Welcome to the MarlinBlog - unvarnished, unedited and uncensored comments from your host on just about any topic you can imagine. Fishing, sports, celebrity, politics, religion - all those topics they tell you to stay away from in polite conversation. Not here, baby! I make you no promise but this - we may agree, we may disagree, but you'll always get the truth - as I see it ...
Thursday, May 31st
The Real Question
Let's face it - bloggers love celebrities. When you have nothing to talk about, you can always count on at least one of them doing something creative to make an ass of themselves - and a quick topic for the blog! I've been as guilty as any for taking advantage of the easy target they make.
Lately, though, there's a dark cloud over some of those targets. After all, it's only fun to pick on someone when they can defend themselves - or hire a publicist to do it for them. For some of our favorites, life is taking a bleak turn:
- Paris Hilton will report to a South Central LA jail next week to begin a sentence for violating her probation from a driving incident. One side talks about how she's getting special treatment while the other claims she's being made an example of - but the bottom line is that she's gonna do 23 days 9at least) in county lockup.
- Britney Spear hit her post-divorce bottom when she cut off all her hair in a North Hollywood beauty salon. She spent 30 days in rehab and claims to be on the road back, but she's still partying way too hard for someone that fragile - especially when that someone is mom to a pair of newborns.
- Completing the trifecta, Lindsay Lohan crashed her car last Saturday morning and when the police arrived, they found cocaine in the car - and no sign of LiLo, who had hitched a ride with a friend to the emergency room. You might think such an experiece would cause a moment of clarity, but not for Lindsay, who was spotted passed out in a friend's car only 24 hours later. She's facing probable felony charges, and has been checked into the same Promises rehab center that dealt with Spears earlier this year.
I understand that there are pressures and temptations associated with the celebrity lifestyle, and God knows that young girls aren't famous for making good decisions. So I can't help but ask the real questions - where the hell are these girls' mothers?
Let's see ...
- Kathy Hilton married into the hotel money, and was quite the party girl herself in younger days. You might think that'd give her an insight into the lifestyle that she could pass along to her siblings, but apparently not. When the judge sentenced her daughter to 45 days in jail, instead of holding Paris accountable, she lashed out at the judge who she felt had singled out her daughter.
- Lynn Spears might be able to help her daughter, but she's too busy grooming her younger daughter to pick up the slack in the family business as the next pop princess. Fear for her.
- Dina Lohan sees herself as a "kingmaker" stage mom who is the one really responsible for her daughter's success. Famous for trying to leverage herself using her daughter as the shoehorn, Dina might be more help to Lindsay if she weren't still hitting on the guys her daughter passed on.
Clearly, these girls are screwed. I just hope one of them doesn't become the next Anna Nicole Smith or Lana Clarkson ...
UPDATE: I think the stupidity of this all was best summed up by an LA morning news anchor on Friday morning who had to segue from the story of a memorial for fallen soldier Lt. Joseph Anzack to a piece about how much prison time Lohan may be facing.
It's pretty hard to transition from a story about a young person who sacrificed his life for his country to one who sacrificed hers for a bar.
There was a time when a beauty contest like Miss Universe was a big deal. You take the winners from all the country's national contests, place them in some exotic locale, and let them slug it out for beauty supremecy. Times have changed, though, and it's pretty tough to attract a following. Even with the master self-promoter Donald Trump at the helm of both the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, it's tough to draw a crowd. Sure, it helps if your winner parties like a trucker and samples cocaine the way the last Miss USA, Tara Conner did - her problems, and the Donald's self-serving benevolence got a lot of ink. But it's a new year, and there's a new Miss USA, Rachel Smith. How's she gonna compete with that kind of attention?
Simple - in the biggest moment of her young life, fall on her ass ...
Pageant proponents say that beauty contests are much more than swimsuits, and that the pageant process develops the confidence of the young women. I don't know if that's true, but give credit where due - Rachel never batted an eyelash when she fell. She popped up, finished her walk, and never lost her smile. Talk about grace under pressure.
Unfortunately, Rachel Smith placed fifth in the Miss Universe contest. We'll never know how the fall affected her placement, but you can guarantee this - she's getting a lot more "exposure" that the winner is!
I spent the weekend offshore, so I was blissfully unaware of what happened in sports this weekend. That is, with the single exception of the Indy 500.
For a decade now, Tony George has done his damnedest to screw up the ultimate good thing, and sometimes it seems he's getting close. But then the race steps up and provides us with a feel-good story like this one - the ultimate victory of the tortoise over the hare ... the smart over the fast.
Dario Franchitti is one of IndyCar racing's good guys. Best known as the Scotsman with the Italian name, he's one of the few drivers left who can say they won a CART race. It doesn't matter what team he's on - he won't be the star, but he'll turn in solid performance after solid performance. He's overshadowed on his current team by high profile teammates like Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick, and doesn't say a thing. Hell, he's even overshadowed in his own home - his wife is actress Ashley Judd. He's not a guy you'll bet on, but you won't bet against him, either.
Fate smiled on Dario Sunday as the teams jockeyed for position in a race everyone knew would be shortened by rain. When the first squalls hit the track, the Andretti-Green team cars were perfectly placed in first, second, third and fifth place. Unfortuntely for Dario, he was the one in fifth, and it looked like that would be his final position for the race. But the skies cleared late and the track was dried enough to get the cars out for another hour. With another rainstorm - and darkness - quickly approaching, the leaders made a final pitstop, leaving Dario out front. When the rain came two laps later, he was the unlikely winner - or was once he paddled his car softly across a soggy finish line.
While it was a great tactical victory for a guy who really deserved it, even in victory Dario was upstaged by the sight of his wife Ashley running barefoot down pit lane, soaked to the skin and sprinting to a makeshift indoor Victory Lane. Look closely at the picture of her sitting lovingly on the sidepod of Dario's winning racer - if that's not a look of love, I don't know what it is!
Well done, Dario! You'll look good up there on the Borg Warner Trophy with your idol Jim Clark ...
UPDATE: I'm not one to watch talk shows, but I had seen a promo that said Ashley Judd would be on the Ellen DeGeneris show this afternoon, so I tuned in. As is typical for most talk shows, they are filmed a couple of days in advance, but they pretend it's actually the day the show will air. So naturally, Ellen asked Ashley how her race weekend went, even though the show was filmed late last week. It was very funny to see Ashley talk about how busy her weekend was and hear her describe what she assumed would a typical race weekend - never in a million years imagining that her husband would actually win the race and make it the most atypical of experiences ...
I'm heading out to fish white sea bass in the morning, so you get your eye candy tonight.
Fishing is how I've traditionally spent the Memorial Day weekend. The whole idea behind Memorial Day is to remember those who died fighting for our freedom, and to celebrate those freedoms they fought for. For us, that means fishing.
