Kevin & Brandi Norman in 2003

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.” — Anonymous

In this day and age and especially in a business where we are fortunate to meet so many people, friends come and they go. We may not talk for months and in some cases even a few years, but good friends pick up right where they left off; as if no time has ever passed … as if older age has never come.

It really doesn’t seem that long ago. Dressed in uniform with worries that now seem so trivial, summers were spent at Cleve Borman Field in the heart of the Napa Valley. On a hill overlooking the quaint town of Yountville, sits the Veterans Home of California and at the heart of “The Home”, lies a baseball field that has been ingrained into the lives of men, young and old for generations. Somewhat appropriate that this field is where I met Kevin and so many other summer friends.

I only mention this backdrop because when I think of Kevin Norman, I can only think of him here. Standing at third base, usually a smile on his face as we both nodded in agreement that the next pitch needed to be a bit inside because the batter was being a bit too cocky. There were so many times that he would look over after I took the inside fastball sign from our catcher Mickey Lippett and say…”got your back”, much to the chagrin of our coach Steve Meyer.

Funny thing is…Kevin and I were really only friends because of baseball. We went to different high schools, were different years in school and lived in different towns. Didn’t matter. Even though I hadn’t talked with Kevin in about 4 years or so, he was still a friend on the day he died…for that matter he is still a friend.

Kevin, his wife Brandi (also a pilot in the Army), his family and friends are why so many of us treasure our military. They risk their lives in places like Afghanistan and Iraq and for Kevin and thousands of others serving our country, they provide support and security in areas we sometimes rarely hear about….or have almost forgotten. When we went to Korea a few years back for stories, I met some of these brave men and women and I also had numerous Koreans and soldiers tell me about Kevin and his friend Dave…and their heroic acts.

Funny how life works because last night I was out with some old friends, who like Kevin I hadn’t seen in a while. Through one of them I met someone new who knew all about Kevin. You know how the conversation goes when you meet someone who knows someone in or around your hometown and you’ve never met them before? They always ask….hey, do you know (insert name here). In this case one name led to another and Kevin came up. I grabbed my iPhone and searched his name. Hard to believe that it has been 6 years since I learned about his fate. I was long away from the wine country and couldn’t attend any of the services at the time, but I remember talking on the phone with some of our friends and a member or two of his family. I remember calling our affiliate KTVU in the Bay Area, letting the family tell them about his selfless and heroic act. KTVU went to Sonoma and told the story of Kevin’s bravery in 2003 and would return to tell of his honor this year.

As I pulled up the first article on the internet, I was expecting to see a dateline from 2003, the year that Kevin died. Instead I found this story. An honor for a man I knew in stirrups and a jersey, but showed ultimate courage in a quiet different uniform. A kid who once played for veterans, now honored as one of our best veterans. This story comes from the U.S. Army Forces Command and several other reports.

It is a story about two soldiers and their bravery that resulted in the ultimate sacrifice.  Kevin was honored in his hometown of Sonoma on Memorial Day this year and on March 27th, just two months prior….he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, along with friend and fellow soldier Dave Snow.

According to the Army, Aug. 12, 2003 was a perfect day for flying.  Chief Warrant Officer Dave Snow, a maintenance officer, needed an aviator to complete a maintenance test flight. Captain Kevin Norman, always ready to fly, volunteered to handle the flight.  From reports and flight recordings, the C-12 had engine problems and was flying at a low altitude,
heading towards a crowded restaurant and some other homes. Snow and Norman diverted the plane to an open field to avoid crashing into the restaurant and homes, saving at least 30 other lives.

Several Korean villagers wrote letters expressing their gratitude for the Soldiers’ selfless act.
“My family, including many children, would have burned to our deaths if not for the last efforts of the
pilot,” said Nam Ki Soon, a villager who witnessed the plane heading towards his house.

Because of Norman and Snow’s recordings, which were recovered at the accident site, maintenance procedures of the C-12 were changed. Also on the one-year anniversary of the crash, a statue was erected at the site of the accident in Korea and as one of their commanding officers said at this years ceremony.“Both were known to have a great sense of humor. They loved their Families, but especially their wives. They both loved flying as well as teaching and mentoring Soldiers under their  command.”

They may not be here in person, but we can still learn from them in spirit. I never met Dave and hadn’t seen Kevin in some time…but I feel honored to know their story and hope one day to see them again.

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Welcome to Fort Irwin

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Like the entire country, we were all saddened yet glued to the television as the horrific story in Texas unfolded at Fort Hood. So many times we have covered stories around the globe with soldiers stationed in Killeen and we have heard so many stories about the base, it makes you feel connected … right along with our unwavering support for our troops.

Within a few hours of the shooting we got the call. Many soldiers and their families at Fort Hood have at one time come through Fort Irwin, the Army’s massive training site in the middle of the Mojave Desert. While this base is not nearly as large as Hood, Irwin has about 22,000 soldiers and civilians on base each day by midday. Six-thousand cars make the drive off of Interstate 15 down about 35 miles or so across the desolate landscape each and every day. The topography reminds me of parts I’ve seen in th middle east and in Pakistan. The area is arid, cold at night and warm during the day.

