Comments on: A funny thing happened on my way to the internet. http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/ Life Beyond The River Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:34:13 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bob Davis http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-21083 Bob Davis Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:45:41 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-21083 A followup to my previous post: I tried dropping in a photo, but it looked like it was way too big for the "reply" box. It's easier for me to send them to e-mail addresses and let AOL cut them down to size; you may have gathered that I go back to the days of rotary-dial telephones (when I was growing up in Monrovia, we had no-dial phones--you told a live operator what number you wanted). Speaking of old-timey things, I like the Art-Deco graphic on your "about me" page. From there, I went to the Bus Bench website, and found a rather long discussion of transit issues in LA County, with some comments by Damien Goodmon, who I have seen in action at Metro Board meetings. I happen to be a pro-rail partisan, and have even helped build track and install overhead wire at Orange Empire. I can also share some stories about riding buses, both local and Greyhound. A followup to my previous post: I tried dropping in a photo, but it looked like it was way too big for the “reply” box. It’s easier for me to send them to e-mail addresses and let AOL cut them down to size; you may have gathered that I go back to the days of rotary-dial telephones (when I was growing up in Monrovia, we had no-dial phones–you told a live operator what number you wanted). Speaking of old-timey things, I like the Art-Deco graphic on your “about me” page. From there, I went to the Bus Bench website, and found a rather long discussion of transit issues in LA County, with some comments by Damien Goodmon, who I have seen in action at Metro Board meetings. I happen to be a pro-rail partisan, and have even helped build track and install overhead wire at Orange Empire. I can also share some stories about riding buses, both local and Greyhound.

]]> By: Browne http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-21080 Browne Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:20:58 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-21080 Bob, I'm very interested in Billion Dollar Blackjack book, that sounds awesome. I love books on LA history. I love LA even though I talk quite a bit of crap about it, but I like talking crap so anything I'm into I'm going to probably at some point start ragging on it. Your library sounds fascinating. Do you give talks? Are you some kind of a planner? Is this just a hobby? Do you have any pictures of yourself on the Red Cars? You never think about taking pictures of yourself on things that at the time seem so ordinary, but then they go away and you think, "I should have gotten a picture of that." Browne Bob,

I’m very interested in Billion Dollar Blackjack book, that sounds awesome. I love books on LA history. I love LA even though I talk quite a bit of crap about it, but I like talking crap so anything I’m into I’m going to probably at some point start ragging on it.

Your library sounds fascinating. Do you give talks? Are you some kind of a planner? Is this just a hobby?

Do you have any pictures of yourself on the Red Cars? You never think about taking pictures of yourself on things that at the time seem so ordinary, but then they go away and you think, “I should have gotten a picture of that.”

Browne

]]> By: Bob D. http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-21029 Bob D. Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:51:04 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-21029 I learned about the Morrow Mayo book from "Billion Dollar Blackjack" by William G. Bonelli (Civic Research Press, Beverly Hills, 1954, and probably another "first edition only" book), an update on how the Chandler dynasty allegedly more or less ran Southern California since the days when LA was just coming out of its "cowtown" period. Two things I noted about the Bonelli book were the union marks on the title page and the author's photo (as of 1954 and for a long time afterward, the LA Times was strongly anti-union). I learned about "Blackjack" from "Privileged Son/Otis Chandler and the Rise and Fall of the L.A.Times Dynasty" by Dennis McDougal (Perseus Publishing, Cambridge Mass, 2001). My wife is a Times-Mirror retiree, so this was of more than casual interest. It's easier to find than "Blackjack" or "Los Angeles", and in addition to being a biography of Otis Chandler, it is the history of Times-Mirror, and by extension, Los Angeles. I have quite a collection of local-history books, most of them related to transportation; I was born in Pasadena and have lived in the San Gabriel Valley all my life. I remember the "Red Cars", orange groves, the Arroyo Seco Parkway before it became the Pasadena Freeway, steam locomotives on the Santa Fe, and lots of other "things that aren't there anymore. I learned about the Morrow Mayo book from “Billion Dollar Blackjack” by William G. Bonelli (Civic Research Press, Beverly Hills, 1954, and probably another “first edition only” book), an update on how the Chandler dynasty allegedly more or less ran Southern California since the days when LA was just coming out of its “cowtown” period. Two things I noted about the Bonelli book were the union marks on the title page and the author’s photo (as of 1954 and for a long time afterward, the LA Times was strongly anti-union). I learned about “Blackjack” from “Privileged Son/Otis Chandler and the Rise and Fall of the L.A.Times Dynasty” by Dennis McDougal (Perseus Publishing, Cambridge Mass, 2001). My wife is a Times-Mirror retiree, so this was of more than casual interest. It’s easier to find than “Blackjack” or “Los Angeles”, and in addition to being a biography of Otis Chandler, it is the history of Times-Mirror, and by extension, Los Angeles. I have quite a collection of local-history books, most of them related to transportation; I was born in Pasadena and have lived in the San Gabriel Valley all my life. I remember the “Red Cars”, orange groves, the Arroyo Seco Parkway before it became the Pasadena Freeway, steam locomotives on the Santa Fe, and lots of other “things that aren’t there anymore.

