Father's Day Tribute 2012

First, I just want to say, Happy Father's Day to all my friends who are Dads. Lord knows, it ain't easy. Good Job guys! I know that there are a lot of you out there in the same 'age bracket' as me who's Dads may have passed on. And if not, all the better. Dads are Always remembered and Never forgotten. We have all learned a great deal from our Fathers and can apply what we have learned sometimes on a daily basis and pass on these little gems of inspiration. There are few days that go by that I don't think of my Father and I just want to share some of the 'Old School Parenting Words of Wisdom' that I learned from my Pop. And I'll bet you can add a few of your own too. Keep in mind, this is from the boys point of view, because my younger sister got away with Everything and she still turned out just fine.  Ok, Here it is.

AND I QUOTE...

1. Your going to sit there until you finish your dinner and I don't care if it takes all night. Sometimes accompanied by:

Eat you dinner, there are people in China that are starving.

2. When I say No, I mean NO!

3. Why? Because, THATS why! Sometimes phrased as: BECAUSE I SAID SO!

4. Luck come to those who are prepared.

5. Don't make me pull this car over. Or, on the way to someplace fun...

If you kids don't behave, I'll turn this care around and go straight home!

6. Go ask your Mother.

7. Children should be seen and not heard.

8. When I was your age... (add anything you like here)

9. This is your LAST Warning!

10. I'm spanking you because I love you. Sometimes accompanied by: 

This will hurt me more than it does you...Yea right.

11. What's so funny. Wipe that smile off your face.

12. Look at me when I talk to you.

13. If you don't stop crying, I'll give you something to cry about.

14. You want an increase in your allowance...Why?

15. Two wrongs don't make a right

16. You did WHAT?!!!

17. You think money grows on trees? Sometimes accompanied by:

You'll learn the value of a dollar when you have to work for it.

18. Do what I say, not what I do.

19.You need to get a job this Summer. Accompanied by: Your not hanging around this house for 3 months doing nothing.

20. And Last, but not least... Son, no matter what you do in life, always do your Best.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY POPPA. I LOVE YOU & MISS YOU. YOU ARE ALWAYS IN MY HEART.

We've Crossed the Rubicon

Do you suppose cows have any idea what’s coming as they’re marched down the chute? Or do they stare with bovine indifference at the tail and hind quarters in front of them, until they’re suddenly — and very briefly — startled by the man with the nail gun?
Perhaps Americans will — likewise too late — ask themselves what happened in the very near future. Perhaps just after the midnight knock comes and they are taken away into the night.
It is not an exaggeration.

 America is now on the cusp of becoming a state that does exactly such things — things exactly like the things done by 20th-century horror shows such as National Socialist Germany or Stalin’s USSR. Literally. Not “this is where it might lead” or “the tendency is similar.” Exactly, literally, the same thing. The only difference is that it awaits being done on a mass scale. But the power to do it openly — brazenly — has been asserted. And is about to be sanctified by law.

 The National Defense Authorization Act will make it official. It will confer upon the executive branch and the military (increasingly, the same things) the permanent authority to snatch and grab any person, US citizens included, whom they decree to be a “terrorist” — as defined or not by the executive or the military — and imprison him indefinitely, without formal charge, presentation of evidence or judicial proceeding of any kind. These “detainees” will have neither civilian rights in the civil court system nor — crucially — even the minimal rights to due process and decent treatment conferred upon prisoners of war. (And we are allegedly “at war,” are we not?)
The language of the bill specifically includes American citizens “caught” within the borders of the United States — aka, the “battlefield.” It is claimed by sponsors that only those awful them — you know, the enemies of freedom the Prez and his successors like to reference as they systematically gut our freedoms — need worry. But read the actual document, and be afraid.
The wording is such that any shyster lawyer for the government will be able to draw up a memorandum at some point in the near future equating, say, criticism of the federal government’s policies in the Middle East with “substantially supporting” the enemies of the United States. As defined by the United States.
That is, as defined by the government. At its whim. At the personal discretion of whomever happens to be the Maximum Leader, or even one of the ML’s duly appointed minions.

 What happens when some nutjob who attended a few Tea Party meetings tries to bomb a federal building? Will the Tea Party itself — and anyone who “substantially supports” it — be thus transformed into an “enemy combatant”? How about the OWS protestors? How about this blog post or your website. How hard will it be, really, to describe such actions — such thoughts expressed in an article or an interview — as “substantially supporting” whatever the government decides amounts to “terrorism” or the threat thereof against itself?
Now, the door is now wide open for such an interpretation by some John Woo or Dick Cheney waiting in the wings. Prospective presidential candidate Newtie G, is practically turgid at the prospect of getting his hands on such power. And there is no longer (or soon won’t be) any legal means available to contest a one-way trip to Treblinka in Topeka — or wherever it is they will send you.
The really galling thing is that this act specifically envisions American citizens falling under the authority of the bill. One of its supporters, the dependably unlikeable Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, bragged that the law ‘basically says...for the first time that the homeland is part of the battlefield’ and that people can be jailed without trial, be they ‘American citizens or not.’ New Hampshire Republican Kelly Ayotte reiterated that ‘America is part of the battlefield.’”Graham further stated:
“It is not unfair to make American citizens account for the fact that they decided to help al-Qaida to kill us all and hold them as long as it takes to find intelligence about what may be coming next. And when they say, ‘I want my lawyer,’ you tell them, ‘Shut up. You don’t get a lawyer.’”