Producer Laura Prabucki and I leave LA and battle traffic and the long road for several hours before arriving in Barstow. There we grab a quick hotel room and a few hours of sleep. Photographer Scott King and our satellite truck guru Eric Graychock decide to leave early in the morning and head straight to the fort. Our first task before we leave Barstow is a stop at a quick mart to grab water and any food that is not perishable. Unlike other bases around the country, Irwin is literally in the middle of nowhere.

Because of the concern about the shooting in Texas, Fort Irwin has decided to keep the media about 5 miles away. We have great relations with the men and women here and understand their decision. So, we are parked next to the sign that welcomes everyone, along with a couple of retired tanks. From the knoll where we are reporting, I look in a 360 degree area and see absolutely nothing. Topography that reminds me of stories I’ve covered in the Middle East and in Pakistan. Other than the road that 6,000 cars a day trek down, there’s some scrub brush and tumbleweeds, both greenish yellow from recent rains.

Everywhere we stop and everyone we meet is either watching the reports on television, or expressing condolences for all of those who serve our great nation. It is a tough time for the Army today no matter where you serve. Brothers, sisters, comrades, soldiers….all Americans. Are thoughts and prayers are with you.

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California game wardens cover a massive amount of land and water in and off of the Golden State. From 200 miles off the coast, the the highest peaks and lowest desert, wardens do their best to protect California’s natural resources, animals and wild areas. It is a rewarding, yet tedious job since only 358 sworn officers cover an area twice the size of California (counting the ocean of course). As a kid growing up in Northern California and then as I worked in areas like Chico (the North Valley), the Wine Country, the Sacramento Valley and now for Fox as a correspondent, I have seen their good work. Tough and ever more dangerous. The budget crisis hasn’t made anything easier as a significant increase in manpower wont likely come any time soon. Here is some behind the scenes video as we along for a ride with wardens Stephen Johnson and Byron Trunnell on the Sacramento River.

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So what is it like to board a Navy ship? Well the last time a photographer and I boarded this ship, the destroyer USS Milius, we were landing in a helicopter as the ship patrolled the Persian Gulf and enforced the UN Mandate on Iraq before the war began back in February 2003. Now we get the chance to do a proper boarding in San Diego, where the ship calls home. The crew has just returned from a seven month deployment and will stay in this area until some time next spring. It is good to be back on board the ship and good to see her in such great shape and in such good hands.

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Based in ‘Tinsel Town’, we get our share of famous faces walking through the hallways of the LA bureau. From Actors to politicians, reality stars to bands, few cause a stir like the one caused today. Sure we have swimsuit models and the single guys or girls (depending on the models gender of course) take notice, but this star has a following that brought a number of us downstairs to the LA studio. He weighs in at only a few pounds and sports a nice and quite familiar shade of blue. My mom might even argue that next to my immediate family, he was one of the few figures I recognized at an age where I could barely walk. Funny thing is, those standing with me now downstairs cover about 13 years from one end of the age spectrum to another. Whether we watched TV in the bell-bottom 70’s or were initially glued to the tube during Bush 41, most kids in this country know … ‘THE Cookie Monster’.  

As the rumor he was in the building filtered around the newsroom, the buzz of excitement barely could be kept in. Did he actually have cookies with him and were they good? Like many in LA did have an entourage and was a certain 7-foot bird along for the ride? So many questions. Chocolate Chip is his choice and now we know oatmeal is his second. BUT … this trip wasn’t just to talk flat-baked treats, THE ‘Cookie Monster’ was here talking healthy eating and specifically eggs as part of a balanced diet. It seems America’s egg farmers are partnering with Sesame Street on their 40th anniversary to donate eggs helping fight hunger. Called ‘The Good Egg Project’, for every American who signs the pledge to eat good every day, the farmers will donate an egg to the food bank up to 1-million white ones. Not bad. And Cookie Monster reminds us … after a balanced meal, there is nothing wrong with throwing down a chocolate chip one! Which make me think right about now … “Me want cookie!”, “Me eat cookie!” They better be soft!

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My write-up is coming and also some behind the scenes pictures. In the meantime, here is a 2-minute video of high surf training with the U.S. Coast Guard off of Ocean Beach in San Francisco.

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Just 100 yards or so north of the Mexican border, we stand in the middle of southbound lanes on the I-5 freeway. Here agents from Customs and Border Protection along with ICE agents are conducting a random outbound operation. The idea is to grab any guns or cash headed south to fuel the Mexican drug cartels and ongoing brutal war.

Like millions of Americans, I have come to this port of entry in San Ysidro (the largest in the world) several times as a kid with my family intent on a day of being a tourist south of the border. For many, those days are now gone as violence steals the fun of buying cheap curios and enjoying Mexican culture in this historic border city.

