We're In It Now

There are seminal moments when what we once thought life was like no longer holds true. The givens and guideposts that led us through our mundane lives no longer apply after certain catastrophic events. For all who live through these moments a new anxiety and a new reality replace the calmness that we always took for granted.

A cursory look quickly reveals such events. For those dwindling in number, Pearl Harbor would be one of the first of these historical posts. The grimness and fear that had gripped much of the world finally caught up to America on that fateful December 7th day. Not until the end of hostilities in 1945, did the country begin to sigh in relief.

Sputnik in 1957 opened the curtain to an earth which might be controlled from outer space. Kennedy's assassination ended a new age of innocence and ushered in uncertainty that paralyzed an entire generation of young folk. Watergate led to a disdain for all things political and those who practiced such. Obviously, 9/11 brought the age of terror to America's shores and it could be that unconsciously, a vote for Obama could be seen as a wish to end the world of fear that has become associated with the Bush administration's response to bin Laden.

But not all changes happen so suddenly. Like a pot of soup slowly coming to full boil, it takes awhile to realize that the world we once knew will never return. The supremacy of suburbia and a new host of values took root in the 1950's. There really was no one event that triggered this change. Instead, returning veterans flush with the GI Bill, interstate highways leading away from urban centers, and the new medium of television beaming pictures of a new "reality", combined to create a world of Levittowns being built in what were once far flung pastures.

Today, a change has come. It has to do with greed. Banks freed from government controls, lusted after the common man's money, and began issuing all types of new loan combinations, putting people in dream homes that they were not economically prepared to handle. As these homes gained in value, some "flipped" them for quick profits while others took out "equity" to buy the latest gas guzzling SUV. And just as these loans were called in another crisis hit our shores - the slow but steady rise in gasoline prices. Economists warned that a tipping point would be reached if gas hit $3 a gallon. Others said $3.50 would be fatal. Well whatever the consensus, gas is over $4.00 everywhere. (Hey, here in SoCal we are paying over $4.50.)

This combination of a housing meltdown and incredibly high fuel prices are changing the face of our country. This is one of those seminal moments! Unemployment is creeping up, good paying jobs are becoming scarce, foreclosures are on a
steep rise and what we once took for granted is no longer so. The American dream has become a nightmare for many and many more might be joining this bad dream in the near future.

Work hard and then what? Will health insurance be there when needed? What is the use in purchasing a car if one can't afford the petro? If one is to go on vacation, one better travel light as the charges for checked baggage become more costly.

America has ridden through hard economic times before - the Panic of the 1890's, the Great Depression of the 1930's, and the morass of the 1970's. In every instance, our system prevailed and we pulled through. There is no doubt that we will make it through this mess as well. But many will be hurt by current situations and when all is said and done, scars will be left on those who lived through these times. Go find anyone eighty-five or older and ask them what motivated them to hard work and frugality and in almost all cases they will respond - The Great Depression.

Ten Bucks

Ten bucks (give or take a little depending on
where you live, what your age is, and the
time of the day) is what they ask you to pluck
down at the cinema box office. Ten bucks for a few
hours of escape from the heat, flooding, depressing
news, and the god-awful eternal presidential
race. In this age of inflated admissions to
everything (i.e. Disneyland, Major League Baseball,
Broadway), ten bucks does not sound so bad. So what
exactly do you get as you go to the movies in the
year 2008:

You get into the theater but still need at least
another ten dollars to sit down with a bucket
of popcorn and a soda.

You get directions from some seventeen year old
usher to go left and then right and then right
again to theater number 29.

You get twenty minutes of pre preview commercial
programming showing you what you could have watched
for free if you had stayed home and put on the TV.

You get upwards of five or more incredibly loud actual
previews that might scare you to death especially if
the trailer is about a horror or murder movie and you
particularly do not care for that type of fare.

You get a message about the venerable Will Rogers
fund and how a portion of the concessions will go
to it even as you remember how empty popcorn
tubs were once passed through the aisles so that
patrons could directly make a contribution.

You get an inane message about snacks being available
even as the actual movie is about to start.

You get more than one message about "Silence is
Golden" and turning off your cell phones while the
guy next to you continues to text message and the
phone light seems as bright as the moon in the
darkened theater.

You get to watch a formulaic Spiderman Marvel
action film with a conflicted hero and his
"Mary Jane" girlfriend.

You get to watch a totally non funny "comedy
hit of the year" film featuring the likes of
an Adam Sandler, Steve Carell, or Mike Myers.

You get to watch an historical epic that in
reality is a video game on screen.

You get hooked into all the hype and may or
may not buy reserved tickets for the blockbuster
that will jam the theater for no more than
two weekends and then play in virtually
empty theaters for another few weeks before
coming out on DVD.

You get to go to the megaplex no more than
ten minutes from your house and miss the chance
to go "downtown" to that gorgeous movie palace
that is the only theater within fifty miles showing
the film.

You get... You get... You get what you deserve.
Movie companies have no plans at all. They depend
totally on how the population responds to their
films. In no other business transaction do consumers
have such power. Those not happy with the current
fare should seek out a higher quality of film. Of
course, with such a large diverse population, the
movie people will almost always go for that sweet spot
of teens and twenty somethings who continually pack
those opening weekends. For the rest of us, see it
on Netflix.