The KEY is...it is ENTIRELY up to the government to decide what constitutes “helping” al-Qaida. It can be nothing more than a vague assertion. Indeed, no evidence of any kind whatsoever is necessary to “hold them as long as it takes” in order to “find intelligence” (not defined, either) by any means it wishes to employ.

If these laws are passed, we would be forced to rely upon the discretion of a demonstrably corrupt and consistently idiotic government to not use these awful powers to strike back at legitimate domestic unrest. Hey, America is pissed off, because these same 520 jerks are getting richer as we speak along with the big power banks that support them. And when corruption runs that deep, THEY are not about to let that golden egg crack in favor of the citizens  of this country. They're too wrapped up in their own enrichment and if suppressing American freedom  is necessary to keep the gravy train on its tracks...so be it.

The Fuhrer ...errrr, President Obama....is about to sign this latter-day enabling act, and when he does, it will mark the moment that America’s coffin is nailed shut. The corpse has been on view since Sept. 11. But there was always some hope that, perhaps, it might be jolted back into life. Now we know the awful truth. Death is permanent. And it’s coming for us. Wake up America. Thing will only get worse, not better if this happens. Its all about CONTROL. The gov. wants to tell you what you can and can't do, think, or say. How and where you have to live and what you can eat, and when you can eat it. Think I'm being too much of an alarmist? Think again. Little by little the government keeps chipping away at our personal freedom all under the guise that THEY know whats best for you, better that you do. So They will make the decisions for you...like it or not!  What makes America, the land of the free is being stripped bare and before you know it we can be in a Fascist  state of government without even realizing it and then say...what happened?

Playin' Da Bluz

Roni singing her heart out and Peter, Blazin' on the guitar

Had a Great time Last Thursday night in San Pedro. On the 1st Thursday of the month in SP , Old Town is alive and bumpin'. On 6th & 7th Streets between Central and Pacific it all comes alive. Its an Art walk with all the galleries open, stores, shops and restaurants too. AND several Gourmet food truck to choice from. Live music venues and lots o' fun for all. This past Thursday I sat in with a Great group called Lavender Velvet. Played some hard, got some ''good stuff man'' and had a really good time.

Lavender Velvet...check 'em out of Facebook

Lavender Velvet

‎"Lavender Velvet" thanks Leonardo DiTrapani  for giving us a hand last night...Great Job !! Thanks to the Iron City Tavern for having us, along with their great patrons and some of our friends, it was a good...First Thursday, in the San Pedro Tradition!! :)
Thanks to all,

Playin some harp to Roni's amazing voice

Its a long way to the top when you wanna Rock n Roll

Lively Women & a Sleepy Bluesman

Also...check out Friday nights its 'BankShot' in downtown Monrovia on Myrtel Ave. Its a Gigantic Street Fair and Farmer's Market....and...in front of the Merange Bakery and Restaurant on Old Colorado,  we'll be playing some great tunes and I'll be blowin' my harps to several of them.

 

 

Occupy LA's Last Stand or.... FREE LEONARD

 Well, Occupy LA is now GONE. I'm bummed. I was going to finish my blog on it today. But alas...I'm too late.So I'll write this blurb and post a few pics just to give you very slight idea of what its been like.

The Idiot in the tree house was removed by crane, whining and crying like a baby. It was funny. I think the green eye shadow he was wearing will go over real big in county jail. The whole area is now fenced off and the HazMat Teams are cleaning it all up. What a disaster area. They left one gigantic mess and a path of destruction in their wake. Not to mention a Health Hazard!!! Really...It was reported yesterday by paramedics that they've treated many people at the Occupy LA site for Staph infections, Meningitis, which is highly contagious and as we heard, there's an infestation of lice.

 The 'movement' lost its purpose after 2 to 3 weeks in and just degenerated from there.
What was only a months ago, filled with legitimate activists and protesters, had turned into one gigantic party for kids that don't have anything better to do but hang out. Over the weeks the transformation has been astonishing. The 1st two weeks you had organizers and true activists. Then you got the influx of a lot of middle class kids (you can tell by their clothes) thinking this was something 'cool' to do. And why not... Its cool to sit around all day, beat bongos and smoke pot. Yea, THAT'S going to make some real changes to the system too.  Then the homeless wised up and moved in. Again... why not. Free food, portable toilets and a place on the grass to sleep. Oh yea, then the mentally ill came along with them and things REALLY got interesting. It also became a magnet that has attracted hordes of bums, hoodlums, drug addicts, miscreants, criminals and circus side show freaks like you wouldn't believe. I saw it on a daily basis. There was one idiot outside my window that kept blowing a voovazella and after a week I was ready to wring his scrawny neck with it. But my boss won't let me. And plenty of people have had run-ins with the occupiers and I had seen arrests on a daily basis. It really got way out of hand.

