Author: Adam Housley

It’s been more than a generation since the carhop hey day and heck, even ‘Happy Days’ and ‘American Graffiti’ have become classics themselves. Anyone under the age of 35 probably never even had the chance to drive up and get served, however that is now changing, as an American classic serves up malts, burgers and fries in the age of iPhones, HDTV and the internet.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

Our story idea began a few months back while flying to cover a different story and while on the plane, I noticed a little blurb in a paper about carhops returning to Minnesota. Once back on the ground in Southern California, a little research revealed that carhops are indeed making a comeback, just like the muscle car. We even found several locations skating back into business here in the Golden State and the one we settled on just opened a short glide from Disneyland.

‘Ruby’s’ has been a staple here in Southern California for more than 25 years and now sports 48 locations in a number of states. What began as shake shacks serving beachcombers at the end of piers, has now spread to another iconic image…the good old fashioned American drive-in. CEO and founder of the Ruby’s chain Doug Cavanaugh says drive-ins take more space and finding a location can be tough, but when this property became available in Anaheim, California it was an easy choice.

Inside you’ll hear classics from the 40’s and 50’s with decor to match, as outside food hangs from windowsills. On this day, a group of guys and gals from ‘The Streetrodders’ in Whittier, California have cruised on in to get a slice of years ago. Parked down the live I see a 1940 Ford next to a stunning red and white ‘Bel Air’, but it is the 1966 avocado-green Fairlane that catches my eye. Owner Gary Kirkpatrick bought it new and used to take cruise the carhops before and after Vietnam. Now he pulls into Ruby’s with his friends and relives quite a time here in ‘tinsel town’.

It really does seem like yesterday, as I remember standing outside the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, more than a world away from Pakistan. It was my first assignment back, covering the new phenomenon ‘American Idol’ and the crowd had gathered around to see Randy, Paula, Simon and the final two…Kelly and Justin. Who knew so many years later it would come to this!

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

Every year I have had some sort of assignment here at Idol and for season nine our coverage has evolved as I will now be standing on the red carpet as we stream live onto foxnews.com. If you want to see the stream, just head to the main page and click on the link. Before you go, make sure you tell me who you think will be this year’s Idol and who out of the top 12 will make it. Is a successful recording artists amongst this group, will someone make it big on Broadway like we’ve seen before? Give me your thoughts and who do you think will win…Crystal or Lee?

I was in the audience last night and will again tonight. As I sat there and watched the thousands pack into the theater here in downtown Los Angeles, I was amazed at how many people came from all over the country…some driving more than 400 miles to make it to the show on time. It seemed to me Lee had the most support in the audience by the numbers of signs and loud cheers. By the end though, that may have changed. While Lee sang well, Crystal blew it out of the theater. Her voice was extremely strong and on point for the most part and I was most impressed with both, but especially her performances.

Afterwards I got to interview the top 12 and even some idols from seasons past. I will update you on how those went and also all about tonight on the red carpet.

A political battle in California is about as common these days as the sun setting over the Pacific. If the multibillion dollar budget battle wasn’t enough, or reacting to the new Arizona immigration law, now state lawmakers here want to ensure the Golden State doesn’t follow the textbook changes happening in Texas.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

It all began with State Senator Leland Yee (D), who introduced a bill in Sacramento that would require California’s Board of Education to review all in-production textbooks and reject any changes that have been influenced by changes in the Lone Star State. Bill SB 1451 has passed the first policy committee by a 6-3 vote along party lines and the State Senator says the Texas changes are historically inaccurate and dismiss the contributions of minorities.

Critics of Yee’s bill cite the state’s battle over political correctness in textbooks just a few years ago…an issue we covered at the time here on foxnews.com. For example, there are certain words that either are suggested or mandated for use in California. For example, no longer is ‘Yacht’ suggested because it is elitist. Senior Citizens are now older persons and junk food like hot dogs, cake, candy, butter and soda are not depicted because “they are not healthy.”

One thing to consider, California is the nations largest market for school textbooks and in 2007, districts spent 633 million dollars on textbooks alone. Because of the massive budget shortfall here, lawmakers are now holding off until 2013 to approve new books for high school students and until 2016 for grades K-8….of course all this is meant to try and save millions. More coming on this all day…what do you think?

UPDATE
We have just been told that the Governor will announce her plans in a press conference this afternoon about 6 miles from her office at the Arizona State Capitol.

About 10 feet from my computer sits a massive brick of a radio truck, that when the side of it opens, reveals a stage. Owned by a local hispanic station here in Phoenix, the truck has become the rallying point for the thousand or so who have gathered on the front lawn of the Arizona State Capitol. Between chanting “Si Se Puede” (Yes we can) and U-S-A, the protestors hears from a variety of speakers. Mayors, locals, radio DJ’s, all are in opposition to SB1070, the proposed crackdown on illegal immigration that now sits on Governor Jan Brewer’s desk.

The bill would make it a state crime for illegal immigrants to not have an alien registration document, require police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants, prosecute those who knowingly harbor illegals, among other provisions.

The bill passed here by state representatives back on April 19 and if Brewer doesn’t sign it by midnight Saturday Night, the bill becomes law anyway. Most observers on either side of this issue agree that her action will be groundbreaking whether or not the bill passes, possibly changing the political climate here in the Grand Canyon State and across the country.

President Obama said today this bill is partly the result of Congress’ fail to action, he condemned it and hinted the feds might step in and are going to monitor it closely if it passes. Will this legislation have the dire economic and social consequences predicted as some have predicted? Will it hurt the Republican Party here, or bolster their power? These questions will soon be answered. What do you think?

Meantime, we’ve been told by Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman that Brewer’s Office has half a dozen people answering the calls at all times. Due to budget battles and other issues in the last year, the phone lines are always lit up…but this case has taken the lead with calls coming in from all over the country. So far he believes the majority of those calling are asking Brewer to veto the bill.

While some fear this new bill if approved could be used for racial profiling, especially for the numerous Latino immigrants living in the state, the state legislature disagreed. Those who voted in favor said in a press release posted on the website of Arizona State Legislature, “the new bill a new way to protect churches, community organizations and civil rights.”
“The Bill gives our local police officers the tools they need to combat illegal immigration, while protecting the civil rights of citizens and legal residents.”

The passing of the SB1070 bill comes in the wake of the murder of local rancher Robert Krentz who was allegedly killed It is alleged Krentz, 58, was killed after a confrontation with illegal immigrants in a potential case of drug carter scout, theft or retaliation.

Within a mile of the U.S./Mexico border, agents from both countries are in the midst of a politically sensitive operation that for the first time has Federales training with American officers. For my eight years covering this story here in southern Arizona this has been a question asked more than a few times, why isn’t there more cooperation and training together? Well, now there is an answer and we found that answer in Nogales, on the U.S. side.

