LA Weekly

Some weird bug hit me on the way back from Costa Rica, which I've since given to all my friends and family back here in L.A. Happy holidays. It was the kind of illness that makes you think a lot about air quality (in Costa Rica: poor, at least in the neighborhood I lived in).

Anyway: While I was down with this thing, I listened to the L.A. mayoral candidate debate on the environment, broadcast on KPFK, and found it to be a predictable bore; mostly because everyone's an environmentalist in Los Angeles. Even Bob Hertzberg wants to "electrify those trains" running through the Alameda Corridor. Much more fascinating was the post-debate discussion with Lila Garrett and Tom Hayden, with callers demanding to know why the debate hadn't touched on "black-on-black violence" and the inadequate training of local security guards, who "couldn't tell a terrorist from Pollyanna," according to one caller. Hayden and Garrett patiently reminded the callers the event was sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters so the candidates would talk about the environment.

Blogger Mack Reed has documented the whole thing here. I recommend skimming for the Richard Alarcon parts. I know everybody liked the Parks quote about answers and no solutions, but I preferred the state senator from the San Fernando Valley's "We can stand up to President Bush and his environmental policies." No, it doesn't sing, but it was bold.

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