a single piece of furniture can precipitate a general office clean-up.

Part 2 Caligaris Chairs

Below are some Calligaris chairs I found at my favorite swap meet here in the San Fernando Valley. They were neglected and in need of TLC.

We hand rubbed the layered wood with Johnson's Paste Wax, used Mothers chrome cleaner on the legs.

Lalo from Erne's Upholstery address the cushions. They made it to the Director of Marketing's office.

Part 3 Lowenstein Bar Stools

A pair of Lowenstein bar chairs. Overall condition probably rates a 6+ on a 10 scale. Most of the work that needs to be done is cosmetic. Structually these are tight as they were built to last. There are some interesting hardware approaches where one would expect to find abolt there isn't- until you look again. They kept the viewable sides free of visible screw heads.

We stripped off the heavy clear coat and used a Danish Oil finish foloowed by a hand wax and lemon oil fine grit sandpaper number. The fabric we used is an automotive product specific to a Chevrolet Impala. Now we need a place to put them. They are a bit too nice.

Part 4 Oak Chair Different Color Scheme

With these chairs we upholstered before refinishing the wood because instead of the black we are going with some sort of reddish stain finish to compliment the desk and other furniture in an existing three person office. The orange color is consistent with the company logo color pallete.

Stripped, sanded and stained a reddish hue called Gunstock.

Mickey Mantle Swap Meet Find MM Rawlings

2011-03-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

The Jay Letters: Just Over A Week

2011-03-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Jesse,

In the background I hear trash trucks so I decided you need another letter. Omy was on a call with Mo the other day and I got to speak with her for a bit. She settled our nerves regarding the "gate pass" that we don't have. Her father didn't either and was able to access the base without much hassle.

Charlie Sheen dominates the news these days with rock star ranting leading people to believe he has lost it. That breeds the assumption that he had it. It is a sad comedy that a. it's happening and b. we care about it.

In a week we board a flight out to San Antonio. Omy's advise was get you to a room and let you take a nap. Sounds funny but I get it. We'll have several days to do this, that and the other thing if we want to.

Noah is moving out to New York for six months. I am not sure what they are up to but it appears Dan and Amy are up to something. I think they are hiring Noah to be part of their staff or crew. I haven't done any real digging rather, I am waiting for them to come out and say what it is.

I found a cool Chatsworth based site that blogs police scans. I will cut and paste some when I have nothing to say in these letters so you can be updated on a molecular level as to what is going on here on the block. Here's an example now:

7:10 p.m. Reseda Boulevard and the 101 Freeway, Encino
Report of drunk driver on Reseda Boulevard, near the 101 Freeway underpass.

7:20 p.m. 9000 block of Owensmouth Avenue, Box Canyon
911 call for an ambulance response to a patient with “heart problems.”

7:20 p.m. 16830 Kingsbury Street, Granada Hills
911 call for a fire department response to a “person choking.”

7:56 p.m. Etiwanda Avenue and Nordhoff Street, Northridge
Report of assault with a deadly weapon. The “deadly weapon” is described as a “gray or light colored Toyota.”

8:20 p.m. 3400 block of Coy Drive, Sherman Oaks
Report of a possible structure fire at a single-family dwelling located in the hills.

9:30 p.m. 11100 block of Hortense Street, North Hollywood
Report of “two shots heard, possibly from a shotgun.” There was “no victim seen or heard.”

9:30 p.m. 11300 block of Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood
Report of assault with a deadly weapon at the market. The possible weapon was a “pocket knife.”

9:30 p.m. 11935 Kling Street, North Hollywood
Report of “one shot heard only.”

More as it becomes available.

Love Dad

Spring Softball and Baseball Field Maintenance

2011-02-23T06:14:00.000-08:00

A co-worker came back from a weekend away to see his college age daughter play softball. Knowing the weather was other-than-ideal I asked how things went. He grimaced and told of the opener where the field was wet and muddy. The grounds crew did what they thought to be helpful to keep playing. The third baseman a short time later tried to set up to make a throw and buckled in the poor footing and earned a trip to the emergency room.

Maybe the game should have been called? The following day the crew could be seen spreading the mud around and eventually the teams that traveled a few hundred miles were on their way home. Weather happens. The ground crew did what they thought was right but in the end failed, One of the basic tenants of field maintenance is that the field should be able to take abuse but not be the victim of it.

I spent my mid life crisis on a few different fields. One setting the league saw me as some sort of Caddy Shack freak with nothing better to do and the other provided me with funds and asked what more they could offer to allow my obsession to play out in their favor. In both cases however I did not have an unlimited budget.

First rule from my hindsight perspective is get some quality soil amendments in that dirt. If your league has not had decomposed granite (DG) or a good baseball mix installed- start there. Have this done professionally whenever possible.

My personal experience is using Pros' Choice Red. There are plenty of other products but basically you are at the mercy of what is available in your area. Directions on the bag favors the retailer and manufacturer but in any quantity you will begin to improve your field's ability to absorb and utilize water. Common argument from the bleachers is that it is too grainy, it will affect the trueness of the ball path, etc. Bull.

Foul weather rule # 1- get the water off the field. DO NOT spread it around, DO NOT bury it in sand, dirt or especially Kitty Litter. Repeat, DO NOT USE KITTY LITTER. Get the water off the field. Here's how: wade out to an area of ponding, find the middle and dig a hole. If you need dimensions on this- make it as deep as the spade of the shovel. Now pump it out, cup it out, bucket it out- just get the water off the field. Be sure when you go to refill the hole you just dug- use dry dirt.

If your facility uses a powered piece of equipment like a John Deere or a Cushman be sure the ground is stable enough to not leave tracks. In fact, use of these machines, make that mis-use is what leads to many groundkeeping errors like berms. Simple rule to dragging is don't over do it and don't follow the same path everytime you do. Hand brooms are fine between games.

Now it's free of water but not playable. Get some hand raking going to allow the air and the sun to assist. Priority areas are the mound (circle), the batter's box and the base paths. Your efforts should involve the top few inches of soil. If you deep nail drag you are digging your own grave. Shallow nail dragging can help only when the soil is at 70-90% dry. Build a nail drag using treated 2 x 4's and nails-not the bolt types that are designed for pre-season. I have added links below.

Aside from the nail drag, your best friend believe it or not is the lawn roller. Compacting the soil forces out the water. You are not going to roll directly on wet dirt rather lay some towels down and roll over the towels. Trade them while allowing the wet ones to be wrung out and air dried. The more the better. Now you can begin to add in some Pro's Choice, Turface, or ? to the areas that are almost ready. They make a specialty product for wet fields that may also help. It is more expensive and the grain finer. The original works fine.

Here's a few vital links:
How to Build a Nail Drag
Pro's Choice
Turface

Entitled We Stand, United We Fall

2011-02-20T20:34:00.000-08:00

The Incomplete Inventor: Volume 2 LED Batting Cage Lighting

2011-01-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Last episode was the bunt trainer.

Here's an idea I have been kicking around for a bit. I should say my reason for this should be apparent if you've used a public batting cage at night. The nearest to our place here in the valley is called Grand Slam. They recently made some improvements to aid the user when taking cuts at night.

Problem is, their logic is reversed. Instead of focusing on lighting the ball, the emphasis is placed on lighting the flight of the batted ball. Large halide, mercury vapor or fluorescent lights stand dozens of feet away from the object the batter is to focus on. Our guys have a well lit pitching machine, then the ball passes through an array of exterior lighting amidst a web of shadows.

Here's my solution:

Trench cut the deck along the path of the ball and install two rows of LED strips as shown in the video.

A metal grate cover will keep the bulk of the light at the fixture from the batter's line of sight and be flush with the surface of the concrete. The path of the ball can be lit for exiting the machine to near contact. The next video shows a ball hung into the lighted area, then I had my assistant dangle the ball outside the area that was lit, then back into the light.

I call this an incomplete invention because all I am doing is setting the idea forth. I have access to these fixtures and can say the efficiency and price are inversely moving in directions that make this both feasible and logical.

Salsa Man, the Umpire Story and the Wild Blue Yonder

2011-01-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

On 1-11-11 our son will be getting off an airplane in Texas ready to begin his six year enlistment in the Air Force. To describe the emotions a parent feels at this time, try combining the words proud, cautious, apprehensive, resigned and fearful.

Jesse earned the title Salsa Man at Chatsworth High School where he took a business class project to a previously unchartered level. Every Wednesday he and (at first) his mother would make up a batch of homemade salsa, place it in containers, then hustle it to school in thermos bags to sell. It became a tradition and obsession at once. There were throngs of followers who would take the product home to the delight of their families. The end of the school year coincided with the project and it went back to a family secret.

The aforementioned class was a game changer in several ways for Jesse. His teacher's confidence in him crossed over and made him realize the err of his ways and he decided to put it all on graduating. He had a work program that gave credit after school, early school and weekend school. He focused on it and did it. Wish it had gone off with a bit more normalcy-but it didn't. Take what you have and make the best of it was the lesson.

Jesse's freshman year was the root of all evil. He fell in with a crowd that drew him to his demise that would take years to undo. We saw it but failed to act on it. Bad for us. His older sister didn't give us any apparent problems so we were ill prepared. No excuses- we failed. When I hear of parents having issues with their 15 year old sons I think why wasn't Disney's cryogenic project a success? we could deep freeze them until they are 17 or so...

It was January of 2009 when Jesse came home and told us that he'd enlisted. The savvy reader is doing the math and thinking, A two year delayed enlistment program? Not so. Jesse was a victim of his upbringing- an excuse we've all heard before. In his case it is the truth. I mean the truth is what got him in a pickle. Short of this becoming an all out Who's On First, Jesse told the truth at a final interview when advised not to and set off a huge, these days usually insurmountable, red flag waiver situation that nearly took two years to undo. A recruiter who was down line this process would later tell him nobody gets waivered these days.