The one thing I can remember about Memorial Days past other than fishing is listening to the Indy 500 on the radio as we fished. The idea of auto racing - something so seemingly visual - being broadcast on the radio seems counterintuitive, at least until you've heard it. There's something very cool about having 8 guys stationed around the track, each watching their little segment of the oval, and handing the race off to the next guy down the track. It's very stirring.
Of course, there's another visual element of the Indy 500 that's a little harder to describe over the radio - the increasing number of women drivers. This year, for the first time ever, there will be three women at the wheel of an IndyCar when the green flag drops. We just couldn't let that pass ...
Sarah Fisher is back after a couple years off, and while she's a sweet girl and a solid racer, she's not quite up to the Eye Candy standard. Milka Duno might be, but she's gonna have to prove to me that she can do more than qualify for the last row before she gets a shot at the title.
So that leaves the poster girl for the IRL, Danica Patrick. Still a stunner as she makes her third start at the Brickyard, she has yet to capture the excitement of her first 500 in 2005, when she led the race with fewer than 10 laps to go. She's back with a new, stronger team, and frankly is running out of excuses. She really needs to win one soon or risk being branded the Anna Kornikova of motorsports. As you can see, she's been working out hard to take another shot at the boys - we'll see come Sunday how she does!
I've talked before about my disdain for lawyers, particularly those who use their education and training to take advantage of a disfunctional system for their own greedy profits. Got another prime example for you ...
Josh Hancock was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. I say "was" because on April 29th, he drove into the back of a tow truck and was decapitated. He was drunk - twice the legal limit - and driving from one bar to another, speeding, chatting up some girl on the cellphone and not wearing his seat belt. Frankly, the only good news in the story was that Hancock was the only victim, since his irresponsible behavior could easily have taken other lives along with his own.
I feel for his family, and appreciate that they are having a difficult time adjusting to the death of their son. But rather than accept the fact that their son was absolutely responsible for all elements of his own death - several times over - they've decided the correct decision is to sue everyone involved. Naturally, there was a lawyer close by, creeping out of the ooze and ready to take on the case.
The suit, filed in St. Louis Circuit Court by Dean Hancock of Tupelo, Miss., does not specify damages. Mike Shannon's Restaurant, owned by the longtime Cardinals broadcaster who starred on three World Series teams in the 1960s, is a defendant in the case along with Shannon's daughter, Patricia Shannon Van Matre, the restaurant manager.
Other defendants include Eddie's Towing, the company whose flatbed tow truck was struck by Hancock's sport utility vehicle in the early hours of April 29; tow truck driver Jacob Edward Hargrove; and Justin Tolar, the driver whose stalled car on Interstate 64 was being assisted by Hargrove.
"It's understood that for the entire 3 1/2 hours that Josh Hancock was there that he was handed drinks," Keith Kantack, a lawyer for Dean Hancock, said. "It's our understanding that from the moment Josh Hancock entered Mike Shannon's that night that he was never without a drink."
The lawsuit claimed Tolar was negligent in allowing his Geo Prism to reach the point where it stalled on the highway, and for failing to move it out of the way of oncoming traffic. A police report said the Prism became stalled when it spun out after being cut off by another vehicle.
Police said Hargrove noticed the stalled vehicle and stopped to help. The report said he told officers he was there five to seven minutes before his truck was hit by Hancock's SUV. But Kantack said the tow truck may have been there up to 15 minutes, yet failed to get the stalled vehicle out of the way.
"Were the police contacted?" Kantack asked. "Why weren't flares put out? Why was the tow truck there for an exorbitant amount of time?"
Is it just me, or would you like to kick this guy in the balls just as hard as you can? I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that he approached the grieving family, offering his condolences and a business card. And when they called, rather than stating the obvious - their son effectively commited suicide - he told them the only way to truly honor their son's memory was to make those "responsible" pay.
Kantack, you pompous ass ... you make me want to vomit ...
Here's your breaking news for the day. You remember Reggie the Alligator, the Menace of Lake Machado? Well, I'm happy to report his days patrolling the lake in Harbor Park have come to an end. About an hour ago, he was spotted wandering around on shore in a mudflat along side the lake, so the city sent a group of brave but inexperience gator wranglers after him. It took six men and a roll of duct tape, but he was subdued and is now on his way to the LA Zoo.
There will be those who will say he should have been left in the lake, since he hadn't hurt anyone and had shown no signs of agression. But you just know that inevitably, there would have been an unhappy ending for someone - a local resident or Reggie. At least now we know he's gonna get three squares ... :-)
Some days, I worry that I'll not have anything to say, or that there won't be anything interesting going on in the world, and I'll be at a loss for a blog topic. Then there are days like this when the headlines scream out in competition for who gets to go first ...
In this real-life episode of CSI: Nimby — not in my backyard — residents of a rural area near the San Marcos Airport, 30 miles south of Austin, have objected to plans by Texas State University to build a 17-acre body farm nearby. With three acres designated for research and surrounded by a wide fenced boundary, plus cages over the exposed bodies, university officials assured residents there would no problems.
But neighbors complained that the facility would affect property values and attract coyotes and vultures. TSU had to abandon the site, over concerns that gathering vultures would threaten aircraft, and university officials say the body farm will be built elsewhere in the area.
"Nobody likes to talk about it. It's politically uncool — putting a human body out and letting it decompose — but unfortunately it is a necessary artifact of human society," Byrd says. Once the cadaver has been exposed to open air, the bones picked clean by wildlife and insects, the skeletal remains are studied, then measured, catalogued and archived. More controlled research on human cadavers also would help in the courtroom, Byrd says, since the current method of using hog carcasses to determine key facts like probable time of death is often challenged.
And you thought you had complaints with your neighbors ...
Akano Nzerem, 54, of South San Francisco, is charged with felony counts of domestic violence, mayhem, false imprisonment, battery and making criminal threats.
Nzerem told police he was provoked by his wife attacking him first and calling him a short man, according to the district attorney's office.
Police said Nzerem shoved aside his 16-year-old daughter when she tried to intervene in the argument. He then allegedly grabbed his wife in a bear hug and bit off her lip.
Police recovered the lip from the floor but doctors were unable to reattach it. Nzerem's wife said authorities have exaggerated the extent of her injuries
Some guys take no lip off their wife ... not this guy!
"Bubba" Ludwig can't walk, talk or open the refrigerator door -- but he does have his very own Illinois gun permit.
The 10-month-old, whose given name is Howard David Ludwig, was issued a firearm owner's identification card after his father, Howard Ludwig, paid the $5 fee and filled out the application, not expecting to actually get one.
The card lists the baby's height (2 feet, 3 inches), weight (20 pounds) and has a scribble where the signature should be
The scary part is the reason for the card - Bubba's grandfather had just bought him a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun ...
Canada's postal system has stopped delivering mail to a home in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after a mail carrier was scared away by a "very threatening cat," the Winnipeg Free Press said Friday.
A Canada Post spokeswoman said the agency was concerned about the safety of its carriers, although it hoped for an amicable solution to its dispute with cat-owner John Samborski.