The paint pellets snapped against the plywood targets echoing through the massive warehouse. Three Mexican police officers dressed in blue, lined shoulder to shoulder, sweep their rifles 180 degrees from left to right, following english and spanish instructions. American agents dressed in green are standing with them, providing instruction and demonstrating stances. An interpreter makes sure everyone is on the same page, as this close combat training continues throughout the day. Eventually agents from our side explain how to approach a building and then get in safely by providing cover on all sides, the Federales tell me they have never been shown any of this before.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

So far about 50 Mexican police officers have completed this three-week course and there are plans for the U.S. to help train several hundred more. Not only is this new found cooperation helping save lives of fellow law enforcement south of the border, it is also building new found lines of communication and friendship between the law enforcement international brotherhood. Now as one Federale tells me, “I know of a face and a name on the other side of the fence, maybe somebody I can call.”

Tom Pittman from the U.S. Border Patrol agrees and says, “There’s always been cooperation, but maybe tense cooperation, if you will but we’re getting to know each other as people.”

It’s a politically sensitive alliance intended to save lives and possibly lead to the creation of a Mexican counterpart to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Inside the wherehouse we see agents use M-4 rifles where the lower receiver is exactly like the one used in the field, but the upper receiver is a bit different and modified to shoot paint pellets for training purposes. The Federales are also being shown ways to detect contraband in hidden compartments, ATV practice racing across the Sonoran Desert and how to provide first responder medical aid in the desert.

According to Tom, “We’re very excited to do it, we’re helping brother cops that don’t have the opportunity, or haven’t had the opportunity yet to get this type of training, so we’re happy to help fellow cops stay alive, that’s for sure !”

Live-fire from Apache attack helicopters and A-10 Warthogs rips across the southern Arizona desert, as Operation Angel Thunder mobilizes more than 12-hundred U.S. troops and observers from 17 foreign countries for a massive two-week simulation.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

For the U.S. Air Force this is all about search, rescue and recovery…and the ability to go in and save or extract anyone, in any place, at any time. Known as the ‘Guardian Angel Weapons System’, the Pararescue…or PJ’s as they are known in the service….are the men and women tasked with this important ability and one that is used not only for military applications, but the general population as well. Whether it be troops pinned down and injured, or reaction to a massive earthquake, the Air Force and the PJ’s are ready to go at any time…and do whatever it takes to get the job done.

We get a first-hand look at this impressive operation while flying out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. Our day begins early as we get a quick rundown of the Command Center, before jumping on board a Pave Hawk Helicopter to see operations up close and first hand in the field. Our crew…Pilots Paul Anderson and Vic Pereira…Gunner Mike Senigo and Flight Engineer Sean Loose.

We are strapped in, with feet hanging safely out of the helo in order to get the best possible view and video of the latest task facing the crew. In this scenario, 10 people are pinned down and injured and the PJ’s need to land and get them out. In real life, the whole operation is expected to be completed in just one hour…and that’s from the time of the emergency call, to return with the victims.

For about 45 minutes we race just one hundred feet above the organ pipe Cactus that spear out of the arid land and the splattering of green found in the spring here in the southwest. At speeds of 120 MPH, the flying at times has us at impressive angles and diving in and out of canyons while onboard the HH-60 Pave Hawk. The pilots pull along side Apache’s as A-10’s dive above and below, both firing into desert targets meant to simulate tanks at the Barry M. Goldwater range.

We land on top of a mesa and get the view as the PJ’s drop in to secure the area and recover those injured. All around they are provided cover by the warplanes and attack helicopters….watching the whole process is more than impressive. We have seen our men and women in the service in action before, under many different circumstances and in many different places; most recently in Haiti. Nice to see this side of things as they prepare to help any and all and do it as real as possible.

Thanks to modern technology we are streaming our live reports today from inside the barrel room at Silverado Vineyards in Yountville, California…which is smack dab in the heart of the Napa Valley. Thankfully Silverado hasn’t had to deal with this new invasive pest and their vineyards are clear of it, but this is the middle of the quarantine area and many of your favorite wineries are here also.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

“This is an insect that doesn’t belong here, its an invasive species from other parts of the world and it attacks the flowers and the fruit of grapes,” says Napa County Agricultural Commissioner Dave Whitmer.

Burrowing into the heart of Napa Valley’s wine country, a little pest about 1/3rd the size of a penny, has growers scrambling to quarantine thousands of acres of grapes, hoping to stop its spread while saving this years multi million dollar harvest. Called the European Grapevine Moth, no one knows for sure how it got here, or if it was released on purpose, but either way the insect has the potential to not only attack California’s massive wine industry, but also table grapes.

As Whitmer explains, “We got a problem, we got to circle the wagons and we’ve got to figure this thing out and I need everybody in the community to try and make everything we can to not allow this thing to get established either here in Napa or elsewhere in California.”

Thousands of yellow traps have already been placed in vineyards throughout Napa and neighboring Sonoma County. A pheromone attracts the male moth, leaving females without a mate to eventually spread the insect. While the traps capture a mate, they also give growers and the agricultural community about the idea of the spread and where the moth may be.

John Ruel, Director of Vitaculture and Winemaking for Treferton Family Vineyards say, “I think it’s a threat, I think it’s important and I think what’s really important is that we act quickly now.”

Trefethen Winery is also in the heart of the Napa Valley and Ruel says while his winery hasn’t yet attracted the pest, he is working closely with his workers to keep an eye out and he’s even mounted bat boxes which encourages a natural predator to this invasive insect. There are also other ground crops which attract other insects more friendly and natural to grapevines.

He tells me, “I can’t see all these vines, so I make sure that all of the workers who are out in the vineyards everyday see a picture of this moth, know what it looks like, know what the different life stages look like.”

Initially growers were reluctant to come forward and even place these traps because of the stigma attached to something like this, but with growing concern has come important cooperation to try and stop the pest. Because while the European grapevine moth isn’t going to wipe out the wine industry, the increased cost to growers and loss of crops could eventually hit them and you right in the pocket book. That means that potentially your favorite bottle of wine could go up and even the grapes on your table could become more expensive if this pesky pest spreads its wings across California.

The crack of a bat, the whip of a baseball, for generations these skills of America’s pastime have been noted by the eyes of those who gauge the game. Trained scouts and coaches watch and help build players, honing their skills from the time they are drafted all the way until retirement. But now technology has caught up with America’s pastime.

As San Francisco Giants CIO Bill Schlough tells me, “when a new technology emerges and does have an impact on the team, we want to be among the first to have a competitive advantage…those competitive advantages don’t last for long though.”

