insights from the digital future
[Lolla post has moved here] 
The great Arthur Lee passed away Thursday night after a struggle with leukemia with his wife at his bedside. Lee, the man behind the band Love and the all-time classic 1967 album Forever Changes inspired many performers and songwriters through the years and had been on tour as recently as late 2005.
R.I.P. Arthur Lee. (There is an excellent obituary in the Saturday L.A. Times here).
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, while visiting with the governor of the world’s 7th largest economy, agreed to work together to explore ways to fight the Bush Ad… err.. I mean… global warming.
Gov. Schwarzenegger, never afraid to distance himself from the Bush Administration’s hard-right GOP stance, said: “California will not wait for our federal government to take strong action on global warming.”
we shall see what comes of this “green partnership“.
As if it’s not already the greatest day in a horrific year of being a Cubs fan (after the 4-game weekend sweep of the Cards), GM Jim Hendry completed a couple moves at the trade deadline to significantly brighten up prospects for next year and beyond.
The Cubs parted with 327-game winner Greg Maddux to the faltering — but still not out of the weak NL West race — Dodgers. In return, the Cubs get a few million bucks, and 2005 All Star Cesar Izturis, who is still getting his groove back after off-season Tommy John surgery.
This solidifies the Cubs infield for years to come, with Derrek Lee at first, Izturis at second, Ronny Cedeno at short and Aramis Ramirez at third. Izturis, originally a shortstop, was platooning at third base and in the outfield after coming off the DL this year. I find it hard to believe that the Cubs would be willing to move Cedeno — who has been mopping up as starting campocorto (SS) all season.
The Cubs also dealt veteran 2nd baseman Todd Walker, opening up the infield slot for the speedier and better fielding Izturis. In doing so, they acquired the pitching gem of the San Diego Padres farm system, Jose Ceda, a Dominican power-pitching right-hander who has torn up the Arizona rookie league.
By sending Maddux — a 40-year old with an expiring contract after 2007, and Walker — whom the Cubs have been willing to deal for two years — to two teams struggling to steal a title in a division in which it may only take 80 wins to do so, Jim Hendry pulled yet another coup in his GM stint. Additionally, picking up Ceda helps beef up the Cubs pitching prospects, after they sent stud rookie Ricky Nolasco (who tore up AA for the Cubs last year) to Florida during the offseason in favor of the STILL unproven and running out of time Angel Guzman. Nolasco, by the way is the second stud pitcher we gave the Marlins in favor of Guzman, the other being a lefty named Dontrelle.
Needless to say, not everybody is as optimistic about this trade as I am. Take Death at Goat Riders for example, who posts that he’d rather see Maddux retire as a Cub than see Izturis in Cubbie blue, adding: “Jeez. Hendry just can’t do anything right, can he?”
For more Cubs commentary — see my ‘next year is here’ links on my blogroll. Full details and insight on a rambunctious day of wheeling and dealing through MLB can be found at MLB-content & blog aggregator Ballbug.
Its true — Lebanon was growing into a jewel of the Mediterranean — apparently hundreds of tourists were airlifted out today by Italian airlines.
But Haifa and Tiberias in Israel hadn’t seen attacks of this sort in over 30 years, probably not since the Yom Kippur war of 1973 when Israel was a wee 25 years young.
This sign was spotted amid several others protesting Hezbollah and questioning global response to this conflict. A group of men who said they were Black Hebrews bandied about Venice Beach boardwalk for about an hour this afternoon, signs raised high.
Miss the news of the past 5 days? BBC News has this comprehensive timeline of the recent conflict.
Ha’aretz has a solid breaking news ticker (Israel time is PDT +10).