 
 

















The protesters were outside my 3rd fl. window for over two months and I hadn't been able to open it for fresh air anymore. There was none!  After 4 weeks there were some mighty ripe bodies down there and the whole place became a trash bin. The more jobless, homeless and the shiftless people that went there to hang out, the bigger the mess becomes. Jobs, or lack there of, is one of the main points of this protest...at first. But I haven't seen very many people that I could look at and say...yea, I'd hire that guy. I had talked to over a dozen of the 'campers' who are demanding free...well, free everything. It always cracks me up when I here "we demand".  And demanding a free ride...its just not going to happen either. It would taken me several pages here to tell you all that has been said to me when I spoke to different people, but one thing that I have come away with from the people that I spoke with is most are just arrogantly stupid. Or at the very least, greatly uninformed about what is really going on in the world and how it works. Most of what I heard was 'Fuck corporate greed' and 'End the Fed', without any solid argument for it. Just parroting what some organizer told them to say. You'll see some pics of some pretty disturb looking 'job seekers'. Oh lets be honest ...most of these people don't really want to work anyway. Like I said, they just want the government to give them money, well... because... they 'Demand it'! This whole thing started out as a good idea, but its quickly turned bad and I'm glad its over.

The CSI Effect and the Casey Anthony Trial

Direct evidence is when you walk into the kitchen and find your 5 yo sitting on the floor with the cookie jar between his legs and his hand is in it. Circumstantial evidence is when the same five year old has cookie crumbs all around him and his face and mouth are also covered in cookie crumbs and the cookie jar is empty. Both have the same weight in court as the other.

'CSI Effect' made difference in Anthony trial
Well, this is an example of the "CSI Effect" if ever we saw one.

Members of the jury in the Casey Anthony case obviously watch too much TV and expected everything to be neatly wrapped up into a nice forensics bow at the end of an hour.

Just like on the popular (and wildly inaccurate) crime drama "CSI," the jurors expected crime scene investigators to come up with a smoking gun in the form of DNA and solve the case in time for the 11 o'clock news.

Circumstantial evidence, regardless of how ample and how stunningly powerful, is denigrated by modern courtroom observers. The very term "circumstantial evidence" has somehow become a pejorative, as if to say if that's all you have, you have no case.

Many people have asked why this case of a pretty young mother facing charges of killing her beautiful baby daughter so she could be free of the burdens of parenthood became the trial of the century, while the case here locally of Stacey Barker, a pretty young mother facing charges of killing her beautiful baby daughter so she could be free of the burdens of parenthood received only scant coverage on the Nancy Grace television show and then was dropped and forgotten.

The difference between Casey and Stacey is simple: One did a better job of hiding the body.

Stacey Barker concocted a story about a sexual assault and child abduction, but she dumped her baby Emma's body just off the freeway in Sylmar, where it was easily found. No time for national interest to build as the search goes on day after day for the missing baby.

Forensics are easy when you find the body in hours rather than months. The cause of death was smothering and the case became a slam dunk. Twenty-five to life. Next case.

Of course, Casey Anthony's baby was missing for 31 days before anyone other than Casey Anthony knew it. So that was the bizarre twist that first attracted the national media, and then interest grew as the search went on and news came out about the imaginary nanny and other imaginary figures she concocted to cover her tracks.

Six months in the swamp eliminated much of the forensic evidence. We all love science, but how is it that two scientists, depending on which side is paying them, can come up with diametrically opposed scientific conclusions in so many of these court cases?

Another problem with this case, as with many others these days, is the judge allowed the defense attorneys to go off on totally meaningless tangents to distract the jury rather than sticking to the facts. Forget all the other nonsense. Caylee Anthony was found dead with duct tape from the Anthony home around her face. Casey Anthony was the last person to see her. She lied about the baby being missing for 31 days and went out partying and got a "beautiful life" tattoo. People said her car smelled like a dead body. She did searches for chloroform and neck-breaking. She asked to borrow the neighbor's shovel.

No one has ever tried to make an accident for which there would no criminal charges look like a first-degree murder for which they could be executed. Martians did not kill the baby. Colombian drug lords did not kill the baby. Zanny the Nanny, owing to the fact that she does not exist, did not kill the baby. Therefore, there's only one conclusion.

It should have been a two-day trial.

You will recall in the O.J. Simpson case, they took nine months on silly tangents designed to distract the jury, such as the aforementioned Colombian drug lords and whether a detective ever used a racial slur. Nothing to do with the facts of the case.

Now, as we speak, there's a trial going on in Chatsworth for a kid charged with shooting an eighth-grade classmate in the back of the head and killing him during a computer lab. There are all these arguments about the victim being gay and the shooter being a Nazi and the defense bringing up witnesses who say the shooter played with black kids on the playground. What does that have to do with anything?

Did he kill that poor boy with two shots to the back of the head or didn't he? Everybody acknowledges that he did. Case closed. I don't much care who he played with during recess.

My Father's Day Tribute

Without any photos or videos, I just want to say a few words about my Dad and I would imagine it may apply to a lot of you out there as to how you feel about your Fathers too.