As Bill explains, new technology is quickly embraced by teams, so any competitive advantage likely only last for a few months and a year at the most. So this new modern tech throwing baseball minds a curve by modern science, means every single pitch can be tracked by a computer. Noting the speed, spin, even every movement down to a fraction.

The technology is developed by Sportvision, the same guys who brought you that yellow first down marker line on your television set for football, or the glowing puck for NHL games. Now this technology is now being used by every single big league club to track their pitches and you can also see it on Fox Sports coverage of Major League Baseball games. You can see by the video posted below, I did my best to check the system out.

So how does this all work? Placed strategically around AT&T ballpark in San Francisco, the camera’s mounted by Sportvision are monitored by people on computers hired to run the system in each park and what began as tracking pitches can now also be used to track every single player and umpire…guaging how fast they run, react and even the route the take to get to the baseball. No more will reputation or flash have an impact on a player, but true numbers and times will and can be assigned.

President of Sportvision Mike Jakob says, “It gives you information, it helps give you greater insight, greater perspective into how amazing these athletes really are.”

And while teams can use this information to evaluate players, fans can also use the new technology…tracking the speed of the pitch on a MLB smartphone app for example. That means as a fan, you can accurately yell at the umpire for a bad call…all the way from the cheap seats. What do you think?

“We just stumbled upon the idea of buying tents,” says Atlanta Pastor Shaun King. Initially he and others had tried to send equipment and even surgeons to help out, but soon realized the simple idea of shelter wasn’t so simple…or for that matter available.

You might remember that while in Haiti reporting on the earthquake, our crew made it to an orphanage that was in dire need of food, water, medical treatment and shelter. At the time, Twitter, e-mail and Facebook had many of us on the ground in Haiti moving from location to location, we reported while volunteers helped so many of those in need. Well even though some time has passed, the rainy season in Haiti has come and we continue to follow this tragic story.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

The last time we checked in with Shaun and a few others on the web who were doing whatever they can to help Haiti, they were starting a new website and initiative to get tents for those in need of shelter. Called ‘ahomeinhaiti.org’, donors didn’t have to send money and with it uncertainty about where their money was going, they could buy the tent online and have it delivered. The idea has caught on and Shaun tells me, “I don’t even go camping, but i am now a tent expert!”

As people started to move on with their lives and the story of Haiti’s troubles slips to the back pages, Shaun met some unlikely friends with big time name recognition like actress Eva Longoria, who has signed onto the project and promoted it on ‘Twitter’ and during live interviews on television. At first the organization was excited about help to get the word out, but like anyone they were skeptical. That all changed tho when donations and tent orders spiked again and as of right now, more than 5,000 tents have been bought by donors so far.

The tents are not foolproof and they aren’t a long-term solution, but they will help through this rainy season. We saw some arrive before we left the area a couple of months back and they do make quite a difference when you see people living under sheets and tarps held up by branches on a tree or sticks stuck into the ground. Also the tent program doesn’t really compete with local vendors which has ben a complaint by many Haitians trying to get their businesses back on track amidst free food handouts for those in need.

Shaun also says that they have given tents to orphanages, hospitals, volunteers in Haiti who are starting their own tent cities and families they have met online or though family members living here in the states. The tents can cost anywhere from $100-$500 and are easily set up. This price may seem affordable to us here in the U.S., but for many Haitians that would be well out of their price range in a normal year, let alone after a massive natural disaster.

Below I have attached a couple of pictures that I grabbed of the tent cities and also some of the tents sent along by volunteers on the ground. Whether you want to help or not, what is so amazing is that this whole group of people mostly have never met. Through social networking and e-mails and phone calls, people from all over the country…known and unknown….are working together to make this happen. We saw it first hand when we linked up to find orphanages and people in need a couple of months ago and their hard work continues until this hour.
www.ahomeinhaiti.org for more info

On a blustery day in downtown Los Angeles, the inclement conditions outside may not be just weather related. On this day, Dr. Conrad Murray will be back in court for a second time and the family of Michael Jackson will be in the courthouse with him. If this appearance is anything like the last one, Murray will need some significant security as the paparazzi and fan outrage will pack outside the court, the rain doing nothing to damper the attendance.

This hearing for MJ’s Doctor will be procedural, with the court setting a preliminary hearing date, assigning a judge and possibly adjusting bail. The California Attorney General’s Office is expected to ask the court to prohibit the doctor from practicing medicine in light of their ongoing investigation into Murray. Currently the court has allowed Murray to continue his work, mostly in Las Vegas, but with the order that he not be allowed to administer any sedatives. The AG’s office has decided to argue the court’s previous decision.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

The Jackson’s family has been vocal from the beginning and you could say has always looked for the spotlight. Now that some reports have come out suggesting that Murray’s defense might include an argument that Michael Jackson killed himself, the family seems more aggressive in their attacks than ever before. Michael’s father Joe, a controversial figure himself, has lashed out at the suggestion and wants Murray to face the stiffest penalties.

Meantime, it has been reported that those in charge of the Jackson estate have signed a 200-million dollar contract with Sony Music. The deal reportedly means a new album will be released this fall with previously unreleased tracks by the one time ‘King of Pop’. The deal could reach 250 million with incentives and does not include merchandise which could mean millions more. It has also been reported that Jackson may have been as much as 400-million dollars in debt at the time of his death.

We will keep you updated on all the developments from here at the courthouse. What are your thoughts about this case?

It has been said that there are only two seasons…winter….and baseball. For some of us, winter is almost over, or we can dream anyway as another cold front moves into the Pacific. As a kid, it was at this time of year that I couldn’t wait to turn the radio on and hear Gray Park and Lindsey Nelson call the Giants spring games from the Cactus League in Arizona. It meant warmer weather was on the way and it meant for a few months I could dream that my Giants had a chance.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

While Nelson and Park are long gone from the dial, the Giants and 14 other teams are in Arizona, matching those that spend six weeks in Florida. Radio is replaced these days by all games on TV, or even over the net. I still find myself with the sound up as I work around the house or yard, only occasionally glancing to see a play or highlight.

This year baseball continues to have a ton of questions to answer. The steroids scandal seems to have shrunk with the media coverage and increased testing. Big market teams still seem to have all the money and quietly some people in the game want to find a way for the NFL’s parity to slide on over to the MLB. Especially when you consider some benches in big markets are better than the starting nine in cities with a smaller market share and less TV revenue.

The Twins open a new park this year, without a roof and a baggie-like fence. From the first video I’ve seen as they finished the spring training season, Target Field looks like a fantastic addition to the Twin Cities. Hopefully baseball’s brass can figure out a way to get October back to October. I shutter to think how cold it could get for a Minnesota World Series in November….new Target Field or not.

