CommentsRANTZ & RAVEZ-Lakers Basketball star Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and friends John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli and Christina Mauser, Sarah and Payton Chester and pilot Ara Zobayan all perished when their private helicopter crashed in the hills of Calabasas near the 101 Freeway early last Sunday morning.
This tragedy has brought about expressions of love and compassion from millions of people around the world for Kobe and the other victims. Feelings run deep for not only among the fans of Kobe but also for all the family members and friends of Kobe and the other eight victims.
I met Kobe several times when I was a member of the LA City Council. He was always gracious and kind when dealing with everyone -- rich, poor, political or just the man on the street. Kobe was always genuine. He would look you in the eye with his captivating smile and make you feel at ease.
As the days and months pass and we learn more about the particulars of the crash, the outpouring of love and concern for the impacted families should continue. If you have a relationship with any of the families of the victims, know that they will need your love, prayers and support in the months ahead.
May God bless the all the victims of this tragic event.
Vote for ‘this’ or vote for ‘that’ - who cares and who really benefits?
I recently had lunch with a retired president of a national television network. We discussed the upcoming March and November elections and how much campaign information would be broadcast on local, network and cable tv stations. As we all know, much of the information is repeated over and over during the frequent and sometimes annoying commercials. As we get closer to the election, the commercials increase in intensity and finally smother us to the point of exhaustion.
The commercial information is designed to capture our attention and convince us to vote for this measure or that law that will improve our lives, health, and safety along with a number of other factors. Some of us are influenced by these commercials while others could care less. So, who will really benefit from the never-ending political commercials that cost millions of dollars to produce and broadcast? The local and national media owners will win with the millions of dollars paid to them to create and broadcast these annoying political ads.
Are you looking for some easy cash?
The U.S. Census Bureau needs to hire thousands of people to collect information for the 2020 Census. The pay is around $25 an hour. If you are interested in earning some extra cash, check it out. You are encouraged to apply at 2020census.gov/jobs or call 1-855-JOB-2020.
This is a part time job and the need for people is great. Anyone, including retirees are welcome to check it out.
(Dennis P. Zine is a former and retired LAPD Supervisor, former and retired 12-year Los Angeles City Councilman and current General Manager at Bell Canyon in Ventura County. Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.)