"The letter carrier who delivers mail there ... was brought up on a farm, she is very comfortable with animals," spokeswoman Kathi Neal told the newspaper. "Apparently this is a very threatening cat."
Normally, I'd suggest the letter carrier simply grow a pair, but it sounds like that's physically impossible without surgery ...
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say ... Unless You're An Pro Athlete, Of Course
We've known for years that professional athletics may attract the best and brightest physical talents, but there's no particular link between athletic ability and, say, ethics or common sense. Whether Pete Rose and gambling, Barry Bonds and steroids, or any of a myriad of other examples, we're used to our pro athletes doing what they want and assuming that when they lie about it, we'll believe them. Unfortunately, too often we do.
Recently, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick - not exactly blemish-free character wise, has his house in South Carolina raided by the Feds. What do they find? A full-blown dog fighting cartel ... the dogs - the rings - the whole deal. Vick naturally blames a relative who was living there and quickly sells the house. It still remains to see just how that will all shake out.
What made this story even more interesting was the way that Washington Redskins players Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels went public on Monday with their support for Vick. To them, dog fighting was all harmless fun, and if Mike was into it, they had his back.
"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis told WAVY-TV in Virginia. "If that's what he wants to do, do it. I think people should mind their business."
When told that dog fighting is a felony, Portis replied, "It can't be too bad of a crime."
"You want to hunt down Mike Vick over fighting some dogs?," Portis told the television station. "I think people should mind their own business."
Portis said that dog fighting is more common than people think.
"I know a lot of back roads that have the dog fighting if you want to go see it," he said.
That lasted for about 6 hours - right until NFL Commissioner and Head Executioner Roger Goodell caught wind of it. Suddenly, the Redskins were releasing a statement purported to be from Portis that tried to "clarify" his comments.
"In the recent interview I gave concerning dog fighting, I want to make it clear I do not take part in dog fighting or condone dog fighting in any manner."
Puleeze ...
You see, to me the real issue isn't dog fighting - it's character. I don't care what you believe in - if you believe it and are willing to stand behind that belief, I can respect you. But these guys come out and say what they say, proclaiming it to be their belief - right up until they got the call from the Commish. Then all of a sudden they're all politically correct and contrite. C'mon, fellas - grow a pair. Either stand by what you say, or STFU in the first place!
Spent all weekend working on application configuration, save one quick run to the beach to catch an AVP match, so most of my highlights came via computer ...
- What is it for the Dodgers when they visit Angels Stadium? There's not a guy on the Anaheim ... er, Los Angeles ... roster who can hit it out of the infield, yet all the Blue Crew has to do is roll down the 405 and the losses are already on the books before they get off the bus. They didn't lead once in three games this weekend, and made Mike Scioscia's gang look like Dodger-killers ...
- The MB sends our condolences to NBC horse racing announcer Tom Durkin, whose voice died a horrible death Sunday near the end of the Preakness. Services are pending. Durkin's vocal histrionics aside, it was an incredible race as Curlin nipped Kentucky Derby Winner Street Sense by the smallest of margins at the wire. There's often a debate as to whether racehorses are athletes or simply a well-bred product, but there's no greater sporting moment than when twenty thoroghbreds round the final corner and head for the line in a big race. You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate the power and beauty.
- Have you ever seen a more heartbreaking loss than the one faced by the Detroit Red Wings last night? They outplayed the Anaheim Ducks for 58 minutes and led 1-0, only to take a late penalty. The Ducks pulled their goalie and, with the two-man advantage, Duck Scott Niedermeyer managed to chip one in. In the overtime, a poor clearing pass was intercepted by Duck forward Teemu Selanne, who's made a career out of putting mistakes into the back of the net, and this was no exception. Instead of a win and a 3-2 series lead, the Wings take a cruel home loss and head to Anaheim down a game. Amazing how it can change in a instant.
- It was a pretty good weekend for the Trainor family. Husband Matt, a backup catcher for the Florida Marlins, helped his team sweep the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the weekend, catching submariner Byung Hyun Kim Friday night in a victory. Meanwhile, his wife, beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor, was partnering with Kerri Walsh to top Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner to win the AVP Hermosa Beach Open not more than a mile from the SCMO Home Office. It was the second straight event in which these two teams competed in the finals, and for May the victory was the 73rd in her career, breaking a tie with Holly McPeak for the most career victories. At 29, you can bet Misty has a lot more in the tank, and Karch Kiraly's overall career record of 148 titles isn't out of reach.
- On a personal note, I managed to get away long enough to watch my girl Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner in one of the Saturday matches. If you've never seen an AVP event, you really should. Amazing beauty, amazing talent, amazing event. I probably would have included a picture from one of the matches, but then I saw this shot of Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria trying to play during a charity match held on center court yesterday. I'm sorry ... I couldn't help myself, but I knew you'd understand. As Popeye so elequently put it,
"I yams what I yams, and that's alls what I yams ..."
It's been said by smarter folks than me that TV is a vast wasteland and let's face it - they're right. For every media darling like "Seinfeld" or "The Sopranos", there's a dozen shows like "NCIS" or "Seventh Heaven" - shows that just plod along without any ever really taking notice that they've arrived - or left.
This is the point in the season when we say goodbye to shows that are ending their runs. Some will get teary sendoffs, but others will simply fade away into reruns. One such show is "The King Of Queens", which I was shocked to hear has been on the air for 9 seasons. It's another of those formulaic laugh track comedies that once seemed to fill the schedule. You know the formula - overworked, out of shape husband; frumpy snippy wife, witty neighbor as a foil - it's the Honeymooners all over again ... without any of the talent. A "star vehicle" for comic Kevin James, it included Leah Remini as his wife Carrie.
Now, I have to admit to having never seen a single episode, but I think I'd have paid more attention if Remini was dressing like she is here. Apparently, she decided that after nine years of playing the dutiful housewife she needed to show the world she still has it. I would have to agree!
Of course, she is a well-known Scientologst, so it may just be that she's off her psychiatric medicine and felt an uncontrollable urge to strip off all her clothes ...
In what is probably the only intelligent thing she's done since she was pulled over - the first time - celebutante Paris Hilton has decided to drop her appeal of her sentence for parole violation and accept the potential 23-day stay in the Lynwood pokey. I say "potential" because the sentence is really 45 days, but could be trimmed for expected good behavior. I'll go out on a limb here and assume Hilton will be smart enough to not cause too much trouble.
Paris was said to be terrified by the thought of jail, and has been described as sufficiently traumatized as to be incapable of testifying in a unrelated libel suit being brought against her. But not everyone is sympathetic of her plight, however. Famous ex-con Heidi Fleiss chimed in with her thoughts of Paris' upcoming relocation ...
Richard Abowitz: Do you have any thoughts on Paris going to jail?
Heidi Fleiss: When she wakes up it will be over.
