BOBBY D'S BLOG

Just last weekend I had a power outage during one of those very hot days.  No airconditioning, no lights, and even worse... no t.v.!  It was unbelievably quiet.  The only thing I could hear was my dog panting and battery operated clocks ticking.  It got me thinking... if this was a disaster would I be prepared?

Sadly the answer is probably not prepared enough.  I had one flashlight, but no spare batteries.  No stored water or food!  No cash!

Seismologists say "the Big one" will happen within the next 30 years.  They say it would be as large as the China earthquake.  And look at all the other phenomena we've had here.  Tornadoes in the Moreno Valley?  Flash floods in Sierra Madre?

Am I overreacting?  Are you prepared?

Hey Gang,

I don't know if you've heard, but the city of Pasadena is considering an ordinance that would ban smoking at outdoor dining and shopping areas.  They take up the issue next month.  It might also mean you can't smoke while in line at a movie theater, bus stop, or ATM.  Heck... they even say you might not even be able to smoke at the Rose Parade.

I was living in New York when the city passed its smoking ban.  I have to say in the beginning I was against it.  I've always been a non-smoker, but never seemed to be bothered by second-hand smoke.  I always thought smoky bars were just a part of gritty New York City.  And I could never understand all of those servers and bartenders who complained about working in that kind of environment.  Why not work somewhere else?

There wasn't as many people leading a revolt against the ban as I thought there would be.  And after a short while, everyone kind of got used it.  Even I was pleasantly surprised to come home after a night out and not wince in disgust at my smoky clothing.

But does an OUTDOOR smoking ban go too far? There's even talk of making the ordinance even stricter... making it illegal to smoke on sidewalks and golf courses.  Do you think smokers should have some rights too and a place to do as they choose? Or is it the smokers who are encroaching on non-smokers' environments?

See you soon....

bobbyd

 

Gas prices have climbed another 7 cents a gallon over the past two weeks.  By the end of last week, the average price nationwide for self-serve regular was $3.26  I can't remember the last time I saw those prices like that here in LA!

We fill our news vehicles everyday and I watch those prices climb.   The gas station down the block from our studios are already charging 4 bucks a gallon for premium gas!

When we do stories on gas prices we certainly get a lot of reaction (mostly negative as you might expect).  People will drive and buy gas because they have to. 

Critics say we need to free ourselves from dependence on foreign oil.  That may be a long term solution, but is there anything else our government can do?!  Are crude oil supplies really that tight or are suppliers just cashing it in?

I bought a hybrid vehicle and that seems to be helping my wallet a bit!

I've seen it time and time again-- a child gunned down in a senseless shooting.  The grieving family becomes resolute that their child's death will not be in vain.  Others are left wondering if criminals living among us will ever get the message?


The murder of Jamiel Shaw was a tragedy in every sense of the word.  Two young people living in our city, who took two different paths. Unfortunately, their paths converged some 10 days ago. 

 At 17-years-old, Shaw was a star on the High School football field and off.  Just a week before he was killed, universities had contacted him, expressing interest in giving him scholarships.   A week before the shooting, suspect Pedro Espinosa was in prison for weapons violations.  A day after he was released, police say Espinosa killed Jamiel Shaw.  Espinosa is just 19-years-old, and could face the death penalty. 

The LAPD says this is a gang shooting, but insist race was not a factor.  In fact the Mayor and Police Chief say there is no evidence of a much larger "race war" in the city.  They point out that more homicides occur within races (black on black or brown on brown crimes) than between races.  I was at a press conference last week, where the Chief blasted a reporter for repeatedly asking whether racial tensions are to blame for an upsurge in violence. 

As a reporter, it is numbing to see so much of this day after day.  Obviously there are no easy solutions.  What do you think we can do to stem the violence? 


BobbyD

    Our country seems to be mesmerized by the primary elections, especially the fight for the Democratic nomination. Perhaps inspired by the notion we may soon have the nation's first African-American or Woman president, Americans seem to be following the campaigns more than ever before.