Backtracking to the 16th year of Jesse's life when he'd tapered out of the juvenile delinquent stage of his being, he was required to serve a number of community service hours. I managed to get him to work alongside me in at a girls softball tournament and we addressed the fields between games. Raked, watered, chalked and so on.

That weekend was one of the hottest in Northridge history and it was between games where we rejuvenated in an air conditioned room when we met the umpire. He was an older gentleman who spoke to us without our asking. He simply knew we were father and son and spoke of how he was a regular blue collar sort of guy, since retired, who managed to put his kids through college and they were now bearing the fruits of the education they earned. Basically, he was proud of who they'd become and took little credit for it. It was a simple story from a simple man.

It was during one of the drives to or from Jesse's aforementioned weekend or night classes-maybe work, where he confided that it was the umpire's story that made him full fledged want to change and someday make me as proud as that umpire was. All this time I thought it was one of my speeches or lectures to him.

The waiver process was trying and I am proud of my son for enduring it. The end of the process saw him face to face with the commanding officer of all the recruiters. A heart thumping experience for anyone to face up to their past in front of a full bird colonel. I don't need to say that he passed the acid test but when I asked him that day how it went, he said he had to tell the Umpire Story.

Jesse entered the Air Force two years almost to the day of originally enlisting. He swore in ceremonially five times at sponsored events and finally for real on 1-11-11. I am writing letters to him while he is in basic training and I decided to post them here.

Bob Feller: Baseball Player

2010-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Ron Santo Montgomery Wards Glove

2010-12-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

This item is being offered at this time on eBay.

Interesting find in phenominal condition. The only flaw other than minor wear and tear is the previous owner has written his o her name on the back of the thumb which is apparently in ink as shown in one of thes images.

2010 San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade

2010-11-11T18:44:00.000-08:00

most recent:CoInSide: 2011 San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade

Looks like this small town parade has built up a full head of steam and is ready for greater things. For near the full mile and a tenth the crowd was three to four deep. I have been involved in some of the others, and watched the balance, but today's crowd was by far the biggest.

My annual "Well done" to the volunteers and board members that made this happen including lost sleep over sweating the details. We rode in a company sponsored entry and when some of the veterans from my company could not attend, the kids and grandkids of those that could filled in perfectly.

My daughter snapped a few dozen images, many from the back of the red pick up as we drove down Laurel Canyon to Ritchie Valens PArk.

I cut and pasted this becasue typically the news websites expire within a few weeks.

Latest News News Article Chairman Marshals Parade for Veterans

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

SAN FERNANDO, Calif., Nov. 11, 2010 – On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the annual Veteran’s Day Parade here stepped off today, reminiscent of when it began -- at the moment the guns fell silent on the Western Front ending World War I in 1918.

U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses volunteers at the Veterans Affairs 7th Annual San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade in Los Angeles, Nov. 11, 2010. DOD Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The San Fernando Valley celebrated its veterans with bands, flyovers and speeches. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen – a Los Angeles native – served as the parade’s grand marshal.

Mullen thanked the people of the Valley for the honor to him and his wife, Deborah. “We have deep Valley roots,” Mullen said. “We grew up here, we went to high school here, just down the road.”

Mullen recalled cruising down Laurel Canyon Boulevard – the route of the parade – in his father’s Mercury.

“It is an honor to be with you to reflect on America’s greatest treasure – the veterans of our armed forces,” he said. “From Saratoga to Saigon, from Corregidor to Kuwait, from Korea to Kandahar and a thousand other places, our men and women in uniform have served and sacrificed in a way that has been a hallmark of our nation.”

Each American should recognize veterans’ service and their sacrifices, Mullen said. He thanked the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen from every generation for their commitment to America and freedom around the world.

“As we celebrate the veterans who returned safely, we also know that for many, the war follows them home,” Mullen said. “They have returned forever changed by what they have experienced. So today we honor and embrace every warrior from every war with both visible and invisible battle wounds.”

It also is appropriate that America mourn and remember those servicemembers who did not come home. “We lift them and their families up in our hearts and pledge to never forget their sacrifices,” he said.

Before coming to the parade, Mullen joined California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to launch a service project at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System campus. Mullen spoke to the volunteers who gathered to rebuild a garden accessible to the disabled on the VA campus.

“This happens … when we have two wars and we’ve got tens of thousands of veterans returning home,” Mullen said. “This is the best military I’ve ever been associated with in the more than 40 years I’ve been privileged to wear the uniform. They are typically 18 to 24 years old … and they have served and served without question and they’ve made such a difference.”

As the veterans return home and transition back to civilian life, they will bring their leadership abilities, knowledge, and life experiences back with them, the chairman said. “They have made such a difference for our country, we need to make sure we make it possible for them to continue to make that difference,” he said.

The chairman wants Americans to connect with their military, and there is a danger with fewer people having exposure to the services that the military could be isolated from the people it serves.

“Those of us in the military need to continue to work hard to communicate the message to continue to support and represent those who serve now and once served,” he said during a short press availability here. “We must connect the Pentagon and the VA with communities throughout the country. And when I say communities I mean the people and the leaders throughout the country who understand the challenge and the great upside potential for investing in these young people who served.”

Frank Zappa Guitar Player Magazine

2010-11-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

Django Reinhardt Guitar Player Magazine

2010-11-08T17:58:00.000-08:00

The Fred Letters

2010-11-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

A stated previously, the attached images are of letters I wrote to my cousin between 1980 and 1993. She saved them and recently returned them. I love her for that and come to think of it I love her for putting up with some of the most mundane blathering one could muster. In my defense I was 21 years old and there does seem to be a tad of progress. Imagin bing able to look into your past in such detail.

Here goes the first one. I selected this one because it touches on some topics that I have not since renounced.

Quadron at the Echoplex : Harp & B

2010-10-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

This morning my daughter, knowing the wife and I had trekked to the Echoplex in LA the night before to see Quadron, asked "How was it?". My response was mostly physical. All I could say was "Ohhhh" and sort of slowly shake my head in a way to indicate so sad you couldn't be there because the performace was other worldy. By the time I snapped out of it-she'd already left the kitchen. Kids.

On this night Quadron was lead singer Coco, a harpist named Mary and an Apple Computer. What a friggin deadly mix. Label makers are using the Neo-Soul tag. For convenience I call it Harp & B. She only performed six or seven tracks but somehow it was satisfying though most were yearning for more. You've just had the greastest desert you've ever tasted so now what- order more? Or just savor it?

We took some weak flip phone images but the crew next to me had the equipment and they said they ran a website called TheWellVersed.com. I commented to the guy that I thought Coco was living proof of reincarnation. When he asked of who? I simply stated that whoever it was- had way too much soul for your standard Dane. I'll be checking that site frequently to remind me of this magical night.

My Every Thought From 30 Years Ago

2010-10-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here's the situation: 1982 or so I amin the Air Force stationed in South Dakota. My cousin Laura is similarly away from home but attending college at UCSB. I write her letters to pass the time and have a connection to "home" without being on the phone every night. No email- or even computers, no texting or cell phones. This is old school pen to the paper stuff.

Fast forward to this afternoon. I get a call from Laura who says she is about to mail a parcel with 2 years worth of the handwritten letters I'd sent her. This will me amusing at the least, confounding and probably a little scary to see my every thought, my every fear and emotion all there in the two or three page lettters that I wrote a few times a week so long ago. I am thinking of posting them here for posterity and amusement. I can't wait.

Ground Zero Degrees of Separation

2010-10-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

A Facebook entry by my sister in law stated that last night her incidental career had one of those firsts that one usually remembers for years to come.

Amy tends bar in New York City while her real career temporarily eludes her. Last last night there were a group of 9-11 widows who were her customers. Nothing out of the ordinary here- right?

The common thread here that joins Amy with these women at the hip is the fact that largely due to the events that occurred on 9-11, Amy's then boyfriend-my brother Dan, would be deployed to Iraq not once but twice. In fact, she endured the war as she progressed through the roles of fiance' and eventually military bride.

I'm guessing the Yankees game was on in the background-maybe not. It would not have provided any relief as they lost 8-0.

Fontana EPICENTER twenty Ten

2010-09-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Best laid plans... who knew the first week of fall 2010 would be 150,000 degreea in the shade? Event planners were more likely what-if'ing a potential rain scenario when they brought their list of twenty-some bands to the table.

My daughter received a pair of VIP tickets for the Sunday only date and being the overprotective dad I am- I was her escort. We arrived having driven 1.5 hours in the scorching heat with the a/c in my Xterra having long since failed. A quick jaunt from the parking lot and we're there by 2:30 or so.

My last outdoor all-out like this was Cal Jam II where there were 10 times more than the 25,000 attendees announced but I don't think I told her that story yet. We go from stage to stage and spend some time in the couches provided by the Monster drink people (VIP area). Pretty cool but the heat...

Bad Religion were one of the first sets we saw and as they played from their 30 year body of work I imagined how tough the punk rock business is for the elder sect. Good all around- it was still 150 degrees. I think they schooled the underclassmen (later to follow) and the quote of the day was heard from behind, right when a kid asked his buddy, "Who are these guys?"

The response was , "Old school-Iduknow- Bad Company or something".

Highlight of the day for us was definitely Suicidal Tendencies who were right out of the Homies collection. Thumping, rocking and a little sermon to boot. There's a bittersweet feeling when you find yourself jumping to the beat with your 17 year old who is yelling "Suicidal".

Thrity Seconds to Mars came on as the sun began to set and worked up the crowd a bit. There material and skills were sufficient as the frontman who looked out of Footloose insisted on trying to work the crowd into a lather with a barrage of F bombs sort of worked. Too tired to Jump, jump... I maneuvered the hand fan we were given at the Farmer John booth to appear as if I were.