]]> By: browne http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-20999 browne Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:23:39 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-20999 It is the only edition AND it was a great find. I find myself referring to that book often. That book is truth, not in the stereotypes, but a kind of mindset that existed and still exists. It hard to explain in a comment, but I'm very glad I ran across this book. It is the only edition AND it was a great find. I find myself referring to that book often. That book is truth, not in the stereotypes, but a kind of mindset that existed and still exists. It hard to explain in a comment, but I’m very glad I ran across this book.

]]> By: Bob D. http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-20991 Bob D. Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:08:35 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-20991 I was looking up "Morrow Mayo" after seeing a reference to him in another book about LA, and came across this site. Finding a copy of "Los Angeles" at a used book sale is almost like a car collector finding a Model T in a barn. It is available, but it's $100 on Amazon and $125 and up on A Libris. I get the impression that the first edition is the only edition. I was looking up “Morrow Mayo” after seeing a reference to him in another book about LA, and came across this site. Finding a copy of “Los Angeles” at a used book sale is almost like a car collector finding a Model T in a barn. It is available, but it’s $100 on Amazon and $125 and up on A Libris. I get the impression that the first edition is the only edition.

]]> By: browne http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-1944 browne Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:51:23 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-1944 "You’re wrong. Black girls do surf." Nancy Oh man I need to do a post for all the people of color who do things that people of color aren't supposed to do...lol...is that you (you being Nancy) dancing in that you-tube video? If so black girls can dance as well as surf. I only dance well when people are not actually looking at me and pretending like I'm another black person that can actually dance. For a long time I thought I could dance ("positive" stereotypes can make you appear good at things that you as individual may be horrible at, but the mind is a powerful tool) until I went to a party and a black person that could dance asked me what exactly was I was doing. He asked,"My sister, where are you from?" (People always ask me that. I must look like a space alien, no I must act like a space alien.) And I said Canada and then he just said, "Oh, that explains alot..." what a butthead. It does dispel another rumor, the one of there being no black people in Canada, there are black people in Canada, but apparently they can not dance. All of this talk on surfing has reminded me of another topic: the mysteries of african descent hair...i feel another post coming on... Browne “You’re wrong. Black girls do surf.” Nancy

Oh man I need to do a post for all the people of color who do things that people of color aren’t supposed to do…lol…is that you (you being Nancy) dancing in that you-tube video? If so black girls can dance as well as surf.

I only dance well when people are not actually looking at me and pretending like I’m another black person that can actually dance. For a long time I thought I could dance (”positive” stereotypes can make you appear good at things that you as individual may be horrible at, but the mind is a powerful tool) until I went to a party and a black person that could dance asked me what exactly was I was doing. He asked,”My sister, where are you from?” (People always ask me that. I must look like a space alien, no I must act like a space alien.) And I said Canada and then he just said, “Oh, that explains alot…” what a butthead. It does dispel another rumor, the one of there being no black people in Canada, there are black people in Canada, but apparently they can not dance.