Champions

What is it about sports that draws so many? Particularly, what is it about championships that gets even the casual observor involved? In the past few months some major events have held many of us breathless as we pondered the outcomes that were played out before us. Each of these championships were unique in their story lines and how they evolved. Each gave us a glimpse into the beauty of sport.

The NHL Stanley Cup: For the first time in many seasons, two marquee teams with big national followings played for the most prestigious trophy in all of sports. In a league begging for television viewers, the NHL produced the legendary Detroit Red Wings against the young exciting Pittsburgh Penguins led by the real "Next Wayne Gretzky", Sidney Crosby. Despite Crosby and the rest of his teammates enthusiasm and skating speed, it was the veteran presence of the Red Wings with their defensive prowess that wore out the Penguins. Most fans went into this series looking for Crosby to take the expected step in what will be one of the most storied careers in the history of hockey. Instead, hockey followers went away with a feeling of awe as they watched a team, the Red Wings, truly meld together to become champions.

The Triple Crown: Big Brown went into this series undefeated and easily won the first two legs of Horse Racing's spring festival, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. The large beautiful horse, endowed with fresh cash from corporate sponsor, UPS (the real "Brown") looked to be a lock to become the first horse in some thirty years to win the Triple Crown. Here we were watching for greatness to unfold. Unfortunately, no one told Big Brown exactly what history he was trying to accomplish. Perhaps hindered by a hoof injury (or, hush, lacking his biweekly shot of steroids), Brown had to be pulled up two thirds of the way into the demanding Belmont Stakes. Brown was the star who enticed us to watch. So even now, just weeks after the race, someone could win a trivia contest if they could name the actual winner - Da'Tara.

The U.S. Open: If Big Brown could not overcome his physical problems, perhaps Tiger Woods could. Playing the first tournament since having knee surgery, Woods would go on and have one of the most memorable victories ever. Literally having trouble just walking the 18 hole Torrey Pines course, Woods had to play not only the required four days of golf but an extra round on Monday against journeyman Rocco Mediate. And even then, the two had to go to one extra hole to determine the winner of this most important tournament. Here was the unheralded Mediate playing his heart out and there was the almost one legged superstar giving it his all in a match for the ages.

The NBA Finals: The "Next Michael Jordan", Kobe Bryant, was surrounded on a team with solid if not spectacular players. Up against Bryant's Lakers were a trio of true superstars, the Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. If ever there was a championship that was pretty much preordained, this was the one. Holding home court advantage, the Celtics easily won the first two games. Needing only one win in Los Angeles, Boston put on a comeback that will be talked about for a long time as they overcame a deficit of twenty-four points to win the pivotal fourth game. There really was no reason for the teams to travel all the way across the country to finish this out but travel they did. And in Boston and in a new Garden, the Celtics blew out the Lakers to win the franchise's seventeenth banner. These two historic teams have combined for half of all NBA championships so watching this series was a walk down memory lane.

Reasons to watch sports: How will the young stud do? (NHL) Will a champion for the ages be crowned? (Horse Racing) Can a physical impairment stop the superstar? (U.S. Open) Are three greater than The One? (NBA) Whether your team or favorite won or lost, let us be thankful for all these incredible athletic feats that we were able to feast our eyes upon and read and think about over these past days. Not often does such drama come our way.

Meet Mr. Russert

Not long ago, Democrat operative Terry McAuliffe made a comment while on Meet The Press, that his deceased dad would be talking to Tim Russert's late father up in heaven. Patiently and with that trademark wry humor, Russert reminded McAuliffe that "Big Russ" was still with us and hadn't gone on to his reward.

Who could have none, that just weeks after that show was taped, the ever present, eternally enthusiastic younger Russert would be making the trip up to heaven before his own father. By now, word has gotten around to most of us, that the long running Meet The Press host and Washington DC bureau chief for NBC, died today at age 58.

Russert was versed in all the latest technology, able to go online with his views. Yet he really was a throwback to a simpler time, when people looked toward the evening news and their familiar anchors for much of their information and understanding on current events. Hand-in-hand with the evening news broadcasts were the Sunday morning news shows, an island of civilized discussion in a world where more and more talk was about posturing and hiding from the truth.

Russert was a bulldog in his preparation for his guests and in his determination to question them on the hard issues of the day. His trademark, putting up on screen previous quotations that his guest might have forgotten, were used not so much to trap the guest but to give historical continuity to the issue and the guest's own personal quest to frame the difficult issue that might be in question that day.

There once was a world in which TV news personalities and TV networks were expected to stay as neutral as possible in their presentations and in their hunt for truth. That world is eroding quickly. Any regular cable TV news watcher can quickly figure out where Bill O'Reilly, Keith Olbermann, and Lou Dobbs are coming from. In a way, the new wave puts the focus on the interviewer not the interviewee.

Tim Russert was a bridge back to a simpler but perhaps more intelligent world. He squashed any of his own personal political leanings to get at the truth and let the light shine on his important guest. This straightforward and honest approach helped to build trust in the venerable reporter.