I couldn't get into the Rise Against set as the lead guy just wouldn't stop looking like Bud Bundy. Not his fault but you know- the heat.

OK. The headliner was Blink 182 who to my surprise were not headed by the snotty looking guy who is actually the Green Day lead. What can I say? Their body of work means nothing to me as an over 50 guy. They have good stage presence, they know their equipment and have good enough in between song banter. Travis Barker is the drummer who had his own reality show and some aviation related exploits but we'd been out in the elements and it just didn't serve as any kind of stimulant for either myself or my 17 year old who'd felt the ill effects of a free Monster and lucky for me we found ourselves on the way to the parking lot before they finished their set.

Building a Solid Bunt Trainer

2010-07-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

For years I have taught kids to bunt asking them to use the visual illustration, Try to catch the ball with the bat. Tinkering in my mind, I decided the best way to drive home this poing was to come up with a way to attach a small baseball glove to a bat in order to actually catch the ball.

One day I happened upon a lacrosse stick (I bet it has a name) and thought- this might be the ticket. It looks like a standard softball would fit in there perfectly. It did.

It did. The steps below illustrate the few minutes it took to get to a point where a sealant is required to have the end of the lacrosse thing stick to the bat remnant. The first one I made had two fundamental mistakes: I had the catching part out too far from the bat grip and the girls were about a ball width away from a decent catch. I also used too much sealant to the thing was about 34 ounces overall.

Here are the individual steps:

#1 saw the bat head off, I estimated about where the label would begin

#2 saw off the stick (leave about 6-8 inches to set into the sealant)

#3 insert something to prevent a bat load of sealant. I used foam. It's easy to make it too heavy.

#4 insert one into the other and check for a good length. I set this one up for about 29" to the centor of the "catch" area.

#5 ready to pour in some kind of sealant. I happen to have access to a great compound.

I already proved that a lacross stick cannot handle a ball pitched from a pitching machine. Use this flicking balls from a short distance at what I would call a soft toss like speed. It can handle a 25-35 pitch but that's not the point. we got some cross eyed stares in our pregame warm-ups when we used this.

This link takes you to my second installment, or Volume 2, of the Incomplete Inventor Series titled Batting Cage Lighting or something similar.

Sunland Tujunga Glendale Historic Photos II

2010-07-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

More from a swap meet find. These are pretty high quality scans; click on the image to enlarge.

This Takes you to the other post with similar images.

2010 Los Angeles Dodgers

2010-07-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

As we near the half way point I have a few things to bring to light where the team is concerned. I should clearly state that I am a lifelong, in fact second generation, fan of the local team.

Highlights have been Furcal and Ethier playing to and above at times their potential. Low lights have been Kemp and Martin not playing to theirs. Pitching has been frustrating at times and even sometimes it appeared the other teams knwe what was coming.

We were able to attend four games the first half. Low lights were the fans at the Yankee's series. Behavior was at all time lows for me and there was even at times the scent of homicide in the air. Likely the perpetrators were not aware of any previous rivalry rather looking for a place to vent their ignorance and general frustration with their place in life. Also a low is the generic fodder passed off as music over the public address system. It's a mullet rich environment where they are pulling these hits from. Bon Jovi, Journey, Guns and Roses, Black Sabbath? Was letting the 50 year old bartender from Des Moines select the music part of the divorce agreement?

Talks about trades and so forth are popular at this time of the year so I will chime in. I don't think Martin or Anderson will be with the team through the end of the season. Martin without checking the actual data has to have the highest LOB total. Completely frustrating to see him spin off the ball timae and time again. Anderson made a career out of hitting off his front foot both his lack of production steer toward retirement.

Cool Quadron Video Clip

2010-06-20T18:54:00.001-07:00

Quadron - Jeans // SOM, San Francisco, CA from About Her Films on Vimeo.

Some pictures too. These are from the AMOEBA gig.

How Are We Handling The Baseball Softball Legacy Thing?

2010-06-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

I stopped by a local tournament named in part in memory of my friend's wife. I state it this way because I met him and his girls when his wife debbie was being treated for leukemia. Anyway, the tounament was at a local high school in part. The rest was spread over two other facilities. That in itself was a sort of victory as I lobbied several times in my board member tenure to do two things: one broaden the tounament to other facilities instead of cramming everone into our baseball and softball complex and two- move the date from late July to sometime earlier.

Not knowing what I was watching I concluded that the talent level had evaporated and the game barely resembled what I recalled being apart of. It turned out to be bronze division talent I was watching. I recall asking as a board member if this level (below Gold and Silver) really needed to be? When does the term all-star end and all-inclusive begin?

I thought then of the softball legacy that we are tasked with handing down to future generation. How's that thing going? Not so good I think. The coaches were a hodge podge of parents who apparently had more time than those who knew the game. Or maybe they were the ones? One pitcher had speed the others could not catch up with because they were "Stepping in" as the mother behind me yelped. Her daughter was clearly over matched but lucky the other coach was dumb enough to help her by calling a change up.

Earlier in the day we held practice with our 18 year old group and I brought up the legacy issue in a different manner. I told the girls that my dream was to fill them with the knowledge and fundamentals to be able to coach some day. That when a dipstick like those mentioned above tried to teach their children some dozen or so years into the future that they could halt the wrong that was being perpetuated and keep the truth going. If the Aborigines or Native Americans had done as poorly at maintaining the past we may know nothing of their culture.

I'll proofread and correct this later. Someone is probably scratching their head and wondering, What happened to the written word...,

Quadron Performs L.A. KCRW

2010-06-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to see Coco and Quadron at Amoeba yesterday- loved it. Got to meet her afterwards, "Hi, I represent old people and we like you too". She laughed.

The Finish Line is Already There

2010-05-17T06:42:00.001-07:00

This was the gist of last night/this morning's dream. It may be a result of attending my uncle's funeral the previous day-or not.

This is a further list of some quotes I think I invented.

Uncle Toby (Thomas) Griego Memorialized

2010-05-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

This morning we got together at Morrow's Mortuary in Pico Rivera to pay tribute to the life of our late Uncle Toby. It was an opportunity to come together with those we are familiar with and enter a world previously unknown as Toby had children we, for all intents, never knew.

John Hernandez is Toby's grandson by way of Susanna and as one can see in the images bears a striking resemblance to my brother Daniel. We exchanged numbers and hope to stay in contact.

Toby's son Thomas shown here is a near replica of his dad too. He operates a flooring business in the Bakersfield area called Griego's Installation.

The pastor was a friend of Susanna and from the Calgary Outreach background. He read from Ecclesiastics Chapter 3 :

3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
3:2 A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3:3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
3:4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
3:5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 A time to seek, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to cast away;
3:7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
3:8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time for war, And a time for peace.

Unbeknown to those I spoke with afterwards, the sanctuary was adorned with both the Catholic and Protestant crosses. The scripture and the imagery seemed to coincide.

Uncle Toby was my father's brother, one of five, all whom have since passed. My recollections of him are as a sincere survivor with the work ethic of two men. I have a childhood memory of a time when I was maybe five or six years old. I was the backseat passenger in my parents car and we were in freeway traffic somewhere between Los Angeles and Whittier I would guess. I was watching out the window and spyed uncle Toby driving a large truck in the lane next to us. I called out the alert and sure enough my sighting was verified.

This incident would relive itself near evertime afterwards when we would see each other when Toby would say, "Remember I saw you and your head look like it was reeeeal little?"

The scripture above also reminds me of a song performed by the Passengers (side project of U2 with Brian Eno). The association is purely my own-maybe it's valid but a good cry nevertheless. If you've never seen or heard this I envy you.

Low Cost Funeral $7400.00

2010-04-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Uncle Toby died a few days ago. real name Thomas Griego. We are in the preocess of raising the funds needed to pay the funeral home. The plot, I believe, was paid for in advance.

I have this illustration I use when coaching or managing in which I state, You are standing on the shore where the sand is firm. You take a few steps toward the waterline and etch a groove with your heel away from the waves and stand there waiting for something to happen which you've manifested as a potential reality.

That's what I am doing with this entry. Granting the though beingness.

The Facebook Maiden Has Been Broken

2010-04-11T15:25:00.000-07:00

Now an official Facebooker, I have set certain goals. I will not have more than 500 friends. I have four and have threatened to add my daughter but she begged me not to. My first reply or comment was, "Post wall to wall or no one knows what you are saying. "

Fifteen years ago I was "High Tech" but is all left me behind. Stay tuned.

Nasa, Toyota Combine To Make Super Anti-Collider

2010-03-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

Knowing the blogosphere would be the first place Nasa scientist would look to for answers they've been burdened with, I've decided to post this entry.

Oddity number one: no Toyota representatives or dealers have been victims. What are the odds? Nasa guys there's your first assignment.
Oddity number two: problem purportedly accelerator related which would mean a guy doing 35 with a stuck accelerator would continue doing 35 until he figured something out. Correct symptom would be acceleration problem. Media guys- that's yours.

I woke today with a thought on this topic; the entire thing sounds eerily like a DC motor phenomena known as a "Runaway". It will take someone smarter than I to convey the details of the event but if one were to reverse phase on certain DC motors- as in installing a replacement motor backwards- a runaway would be the result.

Another way to achieve this is where tachometer feedback is concerned. A signal is sent to drive a motor a certain rpm. A feedback device, like a tachometer, is then used to measure the actual. When the desired is met it stablizes. If the tach signal is lost- indefinite rpm ( runaway) is called on to try to achieve the request.

That's all I have on the topic.