RA: So, you don't think she is facing anything serious?
HF: Of course not. How can you call it serious? When it is over she will meet her new best friend.
RA: So you don't think what she is facing is as bad as she may believe?
HF: Of course not. She is just worried about the stigma that will be attached to her: 'Oh my god, I am not an aristocrat now.' But I happen to really like Paris. I think she is awesome.
RA: Do you actually think she is worried how jail will impact her reputation?
HF: Probably. (This is followed by a string of obscenities invoking stories of Hilton's past behavior, alleged past behavior and present behavior in explicit detail followed by the general indifference of Fleiss to such behavior.) I am saying the worst things I can say so you can't write any of it.
RA: Is there anything you can say without an obscenity about Paris?
HF: Let me tell you, I think Paris is awesome. What I love is that if you take the really richest families in America, all those Fortune 500 parents who send their kids to Ivy League schools and give them the most opportunities to experience culture, their kids still all want to be Paris. I love that.
RA: Do you think her going to jail will change that?
HF: Of course not. She's spent nights in plenty of places that are worse than jail.
Say what you want about Heidi, but she's never dull. Maybe she can give Paris some makeup tips. You know, things like how to grind up bugs to make ink for prison tattoos and such ...
The brain's a bit scattered today, so a couple of stream-of-consciousness thoughts:
- Whatever happened to government attracting men of honor? Over in the Congress, they're holding a vote of confidence for Attorney Alberto Gonzalez after he turned the Department of Justice into a political arm of the White House. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on Paul Wolfowitz - another West Wing refugee - to resign as head of the World Bank. Apparently, he thought it was OK to use his position to get his girlfriend a new job and double her salary. What, that's the only way you could get laid? This is what happens when people stick around too long and don't have to get a real job. No worse thing to be called, in my mind, than a "career politician".
- What I thought was going to be my new favorite TV show is just another casualty. The fall schedules are out, and there's no sign on NBC's of the highly touted "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip". I'll admit to being a huge fan of Aaron Sorkin's writing, all the way back to "A Few Good Men" and through "The West Wing". But there's a huge risk in writing a show that is basically autobiographical, since rejection by the audience is essentially a personal slap. Despite great casting and a killer pilot, the show struggled to find it's footing and finally jumped the shark by trying to become a romantic comedy (!). Better luck next time, Aaron - and let's hope that next time is soon!
- As a country music fan, one of the most anticipated shows of the year is the Academy of Country Music awards broadcast. Unlike most award shows, it's all about the performances, with a few awards sprinkled in between. All of the usual suspects were there in Monday's ceremony in Las Vegas, but the highlight for me was watching host Reba McEntire perform. Reba, who looks as hot at 51 as she did at 31, performed a duet with American Idol Kelly Clarkson. I like Kelly, but it was like watching a puppy play in traffic as Reba's talent blew her away, reducing her to little more than a backup singer. The ultimate irony? It was one of Kelly's songs they were singing - "Because Of You". Imagine being outperformed on your own song - oh, the horror! I think we know who the real Americal Idol is ...
It's hard for me to imagine, but it was one year ago today that we fired up the MarlinBlog for the first time (Don't believe me? See for yourself here!). What a ride it's been, too. My goal was to have at least an entry a day, and while there's been a missed day or two along the way, I still managed 372 entries in the first 365 days.
We've picked up a few fans during the year - and hello to all three of you - and we've even been linked to by other blogs periodically. That was never more true than during our coverage of the recent Avalon fire, which brought more traffic to the blog than any other entry. Anytime someone chooses to reference anything said here, I'm honored. And I can tell from the access logs that we're getting a lot of traffic from search engines, which means we're talking about what people are interested in!
I said this would be an eclectic collection of entries, and I think I've succeeded there. There's been a little bit of gossip, a little politics, a little current events both in my life and elsewhere. Above all, though, I've tried to be honest and interesting - I hope I've achieved both.
We've stumbled at times (like initially putting the MB in the Members' Section) and succeeded at others (like inventing the Weekend Eye Candy). Hopefully, we've become a regular part of the reading habits of a few of you, and we're gonna work hard to get to the rest of you!
Anniversaries being what they are, I'd be remiss if I didn't take an opportunity to invite you to provide feedback on how we've done, and what you think we should do in the future - all suggestions gratefully accepted!
They say for a celebrity no publicity is bad publicity. I'm betting that right about now, actor Ewan MacGregor might disagree. MacGregor, who appeared as the young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the second Star Wars trilogy, is in the news today because of some of his wardrobe buying habits.
Seems MacGregor has a fondness for a particular Australian brand of underwear - they're called "Wonderjocks". According to the manufacturer, AussieBum, they allow you to "lift and promote, enhance your natural assets, flaunt your stuff, feel proud. The fact that MacGregor apparently comes up ... short ... might not have come to light had he not bought so many.
AussieBum founder Sean Asby says, "We found out that Ewan McGregor was buying them only because he made such a huge order and we had to do a credit check."
Sharp-eyed readers of the ol' MB will recall that Bob Hoose, sales guru for Pure Fishing and sometime author, has graced our screen before. But not quite like this. This shot is from the latest issue of Pacific Coast Sportfishing, and I laughed so hard I nearly peed myself. I'm not sure if he's trying out a replacement for the current PROSPECTOR, doing product testing for a new child-friendly PFD, or someone convinced him this is actually a kayak. Whatever the reason, it's classic Hoose.
Bob, I've only got one question about your new "boat" ... where do you put the "laaaaadies"?
The final chapter in the Big Catalina Fire of 2007 has been written, as Avalon has been reopened for tourist traffic. The fire, which reached nearly 4800 acres in size and stretched from Long Point to Avalon, is nearly 100% contained and the remaining fire crews are mopping up hot spots.
One area of the island still has it rough, though. The 200 residents of Two Harbors have been without power since the fire took out the utility lines running from Avalon, and the only access to the town is by water. Nearly 4 miles of lines - more than 120 individual poles - were destroyed and must be replaced. Power is not expected to return until next week; in the mean time, the hamlet is surviving on donated generators.
Reports from Avalon indicate no residual impact from the fire, other than the occasional sooty firefighter ambling down Crescent Avenue. If that's the case, the merchants came out mighty lucky. It could have been a lot worse, and with the summer tourist season just starting, they are fortunate to get away with only losing a single weekend of revenue.
Should you find yourself in Avalon in the next few days and come across any firemen at the Marlin Club, be sure to buy the first round!
If hockey and basketball are in the playoffs and the AVP's back on the beach, summer must be coming ...
- Here's when you know your baseball team sucks. The Marlins, having failed to secure a closer over the winter, made a last-minute trade with Arizona for Jorge Julio, a part-time closer with 99 lifetime saves. How'd that work out? The Marlins dumped him and his 0-2 record and 12.54 ERA to the Rockies yesterday. What'd we get in return for such a stellar performer? None other than Byung-Hyun Kim, the sidearmer famous for his meltdowns against the Yankees, first for the DBacks in the 2001 Series (back to back blown saves) then the Red Sox. At 1-2 and 10.50, though, I guess you have to call him an upgrade ...
