what a gorgous day...

After several weeks of abject frustration due to the fact that not only did my computer crash, once I got up and running, I had to deal with getting my email and internet back... the first tech service employee could not help but worse, she left me hanging for over 15 minutes until I realized she was not coming back.

I called back, got another "techie" and continued my quest to regain access to the internet which was imperative because without it, I wouldn't be able to complete a project on hold while I dealt with these dastardly issues...

The second techie was able to help, but several things struck me... it was obvious from the accent that the tech support was outsourced to another country... probably India. I was speaking with someone whose accent was so thick, I kept asking him repeat himself because I wasn't able to understand what he was saying. Eventually we worked through the problem and ultimately I was able to get everything back to "rights."

The moral... there are no morals to this story.

But today more than made up for several weeks of frustration.

On our way to hike in the park, as we were leaving the "hood," I happened to glance off to my right. There in front was the most spectacular sight... snow down to the 1,000 ft level. One normally doesn't see it this low so it was quite an amazing sight. I took lots o' pics and now everyone gets to see what I was privileged to see this morning.

presidential state of affairs

Tonight, the much anticipated State of the Union speech was presented by President Obama.

I will go into more depth in another posting but would like to comment on one item presented.

As Obama pointed out, for many years, America has been the innovator in any number of ways... however, our pioneering spirit is now being overshadowed by other countries; China being one that understands in order to progress, students must be well-schooled in math and science. We have rested far too long on our laurels, now we're seeing others move ahead, even as we begin to lag.

America represents some of the finest colleges and universities in the world, yet if our students are unable to access higher education, where will that leave us as a society?

FLASH! update on the gulf spill...

NASA takes a shot, May, 2010.

It seems like eons ago (but on the historical scale, it's probably more like a few milliseconds)... that the May, 2010 explosion and subsequent spill occurred which will continue to impact the gulf for quite some time.

Naomi Klein recently reporting in The Nation discovered that oil is no longer missing (according to BP minions and U.S. government reports). It's been safely contained and tucked away for future use, and the eco-system is back to pre-Deepwater Horizon explosion levels.

Yeah, right!

You know, we're great at sweeping things under the rug, and if corporations wait long enough, whatever disaster has struck this country will move out of the line of sight of those who never seem to pay attention. In fact, as some in the British press indignantly commented, we "Yanks" unfairly wronged BP... "one of Britain's greatest companies."

With friends like this, who needs enemies, especially when the environment is involved... all those pesky sea creatures.

Ask those who make their living from the gulf whether all is back to normal...

They, better than those with a vested interest outside the gulf should be able to ascertain whether life along the gulf is "back." Ask them whether or not they've been recompensed for lost wages or revenue, or whether they continue to hurt in the face of this tragedy. I'm almost positive you'll hear a resounding "NO!" coming from the southeastern-most parts of the country... especially those directly impacted by the events.

If the history of the Exxon Valdez is an example, then we're in for a long bumpy ride!

one person/one vote

Not exactly...

When the U.S. Supreme Court awarded "personhood" to corporations last year, they opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending in elections across the land. Whether this trend will continue to subvert the political process remains to be seen, yet the short-term toll will no doubt affect the electoral process, since approximately $4.2 billion was spent to support specific candidates and issues.

The long-term perversion will quite possibly change our country between the haves and the have-nots and since approximately 1% of the population control nearly 95% of the wealth, I wonder whether voters understand what this will mean to those not inhabiting the upper strata. Historically, this means we in the middle will continue to see our salaries diminish, our spending capabilities will cease to purchase as those controlling the moneybags, move closer to controlling every facet of our lives.

The giant question is: who actually built this country?

Granted, wealth was a factor, but it was the sweat and industry of our ancestors, and those who came as indentured servants and slaves who provided the labor necessary to allow this country to succeed...

I see a time when once again we will be forced to provide for those who have succeeded not because of their contributions to the greater good, but rather because of their unlimited wealth. Should they be rewarded only for being wealthy... for contributing nothing to the greater society? No... but in fact they are rewarded, even as those less fortunate are castigated for the crime of being weath-less (in other words, poor)!