    It's the ultimate reality show, and the networks are raking in huge profits. Someone cleverly dubbed the Texas and Ohio primaries "Super Tuesday II, " everyone ran with that title, and it captured larger audiences than the "first" Super Tuesday. Hillary won the two states, and now she's "the Comeback Kid."

    Funny thing is, this was the Clinton strategy all along. After Super Tuesday, her campaign admitted they would look forward to March 4--knowing they would probably lose most of the states in-between. But in the weeks leading up to Super Tuesday Deux, pundits seemed so surprised when Barack Obama won 11 states. And now, they're neck and neck. It may not be settled until the Democratic Convention in August. Months more coverage and more money for the networks.

    I'm a political junkie, and I have to admit, I don't mind all the hype--- I'm addicted. Are you enjoying the coverage? Or are you ready for this to be over already?!

Bobby D.

 P.S. Many thanks to all of you who sent me nice note after filling in for Steve this week on Good Day LA. It was a blast!

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season! Haven't blogged in a while but thought I'd take the opportunity to tell you about a charity I'm working with on Friday. A friend told me about "Fragile X" and asked me to emcee an event. I was hesitant at first mainly because I wasn't familiar with the disease... don't have any children and don't know anyone with autistic behaviors.

Then I met a wonderful family, the Shelly's, and had to help. Andrea Shelly is the founder of the West Coast (Orange County Chapter) of FRAXA, a non-profit that raises money for research to find a cure for the disorder. See their story here.

Fragile X is the leading cause of autism. Other symptoms may include mental retardation, seizures, ADHD, and hyperactivity. In many cases, it affects boys more severely since the genetic defect is in the X Chromosome and males only have one. Andrea's daughter was diagnosed with Fragile X. She's an example of what can happen with treatment and education. She's an amazing 10-year-old and while she still has a long way to go... there is hope she can lead a normal life.

FRAXA is amazing because not only does it provide funds for research, it also is a great network for support, and brings awareness. It gives children hope. I invite you to join me at this event. It's at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach on Friday night at 6 p.m. There's a fashion show and a live auction. One of the prizes is a Mini Cooper!

You can get more information on www.fraxa.org Buy some tickets or give a donation. Hope to see you there!

Bobbyd

Today is the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. 

Hard to believe it's been six years already, but I remember it as clear as the skies were that day.    It truly was a day that changed my life.  As many tragedies I covered in the past, it was during those moments I realized how precious life is.  

I was shell shocked at first. Many of my good friends had run from the falling towers.  They looked like ghosts covered in pulverized debris and soot.  There was so much paper everywhere, and it kept raining from the sky.  I actually picked up some of those sheets, read memos from one co-worker or friend to another, and wondered if they had made it out alive. 

Days later... it hit me like a ton of bricks as families walked aimlessly around Manhattan, from one hospital to the next, looking for their loved ones, clutching photos in their hands.  A friend of mine was a doctor at one of the hospitals and told me frankly  "There is no one here in the emergency room."  The first time I actually broke down I saw a tired little boy, collapse on a bench, and moan for his missing sister.  I imagined my own family in that same predicament.  That little boy is probably a teenager now.

Life goes on, but I can't imagine what it must be like for folks who lost someone that day.   They will never forget, and neither should we.

 I wanted to send a special note to my good friend, Steve, who lost is brother in the towers.  He was a firefighter, and a hero by any measure.  Our prayers are with you today.

Finally, I don't know what happened to my last post, but I wanted to send out another prayer to my little brother and all the men and women serving in Iraq.  We salute you!

So I've been blogging for a few months already.  And now we have this feature that shows the latest blogs, who's blogging now, etc.  Technology moving at an unbelievable pace.

 Soon we'll be doing more reports on the web as well.  Which got me thinking.... how many of you actually tune into websites and watch news from your desks or laptops?  Will streaming live news on the internet ever be bigger than live t.v.?  Think of all the images we've seen unfold on live.... Man's first walk on the moon, 9-11, Shuttle disasters, natural disasters, Royal weddings, Presidential funerals, courtroom verdicts...  Pictures, sounds, commentary.

 What does all of this technology mean for the future role of network and local television?

 Times are a changin..

 Bobbyd

How is everyone's summer?