My Turn at the Colonoscopy Machine

2010-02-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, the day between the Superbowl and Valentine's Day, I was scheduled to have my first colonoscopy done at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills. The build-up was tremendous but not in the punster's way, rather in the way that everyone has a story to tell when the topic is mentioned. I should say that two weeks prior I was in one of those be careful what you wish for predicaments when the side effects for the naproxin I was taking was dead-on with the "May experience constipation."

I go to pick up the prescription the Monday prior and the lady a the counter had just had a head butting encounter with the previous customer and venting to me a bit, "They don't have to take it out on me..." When I stepped up and handed her the prescription it put a smile on her face. Prpbably secretly wishing this on the other customer she added, "You are going to me miserable the day before the procedure" as she hoisted an empty one gallon container onto the counter that would not have looked out of place in a Flintstones episode.

My cheering her up inadvertently was a small form of community service I thought. I replied, "I guess I can use a little more misery in my life because I've had it so good for so long," with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Good thing she wasn't drinking milk because it would come through her nose the way she reacted.

The dreaded day before arrives and I am at work, straight up noon I take the Dulcolax and go to a meeting a few minute later where of course lunch is served. Fasting-can't eat was my answer without providing details to the group. Thirty five minutes or so an I start to feel uneasy. I need to get home and mix up my gallon.

I write down the time and dose after I guzzle about 12 ounces. Not quite 15 minutes later follows the desired affect. Without injecting too many details- proportional. I continue in 8 oz doses until the whole gallon is gone. Pun intended: toward the end Velvet Rope. I think janet had a different reason for using the tittle.

The next day is D Day. I arrive and get checked in only to wait while I heard the same check in procedure being repeated three or four times to my right. My anaysis is correct- an assembly line. Makes sense to me. If you're gonna bring out the camera you might as well have someplace to put it. I am receiving instruction from the female doctor as to how I should position myself and so forth....

A few minutes later I awake with the assurance that the three things removed would be tested amd that my wife was on her way to pick me up. That's it? I almost missed it. Not that I was interested in some sort of life long experience but ladies and gentlemen, I am here to say that the good news is, that the bad news isn't that bad.

To summarize, the whole episode was as planned but not as advertised. I happened to catch the Bruce Jenner episode of The Kardashians where the cameras added something for ratings. My opinion? A no brainer- get it done.

Not Just Another Tea (T) Party

2010-02-06T07:41:00.001-08:00

Left Bitter About Haitian Airport Security Priorities

2010-01-19T22:57:00.001-08:00

A critic is a man who knows the way but can't drive the car. (Kenneth Tynan)

I listened with my mouth wide open while Los Angeles public radio 90.7 KPFK blathered about how time was wasted while security was given priority over assistance in the initial hours of military control of the Haitian airport following the earthquake. Don't they remember Somalia?

The knee jerk is throw as many Doctors, nurses and rescue personnel with no security and all will be well. Great for Utopia, bad policy for any responsible group or government. The crazy thing is, had this been the previous administration, the Commander in Chief would be the one being thrown under the bus. I didn't get that from the broadcast I heard, it was more the brash and bravado military that was being called out.

This is the worst case of worst case scenario's and to downplay the possibility of actual reports of looting and weapon brandishing survivors is criminal. These folks were in a survival mode before the quake. Understand me- I am for doing all we can to assist the needy but look at the numbers to date: a news report stated there were a total of 1,800 search and rescue workers in country for near a week and less than 100 confirmed rescues. With no operational port or roads the nightmare was relegated to Zombieland level.

A Day Around Van Nuys Airport

2010-01-17T19:01:00.000-08:00

We stopped by the day my daughter got her camera and snapped around.

Rich Royal Hated Disliked Avatar

2010-01-03T21:40:00.000-08:00

I sat for lunch yesterday at Birds with my nephew, known to his friends and creditors as Rich Royal and the topic "movies" came up as usual. I hadn't seen Avatar and as a rule despise sci-fi personally. Rich said he was treated by some friends and came away with an empty feeling. His take in general was- all the tech in the world at your fingertips and dreads and beads are the best you can do??

To summarize our conversation: one is given the opportunity via a bottomless budget to essentially do anything in the world you want. The choice to make a talking dog. Really neat, problem is, he has nothing to say.

Historic Sunland Tujunga Lake View Terrace California

2010-01-02T12:23:00.001-08:00

The Hillhaven photo is now on eBay

Sold $26.67

Again I could not say no to a small group of photos and post cards for sale at a local flea market. Here they are in their entirety. They enlarge well when you click on them.

Sold $5.50

Sold $31.50

Sold $10.50

Sold $20.62

Sold $22.73

Quadron: Pressure Slippin'

2009-12-07T13:36:00.001-08:00

It has been awhile since I was taken by a song on the first listen but that's what happened when I heard "Pressure" by Quadron today as I drove to pick my granddaughter up from pre-school. KCRW provided the introduction. Someday I will thank them by becoming a subscriber again. The link above takes you to a Pirat site that has tons of videos to watch and rate.

I see from the website that hosts the video that they (she?) are probably Scandinavian. I think from Denmark. The Supremes feel is obvious but the underlying Beach Boys riff doesn't take hold until you find yourself humming the song later. I can't pin down the exact song sbut really- who cares? It's a great car song. I will be totally surprised if this song/band doesn't grow legs and attack the world. They have a MySpace page if you're into that.

Se klippet "Quadron: Pressure" på Pirat TV

Funny. I just heard Slippin' and I think this was
the one I originally heard.

Tia Ana and Her Bus Stop Ministry

2009-11-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

Tia Ana as those who know her affectionately call her is dealing with a serious case of intestinal cancer. The outlook is beyond grim. If you stop by her bedside at the Van Nuys Presbyterian Hospital you would never know it.

She has a constant group of visitors, few family, mostly acquaintances she has made by travelling the Los Angeles transit system for the past 25 years. She never learned to drive. She has always worked as a domestic in the best of neighborhoods. Chances are if she saw you at a bus stop and your eyes earned her trust-you were befriended.

Yesterday a group of fiver women were visiting and another three waited their turn in the lobby. She received all with the same enthusiasm one would come to know of her. "Why the long face?" she would ask them in Spanish in reference to the way they came in with their emotional baggage.

She told me a few days ago that she was unable to take any solid food and had been connected to an I.V. since her arrival. She said the morphine helped curb the pain from a 9 to a 7 but a bowl of chicken soup would sure be welcomed. The best they could offer was a few ice chips and a lemon swab.

Draw a triangle between her apartment in Van Nuys, the deepest part of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles proper and that would be the target of her knowing an awful lot of the women who did what she did. That is, commute to the well to do areas to make a living as housekeepers, nannies and live-ins for the wealthy. They are the ones who were there to raise the children when the too busy parent were out making a living.

Weeks later:

An operation to remove a mass from her digestive tract has precipitated the use of a colostomy bag. A full time companion that gurgles, yelps and gasps on it's own. Embarrassing and necessary at once. I jokingly suggested she name it. She has a good sense of humor and went with it. The doctors told my wife she has a six month life expectancy.

Lately I started think about what her aspirations in life were at least what they seemed to be. Ana really only wanted to be the best at what she was doing. The best nanny she knew how to be, the best cook, the best friend and so on. I recall one of my birthdays where we were invited for a dinner she was preparing in my honor. It was a shrimp Alfredo dish that was a symphony of unexpected culinary pleasure.

She is now staying with her niece. When hospitalized her bedside was a constant flow of visitations. We would stop by as another group was departing and after they left I would ask if the person was a bus stop acquaintance. They usually were. "She used to go to the stop 15 years ago but she now works in a restaurant close to her apartment."

Tia Ana has worked for the same family for over twenty years. They are successful and she has become a part of the family. Though the children she helped raise Allison and _____ have left, she still worked recently to maintain the house and cook for the doctor and his wife. My wife shared with me a few instances where the women of the house, Tia Ana and the wife, would argue about something and Ana would pack her bags and storm out crying all the way to the bus stop. The wife would call her surgeon husband at work and while sobbing explain the blow out. The Dr. would stop what he was doing, drive to the bus stop and take Ana back to their home. That's love.

Mid-December update:

We spent the afternoon with Tia Ana today. She is doing well and in great spirits when surrounded by loved ones. She told me of the 6 women who were visiting her today. There would have been more but only a few fit into the van the rode in. They are part of an unlikely bunch who meet each morning at the intersection of Ventura Blvd. and Hazeltine St. in Encino. The meeting has been going on for as long as she can recall and takes place at a Gelson's Market.

A rather large group of Hispanic women, sometimes as many as thirty, get together for coffee prior to heading up to their respective houses where they are either live in house-keepers or nannys for the well to do in that area. It must be odd to the outsider as this is the high rent district for sure and the women often bring wares to peddle as a side gig creating a scened that would not be out of place in Central America. I asked if any she knew worked for stars I might have heard of and she said the Jackson family house keeper stopped by regularly.

Ana loves to talk cooking and one of the stories she boasts of is getting me to eat and enjoy egg plant. I went through a period of about three years where I left meat off the menu and I told her I have never ate it. She later prepared an egg plant parmisian that I learned to day she learned to cook while working for a Philadelphia Italian family. My son has taken an interest in cooking since taking a job in the meat dept. at a local Vons and they spent time today going over recipes and cooking approaches.

At Gelsons Ana is known as the Happy Lady. The florist from South America and a non Hispanic local who also stops regularly for coffee agreed on the name and it stuck. This is the new Americana that we live in. One where Tom Waits is the new Woody Guthrie and the Norman Rockwell images have been replaced by iPhone stills. These are tough times and we all need to keep the Happy Lady in our thoughts.