When officers run one of these outbound, or southbound operations, they literally have to walk into southbound traffic and stop cars on foot. There are no barriers to speak of and no checkpoints on the American side to protect those tasked with protecting our borders. This lack of security worries the San Ysidro Port Director Oscar Preciado.

As he talks with us, he glances over his shoulder at the operation and notes there’s not much there to protect his men and women standing in the street. Sure the cars have now backed up as the operation begins, but if one was to make a run for it, there’s little to stop a driver other than a body.

These searches only happen periodically because of a lack of infrastructure and manpower. Agents number one priority is stopping the flow of drugs and possible threats to our national security heading northward. As Oscar says, “If we had the resources we would like to be here 7-24, you know, the resources, the infrastructure, but we don’t so we need to be unpredictable. We need to try to catch them off guard, come in, hit them hard, then pull back and do that off and on.”

In the last two months, the situation has gotten a tad better with the introduction of Mexican troops now somewhat patrolling the Mexican side of this checkpoint. Both the Americans and our their Mexican colleagues want to stop money and guns and there has been some success. President Calderon and his supporters have to be excited about the possibility of more help now pledged by the Obama administration. More money spent here and more eyes will certainly help stem some of the flow.

As this operation approaches 20 minutes in length, agents also have to deal with spotters. People who will line the last overpass (or first overpass depending how you look at it)  and surrounding buildings and call smugglers using their cell phones warning on both sides of the border about this operation and random checkpoint. As soon as the operations ends, the phones are again in use.

Just a few feet to the east, ongoing northbound operations continue. The checkpoints coming into the states are huge and soon will be expanded even more. An SUV and a car are quickly pulled aside after a drug dog gets a hit. Inside pound after pound of marijuana is pulled out of door panels, spare tires, anywhere it can be stuffed. Within seconds a field test reveals that it is dope.

This is a slow day actually down here. A chess game with multiple players and multiple boards. The common line in the sand, the U.S. Mexico border once welcome to tourists, now all but a warning of ongoing threats a few feet to its south.

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As the sun rises over Tijuana, I start to think about all the changes we’ve seen along this border in the last seven years. We didn’t think twice about heading south to cover immigration issues or other stories, but now, that’s almost out of the question because of the ongoing and brutal drug war. Just two days ago, two more headless bodies were dumped in Tijuana and another bunch of police were arrested for corruption. President Calderon’s office tells me that they’re doing everything they can and by most accounts here on the border, they are making some progress. However, there is still widespread corruption in government and law enforcement south of our border, which makes the job of our border agents that much more difficult and imperative. As we report on the nearly 40 billion in illegal drug profits flowing from the US into Mexico (compared with an estimated 25 billion sent home by immigrant workers), Customs and Border Protection passes along this release and photos:

SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at San Diego area ports of entry have noticed a disturbing new trend in the past several months involving an upswing in the use of boys and young adult males to smuggle narcotics taped to their bodies as they enter the U.S. on foot.
Since late August 2008, when CBP officers first noted the upswing, until the end of last month CBP officers at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa passenger ports apprehended 157 teen and adult pedestrians entering the United States from Mexico carrying a total of 285 pounds of marijuana, 1.2 pounds of heroin, 4.7 pounds of cocaine and over nine pounds of methamphetamine concealed under their clothing.
The majority of the border crossers were young U.S. citizens while the rest were Mexican males. They ranged in age from 15 to 56, with the majority being in their teens or early 20’s. Almost 75 percent of the males were under 29 years of age and 25 percent were under age 18. Most of the males caught smuggling narcotics were wearing loose, multiple layers of clothing to hide the bulging packages taped to their bodies.

Although strapping narcotics to a traveler’s torso is not a new smuggling technique, apprehensions since last August have burgeoned 811 percent at San Ysidro and 316 percent at Otay Mesa compared to the same period the previous year when officers discovered a total of 23 pedestrians entering local ports with concealed narcotics. The trend has continued into this month with the apprehension on March 2 of three 14-year old U.S. citizen boys caught smuggling a total of  over 11 pounds of marijuana as they entered the San Ysidro port pedestrian facility from Mexico.

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Every once in a while we get a sports story that slips into the news category and such is the case, I think, of the Manny Ramirez saga. While most in the sports world have followed the Dodgers as they basically bid against themselves, not everyone may have followed the slugger and his salary demands. Let’s be clear, both sides made mistakes in this fight over millions, but both sides really had little choice but to eventually work with each other. SO….here is what we’ve learned:

Last night Dodger manager Joe Torre and GM Ned Colletti flew from Glendale Arizona to Los Angeles, joined team owner Frank McCourt and met with Manny and Boras. All the parameters are in place and all that’s left is a physical. An official anouncement is expected later today and a press conference is ready to go tomorrow at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers new spring training facility they share with the White Sox.

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For the first time the Strategy Room on FoxNews.com was live from the west coast. Called ‘The BullPen’, you could have followed the action LIVE on FoxNews.com and click on the STRATEGY ROOM. But now that I have updated this post after the fact, I of course have to change the writing to past tense. You can still leave comments and feedback here and I will monitor and pick some to talk about on the air. We will also had a live stream behind the scenes for fun on the link below. It was a fun time and we hope to make this a live show every other Monday, depending on breaking news and my day to day assignments here in the west. Below you will find a behind the scenes link, a twitter link and a link to my other blogs. WHEW!

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It sure doesn’t seem like a decade has passed, but that’s how long it’s been since I suited up in Chandler, Arizona for spring training with the Brewers. So much has changed since then, especially here in the Cactus League. 10 teams have ballooned to 14 and when the Reds come to town next year, the numbers will be equal with the Grapefruit League at 15. The Phoenix metro area has rolled out the welcome sod, new facilities are found in every direction and older ones have been updated in order to make teams happy to stay. Why spend the cash you say, well here in Glendale in the shadow of the new football stadium and hockey arena, 20 million dollars is expected to be infused into the local economy thanks to the White Sox and Dodgers sharing this new facility. We got a chance to talk with Dodger Manager Joe Torre, who has spent his fair share of spring trainings in both Arizona and Florida, both as a player and a coach. He says it makes sense to move from Vero Beach to Arizona, because the teams are closer together and the weather is more predictable.

What you may not realize is that spring training may only last 5 weeks, but don’t think this facility, Camelback Ranch, and others like it, go dormant. Each team has about 170 players in camp and once camp breaks, about 30 or so will stay here in what’s called extended spring training. This is for the young guys and players who are recovering from injuries. There will still be some scrimmages and then after the draft in June, another chunk of guys will come to town for a couple of weeks in preparation for short season baseball. Some will leave for short season leagues around the country, but the young guys will still stay here in the sweltering heat for then summer playing in rookie ball. Once the season is over, prospects and guys working on a few extra things come back to this facility and play in the Arizona fall league. So basically, teams and players on rehab are here year around, with everyone here at the same time for five weeks in February and March.

Camelback Ranch is state of the art as sports facilities go. The fields are pristine, the main stadium gorgeous and the clubhouses and cages are expansive and impressive. Players from all ages run from one spot to another, coaches either ride in carts or jog from batting cage to field. The crack of the bat can be heard all over and a small group of fans press against the fence to try and catch a ball or glimpse of their favorite star. The game today is on one of the back diamond, on Sunday it will be at the main stadium, which includes luxury boxes and thousands of seats.

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I just got off of the phone with a senior member of the Mexican government and they confirm to me that as part of this huge Sinaloa Drug Cartel bust, they are extraditing Miguel Caro-Quintero the brother of Rafael Caro-Quintero. Miguel Caro-Quintero’s organization is based in Sonora, Mexico and focuses its attention on trafficking cocaine and marijuana, he is also the brother of  Rafael, who is in a Mexican prison for his role in killing DEA Special Agent Kiki Camarena back in 1985. This arrest and extradition is a huge get for the DEA. I cannot express that enough, Caro-Quintero was a man they’ve hunted for a while. The Mexicans are also very proud of their actions.

This is a huge development because it shows that President Claderon is not afraid of criticism within his own government and country, to extradite these high value drug leaders north to the United States. I have been told by Mexican officials that they consider the threat of extradition to the United States a major deterrent because prison here would be much harsher than at home where they could still run their organizations and in some cases live like kings. The Sinaloa Cartel run by Miguel is known for threats, murder, cultivation, production and distribution of marijuana, the cartel also owns many ranches in Sonora not far south of the United States border. At these ranches,  drugs are stored and drug operations into the United States are staged. Methamphetamine, cocaine and a variety of other drugs and weapons are also part of their massive and powerful illegal trade.

Miguel Caro-Quintero is the subject of several indictments in the United States and  arrest warrants.

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There are few places better to see the stars, seemingly billions of white sparkles scatter across the sky, there are also few places better to see the front line of America’s war to secure its borders. On a personal note, I have been coming to Tucson to cover immigration stories for seven years now, more than 50 all told just in southern Arizona. The new high tech MSS, or mobile surveillance system, has already made a dramatic impact from what I can tell and provides unseen safety to agents tasked with hunting drug runners, human traffickers and others up to no good in this dramatic, yet desolate Sonoran desert.

We arrive about 6 miles from the border after dark. The trip takes us from paved roads, to rocked roads, to a rattled ride through wilderness that finally stops us on a hilltop overlooking vast openness. What seems so spectacular can also be considered quite daunting. For miles in all directions there remains nothing but a few ranchos of sorts that are miles between neighbors. In between there are creek beds, forests of low brush, high prickly grasses, cactus, wild animals and the harsh way of life that exists in this rural land.