- I spoke too soon last week when I bemoaned the thought of a season of AVP final matches without my girl Rachel Wacholder. Misty May Treanor and Kerry Walsh still dominate the series, but they're seeing a different team in the finals each week - and this week it was Rachel's turn with her new partner, Tyra Turner. They even won the first game before losing the final 2 to 1. Good sign for the AVP if there are several teams that can push the champs; even better sign for me if Rachel is part of one of them ...
- When exactly did the PGA Tour's Players Championship become "The Players"? The right to a single-name monicker is something you earn over time ... "The Open" ... "The Masters". I know the Tour has a hard-on to have their signature event considered a "fifth major", but you can't mandate pedigree with a press release ...
- Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson and his latest new swing performed steadily enough to win The Players' Championship (don't expect the MB to go along just because the Tour wants it ...). It wasn't so much that he played well as everyone else sucking massively. The only guy who was close was Sean O'Hair, and he found the water on the 17th yesterday - twice. Tiger? Lost in the pack, he needed a 67 in the final round just to get back to even par. Everyone is saying that this means Lefty finally has his disaster last year at Winged Foot out of his head. Problem is, every time he does well, they say he's over it ... and when he sucks the next week, they say he's not. Guess we'll see ...
- You'd like to think this was the offseason for the NFL, but not with the silly antics of their players! First it was Pacman Jones and his suspension, then Mike Vick and his dogs, then Ricky Williams and his chronic. Now comes word that former Trojan and current Saint running back Reggie Bush is dating Kim Kardashian, recent sex tape star and sometime part of the Paris Hilton posse. I know we all make mistakes when we're young, but all I can say is that he has previous experience with Trojans ...
- As I said at the outset, it's playoff time for the NHL and NBA, but I just can't get excited about it. The roundball teams left seem to be populated for the most part with overpaid floppers and whiners, and that just doesn't do it for me. As for hockey, I think the surge created in interest when Wayne Gretzky came to LA is officially over. They can't even get on a decent network other than in the playoffs, and it's pretty hard to get interested in the league now when you couldn't see them all year. Time to pack 'em up and send them back to Canada.
It's been a pretty tough week for the residents of several sections of Los Angeles County, as high heat and low humidity combined to create tinderbox-like conditions. Even with the Red Flag warnings, two major fires broke out in Griffith Park and on Catalina Island. That no one was killed and so little property damaged might seem miraculous, but it was really due to the skill and bravery of the men and women who continue to fight those fires.
Here at the MarlinBlog, the staff is a little sleepy after a late night of fire coverage - but it's nothing compared to how the people on the fire line are feeling. So today, we salute them the best way we know how - with the Weekend Eye Candy! I'm quite sure who this is ... either she's the interim Los Angeles City Fire Department, or a Vegas stripper just getting off work. Either way, she serves to remind us how important it is to stop and thank your local firefighter. Bring them some cookies, and maybe a business card for your therapist. After all, when we're all running out of the burning buildings, they're running in.
Well, the town of Avalon is still standing. That, in itself, is somewhat miraculous. The wildfire that is threatening it is still burning out of control, but thanks to the efforts of over 160 firefighters - most imported from the mainland - only 1 home and several businesses have been lost.
That's not to say the fire isn't raging - the size of the burn area jumped tenfold to over 4000 acres overnight. That's a huge fire by any standard, but particularly for a relatively small area like Catalina Island. Fortunately, there's not a lot to burn other than Avalon, especially if the fire stays away from the shoreline, where the camps and other tourist enclaves exist.
We'll stay on this story as it plays out ...
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UPDATE 8:30 - Saw this note on another blog, and somehow, it just rubbed me the wrong way ...
Two representatives of the Consul General of Mexico arrived at the island about midnight and set to work posting more than 100 signs on vending machines, light poles, park benches and windows that read: "If you need help from the Consul General of Mexico call 213-368-2780."
The signs were part of an attempt to help an estimated 700 to 800 undocumented Mexicans who live and work on the island. They work in Catalina's vibrant hotel, restaurant and tourist industry.
The representatives hoped to install an information table at a local church being used by evacuees. As of Friday morning there had not been many takers.
Ruben Beltran, the Mexican Consul General in Los Angeles, said by phone: "The first task of any consulate is to ensure the well-being of its citizens. So it is only natural that we extend resources to Mexicans in Catalina in this dire moment."
I appreciate that the Mexican Consulate is looking out for their citizens in America. Frankly, though, I wish the Mexican government would put the same level of effort in looking out for their citizens in Mexico - maybe then there'd be fewer of them up here illegally for them to worry about.
I know - we can help both the citizens of Mexico and the residents of Avalon all at once - put the illegals on a ferry that stops in Ensenada instead of Long Beach ...
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UPDATE 9:10 - The fire apparently started at the transmitter site of radio station KBRT at the high point of the island. Some kind of work was going on, and triggered the fire. The KBRT website indicates that while the transmitter is OK, the station is currently off the air - it may require a person to man, and I can understand their trepidation at reporting to work! Either that, or they just ran out of propane for the generator ...
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UPDATE 11:25 - Barring some significant change in the conditions, it would appear the threat to Avalon is over. The fire is still going strong inland, and access has hampered the effort. But the stand made last night appears to have limited the loss to one home owned by the Conservancy and a construction business. Lower temps, high humidity and a thick fogbank are all combining to make the fire much more manageable. The next question is when will Avalon reopen for business. Not this weekend, according to Mayor Bob Kennedy ...
"We expect sometime this afternoon to lift the evacuation notices and allow residents who left the island to return to their homes. However, we’re discouraging visitors to come to the island. We’re not saying they can’t, but there will be limited restaurant access and many hotel rooms will be occupied by firefighters fighting the fire in the interior of the island. Cross-channel traffic is also expected to resume this afternoon."
Did I mention that my brother and his girlfriend had plans to spend Friday and Saturday nights at the ZG Villa? Oops ...
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UPDATE 7:45 - Any event as large as this has some measure of tragedy. The real miracle is that this is the only one. Brad Wilson is the marketing manager for the Santa Catalina Conservancy, and he was living in the one house that was destroyed by the fire. Ironically, he'll have one of the toughest jobs in upcoming weeks, as he works to rebuilt the happy image in the mind of tourists. For now, he's just looking for a roof over his head. As unfortunate as it is for him, it could have been worse - so much worse.
A brush fire broke out on Catalina Island around noon today, and it currently threatening the town of Avalon. The fire, which started near the airport, has grown to over 400 acres and is being pushed east towards town by 20-kt winds. There is currently an evacuation order for the western part of town including Catalina Canyon, and Catalina Express has cancelled service to the island, restricting their trips to ferrying residents and fire. The Navy is pitching in, dispatching an LCAC hovercraft to ferry 4 fire engines and men from Camp Pendleton over to the island.