Games also seem to be inching longer as each year comes and goes. Fans also have gotten less patient and MLB needs to figure out how to speed the game up, without taking away from what makes baseball so great. Heck, if they were to limit trips to the mound or pitching changes in an inning, that could lead to even longer innings and more offense. We know with the shrinking steroids issue offense has dropped a bit, which means teams this off season spent more time and money on pitching and defense, doesn’t that always win i the end anyway?

So who do you like to win the penant this year? What so great about spring is that everyone has a chance, everyone dreams of the postseason. As generations of Cubs fans have yearned for that elusive title, there’s always the chance anyone can become the ‘Amazin Mets’ of 69. Heck in 2004 I covered and watched as the ‘Ruthian Jinx’ flew right out of old Busch Stadium. Just a year later the “Pale Hose’ accomplished the same feat. Yep, even the Giants could win one. Have I said that before?

So this year I have a few predictions. First let’s start with the National League, where think the West will be the best division from top to bottom. The Dodgers are going to be tough, especially if Manny turns it up a notch in what could be his last year in Dodger Blue. The Rockies are young, full of talent and Jim Tracy has them playing well. The Padres finished strong, but since they are young and have some talent still to prove, they could be in selling mode by midseason. The Giants have great pitching, but enough hitting and D? The D-Backs are still rebuilding and have an important arm to heal.

In the NL Central St. Louis, the Brewers and the Cubs are all going to be good. The Reds might be able to throw everyone a curve in this division, with the Pirates bringing up the back half yet again…as I quietly root for Buc resurgence. I think the Cards are going to be very tough to beat, but since no one is picking the Cubs like they have so many times….I am picking the Cubs to win. Somehow. Not sure how.

The East goes through Philly. Atlanta has a hot prospect, Florida has Hanley, New York if healthy could be a contender….and that’s a HUGE IF. Of course the big question in the NL East is when will Stephen Strasburg arrive? Most believe the fireballer will be there by June first.
So in my heart the National League Championship Series will feature the Giants vs. the Cubs. In my mind the NLCS will have the Cards and Phillies. What do you think? What are your predictions. My AL predictions come later today.

In Anaheim, California inside a white house with avocado green trim with palm trees out front, live 6 registered sex offenders. In this neighborhood alone, more than 14 are registered all told and needless to say, those who live here are non too happy about it and have held large community meetings expressing their outrage. These same people are also strongly supporting new legislation in California named for murdered San Diego area teenager Chelsea King.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

If passed, Chelsea’s Law would require life prison sentences for violent child predators and lifetime GPS monitoring for less serious offenders. Chelsea King’s father says, “If our laws were smarter and bolder, Chelsea might still be here…” and he has vowed to protect children in the name of his murdered daughter. Kelly King, Chelsea’s mother adds, “I promise to do all I can to protect other daughters and other mothers from this incomprehensible nightmare I am walking through.”

Republican Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher says he will introduce the bill and thinks its passage is imperative because it would improve on the existing laws, plus explore the use of new and better technologies. Some argue we already have enough laws on the books, some not as effective as you might think. Consider right now we have Amber Alerts, Jessica’s Law, Megan’s Law and the Adam Walsh Act…all statutes named for young victim’s of violent crime.

The California Sex Offender Management Board says many of these laws have little effect on whether a predator strikes again. It cites laws that bar these criminals from living near schools, parks or anywhere children congregate…yet that hasn’t stopped many sexual predators from doing just that. In fact, thousands have failed to register with law enforcement as required by law and John Gardner, accused of killing Chelsea King, was registered about two hours from his mother’s house and the park where Chelsea was murdered.

Jack Wallace from the Sexual Offender Management Board says, “I’m not sure whether we need more laws in California. I think that what we need in California is that we need better communication and better cooperation between different agency and different parts of the community and criminal justice system.”

Really it all comes down to resources here in California, a state with serious money problems. There aren’t enough prison beds, there isn’t enough money for hi-tech equipment and the fact is….we don’t have enough parole agents when you consider most have 70-100 cases/criminals to follow.

What do you think? What are your solutions?

On the day after President Obama’s Twitter account got hacked by a French man, thousands of miles away the next generation of Cyber Warriors are being trained at Cal Poly Pomona University in Southern California. It seems Francois, who calls himself a pirate not a hacker, had cracked Twitter’s administrator codes in April last year, which eventually allowed him to hack into the Presidential feed and those of other stars like Britney Spears. Here at Pomona, they hope the next generation of defenders to this type of attack are being identified and trained during the Collegiate Western Region Cyber Defense Competition beginning today.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

By some estimates we will need nearly 60,000 newly trained cyber defense warriors (as they are called), just in the next 3 years to help stop the threats to U.S. interests, companies and friends around the globe. That number is staggering when you realize that much of the hacking that exists today is unknown. For example, for every hacker like Francois who clearly wants to be known, there are hundreds who want to do just the opposite….they just want to sneak in, get the info and then sneak out……never detected.

As consumers we can actually help in this defense by keeping our own computers and networks up to date. By protecting ourselves, which can be as easy as using multiple passwords, we are in actuality protecting our country. Of course everything isn’t so easy, even with basic protections provided by consumers, companies, governments and interests are still massively vulnerable to attack and that’s where this competition and others like it come into play.

Really it’s all about staying ahead of the game….as the old saying goes….a good defense is a fantastic offense. Most cyber security folks will tell you there are two types of hackers, one who does it for fun and one who does it for profit. Both are costing Americans billions of dollars every year and pose a greater threat to U.S. security than traditional war. Countries like China and North Korea openly support hacking and hackers and are waging an all-out war against us as we speak…all the more reason to find the next best and brightest to protect us.

Boeing, Logic Security and a host of other companies support this competition and others like it. The Navy is also offering scholarships. It is quickly becoming a great place to start for graduating college and even high school kids on the cutting edge of technology and the quicker we find them and get them in place, the better for us and for our country.

At the San Diego Zoo polar bears are now on thin ice, at least that’s the word from the zoo as a new million dollar expansion to its polar bear experience opens this week. The zoo has spent considerable time and money to make the exhibit interactive, but some critics complain with this interaction comes politics and they argue the zoo should stay out of a policy debate.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

As you make your way through this exhibit there’s a carbon calculator, a walk that shows a shrinking ice cap and multiple displays showing the problems associated with climate change. For the consumer the displays are catchy, interactive and colorful. People here at the San Diego Zoo say the whole experience helps visitors better understand the arctic and the loss of habitat for polar bears as climate change continues. They tell me their exhibit features “the best science out there.”

As you might imagine not everyone is happy with this display and claim the zoo is jumping into politics and a very heated (no pun intended) debate. Some scientists and a few supporters of the zoo contend that climate change is not happening as sold to the public and even if it is, man is not causing it. Some also argue that polar bears adapted before and can do so again and to assume that man can kill them off by CO2 emissions is an unfair and untrue claim.

