Observations From The Left Coast

[Valin]

Ricochet:

Dave Carter

June 29, 2013

 

"War Is Not The Solution!" announced her blue bumper sticker, though her aggressive maneuvers on I-5 in Los Angeles yesterday betrayed a philosophy that was more in keeping with the words "Allahu Akbar!" than anything even remotely peaceful. She reminded me of the lady with the "Coexist" bumper sticker just south of Oakland a couple of days ago. Such was her kind tolerance and happy coexistence that she cut me off on the interstate before opening her sunroof and tossing out some trash for the benefit of my truck, firmly establishing her credentials as a serenely tolerant, cheerfully coexisting environmentalist moon bat. Come to think of it, she reminded me of a young lady in a church youth group many years ago who stuck a weed in her hair one day and announced to my Dad that she was a "flower child." "Yes," smiled Dad, "a blooming idiot."

 

From time to time, I enjoy jotting down random thoughts for your consideration and, having spent the last week traveling up and down California like a yo-yo, soaking in the sights and listening to the news, a great number of impressions have formed. So with your kind permission, or perhaps entirely without it, I'm going to unload a few:

 

* On the main Ricochet Podcast last October, Rob Long prefaced his question to me with the words, "Hi Dave, this is Rob Long in L.A." It sounded glamorous at the time, evoking images of luxurious accommodations, pristine buildings and streets and beverages all sparkling in the sun, shaded slightly by tall and dreamy palm trees under which sleek and beautiful cars breezed hither and yon, occasionally stopping to burp out a celebrity wearing oversized sunglasses that look like conjoined hockey pucks. Hooey! From Riverside to Long Beach, from South Gate up through I-5, the place was as ugly as homemade sin with a side order of smog. Perhaps it's just the warehouse area I as in, but the south side of town looked like Juarez with worse roads. I had made tentative plans to visit Rob and Blue Yetti, but had to abandon the idea when it became apparent that parking the Ride of Pride in that area would be an invitation to trouble. In the future, the words, "This is Rob Long in L.A.," should be heard as a cry for help and we should take up a fund.

 

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* The Split Pea Soup at Andersen's, between Sacramento and Bakersfield, is really good, though it seems like an awful lot of trouble to split up so many peas. The Veal Cutlet Copenhagen isn't so bad either. And they serve Southern Comfort. I didn't want to leave.

 

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* Dear Governor Brown: Your roads are horrific. Evel Knievel had smoother rides than this. For the amount of taxes these people pay, they should be able to drive without losing their traction, wheels, suspension, patience, religion, and teeth on these treacherous roads. Love, Dave

 

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