On top of this small hill sits the MSS, which is basically a large flatbed truck with a last on the back that can extend 18 feet into the air. The truck is draped with camouflage and inside agent Dan Walker sits, monitoring the events of the night. With a click of a mouse, Walker can locate a group that has jumped the border fence and point them out using a laser beam shot across the sky. The beam can only be seen by agents using night vision goggles. All this can be accomplished by the MSS which uses thermal imaging and global positioning, to give an exact latitude and longitude to agents on the ground. The radar covers 180 degrees in 10 seconds, giving agents information in real time. Once a spot is seen coming across the border, you can actually zoom in and determining if the blip on the radar is a cow, person and if they are carrying a weapon. This provides essential safety not seen before in this atmosphere.

The MSS units run about $500,000 each and so far 40 are deployed along the border from California to Texas, 23 of those here in the Tucson sector which had become the busiest area for illegal running the last few years. According to agents, they are seeing once groups of 40 or 50, now shrink to 4 or 5. Numbers are down drastically and in the last 3 months of 2008, more than 40,000 people were detected. We see or share and then are off in trucks to try and apprehend. Even with this system,  nothing is perfect and narrowing down an area makes things easier, but not foolproof. Agents still have to worry if small weapons are carried and illegals can still hid in brush, crevasses and creeks. The hunt here is still on, but the advantage continues to move towards the men and women protecting our border.

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I never imagined such a thing. Sure we’ve all heard and seen the pictures of the French Quarter this time of year. People from across the globe struggling to stay sober and clothed for that matter, while having little issue with sleep or finding the next beer. My first trip to Mardi Gras could be described as eye opening, but not like you think. My subsequent trips and annual ride in the Endymion parade continues to amaze me. From the ride before Katrina, to the one right after, the spirit of this city may take knocks and bruises, but there’s something about this season, where the hope comes through the veins of parades that bring a lifeblood to so many neighborhoods and so many walks of life. This is a 3 minute video of my ride this year.

First, you gotta understand, Mardi Gras is not the French Quarter. Well, it is, and it isn’t. The quarter looks like a sardine can of people, in all sorts and styles of dress. Music abounds, walking parades, a few police officers and beer vendors seem to be the only thing that can part the crowd. You see, the big parades like you watch on the televison, they can’t go through the French Quarter, the streets are too narrow and the crowds too thick. So, most parades march through town, then down Canal Street before hanging a right onto St.Charles. The big parades like Endymion (mine) and Bacchus end up in the Super dome for a massive party that stays until dawn. The smaller ones have their own versions of celebrations following the ride and it seems like there is a krewe for everyone.

I ride in the Endymion parade as part of the ‘Wright Krewe’, which rolls on Saturday night and is the biggest of the season. Several hundred thousand line the streets for hours as part of a city long block party. It’s this slice of life that you really don’t see unless you come to the ‘Big Easy’ this time of year. The block party stretches down Orleans and Carrollton, Canal and St. Charles. People stand 20 and 30 deep in places and families mark their spots days in advance. Barbeque’s spew smoke that drifts to our second tier perch, vendors hawk everything imaginable and as we reach each block, the roar sends a spike of energy that keeps you standing and throwing hours into the night. Businesses spill onto the streets, kids have gaping smiles from ear to ear and generations join together to celebrate the floats and beg for beads.

Each year I join a good friend Chris Laiche and his family. Native to Metairie, they introduced me to this season about a decade ago, right before we reported to spring training one year. Like thousands of other families, they stake their spot, set up the tables and chairs and spread out the food. The day begins here about 7 hours before the parade passes. kids play catch, games and even sleep in wagons. Parents and friends mingle, mix, swap tales and food. Ladders line the roads behind barricades, each one topped with their own little sky box of sorts. The kids sit in the box at the top above the outstretched hands of adults who also fight for the $1 strand of beads as if it was string of pearls. Like the smell of distinct food that makes this town so welcoming, the sound of music seems to pour out of every window and from every family plot.

The parade which includes high school bands, horses and fire trucks, takes a couple of hours to pass each location. As I look down there are piles of beads and debris that stacks up along the street like snow pushed aside by a plow. I do my best to hit the people in the back of the crowd. Since we are about one story above the street, I get an easy vantage point and a better chance of getting beads to those generally older and younger. Sometimes too old, young, or shy to try and push their way to the front. How can you not smile and enjoy such an amazing piece of America.

Eventually we reach the dome. Because our floats are so massive, only a couple can circle inside the home of the Saints, so we await our turn. Once inside, thousands of family and friends are in black tie and gowns, along with riders in costume, that’s only allowed. The noise is deafening and tables seem to be crammed into very available inch. This is the extravaganza and the party, music, food and drink will last here until dawn. Draining any hint of energy until the last drop has helped feed the vein that stretches for two weeks of Mardi Gras.

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It’s tough to spend any time in the French Quarter without a trip to Pat O’s, so like thousands of other revelers, we made the trek into the party mainstay. No, we didn’t go for a hurricane this time, had to make it out alive and back down the street and eventually into a taxi and home. The weather couldn’t be more perfect and it is supposed to be stellar for the big Endymion Parade, which I have ridden now 4 or 5 times, there is some debate as to the exact number. What is so fantastic this time is that the parade is back to its original route through mid city and then downtown, the second time the 25 or so double floats have gone that way since Katrina. I rode the year of Katrina and the year after, so both routes are great for someone not native to New Orleans, but for locals it has to be all about tradition and with it, taking the parade back to where it once belonged.