San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade 2009

2009-11-11T15:54:00.000-08:00

most recent : CoInSide: 2011 San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade

Once again a job well done by the parade committee amounted to a fine parade honoring all who served. Some pictures are included (they enlarge nicely when clicked on). This could be anywhere USA but it happens to be here in the San Fernando Valley, California. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (graduated from a SFV high school) was slotted to be the Grand Marshall but current circumstances forced him to reschedule.

We do things a tad differently, I say without resignation or bravado, but one can be assured there is no shortage of patriotism. We have our more than fair share of Gold and Blue star families to hold up- but that's our cross to bear.

Ask anyone from around the country that has served with the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines from this neck of the woods and rest assured one will find we are held in the highest esteem because we inherit true warrior spirit from those that served before us.

This picture is our local National Guard unit that showcased three up-armoured Hummers fresh from theater. Damn right we're proud.

Alana and Grampa on Halloween

2009-11-03T05:44:00.000-08:00

Recently it was reported here that Alana had kidney surgery at the young age of 1.5 and that all was well. All is still well and here she is in full bloom enjoying an ostrich ride with grampa.

Louisville Slugger or a Knife?

2009-10-31T06:42:00.001-07:00

Here's a discussion- part of one- where Recon Marines casually discuss weapons of choice in a hand to hand situation. "Can't Stand Losing You" by the Police plays in the background.

Donna Georgiow Remembered

2009-10-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

We buried and memorialized our cousin Donna today in Whittier. Donna passed as a result of a near eight month battle with complications from breast cancer. Though somber at times, we were able, as a group, to keep to the wishes of Donna and celebrate her short fifty years with us.

I graduated with Donna same school and same Pioneer High class of 1977. We both learned not to speak Spanish so it came as a bit of a surprise when one of her neighbors confided with us that she was a Pepe Aguilar fan. Later it occurred to me that Donna always spoke with a unique sort of musical meter that may have echoed Latin music. She was always quick to compliment or encourage and it was delivered in a manner that could well have been a song.

The younger generation of our family looks startling like the older but- who else could we ? Many of us cousins look like we are brothers and sisters. With so many of our parents having passed, we are the older generation to the younger folks that were there.

This was an opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with friends and family and see if we can keep our promises to either stay in touch or get together for something other than a life culmination event.

Kidney Surgery Today for Alana Griego Duarte

2009-10-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughter was admitted early this morning to Children's Hospital for kidney surgery. We appreciate all the kind thoughts and prayers that have been expressed.

Micro-update: entered surgery 8:30 a.m. Expected to be there 3.5 hours.

Update 2: Alana has what one can equate to a c-section bikini cut. The surgery went well and she is in recovery. She knew something was amiss according to mom when she entered the hospital. Any time a nurse or Dr. would touch her she'd fuss. An injection later and she was in happy drunk state. She is scheduled to be in recovery for three days.

Update 3 (10-13-09): Mom stayed the night after dad spent the day at her side. We got a call last night and heard a chatty little girl who sounded like her spirits were up. So far so good. Thanks to our church and Rev. Bill Thomas for being there.

Update 4 (10-14-09): We are rotating shifts to always have someone there when she wakes. Mine was yesterday from 9:00 to 7:00. She was great. Funny eating story- I was feeding her some pasta with a light sauce on it. One fork load required a little napkin clean-up. From that point forth she asked for the napkin after each mouthful and wiped herself in the vicinity of her mouth. It looks like she will be there for at least one more day.

Update: 10-16-09 I arrived home yesterday to find Alana had just returned from the hospital. She was gnawing on a toy and running around the house as if nothing had happened. She still has a catheter in her and only once I heard her say, "Owie" and favor the area of her scar. We are blessed to have had this go as smooth as it did. We had friends and colleagues praying for her and us and appreciate every bit of it.

Zombieland Barely Reviewed

2009-10-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

I never liked Woody Harrelson in anything. Well, White Can't Jump was pretty OK. So my daughter drags my 50 year old self to the theater to see the movie that seems to be Woody's. Thinking back, I can't recall any ads that did not focus on his character, on the producer , or anything else for that matter.

The formula seems simple enough: equal parts Tarretino, Juno and zombie. Expect a serious movie is to expect disappointment. This is a forget about your recent layoff or 401K breakdown and just have some fun. If I say I gave it a 6 on a 10 scale that sounds like a knock but there were parts where I laughed uncontrollably.

I left the movie thinking I knew the writers were my age married to someone my age who was going through the flesh eating mother of all zombies- menopause.

We Quit Time Warner Because AOL Kept Billing Us

2009-09-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

This is a letter I submitted to TWC to even the score after we cut services. No reply after about 3 days but I will post any that arrive:

To whom it may concern:

In good faith I am offering $40.00 to close this account.

We had service disconnected last month when my near fifty year old wife, who is entrenched in what we will call a “life change mode”, could not find it within her capacity to disassociate Time-Warner with America Online.

I personally realize there is no association between the two but when were repeatedly billed by AOL months after terminating the service, the aforementioned wife in one of her fits of rage cancelled service of Time Warner as a guilt by association condemnation. When DELL would not allow her to return the computer, she reciprocated by grounding our teenage daughter for a week.

I made a concerted effort to turn in all Time Warner equipment and fell short by a modem. One has to realistically estimate the value of a five year old modem in today’s market as very close to zero, although the records likely indicate that this was originally a $75.00 piece of equipment. I believe my wife sold the modem at a yard sale with some of my shoes that I failed to put away one night.

I appreciate the near 20 years of service Time Warner has given us and ask that this be placed in front of someone who has the power to approve my request to close the account.

Thank you for your understanding,

"Lot of Girlfiends" a 72 Virgins Reference ?

2009-09-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

Terrorist in training recently arrested in Colorado made a comment to the clerk that his reason for purchasing a huge amount of chemicals that could be used to make a bomb was that he "Has a lot of girlfriends." My immediate brain jumped to the 72 virgin promise.

Superior Industries Van Nuys "AMF"

2009-09-22T17:08:00.001-07:00

Now a shell of what it once was, Superior Industries in Van Nuys, California is no more as a manufacturer of alloy wheels for the automotive industry. Thousands of people called this home over the 60 year run for this business.

Many dedicated their lives to it, and it bore much fruit for many years. Great sacrifices were made and for years it defied logic as a major manufacturing facility in Southern California. With the likes of the EPA, the AQMD and the hellacious workers comp cases it confronted- it really is a miracle the company lasted as long as it did.

We hoist our glasses in the air, snap our heels together and say AMF! - adios my friend.

This is a shot of the Foundry. Ifti Khazmi, Babak Dadvand, Noe Casteneda, Rene Webb and others called it home for a long time.

This is where your dad worked if he says he worked on the Paint Line. Dave Fowler and Chuy Pedroza were there when it started Quirino Orta and Juan Gomez when it ended.

This is shot from the warehouse bordering on where the employee lockers were and looking out toward Dept. 13 or the Machine Shop. Chief Wally Howard paced these floors for years as did the Calderon brothers, Manuel Marquez, Bernie O'Neil, Leonard Connell and thousands more over the years.

This is a north facing shot of Department 25 that shared common walls with Mike Torbron's Tool Crib. Federico Gonzales blackened his lungs in here for decades, as did Bartolo Mejia and a cast of thousands.

Gary Sinese G.I. Film Festival Ronald Reagan Library Simi Valley, CA

2009-09-21T18:15:00.001-07:00

Elvis Presley's 1/2 Sister Story

2009-09-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

I don't have an opinion about whether or not Colonel Parker and company orchestrated the life of Elvis up until the "day he died" but recently was privy to a story that put a question in my head.

Search these blog pages and any amateur sleuth will discover I spent a fair amount of time hunting for the kind of treasure that one might find on an Internet based auction site, Buy low, sell higher and call it a profit.

The place I frequent is here in the San Fernando Valley and for the most part it is a lot of Hispanics selling to a lot of Hispanics. Some sell on the days during the week after scouring the local yard sales on weekends, others buy from storage or overstock auctions and try to make their money back.

I am part of a group of 20 percenters who are looking for treasure and don't speak the language. As language is our common denominator, some of us are single paragraph friends that basically greet one another and go on our own ways.

I spoke with one of these people the other day and mentioned that a third person we each knew said he had an Elvis story to tell.

"Kevin" started his story much like my other friend "Fred" had where he was travelling by bus and a woman approached after seeing him with an envelope of old photos under his arm. He described her as "looking like a bag lady." She said she had some photos to sell and produced a picture of her with Elvis.

He went to look at the goods and bought a group for a few thousand dollars. He later sold them for about eight times that and decided it was over his head to venture back for more.

The woman told Kevin that she was the illegitimate daughter of Vernon Presley and had been supported by the family since birth. I believe he said she resided in Pasadena, California.

My wife is mid menopause and just woke up. I will continue when I am not being accused of having an affair in the digital realm.

Kings of Leon at the Forum

2009-08-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

I'm the old guy taking his 16 year old and two of her friends to my daughter's first concert. There is an asterisk next to the word first above because when my wife was pregnant we intentionally went to three concerts. I called it the "in the womb" tour. Try as I may, I can't come up with the third band but I know Los Lobos and U2 were on that bill.

Being young and nervous the girls were road ready a full two hours before. We got on the 405 for our 40 minute journey from the vally and arrived in good time. I should say the security guys at the door had a session with this old guy. "What are those in your top pocket sir?"

"Mike & Ike" I say part apologetically.

"Pull out those keys. Is that a flashlight? Let's see it work. Nice. OK-enjoy yourself."

We're in and we locate our seats. Knowing the seen and be seen aspect of teen-hood I ask the girls to come back to the seats when the first band (The Whigs) starts up. The Whigs were a spirited three piece from Athens, GA that were not quite ready for large venues but I could see them smoking a place like the Troubador where they will be next month.