Poppa, My silent Hero. How can I thank you for all you did for me and our family. You loved your family, your God and your Country. You quietly worked your ass off to put a roof over our heads, food on our table, clothes on our back and did everything you could and giving us every opportunity to make our lives better than when you were young. And you never once complained. You drove us out to California to our new home, in your old '46 Studebaker that would pop out of gear. You had to hold the gearshift down the whole way. I know your arm was really hurting at the end of our trip. You never complained. You bought me my first baseball glove so I could play Little League. I was terrible! But you only encouraged me to work at it and it would get better. It did. And no matter how bad a player I was, you never complained. You gave blood once a month for over 30 years, because you knew someone out there needed it, and you Never complained. You volunteered at our church to help poor families in the area, even though you had no time or money to do so and you never complained. You treated Mom like a queen and always found a way to smooth anything over when she might have been upset. You were always there for us whenever we needed to talk. And even though you worked two jobs, you always found a few hours on the weekend to spend with us and take us for a ride in that old Studebaker. And...you never complained. You waited up all night for me to come home because I didn't call, kicked me in the butt when I did get home, then hugged me and said "All you have to do is call. Your mom was worried sick". Dad,I learned my lesson... responsibility. You were my Father, my mentor, my role model and my Hero. You wrote me a letter once a week when I was overseas in the Army, bailed my ass out a couple of times when I got in trouble and like a rock, you never complained.  One day, many years ago, you wrote me a short note when I was going through some hard times. All it said was; " Son, always look up, never down"... Love Dad"
I still have it, and live by your words. Its framed, hanging on a wall and I look at it every morning and think about you. There is not a day that goes by that you don't come to mind. Even when it was your time, you knew it, and weren't afraid, you said you were ready. You Never complained. Poppa, You are a much braver man than I could ever be. I love you Dad and I miss you very much. You will Always be on my mind and in my heart. Thank you for being my Dad.
Happy Father's Day Poppa, Happy Father's Day.

The Chino Air Show

  A couple of weekends ago, we went to the Chino Air Show. And it was cool! Pati and I have two friends, from the Marina, Frank and Mike, that work for an air charter service called Threshold Aviation Group. Frank is a jet pilot and flies for this company that provides executive air travel to, well....the people who can afford 'executive air travel'. For me, not being in the category of even thinking about chartering a private jet, it was pretty impressive. Mike is the all around  master of the plane hanger and takes care of just about everything that needs to done. He loves to fly every chance he gets and is working toward his pilot's license.

 The owner of the company they work for puts on a little get together every year for the air show. There was good BBQ, drinks, schmoozing and to say the least, a nice afternoon for all. We didn't go in at the general admission area so we weren't up close and personal to all the exhibits and planes on display.  But we had an up front view of some really cool planes and a great vantage of the runway. In the hanger that we were at, was the owners personal collection of 5 fighter jets, that he flies, as well as the charter jets. Like I said, pretty impressive. The best part about it was that we were really close to the  air strip where the planes take off from and got some great views of classic airplanes and old WWII fighters taxiing down the runway and taking off into the 'wild blue yonder'...Cool! The planes were flying overhead and I got to see plenty of passes and at the end of the day, a stiff neck from looking into the skies for so long. It was  my first air show and a great experience that I hope we get to do again next year. Hope you like the photos I took, and don't forget to check out the short video of some old planes taking off and flying through the clouds. Click on any of the photos to enlarge them and, you can read all my blogs at:  lefthandblogger.blogspot.com

Memorial Day 2011

I was in Vegas visiting my family for the Memorial Day weekend. And as I had said in my Memorial Day blog last year, (scroll way down if you want to read it...but not required) My Dad was a proud American and a WWII Veteran who was laid to rest at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City Nevada. This place is vast and stretches out almost as far as you can see. My sister (Denise) and I decided to go there on Sunday to pay our respects to our father. As we turned into the grounds and drove slowly down the winding road to the right spot, my eyes widened, I exhaled slowly and my mouth was wide open. We were both awe struck. Every grave site was planted with an American flag at the top of the headstone. It was a breezy day and everywhere you looked was a sea of Red White and Blue fluttering in the wind. It was an Awesome sight that was both inspiring and moving. On my way there, I hadn't planned to write about this, but I was glad I had my camera and I just can't help but to put this down in hopes that anyone who reads this will be half as moved as I was. The photos don't really do it justice, but here's hoping you get the impression that I did. This one is for you Dad.

Memorial Day is a Great American Holiday that we spend with friends, family and loved ones. We have BBQs and outings and enjoy the time off. But we need to remember, the day was set aside for those who served our country and are no longer with us. For those who paid the ultimate price and those who lived to tell their stories and then passed on. Remember, Freedom is never free. And the price that is paid is never cheap.

Now, to lighten things up...The next day I went to the Pinball Hall of Fame on Tropicana Blvd., played for a couple of hours on my favorite machines and had a Great time!