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This is a scene from one of the many balconies. I do plan on posting some video, but it’ll be a bit until I get the chance to edit it. The quarter got packed by the time we left and the sun had disappeared from the sky. I am going to be sending live twitters, video and other stuff throughout the day. So if you want to follow, add me as a Twitter. The links are at the top of this post.Twitter’s begin Saturday morning, the live Video Saturday afternoon and evening.

I have been coming to New Orleans with my parents since I was a kid and got hooked on the Big Easy after becoming good friends with one of my teammates in minor league baseball, who still lives here. For me, riding down Canal Street on a float throwing beads from a perch that looked into second story windows, was amazing. Who would have thought that just a few months later, I would be riding at the same level, but doing it on a boat. Instead of watching families flow by, instead we saw bodies and debris from the Katrina flood. I have been back to ride since, what makes me smile is the return, be it too gradual in some ways, to somewhat normality. I look forward to riding the mid city. I look forward to seeing the faces and hundreds of thousands in the crowd.

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GAME FINAL   US 2     Mexico 0

THE VOODOO OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T WORK

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LATE UPDATE … BLOCKBUSTER RESPONDS: A spokesman from the Blockbuster headquarters here in the states (Dallas), says management knew nothing about the decision by its Mexican division to promote the voodoo dolls and would have advised agsinst it if they had known. He says the company realizes that it was meant to support the Mexican team and their die hard fans, however the employees in the main office in Dallas are supporting the U.S. team and hope they win tonight in Ohio.

THE STORY: The instructions read … “Hold a needle firmly between your thumb and index finger and prick slowly the part of the doll’s body where you want to affect the opponent.”  You might read it on a sign while on a tour of Marie Laveau’s place in the ‘Big Easy’, but this one isn’t so innocent. A newspaper in Mexico sponsored by Blockbuster (yep the movie people), is printing coupons that can be redeemed for voodoo dolls with the likeness of U.S. soccer players. On the back of the dolls it says “Gringo”, which south of the border has a much more derogatory meaning than here stateside.

Pricking American players hopes to help Mexico win on U.S. soil for the first time in a decade as the two teams fight for a birth in the World Cup. The newspaper and some Mexican fans believe the dolls will be a secret weapon, but a spokesman for the newspaper called ‘Record’ says the promotion is lighthearted and intended in fun, without any malice toward Mexico’s regional rival. American based RadioShack of Forth Worth, bailed on its sponsorship of the campaign after learning the details, but Dallas based Blockbuster apparently jumped at the chance and signed on the dotted line. The American’s play tonight versus the Mexican team in Ohio.

As an avid soccer fan myself , former player and someone who has watched games between the two teams while in Mexico and here in the states (on TV), there is no love loss between these two heated rivals. There have been words exchanged in the past and even name calling. In Mexico this game is huge and millions will glue their eyes to the TV, meantime here in the U.S., most people have no idea the game is even scheduled and few will even ever know the outcome. The voodoo dolls only add to the rivalry and assuredly will make the blood boil for those north of the border also intent on a win. The picture above comes from the AP by the way. Can you imagine the outcry if an American newspaper sponsored voodoo dolls of Mexican players with a derogatory term on the back?

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Park it right next to the SUV and in between the family sedan. If ICON aircraft has its way, their $139,000 plane will get more people into the skies than ever before. What allows ICON to do this….new FAA rules that allow for a sport pilots license. An SPL takes roughly 1/2 the time of a general aviation license and also about 1/3rd the cost, ICON hope this will introduce more people to aviation than ever before. We asked about safety and found that as part of the SPL, the plane isn’t allowed to go above 138mph, can only carry 2 passengers and can only be flown in good weather, during the day and not near a busy airport like Los Angeles International.

ICON hopes to have these planes in production and out to consumers by the end of 2010 and nearly 400 people have already dropped down the cash to own one of these planes. Testing takes place at several locations around Southern California and we caught up with the founders, technicians and test pilot at Lake Isabella in California near Bakersfield.

As the video shows, the plane can take off and land on both water and land. It only takes a few football fields and the planes wings electrically fold back and lock into place so it can be towed on a boat trailer and then parked in your garage. What strikes me is not only the compact size, but the sturdy build. I have been around small planes all my life and have always wanted to get my private pilots license, but the instrument panel (dash) of a plane has always been a bit intimidating. This dash is lower, more like a car, so visibility is amazing. Also, there are only the essential gauges, no IFR stuff needed since with a sports plane you can only fly on a clear day.