The Kings of Leon came on stage using some sort of soundtrack piece over the intercom that suggested royalty. The opening number saw everyone come to their feet and in our section of the collanade- no one ever sat through the rest of the show that lasted just over two hours. I am familiar with two of their releases and somewhat familiar with the most recent but there is something about these guys that suggests they will be around for some time to come. There was an overhead arrangement of screens that was used with wit and professionalism. The lead singer came across as humble and sincere in his mid song banter.

I didn't fully understand the humility but apparently these guys have been well received around the world but here in the states it's been not quite. This show apparently represented, "Making it" as their first Los Angeles large arena sell out show. Caleb confided that he's been puking early in the day because he was so nervous about the show. Just prior to the end of the set which included two encores it was clear the crowd and the band were eating off the same plate.

I really hate describing concerts as religious experiences but this was up there for the girls and my old self. On the way to the concert I was thinking about the last time I'd been to the forum and I think it was 1979 or so when I saw Jethro Tull. Unfathomable from my travelling companion's perspective.

My concert kit in this instance was comical when compared to what I might have had at the aforementioned. I took: a pair of reading glasses, a flashlight and some ear plugs in case the first band was crappy. It turned out I didn't need the earplugs until 10 minutes into sitting at the table in Denny's with the girls after we got back to the valley.

These guys are keepers for certain. I have seen a few hundred live shows* and these guys might be top 8. I enjoy their live stuff as well as the recorded and look forward to what is yet to come.

* Aerosmith, Chuck Berry, Black Sabbath, The Blasters, Bachmann Turner Overdrive, The Cars China Crisis, Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw, Deep Purple, Echo & The Bunnymen, Robert Gordon, Graham Central Station, Haircut 100, (Cheb) Khaled, Kitchens of Distinction, Led Zeppelin, Los Lobos, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Buddy Miles, Prince, Prince Eyango, The Police, REM, Rolling Stones, Sade, Santana, Squeeze, Taco, U2, Van Halen, Edgar & Johnny Winter, ZZ Top

Iraqi Rope Trick

2009-07-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

Doc Sanders: Children of Iraq Deserve a Medal

2009-07-28T22:28:00.001-07:00

Pretty good editing and overall interview from OIF I

Generation Kill : Until the whistle Blows

2009-07-19T08:05:00.001-07:00

MLB Baseball Uniform Trivia

2009-07-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

My first wonder-out-loud is not MLB but still baseball related. Why haven't the Mitchell & Ness folks come up with a series of throwback uniforms that honor the Manzanar Japanese Leagues? I am not Japanese but would jump at the opportunity to wear a San Fernando Aces uniform done to depict the (shameful) internment era.

OK. Back on task. I was talking to some guys I know the other day and we started trying to come up with a player on any MLB team who has worn the team name or city on the front of the uniform to match the family name on the back.

There were several close ones but the two never met. No Washington has played for the Senators nor the Nationals, a Houston has never worn as Astros uniform. A Cleveland was never an Indian. Nor has a Boston been with the 'Sox. It appears it was not meant to be.

UPDATE: Eureka! I saw a highlight reel yesterday where a player on the Chicago White Sox had his name Wise on the back. Albeit an anagram- it's a winner. There was at least one other right answer where an Oakland player's last name started with As.

ANOTHER UPDATE: I saw a player the other day on a highlight reel with the name Eveland. I say trade him to the Indians just to close this chapter.

DWP Los Angeles Aqueduct Tour

2009-07-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

We just wrapped up a three day journey that has taken a group of 20 or so mostly DWP employees from a Sylmar starting point up to Mammoth yesterday and back down to Bishop.

The aqueduct tour is a program our Department of Water and Power has done for years to inform its employees, major account holders and community members of the logistics, operation and history of the aqueduct that is so vital in providing water to the four million or so Los Angelenos.

Our guide Fred Barker has emceed this many times before and is both passionate and informed about the history and function of the aqueduct. the tour is usually done in tag-team style where a second person covers the Bishop area. In this case there was a family illness that prevented Chris from being with us more than a few hours. Fred filled in seamlessly.

It was through Fred we all learned a little bit more about William Mulholland whose, "There it is, take it" speech is legendary in minimalist circles. It reminds me a bit of one of my speech rendering errors detailed here.

Some historical observations: the locals that named some of these geographical reference points were not terribly creative. For example, Convicts Lake should be New Suit Lake. Charlie's Bluff would be better named Charlie Shoulda Run Bluff. More on this later after I consult my notes.

My experience is when a group of individuals come together for any length of time there are matters that surface where typically one's needs or expectations are not being met and a blanket party is in order. Not so in this case. We've managed to get along and I haven't ate so well since I did background work on some television shows.

On the final leg of the tour we stopped at a few tourist interest spots where I found I had a soft spot for the err in our history when we interned Japanese-Americans during WWII . I managed to mask some sneaky tears when we boarded after a stop at an Eastern Sierra's museum where there was a small Manzanar display. Low and behold, the next stop was Manzanar.

Exiting the bus at Manzanar I was one of the last to exit the bus. Celia was one of the last to exit for a different reason. An interesting paradox we were in that she would've run in had her body allowed and I being of reasonable health was lagging intentionally anticipating an emotional upheaval.

As we walked in Celia said the name Seaku Watanabe . She then told me the heart wrenching story of when in 1942 she was walking home from 20th Street School with her friend and neighbor Seaku. The two could see a stake bed truck in front of the house and wondered what was going on. That would be the last time the two saw each other as the truck loaded the family (she mentioned a brother Paul) and carted them off to places unknown.

At Manzanar there is a roster of all interned and Celia spotted the name of her friend. I saw her at the cash register where the staff informed her that a fold open book updated information in more detail. Thankfully Fred Barker was there because Celia and I almost gave up trying to read the fax font document while our glasses were on the bus. Fred located the Watanabe section and there she was verified as a December 1933 birth. Brother Paul was there and the post-internment relocation information listed Long Beach as the destination.

This story is far from over and I hope to bring the culmination to these pages. A half hour or so down the road we again exited the bus at another tourist stop. This time the Film Museum in Lone Pine where Celia and I found ourselves walking together. I warned her in jest, Don't you go finding a long lost friend in here too- people will talk.

My take on the Los Angeles Aqueduct in general: amazing vision begat amazing feat of labor begat able, compassionate people to carry the torch.

Operation Gratitude Brothers At War Movie

2009-07-01T15:01:00.001-07:00

ATTEND A SPECIAL BENEFIT SCREENING FOR OPERATION GRATITUDE
Samuel Goldwyn Films
BROTHERS at WAR *** Best Documentary

- G.I. Film Festival*** Brothers at War Movie Friday, July 17th, 7:30 PM THE ALEX THEATER 216 N. Brand BoulevardGlendale, CA
Q&A Following the screening with
Director Jake Rademacher and Producer Norman S. Powell
Tickets - $20.00
EVERY TICKET SENDS A CARE PACKAGE TO A DEPLOYED SERVICE MEMBER!

* One night only screening
* ONLY scheduled opportunity to see Brothers at War in Los Angeles!
* Read the Review in the Wall Street Journal: 'His Brother's Keeper'

Tickets on Sale July 3
Go to Alex Theatre to purchase ticketsBox Office - (818) 243-ALEX (2539)

Tori Amos PBS SOund Stage DVD

2009-06-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

Another accidental find from my local flea market: 55+ minutes of HD footage on a DVD that apparently is not available to the public. The item is posted on eBay and has a handful of "watchers" already. The savvy viewer will note the subtle difference between this image and the one I spliced and covered. The marker is actually written on the plastic slip-sleeve.

Peas Mgr. Black Eyes Hilton

2009-06-22T13:31:00.001-07:00

More from the Fun With Headlines series.

Slice of Pie Offers a Platefull of the Heartland

2009-06-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

We had the opportunity to screen Rick Hall and Tim Reischauer's Slice of Pie last night with a select group of about three hundred at the Church of the Valley over in Van Nuys. Written by Rick, this thirty or so minute film literally took him back to his Illinois farm roots. Those familiar with his Pig Boy work will recognize the dog-gets-hit-by-car theme that is one of the focal points of the movie.

When I attempted to view the website I got an error: "sliceofpie.com is taking too long to load". In a bit of small town irony- that was our kids impression of the movie. Their movie watching skills had unfortunately been whittled down by the Michael Bays of the world. What I saw was a wonderful little piece of Americana. For all we knew, it could have been a hidden camera on Rick as he tried to muster enough inner strength to ask Juanita out for an evening.

Here's the link

I Love Lucy

2009-06-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

I recently saw a small end table for sale at the swamp meet where I buy the things that fill my garage and every other crevasse in my workspace or vehicles. The seller told me he bought it from a prop guy that claims it was used in a particular episode of the I Love Lucy series.

Think there is any value? I mentioned here some time ago that a collector was ecstatic to buy a Desi Arnaz Hotel key fob and key from one of my auctions for a few hundred dollars.

More Old Cars

2009-06-12T14:51:00.001-07:00

Young Kane Kung Fu

2009-06-12T14:48:00.001-07:00

This is a candid from the Kung Fu series.

Click on the image to enlarge. Amazing detail.

Vintage Car Photos: Coming or Going Bi Directional Car

2009-06-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

I found this at my favorite swap meet along with a few other more normal car shots. It is amazing how well you can see the details when you click on the image & enlarge.

Archie Vanderpoel Remembered

2009-05-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

If you are searching Archie’s name you know he passed Friday the 22nd of May, 2009. My relationship with Archie was brief and concise but on the way to work today after reading the email the thought entered my mind, I could only hope to be so loved as this man was.

I knew Archie as the pitching coach at the Northridge ASA facility where my daughter’s both played. I was first year into my two year run as the field maintenance guy and he had some kind words to say about my efforts. Knowing the background he had in the sport, I needed no other acknowledgement. I stopped by the field this morning.