Catalina may be surrounded by water, but it's every bit as scrubby and dry as the rest of SoCal. Every couple of years, we hear of a fire on the island (including one I started with fireworks at the Isthmus as a kid ... but that's another story ... ), but this is the first time I've heard of one threatening Avalon in many years.
Avalon was destroyed by fire once before, back in 1915. Everything was wiped out right down to the waterline. Hopefully, we're not looking at a repeat of history.
It's gonna be a long night for the residents of Avalon ... more as we learn it ...
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UPDATE 5:31PM - There are several webcams broadcasting from Avalon ... no fire yet, but a ominious sepia tinge to everything:
Ominous note: The last cam listed, with a view from the Catalina Express dock looking back into town - the only view looking right towards the fire - is "temporarily unavailable". Cue scary music ...
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UPDATE 5:44 - Quote from Dan Teckinoff, publisher of the Catalina Islander - everyone's favorite island fish wrap:
There’s an eerie glow over the town, we need to leave," Teckenoff said. He said his priorities are getting out the paper, then, "I need to pack my things and move out of my house." He said he doesn’t know where he will sleep tonight.
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UPDATE 6:50 - Another quote:
"I've lived here 53 years. I've never seen anything like this in my life," said Michael Mead, manager of Island Rentals, which rents golf carts to tool around the community. "It's pretty scary. This happened 100 years ago and now it's happening again. You can see the flames now coming over the ridge into town. It's horrible."
There seems to be a lot of confusion among residents as to evacuation plans and whether those plans include boats to get them off the island. Meanwhile, agressive water drops seem to be helping.
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UPDATE 7:35 - If you live in Avalon, this is what you're seeing. I'm thinking you're in a full pucker, too ... and justifiably so!
From Avalon assistant City Manager Pete Woolson:
"There are a lot of helicopters overhead ... the fire is getting real close, it's licking at the outskirts of town. I hope they can hold it off."
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UPDATE 8:15 - The fire has crested the hill overlooking the city. The overall acreage is now over 500, and the fire is clearly visible from the mainland now that the sun has set. It's described as looking like a volcano erupting.
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UPDATE 9:40 - Several buildings have been lost in Falls and Birdpark Canyons, which are across the street from the golf course. It seems the rear canyon area of the town is most at risk now. Catalina Cruises is doing mass evacuations from Avalon to Long Beach and San Pedro.
Most knowledgeable quote so far comes from Joe Voci, 85, who has lived in Avalon for over 50 years:
"The biggest mistake the Catalina Conservancy ever made was getting rid of those goats -- the goats kept the darn brush down."
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UPDATE 10:10 - I'm afraid this picture tells you all you need to know about what our friends in Avalon are facing tonight ...
For reference, the bathrooms at the foot of the Green Pier are at right in the foreground and Luau Larry's is at left.
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UPDATE 11:15 - Sounds like it's settled into a standoff around town for now, at least until the breezes return. Inland on the island it's still raging. Red Cross has opened a pair of shelters in Long Beach for refugees; the entire town is under a voluntary evacuation notice, but only about 750 of the 3500 residents have fled to the mainland.
I actually had two titles picked out for this entry. I went with the one above, but I could just as easily gone with "Has She Lost Her F&%$ing Mind??? ...
No one likes to think about death, particularly their own, so few of us plan for our own deaths. We all think we'll live forever, or will at least have lots of time in the future to plan for the inevitable. Some take the time to lay out exactly how they want their affairs to be handled in the form of a family trust. Just last night, I received my copy of my father's trust - a depressing, but necessary action.
Some folks, though, either don't take the time to set things up or have their life cut short before they get a chance to lay things out. That's what happened to stock car racer Dale Earnhardt. I'm sure he had no idea he'd die during the 2001 Daytona 500, but die he did. Many times during his later years, he described with joy the thought of his children taking over the operation of Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, the race team he created for his son Dale Jr. to race for. But wanting is one thing, and acting is another.
Wherever he is today, Dale is watching with disappointment as his dream crumbles. Dale Jr. announced today that, despite his best efforts to negotiate a contract extension, he would be looking for a new team to race for starting next year. He and his sister Kelley, who was serving as his agent, had wanted a majority ownership in DEI, consistent with his father's wishes. In the end, though, Earnhardt Sr's widow, Teresa, couldn't give up control. Now she's without a driver, the face of her company, and the reason DEI was created in the first place. What a blunder.
He said:
"Money's not really the issue. It's not the guy who gives me the biggest paycheck," he said. "There's some things you can't get with money: peace of mind and satisfaction." ... "I feel like over the last year or two I've shortchanged my fans," he said. "I'm hoping to win some races, win some championships to give [the fans] what they pay all that money to go see us for."
She said:
"While we are very disappointed that Dale Jr. has chosen to leave the family business, we remain excited about our company's future,'' she said. "Dale and I built this company to be a championship contender, and those principles still apply. Dale Earnhardt Inc. will win. ... This company has a great legacy and a bright future, built on loyalty, integrity and commitment.''
With his announcement today, there will be a tidal wave of interest in Junior's services for next year. Lots of teams will offer stacks of cash, but he's been a Chevy guy from the start and has indicated a preference to stay there. He certainly won't sign with Hendrick Motorsports, who never really fit his image and already maxed out with drivers anyway. The sentimental choice would be Richard Childress Racing, the team Dale Sr drove for when he died. Junior brings the Bud sponsorship with him, but not the car number, and RCR offers the ultimate opportunity - to drive the #3 Chevy his father made famous. Another option would be Joe Gibbs Racing, home to his friend Tony Stewart. Gibbs is the coach of the Washington Redskins, and it may or may not be significant that Earnhardt was wearing a 'Skins cap at practice earlier this week - backwards, of course. The final option is that he could simply expand his current operation, Junior Motorsports, from Busch series racing up to the Nextel Cup. But that would mean a steep learning curve, and he is 32 ...
There will be a lot of fingerpointing and tongue wagging over the next few months. Teresa Earnhardt will be made out to be the Yoko Ono of stock car racing, and Junior the crown prince denied. It's not as simple as that. Surely, both sides realized the impact their failure to agree would result, and made a conscious decision to implode the team anyway. Hmm ... that sounds a lot like what happened a few years back with the Lakers when Shaq and Kobe couldn't just get along. That all worked out fine ...
Summer's here, and the time is right for burning in the hills ...
As a lifelong SoCal resident, I can only marvel when I see the natural disasters some other regions of the country have to face each year. Whether the snows in Buffalo, or tornados in Tulsa, or hurricanes in NoLa, it seems that someone somewhere is in harm's way just about all the time. Compared to that, we have it pretty good here.