Is this the country we want, and even more important... is this the scenario we desire for our children?

I hope not.

Long after my generation has been relagated to the pages of history, I would hope for better in this land... healthcare for all, not just those with the ability to pay. I would hope that we would welcome any individuals to this land willing to lend the blood, sweat and tears that helped make this country great in the beginning, rather than shunning them for the color of their skin, or the language of their ancestors. If we reject people out of fear, then we have learned nothing from our history.

I know this started out as a commentary on the corporate state, but somehow it all intermingles. It really does come back to one person/one vote. Money should have little influence on the political process, and in order to move forward, we must all insure this does not become the reality.


election map from Washington Post archives

the political climate heats up...

Yesterday, I read that former House member, Tom DeLay was sentenced to three years in prison for undermining the political process in Texas, then lying about it.

"The Hammer" was convicted in November, 2010 on two counts of money laundering and conspiracy charges... taking corporate monies and funneling that money to Republican candidates running in Texas. After the verdict was read, he apparently leaned over to one of his children and whispered he could not get a fair trail in Austin (it being a "liberal" community and all.) As he exited the courthouse, he commented "This is an abuse of power. It's a miscarriage of justice, and I still maintain that I am innocent. The criminalization of politics undermines our very system and I'm very disappointed in the outcome,"

Frankly, I'm not exactly sure what criminalization he refers to... he subverted the process and that (in my estimation) was the true criminal act. The money he funneled helped state Republicans take control of the Texas House which in turn, enabled the GOP majority to push through a congressional redistricting plan sending more Texas Republicans to Congress in 2004 – and strengthening his political cache.

To those who believed him innocent, and continued to cast their ballots for him, I wonder whether he had their best interests in mind as he moved through Congress. Further, did he have the best interests of his state, or even his country in mind as he cast some of his votes, and developed relationships with the likes of convicted former lobbyist, Jack Abramoff... or, was he just looking out for "Number 1?"

park for sale... or rent...

I've been following a very disturbing story about Griffith Park and if you're unaware of what's happening in your beautiful park, well, might I suggest you sit up and pay attention.

The city of Los Angeles is apparently running short on money, so in their infinite wisdom, they've decided the best way to generate some quick money ($80,000) is to rent out Griffith Park for a "Haunted Hayride" late into the night (for a few weeks leading up to Halloween). Alongside, other parks are in the process of being rented out for various and sundry events as well...

Herein lies the $64,000 question... is this really the best way to generate funding... by renting out a piece of land that belongs to ALL Los Angeles citizens, not just those downtown?

Several years ago, as individuals were asked to weigh in on how Griffith Park could/should be utilized, one of the overwhelming comments was "We do not need another theme park in Griffith Park!" Yet, here we are... again attempting to ward off those who would misuse the park for their personal gain, especially those who currently occupy seats on city council.

There are a great many people who fail to understand why this is a bad idea. They believe this influx of revenue into the city's empty coffers will help the city out of a financial hole. Not true. The generated money will do nothing to stave off the flow... it doesn't go to the coffers, and at this point, it doesn't really help the park.

Ask anyone who uses the park on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. This park, this "jewel" in the center of the greater Los Angeles community should be protected. This was the request from Griffith J. Griffith when he gifted the park to the citizens of LA.

We, and our duly elected representatives, should honor that request, not just when it's politically expedient, but when it's not expedient, like now.

I grew up on the east coast, in an area right next to a semi-urban setting. One could walk down to the end of the block and fall into nature, snakes and all. As a child, I learned quickly which snakes to avoid... to give wide berth to... which plants were poison ivy, which trees were the best for climbing...  I was also ingrained from an early age with a great deal of respect for nature in general.

When I moved to the Los Angeles area, I quickly embraced Griffith Park for my recreational needs. I realize the importance of preservation of outdoor spaces, and especially this Park. Without Griffith Park, there are few areas available to the vast majority of people living in the area. It's more than just having access to an open setting... it's a way to commune with nature in a way few people in this area can, living in this vast city setting.