On occasion he sat in the stands, I believe it was in his own chair, and I’d steal a seat next to him and we would agree on things. Light and to the point, he some 35 year my elder, I felt privileged to occupy the same space with him.

A memorial service has been planned.

Date: June 3, 2009
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: St. Andrews & St. Charles Church
16651 Rinaldi Street
Granada Hills, CA 9134491344
818-366-7541
Located on Rinaldi, between Balboa and Hayvenhurst.

The family requests that any donations, in lieu of flowers, be sent to:
Northridge ASA Girls Softball
Attn: Archie Vanderpoel Memorial
18755 Devonshire Street
Northridge, CA 91324

A Moment of Clarity: Whittier 1975 Katherine Edwards Airplane Crash

2009-05-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I just posted some non news event stuff.

The other night I awoke and had what I call a moment of clarity. Some answers were apparent to me when I had not even asked the question. Three morsels came through almost at once . At least three that I remembered. I think it was 3:35 in the morning.

The first to arise was a long standing question about why I could not enjoy life or experience what I view as true happiness. I admit to little bits and pieces of it but I have always felt like I was living with the emergency brake engaged. I was once on the spot diagnosed by a psychiatrist of having PTSD to the '94 Northridge earthquake. Not having health insurance at the time he gave me a card and asked me to use his name at the Sepulveda Veterans Hospital. I never did. I know a little about mental heath from my earlier days with the Church of Scientology and now believe the earthquake was one in a series of events (engrams) that could be the culprit.

Back to the topic. It became apparent to me in this dream-state that the airplane crash I witnessed as a teen was the primary source and needed to be dealt with. I promised myself I would have it looked into. The details of the event were for the most part shielded from my family. Once in a while I would tell the story but I could not believe my 22 year old never heard it. It goes like this....

I was fourteen or fifteen at the time, however old one is in ninth grade and was walking home after straggling around the campus. I recall having watched some of a soccer game at Pioneer High School where I attended. My neighbor, Larry Mejia, was with me and we walked our usual path home. I was at the corner of my street, exactly in front of my sister's house when we heard a rip in the sky that I later likened to an aluminum can being powerfully ripped in two. We looked up to the sky and could see debris falling that would later prove to be the airplanes occupants and their property as well as parts of the two planes that collided. Larry and I both said, "Eyewitness News!" at the same time I think. I alerted my brother in law, Bill Mezzell, and we darted toward the direction where the debris had fallen.

We were several blocks to the north when we saw the first confounding piece of evidence. I saw a piece of luggage with personal affects in it strewn open near the entrance to the junior high school both Larry and I attended. I didn't put the information in order yet and thought how odd to see this property at that place. Maybe someone dropped it on the way to see the wreckage I mistakenly thought. I looked up and saw the awesome sight of a twin engine airplane's fuselage at rest in the middle of the field that was part of Katherine Edwards school. At this point, it didn't even occur to me that there were people in the airplane. It was a gigantically surreal scene that my little brain could not get a wrap on.

There had been an intramural basketball game at the school so we were by far not the first ones there. school towels lay over bodies and there parts as some quick thinker was already on duty. From this point, Larry, me and our fellow gawkers would find something noteworthy and point it out. Others would run over to the find and "Ooooh or awwwe" it.

Eventually firefighters and police arrived and began cordoning off the site while booting off us looky loos. I recall how even amidst the chaos, later that evening when we saw a female newscaster that everyone knew forced to climb two ladders propped on a chain link fence and we had the boyish duty to try to look up her dress and she scurried over.

The gawking game continued on the perimeter where a discovery was made in a yard or an adjacent alley and folks would run over for a look. Perhaps the most lingering site was one on a lawn to the north of the field, I recall knowing the home owners, but there was a body planted in the lawn that appeared to land feet first. The face on the body had been ripped from the skull and like a mask was pulled up so the nose was at the top of the head. aside from the woman's panty hose clad leg on the basketball court, this was the memory that had stuff with me the longest.

It was dark when I headed toward home and the secondary group of curious bystanders were packed around the perimeter in their cars curious for a look at what was being fed to the news media. Funny thing, back then it was really not a big deal to show up at home four or five hours after school had ended. When I got home it became apparent that the news knew more about what had happened than I did. I didn't know that it was a mid air collision until I saw it reported on the news. In fact, when I was walking home a passerby asked from their car, "Hey- what happened?"

As I walked along I thought about it and reported, "A plane fell out of the sky." My parents said I was an unequalled shade of white when I got home.

Here's another version of the same incident.

The other two points pale in comparison to the previous. They involved the same former co-worker who I'll call Jake. He is a retired LAPD officer and headed security at the company I now work for until he retired about a year ago. I was told to ask for his address, as well as provide my own, for a a subordinate. I never really knew why but knew the common denominator was his son who had become a naval officer as posted previously. The realism that came to me was that the address was to invite us to the son's wedding. So far no invitation in the mail but that's what surfaced. (Update: that Friday my co-worker handed me an envelope and I said to him, "Wedding invitation?" It was. )

The other morsel as I said earlier also involved Jake. Earlier in the evening in question, I spoke with a niece who I knew was interested in becoming a police officer. When I asked her why, she responded with what I regard as the perfect answer. I do not want to post it publicly but it was connected to a sense of duty that I connected with. I saw it as the same reason I had joined the Air Force thirty years previous. My connection was that Jake would be the perfect mentor for this young lady.

This post touches on some of the similarities between the 1957 Pacoima air crash and the 1975 Whittier crash.

High School Los Angeles City Section Round 3 Softball

2009-05-16T06:20:00.001-07:00

Surprise! All eight teams left standing were rated 1-8.

Here goes with the semi-final pairings:

Kennedy vs. Banning (Banning played and beat most valley schools at the Las Vegas tournament this year) UPDATE: Banning 3 Kennedy 1

Granada vs. Carson (deja vu. First match-up of the year will be one team's last) GH 2 CAR 1

San Pedro vs. Marshall (Only game without a Valley team. Marshall steps into the big time) SP 4 MAR 0

El Camino vs. Chatsworth (played in the same division; tough to beat a team three times) CHAT 4 ECR 2

Los Angeles City Section Varsity Softball Round Two

2009-05-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

First round scores. Here's how I see if the format continues:

#21 Venice at #1 San Pedro
#8 Los Angeles Marshall at #9 Westchester
#13 San Fernando at #5 Carson
#14 Sylmar at #4 Granada Hills
#15 Birmingham at #3 Granada Hills Kennedy
#11 Sun Valley Poly at #6 Wilmington Banning
#10 Lincoln at #7 Chatsworth
#16 Grant at #2 El Camino Real

A few games were what I would term out of sequence. Not sure what that is about.

City championship
Second round
#1San Pedro 20, Grant 0
#8 Los Angeles Marshall 4, Westchester 3
#5 Carson 16, Venice 1
#6 Wilmington Banning 4, Sun Valley Poly 0
#7 Chatsworth 12, Lincoln 2
#2 El Camino Real 9, Birmingham 1
#3 Kennedy 8, Sylmar 2
#4 Granada Hills 2, San Fernando 0

2009 Los Angeles City Section Softball Playoff Results

2009-05-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

Round Three (Semifinals) Information.

Expect few surprises where the top ten teams are concerned. Looking back to last year, the top ten defeated the oppontent by a combined score of 123-2. Crazy to even play the games.

My remedy, as if anyone is listening, give the top 10 teams a first round bye and allow the middle 10 to pair up with the bottom 10. These games would produce a winner to play against the top 10. A first round loss would mean elimination - forget political correctness - some teams don't belong in a playoff setting.

With the current arrangement, the only "surprises" come from the middle 10 group in round one.

UDATED: Here you go with the scores. Combined score top ten vs. bottom ten = 150-8.

Softball: City playoff pairings

CITYFirst round, Tuesday, 2:30 p.m.
#32 Hollywood at #1 San Pedro (W 23-0)
#17 South East at #16 Grant (W 8-6)
#24 Arleta at #9 Westchester (W 4-0)
#25 Garfield at #8 Los Angeles Marshall (W 7-0)
#28 Los Angeles Roosevelt at #5 Carson (w 27-1)
#21 Venice (W10-7) at #12 Narbonne
#20 Bell at #13 San Fernando (W 9-1)
#29 Fairfax at #4 Granada Hills (W 4-0)
#30 Crenshaw at #3 Granada Hills Kennedy (w 17-0)
#19 Eagle Rock at #14 Sylmar (W 2-1)
#22 Huntington Park at #11 Sun Valley Poly (w 13-4)
#27 Bravo at #6 Wilmington Banning (W 23-0)
#26 Verdugo Hill at #7 Chatsworth (W 10-3)
#23 Palisades at #10 Lincoln (W 22-4)
#18 King-Drew at #15 Birmingham (W 7-1)
#31 Los Angeles Wilson at #2 El Camino Real (W 13-0)

Remembering Shirley Prince of Lake Balboa

2009-04-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Our friend Shirley Prince passed away a few days ago following a traffic accident and I don't have the words to express the combined sense of disbelief, loss, sadness, shock and... peace that has arisen from within. Sadgedy was one of the first words that came to mind.

The years we knew Shirley were centered around the Church of the Valley in Van Nuys where she and her husband Craig were fellow parishioners for many years. We came a bit closer than once a week fellowship when I became involved with the church softball team. Shirley and her husband at one point played on the team and later were a big part of the team boosters. All good from my standpoint; great memories and I'll cherish them forever.

It was at this church where Shirley got her feet wet as an entertainer when a talent show saw the two of them put together a version of Sonny and Cher's I Got You Babe. It was hysterical and came to be a defining moment where our kids would recall the performance to clarify the identity of the Princes.