When presented with this argument the Zoo stands strong. They maintain the Polar Bear Experience is all about the best science out there and whether you believe in climate change or not, what’s wrong with cleaning and preserving the environment anyway. Officials here have heard some of these complaints, but they tell me the overwhelming response has been nothing but positive.

While the Zoo isn’t the first in the country to take a side on the global warming/climate change debate, they are the most visible and most famous zoo in the world to do so. The climate change portion of the exhibit has grabbed the attention of the press so far, but the big news is an interactive wall that lets visitors see a polar bear up close…only a few feet from a feeding point and that is quite impressive.

On this morning I got a look at ‘Chinook’, a 580-pound, 8-foot tall bear. She is part of a breeding pair that the zoo hopes will produce its first cub born here in captivity. At 15-years old, Chinook wanders out of her den and over to the wall, stopping to smell places along the way. The water gently laps onto the shore, kept about 50 degrees. She walks up to the wall and snacks on grapes and yams fed to her by her trainer and live on TV we get quite a look.

What do you think about all this?

A walk around Santa Monica Bay and for that matter around most coastlines, turns up more than a fair share of trash. Compared to most other countries in the world our waters may be cleaner, but they sure aren’t clean enough. In recent years water quality and water studies have focused on these bay areas, shallow waters and waters close to shore, but enter the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has just finished an interesting deep water survey off the coast of California.

Using a small two-man submersible the team completed more than 300 dives between the protected Monterey Bay sanctuary and the Port of Long Beach, several hundred miles to the South. Reaching depths of around 11-hundred feet, trash can be found all along California’s golden coastline and even in the deep waters of more remote areas. Of course more trash is obviously found near harbors, rivers and other spillways, but finding a kitchen sink for example in the deep and nowhere near a harbor was unexpected.

Small items like bottles, plastics and even buckets were what was expected to be found, but how about Christmas lights, tires or even a huge spool of thick wire? It can all be seen on the underwater video, as can unexploded large military shells just resting on the ocean floor. Also old fishing debris and fish traps, like the prawn trap in the picture, is still catching crabs and thus killing marine life.

Scientists say much of this trash has already been converted into makeshift reefs and small homes for fish and other marine life, like an octopus using a bucket for an example. While that may not be so harmless, there are other items that may be seeping oil, or as they decay, seeping harmful chemicals into our seas harming us and sea life nearby.

Removing this stuff can actually be even more dangerous than if it was just left there. First, getting it out of the deep waters can be almost impossible, and second, the cleanup could tear up the seabed and kill more marine life in the process. As one person explains, it is a doubled edged sword…you lose either way in some cases.

The only solution is to stop dumping. Sure some of it has been there for years and came before laws and people’s actions changed, but other stuff gets washed into the water during storms, or as city areas get “cleaned”. It may seem harmless, but it all builds up and not just at the shoreline, or on the waters surface as we once thought.

What is scary to me…we are relatively clean as compared to the many waters I have seen around the globe. Other countries use the water as a consistent dump, as we once did. I cannot imagine what might be found if the sub was sent off into some of those deep waters.

FOLLOW ADAM’S TRIP ALSO ON TWITTER

DODGERS EVEN THE SERIES
Across an emerald-green rice paddy on the edge of Kaohsiung sits the best stadium we’ve seen so far and one that would fit nicely into any Triple A stadium stateside. The air here is thick, hot, and short. A quick walk from the bus to the clubhouse in this baking sun results in heavy sweat for players, coaches and anyone making the trek from the busses into the stadium.

This is game two, but was meant to be game three in Taiwan for the Dodgers and Major League Baseball. The game on Saturday back in Taipei got rained out after a couple of innings due to some serious downpours. It was a game of tarp off and on and the crowd packed the stands anyway, cheering every move.

Unfortunately for the sell out crowd, the game didn’t go off, but the players braved the drenching to pass out hats and signed baseballs to the crowd. After a fantastic game one, this was not the way everyone hoped the last night in the north would go.

Enter Sunday, and an early-morning ride on a bullet train to the south of the island and Cheng Cing Hu Stadium. Much newer and larger than the one for the first two games (one rainout), more than 20,000 packed-in under some pretty warm conditions to see the game between the men in blue and the Taiwanese All Stars.

Like Taipei, fans here carry thunder sticks and also little plastic bats that smack together to raise the noise. On top of the home dugout sits two massive drums, men with trumpets and even a guy on a mic stoking the crowd and players. Unlike the states, they don’t stop as the game goes on and the pitch is delivered.

Even with the noise, the Dodgers are a different team on this afternoon. They rip the ball around the field, play pretty good defense to bring home the win and tie this good will series at one. Everyone says this has been a success and baseball may send teams to Europe and even Australia if other team owners agree.

We have a ton of video and more reports to come, so stay tuned!

 

GAME ONE GOES TO THE HOME TEAM
I have found the origin of the thunder sticks and they come from here. If you haven’t been introduced to the elongated balloons used to intimidate opposing ears, you have missed what has become a staple of baseball. Yep, right next to the hotdogs and crackerjacks….well here it would be right next to the Tofu on a stick, Barbeque squid and the roasted/shredded duck stand. In any case, you’ll find tables lined with Asian credit card companies passing out thunder sticks to any and all entering the stadium and on this night they would get their fare share of use as the Taiwanese All-Stars came to play and their fans to cheer.

The first game between the Dodgers and the nine from Taipei just ended and the American side will hopefully get em tomorrow. The game stayed close early, but the team from Asia ripped open the game for three and then tacked on two more runs before holding off the men in blue 5-2. The Dodgers would only manage 3 hits, while giving up double digits to the locals. Even with one in the right-hand column, it was a win for Major League Baseball here tonight as fans packed the stadium and players on both benches seemed to really enjoy a spring training exhibition half way around the world….for us at least.

Taiwan is baseball crazy and the day started with a youth camp as some Dodgers players and coaches helped out a couple of hundred youngsters on the diamond. By the time batting practice began early in the evening, the media and fans had lined up and begun to fill the stands. The national anthem got its fair share of practice as did a variety of dance routines planned for in between innings. No bat races here.

Dodger Manager Joe Torre told me that the trip has been a good one and the enthusiasm from the host country has been not just welcomed, but cherished by he and his players and the overall Dodger organization. Meantime, several people within Major League Baseball and even Dodger Assistant General Manager Kim Ng have mentioned, they hoped this trip will encourage other owners to do the same. Sending teams across the pond this close to the season might seem grueling, or even risky, but for the Dodgers it has paid off in many ways. They are building on an international following, but more importantly they have a strong scouting presence in the region.