You can see all my blogs at: lefthandblogger.blogspot.com

Farmer's Market at City Hall... and the Sponge Lady

Ms. Sparks and her kiln fired custom made glass jewelery

I work in downtown Los Angeles. And every Thursday on the South lawn of City Hall is a great little Farmers  Market. There are plenty of vendors selling a large variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers. I'm personally waiting for the 'Heirloom Tomatos to come back into season. They are the BEST you will ever taste (NOTHING like a store bought) and I usually buy a half dozen every week when they are available. Also there are about a dozen food booths cooking up every kind of ethnic delight, from health conscience to kettle corn, baked goods, breads and home made cobblers. The smokey scent of BBQ food that floats through the air  draws you right in...Uummm. And there are several booths of local artist selling their work, from silversmiths, clothing, jewelery, paintings, plants and way too many other things to list.

 But...there is one booth that has really captured my interest lately; the Sea Sponge booth . The Sponge Lady's name is Kerry. Her husband and family are sponge divers and have been in the business for a couple of decades. What is really fascinating is the large variety of sizes and shapes of the sponge being offered. I watched an episode of 'Dirty Jobs a few weeks earlier that just happened to be on sponge divers and it gave me an immediate appreciation for what was being offered. The sponge is harvested in an Eco Friendly way. Its not removed, just trimmed. A renewable resource, sort of like a haircut or mowing the lawn. That way the sponge grow back, and can be harvested again the next season.

At first, I thought they were a little pricey, but after a convincing explanation, I bought a sponge for myself and really liked it. The next week, a different one for the dishes and the following week, one for my girlfriend, who Loves it!  All I can say is: I like 'em. I like going natural when ever I can and the sponge is definitely a good idea.

I'm fascinated with all the sizes and shapes of the different sponge and I went out to the market early this week so I could get some uncrowded pics. Hope you like 'em. I look forward  to Thursdays in downtown L.A. I always manage to pick up something tasty and good.  And check out the short video on the Sponge Lady. It's just below the photos. Click on any photo to enlarge it for a better view.

Thanks for reading my blog and check back in a few weeks. I'll be writing about the Chino Air Show...That's my next planned outing and I'm looking forward to a great day of Vintage aircraft and acrobatics...and of course, some good eats!

 

Hot Rods and Classics. I Love Car Shows!

Crazy 'bout a Mercury

This past Saturday, we went to the the Annual Old Town La Verne Hot Rods and Classics Car Show and it was Great! Had a really good day walking up and down the streets, checking out some of the most beautiful cars you could ever see. The city closes off about four square blocks of the Old Town area and there had to be over 400 cars to admire, with a band playin' cool tunes and BBQ smoke in the air making your mouth water. What could be better! I'm a car guy to the bone and love going to these car shows. I've had a classic or two in my years and been aching to get another one to tool around town with on a nice day. ahh...one of these days! My Big hope? I bought a raffle ticket for a custom restored '63 Chevy Nova convertible. It will be given away in Oct. at the Veterans Memorial Car Show at the VA Hospital in Loma Linda. The money goes for services for wounded Vets.
While walking the streets and looking at these beauties, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was the Age of Motoring and they just don't make 'em like this anymore.  Its an age that we will never see again. So these restored, customized and maintained cars are as much a legacy as they are a passion. Ya just can't beat good 'ol Detroit Iron and the rumble of a healthy engine. It just puts a smile on my face.

Below is a short video to give you the flavor of the day and a slide show with photos of some of the steel sleds that were on display. There were way too many cars for me to photograph them all. So I hope you like my choices.But even the photos don't do them justice. You really have to get up close and personal to appreciate the time and workmanship that goes into so many of these beautiful machines. They are works of art, labors of love and the owners? They're some of the most interesting people you'll meet. At least for that afternoon, everyone had a great time and all was right with the world. Oh yea...The Bird man of La Verne was there with his two Gigantic Blue Macaws. He put them on my shoulder and Pati took a photo....Cool.
Enjoy the slide show!

FLASH MOB TANGO

My girlfriend Pati, and a few others, usually take a Power Walk a few times a week up 6th Street in Downtown San Pedro. 6th Street is the heart of the downtown area with shops, theaters, restaurants galleries and is in the middle of a re-birthed area of the city. A couple of months ago as they walked, they were passing a gallery/dance studio where they were giving Tango lessons. (Argentine Tango, I guess there is more than one kind). Anyway, they decided to stop in, take a look and watch awhile, thought it looked cool and joined in. On Tuesday evenings Pati and a couple of others go to Tango practice and are now taking some lessons as well. She's totally into it and now she gets all jazzed looking forward to the next session. Well, this past Saturday night, the studio put on a big tango party and dancers from several different areas all came to participate. There was music, food, wine and lots of dancers all dressed in their tango best for the event. The coolest part of the evening was at the beginning when it was decided to have a Flash Mod Tango right in the middle of 6th Street. And it WORKED!!!  First, one couple started to dance and slowly others joined in as it moved out into

the street. Before you know it the street was filled with dancers doing the Argentine Tango. It was one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time. I always have my camera with me so I decided to video the event and am glad I did. Some traffic was stopped, but only for about two minutes while the one dance was going on. Then they all went back into the studio and continued to have a Great time.

While I was shooting the video, one impatient driver started to beep his horn in anger and without really thinking, I guess I blurted out a small profanity in response. Nothing bad, just impatient with impatience. Take a look at the video. It was really a lot of fun and a good time was had by all.