Last Thursday, coincidentally when the accident occurred, my wife and I went to a comedy performance (Club Aura) where for a second I thought how neat it would be if she happened to be performing there, having not seen her for several months. Shirley, as I know from her annual Christmas greeting, was taking comedy writing classes and actually did some performances of her work.

Craig & Shirley's church, First Christian Church of North Hollywood, hosted a life appreciation memorial that was befitting of an (Irish) queen. Three hundred or so friends from her recent and distant past came together for a wonderful service and afterwards got together to share stories and some food. Many commented how unfortunate it was that we only get together for this type of thing rather than just getting together.

Not that it's my place to say, but I would suggest as a remedy to this, "The Al & Shirley Prince Memorial Golf Tournament". Years ago, following the passing of Craig's father Al, he started a golf get together that may now be in its 7th or 8th year.

A life is not important except the impact it has on other lives (Jackie Robinson)

Here are some words Craig shared with us.

I just dug this up from the site set up to honor another former pew-mate and actor extrordinaire- Barney Martin.

March 29, 2005
My husband and I had the honor and pleasure of knowing Barney for many years. He always made us laugh when we saw him. When I think of him, I will always have a smile on my face. He brought such laughter and happiness to everyone that knew him personally as well as to all who knew him through his great thespian work in the entertainment business. I know that he is in heaven entertaining everyone! He was loved very much by everyone and most especially by his wonderful, loving wife Catherine. May God Bless her during this difficult time, but may Barney's memory and love sustain her always.
~
Shirley Prince,
Lake Balboa, California

Area 51 Back in the News

2009-04-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

This popped up on the radar today.

Dodgers 2009 Side- Show Continues

2009-04-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

No- not talking about Manny. Today it was Orlando Hudson and the first ever cycle by a Dodger in Dodgers Stadium. Yesterday, you will recall, it was the odd of all odd "4th out play" where Ethier scored on a line drive out from third without tagging up. I can't easily explain it but consider he crossed the plate before the final out was recorded and the play was never contested properly. May never happen again. Might happen this year the way things are going.

Speaking of freak shows. Dye and Konerko each get their 300th career homerun on the same day- that 's weird. Top it off with back to back. That's like the twins kids where one claims to be a few minutes older than the other.

Interesting thing about this game is that for over a hundred years they've been playing, each night something can happen to make folks scratch their heads and say- "That's weird."

Update: Kershaw strikes out 13 in seven complete without recording a ground ball out. Add Loney's three RBI without a hit performance and one can see where this whole circus thing is headed. Stay tuned.

Footnote: I turned down free Field level tickets to the Jackie Robinson Day festivities because I like to watch it on the big screen at the house. Sign of the times for sure.

Times Are Hard, So Are Divisions

2009-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

It's a once secret idea of mine for a t-shirt which serves several aspects including general nitwittedness. The article linked covers the political one.

MLB 2009 Underway

2009-04-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

My approach as a typical Dodger fan is to wait an see what happens. I don't have an opinion that attempts to out think those paid to think about things like the starting pitchers, a batter's on base percentage or a reliever's WHIP.

That said, I do have a suggestion or two for those that keep statistics. One is why are all errors equal? Yes they make a pitcher throw more than he might have but a spectacular play offsets that. Why not differentiate between those that are nothing and those that end up costing a run? Say, a booted grounder in an inning that otherwise goes on-two-three is rated a "small e". Now, an error that results in a run scored will be called a "Capital E". The score book simply says e-5 until a run is scored as a result which changes it to E-5. Now, we find out who the choking dog is.

Another stat I hate that's not kept is pitcher to home plate umpire relationship. Randy Wolf had a hell of a time tonight with the jackalope behind the plate and we saw the Padres Chris Young getting the pitches he wasn't. Wolf throws belt high or down and away and it's a ball. Young puts it in the same spot and gets the nod of approval. One could say after totaling the numbers that a pitcher, when coupled with a particular umpire makes 22% more pitches per outing and so on. It's relevant- trust me.

Louis C.K. From Iraq and Kuwait

2009-04-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Most engaging read I have had for a quite a long time. Well done Louis C.K.

F.O.A. Friends of Abe (Abraham)

2009-03-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

A friend informed me that he had just become a member of a select organization. The group is comprised of Hollywood professionals from various backgrounds who share a conservative belief which is way contrary to the masses they work for and with. I see it on par with being a Giant fan at a Dodger game.

By chance on a book review channel I caught the Q & A portion of an interview with Bernard Goldberg author of Bias and More recently A Slobbering Love Affair. He spoke about how several of his personal tenants aligned with what we think of conservative thinking (and others with Libertarian) and I thought he made some good points about torture and the television show 24 . He stated that he was against the use of torture for jaywalkers and speeders but there might be use for it in a situation where a guy had maybe stolen your nuclear warheads or similar.

I am thinking Goldberg would make a good guest speaker at one of the FOA's get togethers. Just sayin'.

UPDATE (7-18-09) I saw Brothers at War an Iraq era documentary that was executive produced by one of the FOA founders Gary Sinese. Great piece of film making by the way. See it if you can, the screenings are limited and if you're lucky it will be tied to a fundraiser like last night's was for Operation Gratitude.

Dodger Stadium Hosts Another U.S. defeat

2009-03-22T21:52:00.000-07:00

I was in attendance at the last MLB game played at Dodgers Stadium when the Phils clinched the NL pennant. Tonight the locals were defeated by a rope-a -dope Japanese whoe slashed their way to the final against Korea.

The broadcast team touched on how this was a low priority to players who are a few weeks away from their respective teams opening day. The Class has a feel now that it is for real and we need to make a commitment to either be all in, or all out.

Another Perspective

2009-03-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

So we’re driving the other day and I ask my dad if we can just talk for a minute. He asked if the dvd was finished yet and naturally I told him the truth- not over yet. So he agrees we can talk as soon as the thing ends. I watch them because it keeps him from pestering but I really don’t think I benefit any because I am supposed to learn but to me it is a lot of filler. Hitting the Rise , sounds like it might be Wall St. related- trust me, it's not. No interest in any of it whatsoever-period. Don’t tell my dad though.

So the thing ends and he says we are half way to our destination. I ask for an explanation as to why we decided to go the route we had and compete on such a grand scale. Near every weekend in the spring and winter, we are off and about to places that we really never get to see. I tried to explain that most of my friends who don’t do the travel thing have just as much- or more fun that we ever had and they just play down the street from where we live.

Dad said he was bothered to hear me talk like that since he sacrificed so much for us to be a part of this. Without saying it loud, I thought, Hmm sacrifice. .. well there’s the marriage, the family get-togethers, the outings with friends, birthday parties, the mall… yes quite a sacrifice.

By the time he was done he of course made me feel guilty for thinking there was another way. OK dad, you’re right, I may not get a scholarship if I don’t watch the training dvd’s, if I don’t play in the weekend tournaments in Bomphuk Egypt (his phrase) , if I don’t go to lessons during the week. But, if college is the goal, wouldn’t we be able to afford the same or better schools if all the gas money, hotel money lesson money were just put into a cookie jar? Dad- I’m 10!

Times Are Hard

2009-03-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

And so are divisions

For Love of Manny

2009-03-03T23:25:00.000-08:00

O'Jays song lyrics edited for Dodgers fans:

Manny Manny Manny Manny, Manny [x6]

Some people got to have it

Some people really need it

Listen to me y'all, do things, do things, do bad things with it

You wanna do things, do things, do things, good things with it

Talk about cash Manny, Manny

Talk about cash Manny- dollar bills, yall

For the love of Manny

People will steal from their mother

For the love of Manny

People will rob their own brother

For the love of Manny

People can't even walk the street

Because they never know who in the world they're gonna beat

For that lean, mean, mean green

Almighty dollar, Manny

For the love of Manny

People will lie, Lord, they will cheat

For the love of Manny

People don't care who they hurt or beat

For the love of Manny

A woman will sell her precious body

For a small piece of paper it carries a lot of weight

Call it lean, mean, mean green

Almighty dollar

I know Manny is the root of all evil

Do funny things to some people

Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime

Manny can drive some people out of their minds

Got to have it, I really need it

How many things have I heard you say

Some people really need it

How many things have I heard you say

Got to have it, I really need it

How many things have I heard you say

Lay down, lay down, a woman will lay down

For the love of Manny

All for the love of Manny

Don't let, don't let, don't let Manny rule you

For the love of Manny

Manny can change people sometimes

Don't let, don't let, don't let Manny fool you

Manny can fool people sometimes

People! Don't let Manny, dont let Manny change you,

it will keep on changing, changing up your mind.

First Lady Michelle Obama: First Dog coming to White House in April

2009-02-25T10:40:00.000-08:00

Fun with Headlines Part II

Media Gets Artsy with Obama

2009-02-04T13:33:00.001-08:00

My brain just works this way. What are they tring to say?

Springsteen Rocks the Hot Flash Crowd

2009-02-01T18:23:00.000-08:00

Halftime was mosh-pit heaven for the Member's Only mullet crowd at this year's Superbowl. My kids, all 21 and under were dumbfounded. Who's this? They asked in unison.

No one special I said. Sort of a bar band that went haywire when white people were looking for something to cling to back in the 80's when they felt threatened by New Wave or whatever. Never has someone done so much with so little.

Fun With Headlines: President Obama Talks to Republicans About His Package

2009-01-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

First in a series.

Manny Ramirez Rumored To Sign With Dodgers 1-29-09

2009-01-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

No basis to this rumor, just wanted to get it in writing. Manny will sign a three year deal with the Dodgers on Thursday at 11:00.

Ned to Scotty, "Last time we signed one of your products it turned out to be a boat anchor".

Scientist Get First Glimpse At Back of Sun

2009-01-24T17:47:00.000-08:00