Two Taiwanese stars, Hu Chin-lung who plays short for the Dodgers, and pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo have come back for the trip and represent the Dodgers strength in this region. Kuo is the first player from Taiwan to hit a home run in MLB history, while Hu is the second. It these types of players that has baseball planning to continue its outreach across the ponds and by doing that you also increase the fan base and ultimately the bottom line. I am told due to this trips success, video highlights of this trip will be shown at the next owners meeting.

Now back to the game, as the first pitch was thrown and the dragons and drums rolled off the field, the cultural differences almost went away. Not that they needed to, but baseball has a way of bringing people together no matter where you are in the world. Needless to say, the mound to home will always be 60 feet…..6 inches and the basepaths 90 feet. While the public address announced in both Mandarin and English, the ball cracked off the bat and snapped into the glove just like it does in Chevez Ravine or for that matter Wrigley. Here two nations battled over the same pastime and while one won on the scoreboard tonight, they both won on the field.

LANDED IN THE FAR EAST
I knew Taiwan has baseball fever, but little did I expect a welcome like the one bestowed on the Dodgers tonight. Yep, after 15 hours and about 7,500 miles, the Los Angeles Dodgers have made the long trek from Phoenix, to Chinese Taipei. From outside the arrival gate and airport, to a jammed packed lobby and press conference, these games are being met here with massive fanfare. This is big stuff for our little island ally and they know it.

For those who may not know or remember from school, here is a little rundown of Taiwan and why it is important as a partner in this region. Baseball remains our common national pastime, but we also have democracy on our side. Taiwan is the largest island of the Republic of China and lies a mere 140 miles across the important straits of Formosa from Mainland China…which still claims Taiwan as a renegade province. The U.S. has important ties with Taipei, much to the chagrin of the People’s Republic of China which still covets those who fled the communist revolution on the mainland.

So…here we are. Two nations with more in common than many realize and at the heart…nine men on a diamond. Tomorrow everything gets rolling with a camp for kids and the first of a three game set. Tonight MLB representatives guaranteed the LA Boys would take 2 of 3, but a good natured spar later in the evening meant Taiwan would claim the same thing.

We will be at the games and will file LiveShots posts, we will stream from the field and also report for Fox News Channel beginning Friday afternoon!

WE ARE OFF
Baseball or bàngqiú 棒球……that is the question as we prepare to board a plane with the Los Angeles Dodgers and memebers of Major League Baseball headed to watch two nations battle with their national pastimes. Baseball may have started here, but for years it has been all the rage and once the refuge in Asia.

With Ichiro in Seattle and Matsui in New York, some of Asia’s biggest players have come here to play ball, but Japan isn’t the only hot bed and hasn’t been. South Korea, Taiwan and even on the mainland, baseball get’s massive crowds. The Dodgers are continuing baseball’s push to become a global sport filled with international support and hope trips like this only build the brand. We’ve seen the NBA, NFL and even the NHL head across the pond on either side, baseball continues to do the same and Asia is seen as the bounty for a massive/growing/fanatical sports base.

So off we go to Taiwan on a charter flight form spring training. We will be posting in depth blogs here, behind the scene’s pictures, video and reports. I’ll also be answering your questions. Play ball…or as they say in Taipei…Kai Qiu!

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

INSIDE THE COURTROOM
As I walked into Department 11 in San Diego, about 15 of Chelsea’s family and friends were already seated and passing around tissue. Chelsea’s parents sit close together, their hands clasped. Security is tight with deputies blocking the aisle that leads to where the accused killer John Gardner will eventually stand. I am sitting in the fourth row, one seat from the aisle and there isn’t an inch of room for anyone else to cram in. The mood is somber and tense. No one speaks, but we are allowed to use our blackberry’s and communication devices to type. Her family and friends wear ribbons in her honor.

Prosecutors say John Albert Gardner III killed Chelsea King and the special allegation of either attempting to rape her, or raped her….they don’t have to specify under California law…either way it could meant he death penalty. Gardner also faces an allegation of assault with intent to commit rape in an unrelated Dec. 27 incident.

An attorney entered pleas of not guilty on Gardner’s behalf during his brief court appearance Wednesday. He looked down almost then entire time. His hands held at his waist where he was handcuffed. He only looked up briefly and only said yes once when answering a question from the judge. He will next be in the courtroom on March 18th. I knew he was a big man, but he looks even bigger and stronger in person. He would have no trouble controlling such a smaller girl if he committed the crime.

The district attorney has the option to pursue the death penalty, but that determination has not been made yet. That will happen after the preliminary hearing and after consultation with the entire DA’s office and also with the King family. A huge crowd had gathered outside the courtroom during the arraignment and stayed there as the media and the attorney’s and family all left. The whole process was about 5 mins.

When I asked the DA how the public frustration over the previous case, where Gardner only served 5 years for a 2000 attack, she said her office was going to do everything possible and more needs to be done to strengthen the laws against sexual predators. But first this case needs to be handled.

WEDNESDAY JUSTICE UPDATE
We have moved from the serenity of a beautiful neighborhood outdoor area and park, to the hustle and bustle of downtown San Diego. Here this afternoon, John Gardner will face a judge and charges that he raped, beat and killed Chelsea King. At this hour we are still told that he is being uncooperative with authorities and with this investigation.
Everyone hear in this community knows this story and it seems as if everyone has been affected in some way. People seem frustrated as the talk with us, wondering why this man was allowed back on the street after a criminal psychologist warned that he showed no remorse after being convicted of raper 10 years ago…and that more young women might be in danger.

We will see John Gardner in court at 2:30pm local time today and I will be in the courtroom to take notes and report back here and on Fox News Channel on the hearing. Meantime more than 5,000 people held a candlelight vigil last night in Poway. At one point Chelsea’s father saying that he called he his angel and that now she will always be his angel. Truly heartbreaking.

TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE
This is never easy to report.
Body found Shortly after 1pm- near water’s edge in a shallow grave and was found not far from where they found one of Chelsea’s shoes. Her body was 10-15 ft from a tributary. Strong likelihood it is Chelsea and the family has been told and is devastated. Dive teams found her body on the shoreline south of the lake in little tributary about a half mile from her car and a thorough crime scene investigation is now underway. Positive ID is expected tonight or early tomorrow.

Arraignment still scheduled Wednesday for the suspect John Gardner, who is being held in solitary confinement in a medical unit to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. We are also told he is being uncooperative in regards to the investigation, not a shocker when we hear that a criminal psychologist reported that Gardner didn’t take responsibility for his last crime…a rape and beating of a 13 year-old. Investigators first searched the area where body was found on Friday, but it is a heavily wooded area and the Sheriff says it would have taken someone effort to hide the body there. Sonar did not help find body.