Why can't someone...ANYONE, sing the national Anthem the way its supposed to be done. I get it that the singer wants to make it a bit special, but the whole thing has gotten Way Out of Hand! Its become ALL about them and their Mega egos instead of the song and what it stands for. Lets get back to basics for a change. Shame on you Christina. You totally F'd up the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. Hey ChrisScreema.... Don't you think you should know the words before you get up in front of the whole Nation and not only forget the lyrics, but triple octave the song all over the damn place like a fool. Great job girl...NOT!!! Your Gorgeous and talented and I ...used to like you. But like all too many, your an ego maniac who's head is too damn big to fit in the right sized hat.

And lets not forget that Idiot Roseanne Barr and what she did to disgrace the moment.

Flower Barrel

My blogs are usually much longer. But this is a short one and on the spur of the moment, prompted by my girlfriend Pati.  A few months ago a bought a half wooden barrel, put it in front of my home, filled it with dirt and planting mix and bought a few small starter plants. I have no idea what any of them are except for the Snapdragon. Well, I guess my thumb turned green and everything just took off. The white plant was only a fifth the size it has now grown too and almost touches the ground. I have to say that I am so damn proud of my little flower barrel, I just had to write this post and show you the picture I took the other day. The purple one is very fragrant too. I just love it!

Weekends in San Pedro Part III & The Boat parade

 

A few weekends ago...Saturday Dec. 4th 2010, was the Annual San Pedro Christmas Boat Parade. The theme was Peace on Earth and did we have some fun! Pati and I had some good friends over to the boat for dinner and the show. Its become an annual thing. We cooked baked mostoccoli and teriyaki chicken and there was plenty of food for all. Jack and Suzzane have been my friends for decades and Peter and Seve, who we meet through J&S, and are a great couple too. Cool and fun to be with. We all seem to get along like peas in a pod. A chilly December night, but not nearly as cold as we had expected, so all was fine in the world and everyone was happy.  Now, keep in mind that this is the 'San Pedro' Christmas boat parade. Not the Marina Del Rey, or the Newport beach boat parade...the San Pedro boat parade. Downtown S.P., has been there forever and has both really nice areas and some not so really nice areas. Its a haven for the hard working blue collar men. Past years we had some good laughs because some of the boat decorations were so makeshift, lights on the boats would flicker and then go dead, than back on again. Combine that with the moans of the boaters as it happened and well... we laughed our asses off. Good Fun. This year the boats were really fixed up nice and it seemed to get a little more upscale than past years and we were all impressed...kinda' :o) It was just too short though It seemed to end abruptly with only a small amount of boats compared with last year. Maybe they set the higher standards and not too many qualified...just kidding!. Actually, I love it in San Pedro. It does have a flavor and swagger all its own.  

In the pics you can see our view off the rear deck and see why we like it so much. Also, Pati is at the door thinking about the evening to come. The really sad part about all this is, we may have witnessed the LAST San Pedro Christmas boat parade ever. The Ports o' Call Marina, where we're at, is giving way to progress. The old marina is scheduled to be torn down and the city is making the boat owners move to the new marina. The new marina is...new. That's about all the good I can say about it. It looks like a parking look with no atmosphere and just plain boring. Its also much more expensive and it looks like they want to 'upscale' the whole thing and push us 'low rent' types out. Where we are now, has its own flavor as well. We have an unobstructed view to the channel, where the cruise ships, ocean liners and cargo ship, as well as the private boat owners, all go by our rear deck, all hours of the day and night. Longshoremen on the other side of the channel, loading and unloading giant freighters with their Giant cranes. Mix that with loud Mexican music, food order numbers being called out over a loudspeaker, and nightly Karaoke emanating from the outdoor eateries and you have 'atmosphere'. I was especially savoring that night, knowing that it may never happen again and all of which I know I'll miss greatly when its gone. Progress...hummm.

The PINBALL HALL of FAME

People just having fun

Hey all you Boomers out there! Any one remember playin' PINBALL back in High School and or college? Last weekend I went to Vegas to visit my mom and family that live out there as I usually do about every 6 to 8 weeks. As I was driving down Tropicana Blvd. to my left I spotted an old warehouse type of building with a small plastic banner across the front that read 'PINBALL HALL OF FAME'. Took a quick look in my rear view mirror to check for cars behind me, hit the brakes hard and made a sharp turn into the parking lot. Got out of my car into that 100° Vegas heat and walked into what was for me... PINBALL HEAVEN! Paradise!

The place is dimly lite, so as I walked down the isles, listening to bells ringing, the flashing lights from the machines put out an invitation of their own. Each isle was lined with dozens of classic machines on both sides. My eyes where bugging out of my head and my fingers were itching to hit the flipper buttons and send some silver balls into play. It was the 'Kid in a Candy Store' scenario to the Max! I put a $20 bill into the change machine, got a pocket bulging with quarters and proceeded to have a GREAT time. I played for almost three hours and smiled for another two afterwards. The Pinball Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to keeping those games and the art of pinball alive for all to enjoy. The address is 1610 E. Tropicana Blvd. and about a mile east of the Strip. The people that work there volunteer their time to keep the games clean and working . There are a couple of websites too. Just Google; Pinball Hall of Fame. The sites will tell you the whole story and its really interesting to read about it...Well, to me anyway. The place had men, women and kids of all ages inside, all with their eyes pinned to the playing field, so its a good place to take the family for some Cheep Thrill$.