All of this talk on surfing has reminded me of another topic: the mysteries of african descent hair…i feel another post coming on…

Browne

]]> By: Metro_Vaquero http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-1943 Metro_Vaquero Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:11:31 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-1943 Browne: No your post didn't offend me, not at all. I was giving you a heads up on the city modeling activity a friend was leading. I agree with you about consumption driven environmentalism & "greenwashing" by Wal-mart types. The automobile isn't going away just yet, and I doubt it will ever with our land use patterns not just here in this city-region, but other not so urban settings across the U.S. Any dialogue that seeks that ways to address and increase mobility for all residents is not a bad idea. Browne:
No your post didn’t offend me, not at all. I was giving you a heads up on the city modeling activity a friend was leading. I agree with you about consumption driven environmentalism & “greenwashing” by Wal-mart types. The automobile isn’t going away just yet, and I doubt it will ever with our land use patterns not just here in this city-region, but other not so urban settings across the U.S.

Any dialogue that seeks that ways to address and increase mobility for all residents is not a bad idea.

]]> By: Nancy http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-1942 Nancy Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:50:49 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-1942 You're wrong. Black girls do surf. :-) http://surfandthefury.blogspot.com/ You’re wrong. Black girls do surf. :-)

http://surfandthefury.blogspot.com/

]]> By: browne http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-1931 browne Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:05:14 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-1931 Thanks for that link Mike and I have to admit that I do surf, but I haven't done it in five years. Saying I surf wouldn't have been that funny though :) Love the afro-punk site. I was on there earlier yesterday (I see that's where your link goes to that your name is attached to.) Metro, I hope my post didn't offend you. I do think there needs to be real conversation with the green movement. Who do we want to pay for the green movement? Corporate sponsorship, hey we have to pay the bills, but when a corporation is designing a movement. I feel it's my job as a citizen to question it. And if I have some knowledge I definitely want to share that knowledge. I find it interesting that corporations are jumping onboard to "eco-consciousness". The reason why the planet is being destroyed is because of consumption. Driving, being wasteful, pollution is all based in consumption and that's caused by corporation. Step one in the environmental movement is to stop buying new stuff. The only thing we need to be buying that is new is food. Of course that's not very marketable. It's kind of like Rockefeller are we going to pretend that the legacy of Rockefeller is only about art grants and are we going to skip the part of history where that legacy did all kinds of horrible things to get that money in order to be in the position to give people money? Are we not supposed to be critical of business because they sponsor "eco" events, heck this isn't sponsorship, this is straight up manifesting an event to seem random. Is that ok? Shouldn't we question that even if it is for something, "good". I certainly hope we can and that "PC" doesn't extend to corporations. Browne Thanks for that link Mike and I have to admit that I do surf, but I haven’t done it in five years. Saying I surf wouldn’t have been that funny though :)

Love the afro-punk site. I was on there earlier yesterday (I see that’s where your link goes to that your name is attached to.)

Metro, I hope my post didn’t offend you. I do think there needs to be real conversation with the green movement. Who do we want to pay for the green movement? Corporate sponsorship, hey we have to pay the bills, but when a corporation is designing a movement. I feel it’s my job as a citizen to question it. And if I have some knowledge I definitely want to share that knowledge.

I find it interesting that corporations are jumping onboard to “eco-consciousness”. The reason why the planet is being destroyed is because of consumption. Driving, being wasteful, pollution is all based in consumption and that’s caused by corporation.

Step one in the environmental movement is to stop buying new stuff. The only thing we need to be buying that is new is food. Of course that’s not very marketable.

It’s kind of like Rockefeller are we going to pretend that the legacy of Rockefeller is only about art grants and are we going to skip the part of history where that legacy did all kinds of horrible things to get that money in order to be in the position to give people money? Are we not supposed to be critical of business because they sponsor “eco” events, heck this isn’t sponsorship, this is straight up manifesting an event to seem random. Is that ok? Shouldn’t we question that even if it is for something, “good”. I certainly hope we can and that “PC” doesn’t extend to corporations.

Browne

]]> By: Michael in LA http://laeastside.com/2008/08/a-funny-thing-happened-on-my-way-to-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-1929 Michael in LA Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:44:41 +0000 http://laeastside.com/?p=883#comment-1929 Bounced over here from LAbrainterrain.com - excellent blog! Oh yeah, Black women do surf (http://www.blacksurfing.com/team.htm) - but the Quicksliver site does suck.... Bounced over here from LAbrainterrain.com – excellent blog!

Oh yeah, Black women do surf (http://www.blacksurfing.com/team.htm) – but the Quicksliver site does suck….

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