Russert's most memorable moment was when he used a white board to count down the remaining electoral votes in the hotly disputed 2000 presidential election. In a news environment where John King on CNN can literally stretch and squeeze a state map to get instant voting results, many were longing for another repeat of the quaint methods Russert used just eight years ago. How sad that Russert's expertise and insight have been taken from us in this important election season.

What Can "Big" Brown Do For You?

We truly are living in depressing times. Gas prices are rising daily if not hourly. Foreclosures are not just hitting those who barely could afford that suburban home; but now some of the so called rich and famous. The stock market is going wild, people are retrenching on vacations, and soon unemployment will dramatically rise.

When things were going awful in the midst of the real "Great Depression" of the 1930's, at least there was someone or something to look towards as a source of inspiration. Legendary heroes such as Babe Ruth, Joe Dimaggio, Jesse Owens, "Cinderella Man" James Braddock, and Joe Louis were just some of the great sportsmen who allowed the millions who were suffering just enough time to lift their spirits and take a few moments off of their own problems.

Perhaps the greatest of these sports heroes was the great horse, Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit was emblematic of the times in that he, his owner, his trainer, and his main jockey were all once down and outers who came together to overcome their own shortcomings and produce victory and ultimate redemption in their lives. A champion who overcomes tough odds is always an object of wonderment and amazement to those who are having a tough time.

So here we are in 2008. Perhaps we are not in a "Great Depression" but things have sure gone south and in a quick way. We seem to have a president who is totally out of touch with what is going on. We have friends, neighbors, and loved ones stuck thousands of miles away in a war without end. And as mentioned above, economic hard times are upon many. With this as a backdrop, people once again are looking for that special someone who can give their spirits a bit of a boost.

We began looking for that person a few years back when we marvelled at baseball sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. But possible steroid use has soured our view of these former players (as well as future Hall of Famers Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens). Many saw greatness in the New England Patriots and their cover boy quarterback, Tom Brady. But this team of destiny lost their perfect season in the midst of cheating allegations and Brady's preoccupation with things not football related.

So today, on a warm New York June Saturday, all eyes were looking once again towards a magnificent four legged creature to bring hope to a world that has begun to look quite hopeless. His name is Big Brown and after easily winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown, Brown was poised to capture our imagination in a depleted field of nine horses in the long one and a half mile Belmont Stakes.

Everything seemed to be in place. A bit of drama crept into the story as a cracked hoof plagued the big horse over the last few weeks. Brown went off as the odds on favorite and there he was around the far turn in a perfect outside third place ready for his signature gallop home. But things did not go as planned as Brown ran out of energy and shockingly was pulled up to finish dead last.

Our prayers go out that the horse will be healthy and will be able to run in the future. But until then a bit of a dagger has been put into us as we saw defeat and despair overcome joy and winning. Big Brown was our ticket out of this spiraling mess that our country is in and he could not deliver. Oh that we hope that someone or something out there will be our new champion. As for today, there is no joy for the mighty Big Brown has struck out!

Memories Going Up In Smoke

Sunday morning's newscasts here in Southern California were dominated with the big fire that hit the backlot of Universal Studios. Up in smoke went the town square made famous in Back to the Future. Lost was the facades of New York Street that were used in many films including the classic, Inherit The Wind. Additionally, a film vault was lost which housed copies of numerous movies.

As the flames engulfed this world of pretense, one's emotions were taken down memory land. Here in la-la land, most of us have visited Universal numerous times. All though many of the main attractions periodically change, the basic studio tour has not. You get on a tram with an amateur college aged comedian and tour the sets of films and TV shows that may or may not strike your fancy depending on how old you are or what type of programming fit your fancy.

There in front of you is the home that the Cleavers "lived" in on Leave It To Beaver. Over there is the infamous Bates Hotel where we all have gotten the message to lock the door before taking a shower. There is the pond where Jaws hangs out. And on it goes. A fake world that has taken on real meaning to many of us.

Comparing my own reaction to the fire, I find some shame. Just recently we have seen (perhaps not as much as we should have seen - see my 5/15 blog entry) real calamity in China, Burma, Iraq, Tibet, and Darfur. For a moment our being stops and we wonder how such horrible things can happen and what will the survivors in these varied places do with their lives. But the moment does not last and we move on. And yet here was a "disaster" where no one died and some set pieces vanished. (Indeed, Universal is already open for business and statements have been made that most of the facades will be rebuilt.) Yet the hold that this world of celluloid has upon us is truly amazing. I found myself taking much longer to linger over this event than many of the real events mentioned above.

It is too easy to say that I will teach myself to steer clear of crying over fiction instead of truly caring about what is real. I would love to think that if these were the last copies of precious classical novels that I would pause long and hard and feel sadness. But here I am with my own thoughts, in distress over some brick, wood, and fiberglass building fronts that were featured in movies that marked my way in life. The reality is that what we touch with our own hands, see with our own eyes, and experience with our own life is so powerful that it overpowers what should be an intellectual way of dividing what is and what is not important in this world of ours.