Showtime in Chavez Ravine

He did it again. Just like he did in 1979, we now have hope. Tuesday evening Earvin “Magic” Johnson was again drafted by Los Angeles. And just like then, he has set the city abuzz. The LA Times is on it. Facebook is lit up. Sports talk radio is alive. And life could not be better for Los Angeles sports fans. With the stroke of pen, Magic is once again the hottest sports figure in the city. Just like he was back in the day when Jerry Buss signed the skinny kid from Michigan State to a Laker contract. We don’t know how this is going to turn out. Magic is walking into a situation that has few usable parts and the parking lots are still owned by the Butcher of Baghdad, er Boston, Frank McCourt, who can wreak havoc from afar. But we have hope, an owner who wants to do right for Los Angeles, even if only to preserve his image, and a reason to go out to the ballpark. This year I will my buy first Los Angeles Dodger tickets since Rupert Murdoch traded Mike Piazza and started this once storied franchise on the road to ruin. Not because I believe everything Magic touches will somehow turn to gold, but because he already has. The O’Malley did not win every year, and neither will Magic. But the Dodgers are back. And because of that, Chavez Ravine will become the new home of Showtime for Los Angeles. Now excuse me while I dream of sitting in the stands, watching the sunset over Chavez Ravine and a great baseball game while eating a grilled Dodger Dog. I just wish my parking lot fees weren’t going to settle a divorce decree.

Dinner in Oaxaca

One of the perks of serving in Mexico is that I get a chance to enjoy some great tacos. One of the places I always go when I am in Oaxaca in Taqueria El Primo. While they have lots of great options, perhaps my favorite is a plate of five tacos "al pastor." As is the custom here in the south, they are served with pork, onion, cilantro and pineapple. And yes, you read that right. Pineapple. Mixing the sweetness of the pineapple with the hot salsa makes for a wonderfully unique taste. You can have them on either corn of flour tortillas. The ones shown here are with corn tortillas, but honestly, I like mine with flour. Once you get your plate, you can then add whatever salsa, typically red or green, you desire, guacamole, pico de gallo, some lime and you're all set for the beginnings of a real taco feast. With a soda, the cost is about $5.00 and well worth it. But when you go, don't be a gringo and show up at 6:00pm. Get there after 9:00, sit and enjoy a soccer game with locals, relax, and talk with your friends. Remember, while dinner is about the food, life is about relationships. Take your time and enjoy it. Taqueria El Primo Calzada de la Republica Barrio Jalatlaco, Oaxaca Hat Tip to Joe Ramirez of MISSION Focused for the great photos.

Barbara Ann and Bomb Iran... How America should handle the current Iranian crisis

Many are aware of John McCain's lame attempt at humor during the 2008 presidential campaign when he sang "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boys Barbara Ann. It was lame then. It is dangerous now, because he means it. We have been treated in recent days to numerous politicians calling on us to essentially start the bombing runs now. We have heard how the United States has a moral obligation to the rest of the world to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. The solution, advocated from the presidential candidates to sitting political poo-bahs is to bomb them Iran into submission. And while we are at it, at least according to McCain, let's get Syria too. Who knows, perhaps this would work, but I for one appreciate the fact that President Obama is not rushing headlong into another war. However I am not convinced he can resist the political pressures to "save Israel" in an election year. Everyone with half a functioning brain should know that the good old US of A does not have a boatload of money floating around, and that war costs not only lives, but money. Also, everyone knows that our last few forays into war have gone less that swimmingly. So what are we to do? Our country has always felt a strong need to support Israel, a small democratic outpost in a pretty hostile Middle East. I get that. I also understand that Iran has been a troublemaker in the region for years, as has Syria, who currently is wiping out their own citizenry on a daily basis. At some point in time though, others in the world must learn to step up to the plate and fight for their interests. Here's how this works. If other Middle Eastern governments are worried about Iran and Syria, let them bomb them. Why can't the Saudi Air Defense Force and our other allies in the region, fully stocked with US made F-15's do the job? If they are not willing to risk their blood and treasure, in their own backyard, why should we? Now I know at times, it is in the best interests of the US to act unilaterally. However, that does not necessarily mean without the American people. So, to President Obama, Senator McCain, our presidential candidates, and all the rest of you politicos, here's what I want before you get my support... Come to us publicly and make your case. Treat us with respect and ask for our opinion, before the planes take off! Tell us how we are paying for this. If you want me to support another war, show me the money. If this means raising taxes to pay for it, that's fine. But this deal where our wars are off budget is bull-puckey. If you are unwilling to risk your job to raise taxes to pay for a war that you believe is in our interests, perhaps you do not really believe in it. Finally, declare war! Has there been a more devastating trend after World War II than our reluctance to declare war? If our boys and girls are going to die for our country, the least our politicians can do is respect them enough to declare war and do the job right. Now I am sure there are all sorts of reasons why these simple suggestions will not be heeded. But that does not mean those reasons make any sense...

The NFL, Power, and Rush Limbaugh... seriously?

Two stories came up this weekend from completely different ends of the spectrum. One is from the NFL. On Friday we learned that the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints had been involved in a scheme to pay their players for injuries inflicted on their opponents. Both Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, potential Hall of Fame quarterbacks, suffered serious injury at the hands of the Saints defense and their pay for pain plan. We also learned that everyone connected with team management was aware of this. The NFL is now looking into what penalties they should levy against those involved. Also this weekend, the titan of talk radio, the man who boasts about having "talent on loan from God," Rush Limbaugh, stepped in it. In response to testimony from college law student Sandra Fluke, Limbaugh called her a slut and a prostitute. He has since apologized, saying "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.’’ Here's my take on both situations, which in my mind are part of a larger narrative where those in power get to play by a different set of rules than the rest of us. They should all be fired. Yep, you heard me right... fire 'em all. Rush, any Saints players who participated and are still in the league, and any coach who knowingly went along with the plan to injure other players. Rush is in the business of pissing folks off, and that's fine. But after years of being on the air, if he did not know it was wrong the minute he said it, he is not fit for the public airwaves. And if he did know it, why did he wait three days to apologize, using two of those days to further degrade Ms. Fluke? The Saints coaches and players who were part of this debacle would never say it would be legitimate for other teams to purposefully target their QB Drew Brees. All of these folks knew exactly what they were doing and made a conscious decision to not only flaunt the rules of their employers, but decency as well. But I know I am pushing water uphill in this battle. Today Rush is back on the air, as he will be tomorrow. Sometime this week, the guilty Saints, there's an oxymoron, will receive their slap on the wrist and move on to get ready for another season. If you or I had purposefully hurt a fellow employee while on the job, or had taken part in it, what are the chances we would still have a job? If you or I had brought the values of our companies into question publicly like Rush did for all of his radio partners and sponsors, do you think we'd still be employed? Of course not. Both of these stories point up the inequities of a system where the powerful have an innate advantage over us regular folk who are just trying to keep our noses clean and our bank balances above zero. I am sickened by all of it.