Random thoughts on recent news and other ramblings.

There's a song lyric from somewhere "I don't believe what I read in the paper, they're just out to capture my dime"  at least I THINK it's a song lyric, it may be a mondegreen.   In any case, I have been thinking about things in the news, in random order.

That sprinter in South Africa who shot his girlfriend.  It seems the legal system in SA is different than our but not much.  Already the facts of the case are beign debated in the court of public opinion AND the investigating officer is being investigated himself.  It did not help that there seemed to be a rush to judgement, to use a popular phrase and the evidence presented in the pretrial hearings is conflicting at best.  Whatever the outcome, a woman is dead and he admits to having pulled the trigger.  Tragic accident or "roid rage?  Time may or may not tell.  I read a SA comic strip online called "Madam and Eve" and they are skewering the whole thing by having OJ give the guy advice from jail.  It is shaping up to be an OJ-like media circus, beloved athlete kills mate.  The media sharks are circling.

Christopher Dorner.  People are talking about how he won and his case is being reopened.  Excuse me, but when you are dead, having killed several innocent people to prove your point, you aren't going to get much sympathy from me.  A lot of people are wringing their hands over his mistreatment by LAPD.  It very well may be that the wrong decision was made in his case, but somehow that justifies what he did?  Uh, sure.  You want to get media attention, so you KILL a few people to prove your point?  That makes no sense whatsoever and only serves to show that the PD may have had a point in firing the guy.  The reasoning behind this escapes me.  You get fired, you move forward and try to clear your name, not participate in Wild West justice and go down in a hail of gunfire.

Election materials.  It's getting nasty as the Mayoral race heats up.  Frankly, if I had had any intention of voting for Jan Perry, it has been tossed out the window by all the negative  attack ads I have been receiving in my mailbox.  Really Jan?  I want to know what YOU have done and what your plan for the City is.  I really loathe that- "my opponent is a ( fill in the blank) so you should vote for me because they are terrible" type of campaigning.  I also got a mailer for Prop A , which detailed what would happen if it didn't pass but didn't say what the measure IS.  HUH?  I had to look at the ballot to see just what A is.  It's an increase in local sales tax, which I think we need.  Cities always put more taxes on homeowners, adding to the sales tax will even the playing field. 

I am still unsure who I am voting for, although my Union has endorsed Garcetti.  I need to look at the candidates statements for myself and will vote how I choose.  It depends on the view of pension "reform" and other plans as it relates to my job.  I went to a retirement seminar.  At best, I have a five-year plan, but if things get hairy I may NEVER be able to retire.  I currently pay 11% toward retirement, the City kicks in about 33% and the REST OF IT comes from investments made by the Administrator of the plan. THIS information REALLY needs to get out there.  The City is NOT funding EVERYTHING the employees are not.  That is the public perception about it.  I am also paying 5% of the cost of my medical plan, but that is another story altogether.

Jerry Buss.  The man who brought us "Showtime" has died.  He really made the Lakers what they were in the 80s, didn't he?  I also remember he had a thing for women young enough to be his daughter, but they were all adults and if each got something out of it, more power to them.  Smart businessman but he seemed a little creepy to me.

It's COLD here in Tujunga.  Yesterday there was snow on the hills above the house.  Today I am wearing my fuzzy boots to work. I was FREEZING yesterday!   We went to dinner last night at Acapulco in Sun Valley. I have been a customer for more than 35 years.  They keep changing the menu.  They didn't have what I wanted, so I ordered the "crispy fish tacos"  BAD move.  The fish was a frozen fillet in heavy batter.  It looked like a glorified fish-stick AND it was still FROZEN in the middle.  It takes rare talent to deep fry something and still have it be frozen in the middle.  The manager comped us out meals .I did not eat mine and I have a rule about ordering something else when I send back a plate, I JUST don't do it. I am afraid what the kitchen might do to my meal. The server was apologetic, but it really was not his fault.  We left him a nice tip.  I honestly don't know if or when we will go back there.  The kitchen had disappointed us more and more these days.  It used to be wonderful.  Now? Not so much.