We do have one potential disaster that we're forced to deal with each year, and it's a nasty bugger - wildfires. The brochures won't tell you this, but we live in a desert plain here, and rainstorms can be few and far between. The hills dry out, and become tinder just waiting for a spark. Worse still, some of the best places to live - and the most expensive real estate - is nestled among the hills and canyons. That means there's no way to do controlled burns to remove the potential fuel from the hillsides. When they burn - and they will burn - it can get nasty quick.
Yesterday, as I was returning from lunch, I happened to hear a bulletin on one of the news stations. Seems their helicopter reporter was taking a break to have his car serviced in Glendale when he glanced over towards the Hollywood Hills - and was terrified by what he saw. He called the station and breathlessly reported seeing huge flames among the trees in Griffith Park - at 4,000 acres, the country's largest urban wilderness park. A mix of golf courses, hiking trails and public venues, it hasn't had a serious burn in decades. Well, it's getting one now.
The good news is that the park employees and police were able to get the zoo and other facilities evacuated smoothly, and as of now - 11AM - it looks like the major attractions, including the Greek Theater and the newly-renovated Griffith Observatory - are safe. Same for the folks living in Los Feliz on the south side of the park. They were evacuated last night, and the firefighters stages several heroic stands that saved the homes.
Rumor has it the fire was caused by a golfer and his errant cigarette. He's in the hospital with burns suffered when he tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire he inadvertantly started.
OK, I'll admit it - the thought of Paris Hilton spending 45 days in a Compton jail makes me giggle like a giddy schoolgirl. Is it wrong? Probably, but it's just so nice to someone with power and privilege give society the finger and have society give it right back - with interest!
OK, to the facts: Paris got her DUI last year and, as part of the punishment, had her license suspended. When she was pulled over again early this year, she claimed no knowledge of the suspension - even through the form she signed acknowledging the suspension was in her glove compartment. She made lame-ass excuses, showed up for court late, and expected to get a slap on the wrist and, at worst, an ankle bracelet. Surprise! 45 days hard time. You could hear the anguished howls from here. Can't you just see it? Paris trading her pet chihuahua for a pet rat, her effeminate boyfriend for a decidedly non-effeminate girlfriend, her BlackBerry for a payphone - oh, someone stop me!
They've even had the stones to appeal to the Governator, invoking the memory of Ford pardoning Nixon!
"If the late former President Gerald Ford could find it in his heart to pardon the late former President Richard Nixon after his mistake(s), we undeniably support Paris Hilton being pardoned for her honest mistake as well, and we hope and expect the governor will understand and grant this unusual but important request in good faith to Ms. Paris Whitney Hilton," the petition says.
Look, even if she does the whole time (which I doubt), she's going to be separated from the rest of the prison population. The worst thing to happen will be having to wash her panties in the sink and watching her pedicure go to waste. Hopefully, it will send a clear message to the other celebrities in town who think they're above it all - and the spineless, star-struck judges who keep letting them slide.
It's not football season, but I still have some passing thoughts. Get it - "passing" thoughts ... I just kill myself ...
- So, did you see the dance ... er, fight ... Saturday night? And to think that there are some people who think boxing is dying. I'm not sure what was more absurd - making people pay $65 for the PPV telecast, or hearing Floyd Mayweather's father declare Oscar de la Hoya the winner! With a little luck, both will retire. With no real stars on the horizon, one can't help but think the sport of boxing will soon follow them into oblivion. And with the rise of the bloodier "sports" like Ultimate Fighting that appeal to the neanderthals amongst us, few will miss it.
- Tiger Woods won a golf tourney yesterday ... again. OK, this was a little different, since it was one of the few he's never won before. In addition, the Wachovia Championship boasts one of the deepest fields of the year, with 27 of the world's top 30 players competing. Once again, the field wilted as Tiger made his move - it doesn't seem to matter who they are, they all fold when they see him in the rear-view mirror. So how hard was it to compete in this event? The Masters Champion, Zach Johnson, placed dead last ...
- Speaking of golf, we've seen the last of Michelle Wie on the men's tour for a while, and all I can say is "finally!" No one else in her posse seemed willing to face reality, so it was left up to her teacher David Ledbetter to step in and say "enough is enough." He's convinced she can win a half-dozen or more events a year if she were to concentrate on the LPGA, and I agree - assuming her psyche' isn't permanently fried from past failures ...
- This weekend saw the first AVP event in SoCal with a tourney in Huntington Beach. Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger were the surprise winners on the mens side, while - no shock here - Misty May and Kerry Walsh took out Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branaugh. It looks like that's going to be the big rivalry all season, which means it's going to be a Rachel-free summer - and I'm bummed ...
- The Yankees won the bidding war for Roger Clemens, and he made an appearance at Yankee Stadium yesterday to announce the signing to a stunned crowd during the seventh inning stretch. Figuring he'll make a maximum of 20 starts, he can't possibly win more than thirteen games. Is this enough to justify the $4.5 million a month they'll be paying him? Can a 44-yr old pitcher stay healthy - particularly on a club where everyone from the owner to the ball boy seems to end up on the DL? You can't say it isn't interesting ...
- Barry "Big Head" Bonds hit another home run over the weekend. Get ready for it, because sometime in the next month or so he's gonna break the record. I'll talk more about that as it gets closer, but what I found interesting is a survey released over the weekend that indicated a significant difference between blacks and whites over whether they wanted Bonds to break Henry Aaron's career home run record. The talking heads all spun it as a race issue, particularly those heads who were darker in color, but I can't help but wonder - how can it be a race issue when it's about one black man passing another black man?
I get a certain amount of abuse over the MarlinBlog. Most of the venom is aimed at the fact that, while on a fishing site and possessing a fishy name, the MB is really about everything but fishing. Frankly, I've never really understood why people would feel so strongly negative, but hey - that's their call.
Once in a while, though, I like to cater to our billfish-happy clientele. This is one of those occasions. Not only was our Eye Candy model, Mélissa Theuriau, selected by the posters over at the Marlin Club, but we're protecting her modesty - and our family-friendly rating - with none other than the lure that made SCMO famous, the Black Reidee! Who loves you, baby!
For those unfamiliar with Ms. Theuriau, she's a news reader for a French network who may be better known for her wardrobe than her reporting. Of course, we know nothing like that here in LA, do we ...
From our friends at Wikipedia:
Mélissa Theuriau (born 18 July 1978, in Échirolles, suburb of the south of Grenoble, France) is a French journalist. She has been called the most beautiful newscaster in the world, and has a cult following in the United States and the United Kingdom. In June 2006, M6, a French television channel, announced her arrival for September as editor in chief and presenter of Zone interdite, a weekly magazine show featuring investigative reporting. She also presents Un jour, une Photo et 2, 3 jours avec moi on the french TV channel Paris Première.
Call it a hunch, but I don't think we've seen the last of her at the MB ...
When I was growing up, nothing personified all that was good about America and Americans like the astronauts. These guys bolted themselves to the nose of a rocket - a rocket, for God's sake - and smiled as they lit the fuse. The right stuff indeed.