I think it's time to evaluate how we use the park, and if we're to see this park succeed for our grandchildren, and beyond, then it's imperative we get involved to stop the demolition of this and all our parks!

a very happy (alas belated) birthday wish to Sofia...

Yesterday was Sofia's birthday and while I made a mental note to wish her Happy Birthday, I got a bit busy working on stuff and never got around to wishing her the best... and so, Sofia... today, I wish you a very Happy Birthday, and may your life be filled with much happiness and may you always be surrounded by love!

and another rig bites the dust...

Somehow it's not surprising that another rig has caught fire in the Gulf. Thankfully, this was not nearly as devastating as the BP rig several months back... no lives lost in the fire and subsequent evacuation.

It does, however, point out a flaw in offshore drilling... eventually things do go wrong, and when they do, there is a greater possibility for catastrophic environmental damage. Most Americans do not realize how many oil rigs currently exist in the Gulf. Some websites put the number of rigs at nearly 7,000, although this figure includes rigs that still operate, as well as those that no longer operate, or were damaged, or destroyed when Hurricane Katrina plowed through..

We should all remember that oil is a finite energy resource. If the United States wants to maintain energy independence, now is the time to begin working on alternative plans, rather than wait for this finite source to cease. I wonder why this is such a difficult concept to grasp!

the station fire... one year later

On August 26th, 2010, Los Angeles celebrated the first anniversary as 160,557 acres or 251 square miles were destroyed by perhaps one individual dropping flammable materials near mile marker 29 in the Angeles Crest Forest.

Unfortunately no one has been brought to justice for this horrific destruction which cost the state millions of dollars, had a huge impact on the environment and will have an ongoing impact on the health of the forest and surrounding areas. At one point, the fires burned so hot, the earth was scorched, making it prone to water runoff during heavy winter rains. In the springtime, the scorched area refused to allow plant growth and even now, one year later, there are still enormous brown areas where nothing currently grows.

One lesson we should take away from this. The areas surrounding Los Angeles (and, many cities in the Southwest) are extremely sensitive and need to be treated accordingly. When one person can wreck such havoc on our environment, we all lose... not just our health, but the health of those areas which should be protected because ultimately, they protect us.

The photo was taken from Atwater Village the day the burn began.

it's all about the fish...

The failure of BP on the gulf may have far-reaching implications...

If we’ve learned nothing else, we should perhaps treat news coming from Washington and those BP folks with a certain amount of skepticism. When we’re told it’s fine to begin eating shellfish coming from the Gulf, perhaps we should hit the pause button.

Why?

Perhaps because there’s little evidence to support our government’s position of “safe to consume” when talking about the spill and its long-term effect on fish and shrimp for consumption.

In fact, there is far more evidence to support constraint in the fishing industry for a very long time.

Let us revisit for a moment, the failure of the Japanese government in response to the release of methylmercury into the waters near Minamata beginning in the 1930s until late '68 where neither the government of Japan nor the industrial giant, Chisso Corporation took responsibility for the enormous destruction to the environment and the huge toll on human and animal life. In fact, in 2001 there were over 2,000 deaths attributed directly to this lack of regulation of methylmercury.

As you ponder the photo, you should ask yourself if this is the scenario you want to be a part of in the years to come... or better yet, would you want your children to become nothing more than a statistic in BP's abuse to our environment...

In 1959 a report on the disease stated...
“Minamata disease is a poisoning disease that affects mainly the central nervous system and is caused by the consumption of large quantities of fish and shellfish living in Minamata Bay and its surroundings, the major causative agent being some sort of organic mercury compound.” 

In 2010, Chisso Corporation set aside a compensation fund for as-yet uncertified victims.

On a personal note:
Years ago I read a book on the effects of methylmercury in the small fishing village of Minamata and recall being horrified by photos of children (like the one pictured) grotesquely crippled and unable to care for themselves, caught in a forever child-like existence. Frankly, after seeing the photos, I would not wish this on anyone.