Around 1965 as a Junior in high school, I played my first pinball game at an arcade... and I was hooked. After my Army stint I went to college, worked part time and made some friends in both places. I worked on Saturdays and on our lunch break, me and the two guys I worked with would go to a local Tavern, have a burger, a beer and play a few games of Pinball! My school schedule varied and I had a two hour break on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so what did I do? No, not study. I grabbed a sandwich and went across the street to an arcade and...you guessed it, played pinball. During the late 60's to mid 80's pinball was BIG. Then as technology stated to advance, people lost interest and pinball mostly faded into the things of the past, but I never lost my love for that silver ball bouncing off of bumpers, lights flashing, bells ringing and the numbered point wheels clicking loudly as they quickly turned, trying to rack up enough points for a free ball or a replay. At one time I even owned three machines which were in my living room. I worked on them myself and kept them running strong. My friends would come over at night and we would have Pinball Tournaments with a few brews and lots of laughs. I loved those machines, but as the decades moved on, things change. Dust gathered and I sold them off one at a time. Pinball never really went away, but it did change a lot over the years and lost most of its popularity. The old analog machines gave way to digital ones which I still liked, and were plenty fun. But those then evolved to even way more sophisticated playing fields and lighting schemes which for me, lost most of the charm that the older machines possessed. Sort of like the difference between a 1965 Chevy Impala and a 1995. Its just not the same thing. Most of the newer games produced were fashioned after Game Shows or popular movies and have a lot more glitz and more complicated routes for the steel ball to travel on its way to the gutter, but less personal involvement. They're Ok machines, but my all time favorites are still the old analog ones with the classic Back Glass Art depicting every type of theme you can think of. Just fun stuff and sooo 60's. Style you just won't see in any of in the more modern type of games. They are the CLASSICS and that style will never return again. When you click on the slide show below, you'll see some of the back glass art I'm talking about along with the more modern movie/game theme machines as well. And I was a little excited when I was shooting the video and made a few factual errors The actual number of pinball machines in there is about 200, and the machines date from the late 1940's to the early 1990s. So watch the video and then slide show and I hope you enjoy them both. And if your in Vegas and want to play a little pinball. The Pinball Hall of Fame has a ton of games to choose from. Its a non-profit org. and they could use the money. Besides, where else in that town can you have so much fun for only a few buck$.


Note to Anonymous: Thanks for reading my Blog. The machines I owned were a 1 player 'Doodle Bug' by Williams, a 2 player King Kool (my favorite) and a 4 player Jack in the Box. Both Gottliebs

I LOVE Classic Car Shows.. And its two for one Saturday!

Two Saturdays ago there were two car shows happening. So I jumped from one show in the morning to the next one in the afternoon. And when I say car show, I mean a Customs, Classics and Hot Rods car show! Non of that new car stuff for me. I'm talking about the Age of Motoring. When cars were works of art and labors, love and made out of steel. Ya' just can't beat that good 'ol Detroit Iron. The first car show was in Old Town La Verne. It was from 9am until 3pm and is an annual fundraiser. The streets were closes and I'll bet there were at least two hundred cars there to admire. The cool thing is, that the owners are all ready and willing to talk to you all about their car and the stories behind them. That makes them just that much more interesting. And some of these guys were real characters.

The second car show was in Old Town Claremont and is a little looser set up than La Verne. Its a once a month thing on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 4pm to 8pm and the streets are open. Old town Claremont is a very popular place, especially on the weekends. There are about two dozen restaurants, some small shops and stores and a lot of traffic down the main drag with everyone looking for a parking spot. So car owners just keep going around the block in wait for a diner to pull out and then get their spot on the street. Some of the owners get there by 2pm JUST to make sure they grab a certain section or corner of the main drag, and they are Always there in the Same Spots...Cool! A D.J. plays oldies and surf tunes and all is well in the world. I shot a video of the car show, but it was Way Too Big for this site to upload. I tried it several times, but no luck. So I did a slide show with music instead. So turn on your audio too. I'm bummed, because it was the best video I have done and no one in the blogosphere will see it. But, if you love Classics Cars, here's some Really sweet shots to look at. I grew up riding in, working on and owning a few of these steel sleds over the years and now wish I had never sold them. So enjoy these rolling beauties of yesterday. And talking about old cars, if you haven't yet, check out my 'Woody Show' blog a few postings below this one.