Long before the popular image of an astronaut was a crazy woman driving cross country in a diaper, there were the original group of astronauts - the Mercury 7. Famous long before they flew into space, they captured the imagination of America at a time when we desperately needed heroes. Their every move was documented by an adoring press who made them the most recognizable faces in America.
Time, sadly, catches up with us all, and today we lost another of the group. Wally Schirra was a serious pilot, and was the astronaut NASA turned to when a serious performance was needed. After Scott Carpenter nearly ran his capsule out of fuel while sightseeing on orbit, Schirra flew a textbook mission that returned to Earth with more fuel than any other mission. Even the name of the capsule - Sigma 7 - echoed the precise nature of its pilot. Later, when America was still grieving the loss of the crew of Apollo 1 in a launch pad fire, it was Schirra who commanded the first successful Apollo mission, testing out the flight hardware and paving the way to the moon.
My strongest memories of Wally Schirra were of his time spent with Walter Cronkite cohosting the television coverage of space launches. He had the scientific background to understand the most difficult situation and the down home manner to explain it in a way we could all follow. He helped bring home the majesty of space flight in a memorable fashion.
With Schirra's death earlier today of a heart attack at 84, only John Glenn and Scott Carpenter remain of that first group. Time will soon enough take them as well, but time cannot erase their heroic actions. Every subsequent flight has built upon their foundation, and hundreds of years from now, their names will still be learned by schoolchildren - perhaps in a school on the moon or Mars. That will be the real legacy of Wally Schirra.
Shooting Themselves In The Foot With A Rubber Bullet
It wasn't that long ago that the Los Angeles Police Department was pleading the case that it was ready to operate without the restrictions placed on it in the wake of the Rampart scandal. Of course, it also wasn't that long ago that we noted the anniversary of the '92 riot. Now, the LAPD is embroiled in a fresh controversy that reminds us of both.
The facts are still being sorted, so I (unlike most media outlets) wouldn't try to come to conclusions. But here are the facts as we know them: Towards the end of the immigration rally in MacArthur Park on Tuesday, a LAPD riot squad attempted to clear the park. During their attempt, individuals (whom both sides agree weren't associated with the rally and were only trying to create anarchy) began to heckle the officers and throw bottles and such. In the ensuing melee, several marchers and members of the media were injured by the police, and 240 rubber bullets were fired.
The media is up in arms, but at this point they need to shut the hell up. The incident will be investigated, and those who were wrong will be punished. But right now, all you hear on the news is the wail of those reporters who - accidentally or deliberately - became part of the story. Of course, the news outlets would have us believe that the only folks who could possibly be to blame are the police, and that any altercation between the media and the officers was police brutality.
It's true that the media are extended certain priviliges because of the First Amendment. That doesn't give them some divine right to do what they want or go where they want. If the police are clearing the park, and you've embedded yourself with the marchers, you make yourself a target. Just ask the reporters in Iraq, who face bullets made of something other than rubber.
I'm pleased by the measured reaction by the police officials and politicians, who correctly state that any use of force deserves an explanation. I just wish the media could learn how to temper their own reactions.
I suspect this will get a lot uglier before it is over, based on the kind of polarized comments I've seen posted elsewhere:
Anarchists and their media-sympathizers deserved everything they got. Even the media has to disperse if an area is declared off-limits or closed for the safety of the public.
The strategy is classic, by taking out the media first. There's less chance of evidance getting out. The LAPD has seen it's share of damaging video and camera phone video. So, obviously someone issued an order to take out the media first.
This event will be reviewed by multiple investigations, and if police tactics or individuals were to blame, then action must be taken. But if the actions of the media contributed in any way to their becoming part of the incident, then they must be held accountable as well.
As an aside, while getting my morning coffee I overheard the barrista talking with a coworker about the scuffle. It was clear from the conversation that the two twenty-something workers came from a liberal political position. I said to one of them, "Look on the bright side - at least they were using rubber bullets instead of lead," to which he replied sarcastically "Great - that way they bounce off one victim and hurt someone else. All I could think was, "Gee ... you're dumb ..."
Doesn't bode well for the next generation of leaders ...
I'm starting to hear rumblings, both via email and posts over in the Marlin Club, that some users are having trouble posting comments to the MarlinBlog. Lord knows, I get few enough interested posters that I don't want to chase any off!
Here's how the comments posting should work:
1) You see a posting you want to make a comment against, and select the "Add a Comment" link at the end of the posting. Note that the link reads "X Comments" if any comments have already been posted.
2) You are taken to the page for that entry, and presented a comments entry form.
3) You enter your details and comment, and select either "Post" or "Preview"
4) If you select "Preview" you see how your comment will look, and have to option to post or go back and edit your comments.
5) If you select "Post", either from the main screen or the preview screen, you are asked to enter a secret phrase ("MarlinBlog") as an anti-spam feature, and select "Post Comment".
6) You are returned to the blog entry page, and your comment should show.
If you have any kind of error during this process, I want to hear about. If you can provide the following, it will be very helpful:
- The operating system you are using (MacOS 10.4, Windows XP, etc). - The browser you are using (Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc). - The point in the process where you got the error. - The exact wording of the error.
We've all heard the urban myth of the pet alligator who, having been flushed down the toilet, not only survives but thrives in the bowels of the city, creating a serious threat to sewer workers. Here in SoCal, we had our own living version of the myth back in the summer of 2005 when someone released a gator that had outgrown the owner's bathtub (and his patience) into the lake at Harbor Regional Park. The gator, dubbed "Reggie", became quite a media star as several individuals made very public and very unsuccessful attempts to catch him. Ultimately, Reggie disappeared and was believed to have gone into hibernation. But when the spring and summer of 2006 passed without any gator sightings, the worst was assumed.
Fear not! The Menace of Machado Lake, Reggie The Alligator, made an appearance yesterday after nearly 18 months in seclusion. Needless to say, he made quite a splash as maintenance workers rushed to re-install the orange safety fence that used to surround the lake during the heyday of Reggiemania. The call has once again gone out for gator wranglers, and golfers have been warned of an extra hazard that just might be sunning himself on the sixth fairway of the adjoining golf course.
Frankly, I was surprised to see some of the negative reaction of residents to Reggie's return. It sounds like there's a significant number of folks who'd just as soon see him dispatched with a 30.06 round rather than try and save him for the zoo. Personally, I think he has as much right to the lake as we do, and he's managed to survive there for two years without hurting anyone. Safety concerns dictate that he be moved out, but I think he deserves better than a bullet between the eyes. Heck, considering how polluted that lake is, we should be glad he didn't come back as Regzilla ...
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When I was growing up, nothing personified all that was good about America and Americans like the astronauts. These guys bolted themselves to the nose of a rocket - a rocket, for God's sake - and smiled as they lit the fuse. The right stuff indeed.