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Not hard to believe Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez has lasted 10 years when you spend time in Caracas and hear about the brutal way he treats his opposition. As we know, Chavez will do whatever it takes to stay in power and yet another election approaches to try and do just that. State-run television in Venezuela is already calling the Chavez reign, “a decade of successes.” Chavez and representatives of the leftist group Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our Americas, or ALBA, met in Caracas and ever the showman, Chavez paraded a sarcophagus of Simon Bolivar, whom Chavez credits with inspiring him as “the father of the revolution.”

Along with Hugo were pals Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, Jose Manuel Zelaya of Honduras and Evo Morales of Bolivia; Roosevelt Skerrit, prime minister of Dominica; and Cuba’s first vice president, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura. Cuban leader Raul Castro was not there, but Fidel’s spirit, which has arguably disrupted Latin America for 40 years, was not lost on Chavez who said, “Fidel, from here I salute you. Revolutionary father, from here we, your sons and daughters, salute you!” Of course Chavez declared his day of propaganda a national holiday. During this rally/meeting/holiday, Chavez once again lauded socialism and said it is the only path for human beings.

This comes as the price of oil continues to threaten the power that Chavez once bought within his own borders and because of the low price of oil, reports are…..he is now more dependent on support from Colombian drug cartels than ever before. These are the same cartels that are being shoved out of Colombia (thanks to U.S. support) and have been greatly marginalized in recent years. One reason these leaders oppose the Colombian leadership and its friendship with the United States. The leaders did discuss the economic crisis around the globe and assuredly felt socialism is the answer to all things. Interestingly, as Chavez support falters, an oil price crisis emerges for his country. Oil revenue accounts for about 90 percent of Venezuela’s export earnings, about half of federal budget revenue and some 30 percent of gross domestic product and funds state rallies for Chavez and his ability to knock down his opposition. This once mighty country has some monumental issues to overcome and the Chavez leadership and hopeful change for many is first and foremost. OH….and as for a possible second “NO” vote in the upcoming elections to overturn term limits for his presidency….Chavez says he might not take a second “NO” vote as a final word.

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Right across from the bamboo clothing, better known as ‘Global Ghetto’ and next to the ‘Bio Dome’, we have set up shop to stream our live reports from the ‘Go Green Expo’ in Los Angeles. Green has become just that for many retailers, as enviro friendly is all the rage and big bucks for this multi-billion dollar industry. To give you an example of the economic strength, even with a tough economy, about 300 vendors will pack this part of the Los Angeles Convention Center and the crowd is expected to be overflow when the doors open early on Friday. Why you ask? Well o many states and municipalities are offering green tax write offs and paybacks, people can come and see solar power, better building materials and even green cars, all meant to help the environment and save some cash in your pocketbook.

Scott King is on camera and has informed me that workers are building the bio dome with half-inch drill bits; socket wrenches are also apparently a necessity. At this point, the dome looks like a massive half circle jungle jim that has grown to about 30 feet off of the ground, its artificial grass base already laid out and ready to go. We are actually streaming live over an internet connection that is in the booth of Superco Specialty Products. They make cleaners environmentally safe cleaners and claim to be recognized for “safer chemistry”. I have to say, from cars to hand cleaner, there is some interesting stuff here that will at the very least make you feel good about yourself, if not making mother nature breath a little easier.

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One hundred and thirty thousand people  are expected to browse through more than 1.7 million square feet of stuff. From the latest TV’s, computers, camera’s and gadgets, to everything for your car, this years Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is packed. Even with the economy down, I notice all sorts of high end products, primarily because many have been in research and development for years. However, there are a ton of items that you’ll find on store shelves this year that are affordable and practical at the same time. A company called Cocoon has found a great way to carry your gadgets and computers and at the same time they are airport scanner friendly. Gunner Optics has glare proof glasses to protect your eyes, Sharp has some massive TV’s…  along with everyone else it seems…. that are huge and crystal clear. I will have all sorts of updates and pictures/video to come for the next few days at CES. Here is the latest… a green cell phone from Motorola.

How about a realistic race simulator like you’ve never seen before. It is amazing and already being used by big time professional drivers around the globe to prepare them for upcoming races and even allows the crews to make changes to their cars without running them on the track.

Getting around the CES 2009 is an adventure in itself. It is absolutely impossible to see everything and almost impossible to see the things that you plan on checking out. People and gadgets are everywhere, it actually might keep me from buying anything remotely digital for a few days. Well then again… maybe not. Seriously, while there are more vacant spots once reserved for companies than I’ve seen in the past few years, the floor is still packed with people interested in all the new stuff. I am trying to find things not yet seen, or are practical and affordable. Here is my next item.

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We have followed this story in depth for at least 6 years. Our crew has been on the border in California and Mexico more than 20 times and we have been to Mexico City several times for undercover drug ops and interviews with Mexico’s finest as they battle the growing and powerful presence of the drug cartels. In front of my eyes, I have seen border towns as small as Sasabe (south of Tucson) and as large as Tijuana, transform into lawless places of terror for so many who live there. Tourists once flocked to these places and others, now, stores are boarded up and people are staying away in massive numbers.