A VERY SAD UPDATE
About a half hour ago I got information that Chelsea’s body was found. A law enforcement source says she was found near the lake and it appears to be found in a creek. So sad. Press conference postponed until later today/tonight.

Any time you cover a story like this it just breaks your heart. It should never happen to a family, to a young girl with so much ahead of her, but at this hour the search is on again in the rural area around Lake Hodges near San Diego. The lake and surrounding park is not unlike many other areas around our country, nestled in a nice neighborhood of surrounding foothills. A large community park with baseball and soccer fields is attached. It is here that Chelsea parked her car last Thursday and it is here that her father found that car with her cell phone and iPod still inside and his daughter nowhere to be found.

Hodges Reservoir as it is known locally is on the San Dieguito River and offers a variety of recreational uses, including fishing, boating, bike and horseback riding, and picnicking. Dirt hiking, jogging and riding trails which Chelsea is thought to have taken, wind through ever-changing terrain and topography that goes from elevated vistas to marsh-like wetlands. According to a county website, when full, the reservoir has 1,234 surface acres, a maximum water depth of 115 feet, and 27 shoreline miles. Water levels are monitored weekly. This winter has been a wet one in Southern California, so locals tell me the lake is as full as they’ve seen it.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER
You can tell the community has rallied around this girl and her family since she went missing. It seems like signs are on every corner and at the counter of every gas station and store in the area. Ribbons adorn trees not far from where crime scene tape wraps the trunks of others keeping people away from the ongoing investigation. More than 1,000 people have volunteered so far in the search and law enforcement, which includes the FBI, has hundreds on the case. We are told after he father found the car her ran down the nearby trails yelling out his daughters name, just the thought is heartbreaking.

Her father Brent sent out this e-mail which can also be found posted in the area and online:
Our beautiful daughter, Chelsea King, has gone missing. She is one of those GREAT kids. The ones that have HUGE dreams that make all of us smile. When she walks into a room, she lights it up with her energy. She is a 17 yr old Senior at Poway high school, currently taking 4 ap classes and carrying a 4.2 GPA. She is a very accomplished french horn player who plays in her school band as well as for the San Diego youth Symphony. She volunteeers her time through her peer counseling group at high school to assist others when they need help. She needs your help now.

I am asking that everyone that reads this forward it to your entire database of friends, family and work. Additionally I need your help in building a campaign to keep awareness focused on finding our daughter. I am hoping that I can create shirts, cards, posters, websites, anything you can think of to keep her in the eyes of the public. I do not want to limit this to San Diego-

I’ve attached a flyer and a picture we are handing out- please print it and do the same. Chelsea is a very strong, resourceful girl. Her future is unlimited, we just need to get her back. Thanks for all your prayers for Chelsea’s safe return. It means everything to me and my family.

As for the suspect John Albert Gardner III, 30, he was arrested on suspicion of murder and rape and currently sits in a San Diego jail cell.We are told iInvestigators found several pieces of unspecified evidence, maybe even Chelsea’s underwear according to one family report. Gardner is no stranger to trouble. The 6 foot 2, 230 pound ex con, pleaded guilty in 2000 to molestation charges involving a 13-year-old girl and was possibly connected to fondling a 14-year-old girl a year earlier. Now detectives believe he is tied to the assault of a girl at this same park two months ago and maybe tied to a missing girl from last year in nearby Escondido.

Next to searching for Chelsea, people here want to know how this guy walked the streets.

(Photo caption: Chelsea King, who disappeared Thursday, is pictured in an undated photo posted by friends on a Facebook page devoted to her search)

Illuminated by the faint light of a golden moon, saguaro cactus, multi-stemmed ocotillo and sagebrush whizz past. Donkey has decided to make a run and agents on the back of three other horses bolt across the Sonoran Desert just ahead. We had only been in the Border Patrol truck for about 15 minutes, horses and trailer in tow, when the call came over the radio. Seven men, seen through night vision goggles, hiking across the remote desert with huge packs of drugs on their backs. Now agents ride full speed in all out darkness…”dodging stuff”. Half the time you can’t even make it all out.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

Brian Reed, Travis Johnson and Juan Claudio form the team that I have tagged along with on this night. All told, there are 14 agents on the Ajo horse team and these three have handed me the reins of a horse known as ‘Donkey.’ Captured from smugglers several years back, the ten year-old gelding gets complimented as the “Cadillac of the herd” and I quickly understand why while trying to feel the difference between his trot and gallop. His gait can only be described as smooth, from the outset I realize this horse likes to lead.

I have ridden before and have a paint horse of my own, but other than riding 150 years ago with a gang of outlaws, nothing can really prepare someone for what lies ahead on this night. Even so, before the sun went down agents put me through a test to ensure I wouldn’t put them, or me, in a dangerous situation. I pass, likely more due to horse, than the rider.

Back to the action…simply put, Donkey gets up and goes. He easily races through the organ pipe and sage to keep up with the others, only slowing to traverse through washes and other barely seen marks in the desert. I am following the team leader Brian, at this point, doing my best to stay out of the way. Travis and Juan have taken off in a different direction and the thundering of hooves of their horses galloping along can be heard off to my right-hand side.

As Donkey picks up considerable speed, I pull back on the reins. Verbal queues are avoided, since it might tip off the smugglers easier than just hearing the echo of horseshoes on the desert floor. Minutes later, about 30 yards away, I hear Juan yelling in Spanish for someone to get down on the ground and I rein Donkey in that direction and we again begin the race across the desert.

I am here to document, so out of my jacket I grab my flashlight and camera, Juan and his horse are now just feet away. One smuggler staggering from a fall trying to get away, stumbles into my horse and then follows directions in Spanish and lies face first on the desert. Other yelling can now be heard, so I switch my light from hard-to-see red to white, which better lights up the darkened and arid scenery. I quickly see two more men being led by agents on horses, each carrying massive sacks of dope. They too join the line-up, laying flat on the ground as the dope gets piled nearby.

Travis then heads out to scout a bit in the area, while Juan and Brian control the scene. Other agents from the Ajo station arrive in SUVs on a rugged dirt road about 150 yards away and with them our photographer Scott King and producer Ron Ralston. They jog across the landscape and once on site, their lights also help show quite a haul. More than 350 pounds of marijuana with a street value of roughly $250,000…and the night has only just begun.

“We can get there quicker…the horses can see in the dark, so we can ride up within feet. The aliens think it is just another horse walking around in the desert,” says Brian. Juan tells me when drug smugglers are involved there’s always the likelihood of more danger because many are armed as the mostly fight each other and other cartels trying to control the operations. I am told by both men drug busts numbers have skyrocketed in this remote wildland in the last year.

The men dismount and then use the horses to pack the drugs over to the road. The three suspects are led in front, a few others would be captured later by another group of border agents not far away.

