Guarding

Did Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the accused gunman in Thursday's rampage at Ft. Hood, Texas, commit mass murder because of a mental breakdown or because of hatred for his own country fueled by Islamic radicalism -- or some combination of the two? We don't know yet, but whatever the explanation turns out to be, we do know this: The carnage is not a reflection on all the other Muslims serving in the U.S. military. President Obama made that point on Saturday, albeit obliquely, when he noted that those who have fought for this country include "Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers."

Former Woodland Hills Taft guard Spencer Dinwiddie announced on Thursday that he would make himself available for the NBA draft and leave Colorado.  The 6-foot-6 Dinwiddie, a junior, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament to his left knee in January. Eric.sondheimer@latimes.com  

Sheriff's deputies chasing a group of gang members shot and killed a pit bull guarding a stash of rock cocaine and weapons in a doghouse, officials said Tuesday. The incident began shortly after 10 p.m. Monday when a man flagged down a sheriff's patrol car and said he had been robbed of $20, Deputy Roger Hom said. The victim said the muggers had fled to a house at in the 11100 block of New Hampshire Avenue in Los Angeles, where deputies entered the rear yard and encountered a man and four teen-agers.

BUNKERVILLE, Nev. - The first thing you see on the drive to Cliven Bundy's ranch are the American flags - tied to roadside guardrails, flapping in a hard desert wind. At a bend in state Route 170 sits the so-called Patriot Checkpoint, evidence of the tense power play raging between the rebellious 67-year-old cattleman and the federal government. Then there are the guns. Scores of grim citizen militiamen in combat fatigues - semiautomatic weapons slung over their shoulders, ammunition magazines at their belts - patrol from a base they call Camp Tripwire.

I read with great interest (Oct. 7) an article in the View section about Alexander Haagen. One thing caught me eye, however, that caused me to choke on my bacon and eggs. Mr. Haagen said that he was an All-City running guard at Los Angeles High School. Since he graduated in the Winter, 1938, class, that would have meant that as a senior he played on the 1937 team. I was a starting end on that team and I can state unequivocally that there was no one on that team by that name--or any other L.A. High football team.

The advertising campaign you will never see: Grampa Shaq is sitting with two grandchildren on his lap, one playing with his gray beard. "Grampa, how did you get so old?" one will ask. "Guarding Hakeem, my child, guarding Hakeem." MO SCHWARTZ Los Angeles

Gunmen killed an anti-terrorism policeman guarding a witness in central Athens in a brazen escalation of domestic militant attacks prompted by massive riots in December. The death of 41-year-old Nektarios Savvas was the first killing attributed to terrorism in Greece in several years. The officer had been guarding the home of a key witness in the trial of the now-defunct far-left Greek terrorist group Revolutionary People's Struggle, known by its Greek acronym ELA.

'I couldn't believe he wasn't first team. Ben Wallace was the defensive player of the year? No offense, but who is he guarding in the Eastern Conference? Bruce checked everyone with game.' -- Nick Van Exel, Dallas Maverick guard, on San Antonio Spur forward Bruce Bowen's making the NBA's all-defensive second team

I would like to commend Dan Medina of Channel 9 news on his investigative reports. I particularly enjoyed his reports on gangs, traffic violator schools and machine guarding. His reports have been extremely professional, thorough and informative. Douglas H. Hinesley, Westminster

Re: "Medical bills tied to more bankruptcies," June 4: A spokesman for private insurers said that "private insurers were in a better position to rein in spiraling medical costs and that the industry had a plan for protecting people from being forced into bankruptcy." Our present healthcare economy makes that hard to believe. His statement is a vivid example of the wolf guarding the henhouse. Wayne Muramatsu Cerritos

OAKLAND - With two days off before the Clippers played the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA playoffs, reserve guard Jamal Crawford was forced to be careful with his left calf. "I just got treatment, lots and lots of treatment," he said. But Crawford was able to play Thursday night in the best-of-seven series despite a calf injury that's bothering him. "The calf, it limits you a lot," he said. "It happened in the first half of [Game 2] and I pulled myself out. That's when I was actually getting a rhythm, which was weird.

Chris Paul stood before the assembled media Wednesday in his Clippers practice gear, a black brace loosely hanging from his lower right leg. After answering several questions about his right hamstring injury and how the Clippers were ready to play the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the playoffs Thursday in Oakland, Paul eased his way to a training table and sat. Paul didn't practice for the second straight day. In fact, Clippers Coach Doc...

Stephen Curry isn't one to snap at referees. Technical fouls aren't his thing. But his shot hadn't been falling, his team was getting crushed by the Clippers and, yeah, he was angry. So he picked up his first technical foul this season after yelling at a non-call, thinking he was fouled by Chris Paul and/or Blake Griffin on a layup in the Clippers' 138-98 dismantling of the Golden State Warriors. Strange game for Curry, an All-Star who pretty much disappeared as the Clippers took a 26-point halftime lead Monday.

 At tiny Multnomah University in Portland, Ore., former Valencia guard Steven Sansone has been firing away from three-point range in large numbers. He made 157 threes in his junior season out of 423 attempts. He averaged 21.2 points. At Valencia in 2010, he averaged five points a game as a backup to now Boston College guard Lonnie Jackson. Here's the link to a story on Sansone.   Eric.sondheimer@latimes.com  

Jamal Crawford missed five of his first six shots Saturday, a clear sign the Clippers reserve shooting guard was out of rhythm after sitting out the last five games recovering from a strained left calf. But Crawford made his next two shots, a clear sign he is confident enough to take shots when the result hangs in the balance, even if he's still trying to find his way after being out for so long. "I think in the second half, I got more comfortable," Crawford said after scoring 10 points on three-for-eight shooting.

Kobe Bryant was annoyed. Really, really annoyed. The Lakers traded Steve Blake before the February deadline, immediately sending a dissatisfied Bryant to Twitter. He said he was "not cool" with the trade "AT ALL," hitting caps lock for effect and also calling Blake a "psycho competitor. " Blake is still appreciative two months later. He'll play with his new team, Golden State, against the Lakers in his return Friday to Staples Center. "Whenever you have support like that from a teammate, it feels great, especially from one of the greatest," Blake said in a phone interview.

It has come to my attention that Judge Kathleen O'Leary just received a promotion to Superior Court. However, judging from her recent unjust jail sentence of Edward Allan to jail, I fail to see why she did not receive a demotion. This former chief of police spent his whole life guarding our rights and now in his senior years, this is his reward. Does Judge O'Leary really think he is a threat to society? DOROTHY M. ALLEN Placentia

Miami's loss has become UCLA's gain. Malcolm Bunche left Miami's football program seeking more playing time, and he fills UCLA's greatest need on the offensive line. Left guard Xavier Su'a-Filo made himself available for the NFL draft and Bunche slides nicely into what had been a vacancy. "He gives us that big body, gives us that experienced offensive lineman we need," Coach Jim Mora said. "He has acted a little bit like a mentor to some of those guys as well, in his own quiet way. I appreciate that he's here.