But the cartel violence doesn’t end there. Southward throughout Mexico, President Calderon and his people have a tough fight ahead. By most estimations, the drug war here will only get worse before it gets better; threatening the political and social stability of our important neighbor. Acapulco now sees routing drug killings and some of the more rural states in Mexico are said to be completely run by drug lords. On our side of the border the violence spreads northward, we have met many an officer who says they are outgunned. Our story in Phoenix last week explained that dangerous belief.

I continue to talk with my contacts throughout Mexico and they continue to express serious concern. From the President’s office right down to regional police chief’s, this battle is similar to what Colombia fought for so many years and is now winning. The difference is… this one is on our doorstep and has already made an impact being felt across United States and more problems for us here at home are yet to come.

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Some new developments as we work this horrible story here in Southern California. We have now learned that cadaver dogs are on scene looking for the second child, which would sadly be a fourth victim. Also, as we have heard from several witnesses, an unnamed government official is saying off the record that both engines failed on the F/A 18 Hornet before it crashed into the suburban San Diego neighborhood. We now know there are already a number of separate investigations ongoing for sometime and a final determination wont be announced for months.

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I can tell you from extensive time in the San Diego community on a variety of stories, the military and the area are one on the same. There are such close ties and strong bonds between our men and women in uniform and the military, that when something like this happens, it strikes deep into the hearts of those who call the area home. Of course anywhere in the country would be devastated to learn about the family lost in the crash while inside their new home, but because the San Diego area is so connected, this one will hurt for a long time. From Camp Pendelton to the Navy piers, at any given time you can see servicemen and women taking part in a variety of operations and practices. The baseball stadium is even designed and colored with the military in mind and I have covered military opening day there. This is very sad for the family, the community, the neighbors and the pilot, who by all accounts did everything he could to ditch the plane away from homes. Some people will ultimately clamor for the Marine Air Base at Miramar to be moved, but remember the base was once in the middle of nowhere and the community moved in. What do you think?

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Every once in a while a story comes along that breaks the mold and in this case… literally! We first heard about this place a few months back and from what we can tell, it’s the only place like it in the country. Called ‘Sarah’s Smash Shack’, the idea is simple: you put on a a few protective items and then have at it. Right now I am sitting next to a wall full of breakable things. For example there are a variety of plates, glasses, vases, ash trays, even mirrors! Each item has a price and you can even attach a picture or write down a name with an ink pen. The whole idea is to get out the frustration safely. For those worried about the mindless trash that is left over, have no fear. All the broken pieces are given to local mosaic artists and even schools for art projects. Here is a behind the scenes look. A live shot will be posted on here also. Gotta break stuff first! OH… AND WHAT SHOULD WE WRITE ON THESE PLATES AND GLASSES. GIVE ME YOUR FRUSTRATIONS AND I WILL BREAK EM!!

Check out the video below!

This is the sign outside of ‘Sarah’s Smash Shack’ in San Diego and also a picture of our crew. That’s photographer Eric Barnes, Producer Jennifer Girdon and Technician Eric Graychock is in the truck! I am on the left, Jen is in the middle and Barnes on the right… if you couldn’t already figured it out.

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With gas prices dropping, the hype surrounding fuel cell/electric/hybrid/hydrogen/fuel efficient cars may not be as  critical as just a few months ago, but it can be said that the makers are still steering in that way. Everyone is here in Los Angeles at the convention center downtown and everyone has their latest fuel concept cars. While many are fantastic looking, the concept is still just that… a dream. Ford did unveil its new Mustang and it looks great, but GM and Chrysler didn’t send any of their main executives to Los Angeles and the theory is, the business climate has them out of the spotlight. The companies say it’s because they had no major unveiling. What do you think and what are you looking for in a car these days? Anything catch your eye?

Here is our behind the scenes look:

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We all feared this time of the year. Not enough rain, high temperatures, dry conditions and the return of the Santa Ana Winds. Friday night we left Montecito where fire had lashed its way through multi-million dollar homes and now just a few hours later, fires are doing the same all across the southland.

We are right now at the end of a court, on a hilltop in Diamond Bar California. Mandatory evacuations are everywhere and we are watching flames leap across the hillsides around us. Planes bomb the fire from above and the wind whips the fire. Here is some behind the scenes video I just shot. It is raw and unedited.

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UPDATE: The sun has disappeared behind the rolling hills of inland Southern California and the fire has taken a drastic turn for the better.

As if someone turned off the switch to a fan late this afternoon, the Santa Ana winds virtually went away in what seemed like a matter of minutes. From our high perch on Highbluff Road in Diamond Bar, we have watched the firefight all day and as dusk set in, we could literally feel the winds of change.

The warm, gusty winds that howl across the desert and down westward through Southern California go away as a cool breeze from the ocean hits us lightly in the face. The onshore flow has returned, the humidity rises, temperatures fall and the fire starts to blow back onto itself.

It is an amazing change and one that firefighters welcome with open arms.

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