Once back to the roadway and the drugs and smugglers loaded into the back of the trucks, the team mounts up and heads back to the trailer for yet more calls. Forty illegals seen through night vision and radar walking about 15 miles away, so the team decides to go. Then another group of 50 heading toward the hills and a group of fifteen about 30 miles south are also spotted. The hunt to protect our borders consumes every second as there is an obvious mix of new and old, horses and technology.

On horseback, ATV, SUV, foot and even in helicopters, the desert comes alive at night. As Ajo Field Ops Supervisor Cesar Acosta tells me, they do their best to be less intrusive to such a beautiful landscape and that’s yet another reason why the horses are so valuable. Technology can point out trouble and horses with riders can get there safest and cleanest. He says, “In mixing the new technology, which is the mobile systems (the MSS) and the horse patrol, makes a faster or quicker means for us to apprehend or interdict a group of illegals crossing the border or drugs crossing the border.”

Once loaded back into the trailer, the team races again down crusty, rugged roads heading towards the group of 40. Another horse team has gotten there first and has the group seated in two lines when we ride up. Clearly these immigrants are more likely looking for work, as drug bundles are nowhere to be seen. One tells us he had work already set up for him at a winery in Napa Valley. Another tells me he is from the state of Michoacan and apologizes for being caught. I am told 30-40 percent of those caught like this end up having criminal records of some sort once fingerprints are run, but one in the group catches my eye who I can guarantee has no criminal record.

He sits behind his father, or so it seems. He can’t be any older than 8 or 9 and from my perch aboard Donkey, he looks even smaller. In 8 years of covering this border for Fox News, this always gets me. I have seen kids captured before and in years past watched on the Mexican side as they bought water and prepared to cross with their families. Your heart sinks for what they have been through and seen already at such a young age. The men tell me they have walked nearly 30 miles through this harsh desert over the course of the last couple of days and this boy has been with them.

It is still many hours before light will peak above the mountains in the eastern sky, yet both of these horse teams are done in the field. They have hours of reports and processing of drugs and people ahead. Donkey and I ride just off to the side and watch as the people are walked towards the highway and a number of SUV’s now parked alongside. Once everyone gets loaded, I take out his bridle and load him into the trailer with the others.

The horses in so many ways provide the advantage here in this western outpost as they have been for generations. They see better at night, move swifter and quieter through the desert than any other vehicle and as Brian tells me, “When the illegals see a horse they say aah I am not going to run. With an ATV out in the dark, they can hear the ATV coming they can start scattering before the group even gets there. With a horse we can get right up on them, they see the horse, they relate it’s a horse and it’s an animal and he’s just doing his job and they don’t want to hurt the horse, so it makes everything a lot easier.”

But nothing is truly easy in this neck of the woods…for everyone and everything involved.

FOLLOW ADAM ON TWITTER

There are so many reasons to be jealous of kids these days and now I can add one more reason. You see as a kid growing up in Northern California, I had an hour ride to and from school every morning. My brother Arik and I were the first kids on the bus and the last to be let off. Needless to say, I think I read almost every ‘Hardy Boys” book available and became quite the music connoisseur, thanks to my tape-playing walkman. Boy have times changed, if only I had grown up in Vail, Arizona…and just a few years later (why date myself?).

Here southeast of Tucson, some students heading to Vail schools ride over two hours a day on the school bus… “enough to make anyone go stir-crazy” according one administrator as he chats with our producer Ron Ralston.
However, the kids of Empire High School in rural Vail, Arizona have a whole new reason to stay quiet on one of the big yellows….they are kids in the first district in the country to put WiFi on the bus. Yep, students here have been issued laptops to pass the time as they travel through desolate landscape on their way to school and bus number 93, which now has that WiFi hook-up, allows students to log on and complete homework assignments….even surf the net, or connect with classmates and family.

The original plan here in Vail was to help students work on the bus, the unintended consequence….students actually do homework, listen to music and surf the net and they don’t horse around. Don’t worry, the internet speed isn’t fast enough or wide enough to stream video, but that might be a good thing. As bus driver JJ Johnson tells us, “There’s less moving around in the bus while it’s moving while some students may sit next to each other to see what they’re doing on the computer… they’re not punching each other.”

As I spoke with driver ‘Jet’ of bus 93 this morning she tells me, “It was a fantastic day. The kids were quiet and working and I didn’t even know they were there!”

The school district says the WiFi has also helped for athletes traveling to more remote games that might be up to 3 hours away each way. In the past the bus might leave at noon for example and kids miss half the day, but now they can do the work and stay in touch with teachers while on the way to the game and as Matt Federoff of the Vail District says, “They’re stuck on the bus 186 days, two hours a day and after a while anybody would go a little stir crazy so the academic benefit, that’s what we wanted, the disciplinary benefit, that was a bonus.”

Kids can also go to community sites and have some fun, which again keeps them occupied, especially on those longer bus rides. The system only costs a couple hundred dollars per bus and about $50 a month for the service, so it is cost affective and the best way to measure….the students themselves.

One student tells us, “It’s actually made a really huge difference because last year I felt like a lot more rushed than I do this year like I have a lot more time knowing I can do stuff on the bus. Another Jerod Reyes adds, “Now you can get your homework done, you can go on the internet, do what you have to do, and then if you WANT to you can talk to your friends.”

So…if commuters can find them on trains and ferries and even airplanes….why not load up on the bus?

We have followed the fight for freedom in Iran for a number of years and recently spent a day reporting from Channel One TV here in Southern California, which broadcasts their signal via satellite inside the repressive regime. As we start to see reports leak out of country-wide protests (because Tehran cuts off access to reporters and even their own people), we hear about support from an unlikely ally. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is helping those fighting for democracy from thousands of miles away and in quite a unique way.

“I’m in a position where I can help put additional financial pressure on Iran to change this country’s behavior which is dangerous to its own citizens and to that national security of this country,” says Poizner.

California is the fourth largest insurance market in the world and although insurance companies here can’t do business directly with the Iranian Regime, many invest in companies that do. Poizner’s solution is to force them to divest, by refusing to allow insurers to count those investments toward their state-mandated bottom line. According to the Commissioner, 350 insurance companies in California have about 6 billion dollars of investments that are propping up the Iranian Regime.

Sam Sorich from the Association of California Insurance Companies says, “We’re a little surprised because insurance companies obey the law, they obey the state and federal laws that regulate investments in any companies that are doing business in Iran.”

Over the course of the last few years I have also also spoken with noted Stanford Professor and Hoover Institute Fellow Abbas Milani and he says, “These gestures have to cohere into a meaningful policy that does the very complicated task of hurting the regime, hurting the IRGC or the revolutionary guards , which are its means of survival.”

What do you think?