What I like best about fine dramatic theater, like that invariably found at the Mark Taper Forum, is it's ability to challenge our most fundamental assumptions about our world. I was not disappointed by this evenings production of "Palestine, New Mexico", the latest vision from that iconoclastic theatrical powerhouse known as Culture Clash. Their third premiere production at MTF since 2003, "Palestine" perfectly concludes one of the most compelling seasons there in recent memory.

The title, itself, hints at an intersection of cultures, histories and beliefs that, on the surface, seem worlds apart. But as the play unfolds, we are gradually drawn to realize the powerful threads common to all human experience.

A few months ago, I was looking for plans for a small electric aerobatic plane and stumbled upon Flymodels.co.uk. There, a Brit by the name of Philip Rawson described a speed 400 electric aerobat he'd designed that looked and sounded like just the ticket. He provides a PDF version of plans for download and a series of photos and description for some of the construction details, but other than that, you're on your own. Construction looked straightforward enough, so I decided to give it a try. If you're not reasonably comfortable with scratch-building techniques and meager instructions, I suggest perhaps trying something else first. However, this is a fun build for someone with at least some experience.

Building

I grew up in the mid '70s exploring the rocky outcropping in the west San Fernando Valley known as Stoney Point. Back then, a talented climber by the name of John Bachar was already turning heads and inspiring awe there. Although I knew him only from a distance, he quickly became a role model for me and a generation of young climbers who were finding our way into adulthood as much as we were finding our way up rocks. On the surface, John was impressive from the beginning. On the rock, he had a style like no other and physical strength that often seemed super-human. On more than one occasion, I found myself scratching my head after watching him scale some absolutely blank boulder, trying to work out how he so effortlessly achieved what I'd just witnessed.

Today, a friend of mine sent me this commencement address. It was delivered May 3rd, 2009 at the University of Portland by Paul Hawken. Upon reading it, I was compelled to share it with others. Enjoy.

University of Portland, May 3rd, 2009

When I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I could give a simple short talk that was "direct, naked, taut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and graceful." Boy, no pressure there.

But let's begin with the startling part. Hey, Class of 2009: you are going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind-boggling situation - but not one peer-reviewed paper published in the last thirty years can refute that statement.

Basically, the earth needs a new operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it within a few decades.

The Mark Taper Forum in Downtown LA is known for it's ground-breaking theatrical productions. It's the primary reason my family has been season ticket holders for many years. So it was with delight that we experienced the Taper's production of Lydia this past Saturday night. Set in El Paso, Texas in the 1970's, Lydia is the complex story of an immigrant family wrestling with shifting societal realities around them and secrets long buried within. Written by Octavio Solis and first produced in Denver in 2008, I believe this is the play's first production in Los Angeles, with much of the original cast intact. It is, in all respects, a gripping piece of work.

Today I was vividly reminded why I love living and playing in Southern California. After last week's rain storms and subsequent winds, today dawned cool, calm and crystal clear. My friends Mark and Bruce had planned to meet in Carlsbad for a morning ride along the coast and through the hills of North San Diego County. Since the McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ) is a stone's throw from their departure point, I decided to fly down and join them. Any day I can combine flying with any of my other passions is a great day, indeed!

I wrapped up my third triathlon season today with another great event at Bonelli Park. The day dawned very clear and comfortably warm - perfect conditions for the 700+ like-minded athletes who came to work off some of those holiday calories. This was a sprint event (1/2-mile swim, 14-mile ride, 4-mile run) managed by Renegade Racing from the south shore of the reservoir. This location is very familiar to me now, since the Bonelli series earlier in the year runs from the same locale. Renegade has a good thing going here. This is only the third Turkey Tri and each year attendance has more than doubled.

A pall of forest fire smoke hanging over SoCal was insufficient to deter a reunion of the aging instrumentalists of the Virtual Campfire this past weekend. Here's a particularly unworthy sampling of the afternoon's festivities: