history, again and again and again...

Conventional wisdom suggests those unable to learn the lessons of history are forced to repeat them...

Somehow, this seems the case as we witness the brutality of police, bent on making points with the very corporations that will eventually eliminate their jobs and pensions because they, like the rest of us, are expendable. The recent protests at UC Davis seemingly gave police authorities carte blanche to utilize military grade pepper spray on students quietly sitting on the lawn... if interested in seeing the complete callous display (there are two videos to watch and they're very disturbing)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHQqvDsbxwA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmJmmnMkuEM

When was the last time we were privy to this type of crude and disgusting behavior from public officials?

During the Vietnam war when the likes of Kent State occurred (a very sad day for America), or the Democratic Convention in 1968 when Chicago mayor, Richard Daley unleashed the police hounds of hell on war protesters in "his" city.

This type of deviant behavior will continue to take place until we as a society decide otherwise. The "thugs" who decided to act in this grotesque and unlawful manner should not get "administrative leave," but rather, "prison time" and only then will the rule of order be acknowledged and respected.

judicial... inaction

Today is my first day of jury duty. (kinda reminds me of the old saying "today is the first day of the rest of your life...")

I arrived at the Burbank courthouse only to discover the courthouse was not open (even though we were required to be there at 8 am sharp...) Like many in the same situation, I stood around waiting for the magic to happen... then (along with new security requirements) had to pass through the same machines currently in use at airports across the states.

As I stood waiting for the line to thin, I began to wonder if all the enhanced security actually made us safer, or just led us to believe we were safer when in fact, it was merely a placebo...

Like everything in life, we will not know for sure if this is the case until the winds of time move beyond us...

But, back to jury duty... We were required to watch a short video where "former jurors" waxed nostalgic about their service and how it made them feel better about themselves and the (justice) system. Several times I found myself laughing because truth be known, we all know by now that justice belongs to the side with the deepest pockets. Don't believe me? Where are those individuals residing that crashed the largest economic system in the world? Comfortably in their multi-million dollar homes, counting their multi-million dollar bailouts, thanks in great part to the shills we placed in congress.

But hey, the system works for all of us... right? Not really. Attempt to destroy an economy at the same levels as recently occurred and see what happens... Wham, bam, behind bars quickly and permanently...

Yeah, the system works for us... or is that against us?

6:32 pm
And more on the system...  after sitting for a few hours at the Burbank courthouse, it was announced to the jury pool that our presence was required at the Glendale courthouse... we were given ample time to get over to Glendale, and then the waiting game began once more. We sat for over an hour, then were told to go downstairs where we again stood around for about 20 minutes, waiting for the bailiff to escort us into the courtroom after determining we were all present and accounted for... we then listened to the charges, were introduced to the major players and 18 potential jurors were seated. Then came the fun part... questions were asked, responses were given and it was gradually determined that seating a pool was going to be very hard, for many reasons. My turn in the question/answer game will either  come tomorrow or the next day, and quite frankly, I am not a happy camper. If I am excused or when the trial concludes, I will state my reasons for my unhappiness. Until then, stay tuned.

griffith (the park)

If you happen to live anywhere in the proximity of Griffith Park, consider yourself lucky. This is a magnificent ode to one man's dream...

Shall we start with the vistas? From every imaginable angle, there are views of the city, or the hills off in the distance, or even Glendale (our neighbor to the immediate east). Below is a view looking east of downtown LA...

Sometimes the best view is the park itself... like watching hikers crossing a bridge to get to the other side, or catching a glimpse of the sun setting off in the west...

And sometimes, even the destruction wrought by the last fire can create a beautiful monument to nature's enduring flexibility... and multitudes of trails crisscross throughout the over 4,000 acres of rugged parkland.

Even as the LA budget continues to shrink, Griffith Park continues to captivate. Next time you're in the area, check it out. Whichever way you decide to walk, you will not regret your choice! Trust me!

giving thanks

 This past Thanksgiving was bittersweet... we spent the day (actually days) in preparation of giving thanks for our friends and the health of friends near and far. It was also the last Thanksgiving we will be spending with our friend Barb who has decided to move back home in order to be closer to her aging parents.

What gave me pause was the reality that Barbara and I have weathered many jobs together and many experiences... not always good, but certainly interesting. She has seen me through my various relationships, and I, her. And now she will be back in Iowa, far from my life and far from the fair weather in Los Angeles.

Last Sunday, we went for our last birthday celebration together... and as we departed the restaurant, I realized just how deeply I will miss her (even though she is but a phone call removed). And as we move toward the holidays, she will perhaps be celebrating by digging out from the latest snowfall, while we on the west coast will be enjoying the sunshine... ah, LA weather.

Even tho this is goodbye for now, it is not forever.