The day started off with a proper English shower of rain followed by puffy clouds and fresh air. I was finally able to wear the big rain boots that took up way too much room in my suitcase. I used this opportunity to walk through puddles while the crowds next to me had to weave in and out of the sidewalk puddles on the trek to Wimbledon to watch the women’s singles and men’s doubles golden matches.

Yesterday, we witnessed Serena Williams blow Sharapova off the grass. Sharapova grunted loudly every time she hit the ball, but the grunts didn’t help her win more than 1 game the whole day. Serena was dignified and as elegant as ever and won 6-0, 6-1. The tennis-player/fashion designer was dressed for success. I knew she was expecting to win the gold because she wore a big golden hair tie that matched her gold medal perfectly. Talk about accessorizing! The ceremony was beautiful, but eventful when the USA flag flew right off the hinges and hit the ground. The flag faux pas didn’t keep Serena from smiling and jumping up and down in joy after the National Anthem finished.

The Bryan Brothers followed suit with another Golden performance beating the French team 6-4, 7-6. The games were filled with volleys and hits, but the Bryan brothers never lost their composure or the pep in their step and bounced up and down between points like the bunnies in the Duracell battery commercial. The twins worked in unison as one and seemed to know what the other was thinking without having to speak much, while the French team consulted with each other nearly every point.

This morning the indefatigable determined William’s sisters won yet another Gold for team USA in Women’s doubles easily defeating the Czech Republic duo Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4. This victory was a repeat of last month’s Wimbledon final, when the Williams sisters also won in straight sets on Centre Court.

By all accounts team USA is the Tennis Powerhouse with 3 out of a possible 5 Gold medals and 1 Bronze, but this Sunday, sunny Sunday, was the “big day” for England. England, despite hosting one of the world’s most famous tennis match, has not won a title at Wimbledon for 76 years and has not won a single gold medal in tennis for over 100 years. In 1908, when London hosted the Olympics, England, was Great Britain, winning all 6 Gold medals, where they hosted 4 gold matches exclusively for men (Mens’ singles, doubles, indoor singles and indoor doubles and 2 gold matches for women (Women’s singles and doubles (no indoor event for women). I have no idea why Women were not allowed to play indoor tennis, but that is for another article.

Today, the Swiss cool-as-a-cucumber Roger Federer would face the English smiling-man Andy Murray. Only four weeks ago, to the day, Federer had blown Murray to pieces and won the Wimbledon title, but today was different in many ways.

The normally austere Wimbledon crowd filed with “proper” people who whisper and say “SHHH” after points, was replaced by screaming Union Jack fans doing waves and screaming after nearly every point. It reminded me of being at a USC UCLA football game, only all of the fans were rooting for one team – GB!

It started to get hot, and I knew Federer was getting tired when he kept asking for a towel. Meanwhile Murray was jumping around on his side of the court soaking in the home-town advantage. Although Federer appeared to have more pep in his step after he ate a banana during a break, his bubble soon fizzled.  Murray beat Federer in three straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

Federer immediately left the arena after the loss, while Murray jumped into crowd giving his girl friend, mother and even a young fan hugs. The crowd went wild. It was as if they had won more than just a Gold medal, they had restored their pride in their country.  The match left many inspired with renewed hope that anything is possible.

Power to the London Flowers!

London 2012

We arrived at Heathrow last Wednesday July 25. Like the calm before the storm, the airport was empty. No lines at passport control. No lines leaving customs. No lines for cabs.

A friendly Olympic greeter wearing a bright pink Olympic shirt was the first to welcome us to London and walk us out of customs. Next, we were greeted by the Olympic mascots, one-eyed space like creatures named Wenlock and Mandeville.

On our way to the hotel, our cab driver told us he believed no one would be going to the Olympics because getting a ticket to an event was harder than winning the London Lottery.

We left the empty airport surrounded by green fields and blue skies and drove to the City brimming with people sporting Union Jacks. Shops were filled with flags in the display windows. Like a flower ready to bloom, London and Olympic Park was filled with colors. From the flowers in the Olympic park to the recycled rubber walkways filled with orange, pink, green, yellow, red and purple.

The opening ceremony was nothing short of phenomenal. It was like riding a roller coaster on an emotional gamut from peaceful, to funny, to sick, to, sad to hopeful. It was a virtual smorgasbord highlighting everything English.

On the way in, we passed many people in the hallways with drums dressed like Burt from Mary Poppins waiting outside the entrance. I also saw some cows and sheep and wondered what in the world? When we sat down and looked out over the arena, it felt like we were in a time glass looking at England’s past with gorgeous green pastures, trees, and children playing. It was magical watching the fields of green transform by the muscle of women and men to a gritty grey industrial village. The musical montage with James Bond and the Queen parachuting into the ceremony and comedian Bean playing Chariots of Fire theme filled the arena with cheer and laughs.

The 300 or so hospital beds highlighted Britain’s National Health Care program (They will be donated to hospitals in Tunisia) and made me think about our own Obama Care program in the US.

During the ceremony, I didn’t understand the significance of the faces of people who were shown on the big display, but I later learned that part of the ceremony was meant to honor those who were killed by terrorist bombs the day after the Olympic bid was awarded.

In short, London, like a strawberry that has grown ripe, is ready to feed the entire world with sweetness. – - – Strawberry Fields Forever!

Show me the money!

On July 9, I got an e-mail from the Obama campaign with “good news and bad news.” The “Good news” was that June was the best fundraising month and more than 706,000 people stepped up and pitched in for a grand total of $71 million raised for the campaign and the Democratic Party.  The “Bad news” was that Romney and the RNC pulled in a whopping $106 million in 1 month.

On July 10, I got an e-mail from President Obama. It went like this.

“Pamela –

We’re getting outraised — a first for a sitting president, if this continues. Not just by the super PACs and outside groups that are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into misleading ads, but by our opponent and the Republican Party, which just outraised us for the second month in a row. We can win a race in which the other side spends more than we do. But not this much more.”

Then my President asked me to contribute more money to stop the madness.

With all due respect, another shot of heroin won’t stop the pain.  Isn’t it time for our political process to come clean and stop sucking money away from hard-working Americans?

How can we continue to reward those who would spend millions just to be elected while schools are closing, public safety officers are reduced and people are loosing homes to foreclosures.

Is anyone else getting sick of the amount of money being poured into local and national political campaigns?  Will you reward those money campaigns with your vote in November?

All the money in the world can’t buy democracy, or can it?

I guess we will have an answer to that question in November.

In 2005,  a Republican-controlled Capitol Hill pushed through the infamous $280 billion Highways Act, which was the largest transport bill in US history.  It was dubbed the “Bridge to Nowhere” because it was stuffed with boondoggles, including the notorious $223 million Alaskan bridge to an island of 50 people already served by ferry.  The bill won near-unanimous support.

In June 2012, the State of California is pushing a $10 or so million dollar Malibu Lagoon “restoration” project that will destroy three bridges to somewhere – world-famous Surfrider beach.  At the same time, the State is closing 70 State parks this year because of the state budget deficit and Governor Brown will be asking the voters for a tax increase in November.

I took my children to the three bridges yesterday so they could see a piece of Malibu history.  Although the day was bittersweet because we were powerless to do anything to stop the bridges from being destroyed, my only consolation was knowing that the people have the power this November when we are asked to approve a tax increase proposed by our Governor.

I will remember this boondoggle when I vote on his tax measure in November.   Will you?