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

If you have ever watched the food channel, you know about the Triple D (Diners Drive-ins and Dives. The host, Guy Fieri, who is a real character in his own right, goes all around the country looking for the Mom n Pop and small owner operated restaurants and food stands. All that have an outstanding specialty or two, or just a Great menu. You know, stuff you don't get at Denny's. I record all the new episodes so, anytime they feature a place in the So. Cal area, I take down the name, look it up and we take a Saturday afternoon and go for a ride to get something to eat. So far, we have been to two places. One in Manhattan Beach called; The North End Cafe. The specialty there was Kalua Pork Monte Cristo Egg Rolls with a specially made dipping sauce.Damn they were really good! While we were their in line, we started talking to another couple that was there for the same reason and for the same dish. We even shared an outdoor table with them and we both talked and eat Monte Cristo egg rolls. Pretty cool day. This place was just a little corner dive with almost No atmosphere except that it was by the beach. But, like they said..the food was 'off the Hook' ! Sorry, I forgot my camera that day, so no pics on the North End Cafe.
The next place we went to was in Eagle Rock and is an place where they make fast food...Better!
The place is called; the Oinkster. They have a delicious menu of all 'made on the premises' food. They roast their own pulled pork, for 12 hours at a time, make their own sauces and cook everything to perfection. They brine their own pastrami for days. And I do have to say, the Best Pastrami sandwich I have ever eaten. Very tasty, moist and full of flavor. On the weekends, the line goes out the door all day long. The reason? Its well worth the wait!
In the pics I posted, you'll see the lines out the door and people waiting to eat as well as the pastrami sandwich I had. Pati had the pulled pork and couldn't believe how good that was either. I did take a bit...Yum! Oh, and the Fries. Or should I say, Belgium Fries! Ya, twice cooked to golden brown perfection. Crunchy on the outside and soft and tasty on the inside. Outstanding fries. Look out Micky D. (McDs fries are pretty good) If your ever in the Eagle Rock area, make a lunch stop at Oinksters! And the outside patio is nice. We have a couple of other places on our list too. Its fun to have the destination and your going to eat anyway. And so far we've found a couple of other cool place to stop at on our way back too.
GALCO'S in Highland Park on York Ave. (Google it) If you want to find any kind of soda or candy that you used to love when you were growing up, this is the place to go. Just walking through the store and seeing Bubble UP soda, RC Cola, or Granny Goose Chips, brought back a few memories. We have fun with our mini road trips...So, Headin' out for more Diners Drive-ins N Dives. Happy eating!

Memorial Day Angel? or... You can' t judge a book by its cover

This past Memorial Day weekend. I took an extra couple of days vacation and went to Vegas, where my family all live. If you have read my blogs before, you know I go there about every 6 weeks or so to visit my mom and my sister and her family. The last time I was there, was about two months earlier and I had not visited my father's grave site to pay my respects to him, for an even longer time before that. He was a WWII and Korean War Veteran and a Very Proud American who passed away about ten years ago and is buried at the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City Nevada. Months back, I had made a promise to him and to myself that I would go there on Memorial Day. After all, that is the day that we honor and remember all the veterans who are no longer with us...Memorial Day. (Oh how we all forget what our National Holidays are really all about). Well, for all intents and purposes, I forgot! I forgot my promise and just sort of felt, nobody cared anyway. So, that Monday (Memorial Day), I decided to go to the mall and see if I could take advantage of the 'deals' being offered. And... I did. Bought a couple of nice shirts at a good price and I was happy about it.
That's the set up. Now, for the rest of the story.
As I was wondering around the mall, I almost brushed up against some guy as we passed by, turned to look at him and made a comment about his beard, which caught my eye. Thought it looked pretty cool and told him so. Like me, he had a salt n pepper goatee, but his, was about 7 inches longer. He was wearing a baseball type hat with a flattened brim, bent up in front and sunglasses placed on top of the brim and a serious look on his face. In short, the guy looked 'Tough' Not someone you would want to cross because he could knuckle your head in a heartbeat. Well, my comment started a little conversation and as it turned out. This guy was one of the nicest, coolest people you would ever want to meet. His name is Rick Morgan and he handed me his card. He makes custom die cast models and displays of classic cars, custom painting and such. On the side, he also works at a local church with teens, to do his best to keep them out of trouble and on the right path. A tough looking character for sure, with a real heart inside as well. (Can't tell a book by its cover)...lesson learned.

Ok, a quick reminder, its Memorial Day, right? So, he then asked me, if I was a Veteran. I said that I was. A combat veteran from a long forgotten war, that tore our country apart and one that didn't get the public support for our soldiers like today. It was Vietnam. We were looked down upon with disfavor  and even split at when our military service was revealed. We were Not appreciated to say the least. Anyway, Rick reached out his hand and with a nice strong grip, shook mine and said " thank you for your service. I appreciate everyone that has served our country. Thank you very much". I said thank you, and was really touched! Its been more than 30 years since I carried a rifle and that was the first time anyone had ever said that to me. At that moment I was appreciative and very quickly enlightened. It was like an angel tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me of my promise to my father and to myself that was made so many months ago. We ended our conversation, went our own ways and even though it was late in the afternoon, I still had time. I headed to the parking lot. Got in my car and drove to the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery to keep that promise. Sometimes God works through others with out them even knowing it. And you never know the effect you have on others with what you say or do. So speak carefully and act with thought. Now... since he set me straight, I have got to give him a plug. Its: Rick Morgan Design 702-595-7064.
Thanks Rick