LA Eastside

Stop thief! Some developer has stolen our sidewalk! Help!

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In order for this post and semi-rant post to make sense, please watch this clip from Democracy Now, in which the documentary, “Yo Soy El Army: America’s New Military Caste,” a film about the military targeting Latinos, is discussed. You can watch the first part of the clip by clicking here. After you watch the first part, play the video at the top and skip to 3:55 in which the discussion shifts to the DREAM Act being a back door military draft.
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Hardly iconic

Lincoln Heights is proud home to a new youth center creatively placed in an inspired adaptive re-use of an historic church. I have yet to go inside but I hear it’s on the smallish side. No matter, the neighborhood needs more places where consumer consumption is not involved and youth are allowed.

I have one small bone to pick though, and I will digress a moment to let you know I have at times, been labeled an “aesthetic tyrant” for my critical proclamations of design, but what’s up City of Los Angeles with these tired old park signs? They might’ve looked good in the 80s or 70s or whenever they were first put together but nowadays they look just plain fuddy-duddy. The outdated thick italic font, the faux wood with pale mustard trim, it’s so…uninviting. It’s time for a make-over. I know, I know, the city is in one of the worst financial crisis in it’s history but still, graphic designers can’t be that expensive. I know a few that need work…

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Each day we witness matters that mesh in our subconsciousness, swim around, merge and become ideas.  Anyway, maybe that’s the way I think.  Yesterday was difficult.

When I went to collect the mail at work yesterday morning, I noticed that the small bakery & cafe across the street was empty.  I was not a frequent customer, but had a 13 year neighborhood relationship with the owner.  Although a 4 lane street separates us on the 6000 block of Pico, we know each other and wave hello through the traffic and noise.  We are a Jewish temple, a nightclub, a cafe, a new age store, a Yeshiva School, a home decor shop, an Indian grocery store, a Muslim cultural center, a beauty shop, a Gypsy psychic, a glass store, a hamburger stand and a cleaners.  A typical block of mom & pop businesses in LA, with our neighborhood gossip, occasional fights, shared joys, emergency network,  and 9-5 friendships.
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Its one thing for people to use some of the pictures I put online for their own purposes. A link back is the nice thing to do, though they often forget these basic manners.  But its quite another when some lousy and supposed legitimate “news” racket borrows my stuff and they don’t acknowledge the source. And it’s even worse when its used for a purpose completely different then the original intent.

Take for example the pricks at Fox 11.
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With all the racism, fighting, finger pointing, accusations, pettiness, warring, spectacle-ism going on in the US (and everywhere), what the hell is there to celebrate this weekend?  Our overall family-macrocosm is pretty lame.  Across the land people are in save-yourself mode —throwing everyone who is weak and without resources off the ship.  Ok, well maybe we are not as bad as Belgian and France where freedom of religion is now an affront to “European culture”.  I guess I should not be surprised that that cunita of racism is on-cue and tightening the reigns.  In the 1930s Depression Los Angeles police positioned themselves at this state’s border to keep out starving poor white farmers from entering, there were massive deportations of Mexicans and their American born children,  millions of people lost their homes/businesses, any poor person was an enemy to American life.   Sound familiar?  Personally, I like to learn from mistakes, even if they are not mine and not repeat them over and  over like I’m punch-drunk.  If we are going to survive what is happening within our families, communities,  country and world with conscientiousness and honorability– we must think creatively, inclusively, differently, together.  And then, that would be something to celebrate.

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A while back I mentioned that the Benjamin Franklin Library was getting a make over. I can’t remember which blog post it was, sorry. The project to tear down the prison like gates surrounding the library and making it friendlier to the public cost a couple hundred thousand dollars. Again, details escape me at the moment, but I’m sure I mentioned them somewhere. Well, while the renovations aren’t complete, most of the work is done and I’d figure I’d post some pics up.

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In all you do, be wary. In all you read, be wary. In all you encounter at 25mph on the freeway that suggests “wary”, take a picture. Thus was the case for me today when I spotted this not-so-encouraging ad for pre-paid legal services, “Associates needed!!!” Which led me to look thru my backlog of random photos for other signs that should make someone skeptical. Click ahead for the rest of my half-assed cobbled post.

Oh yeah, I tried going to  prepaidlegal.com/hub/robertbuzenes and all I got was a lousy re-direct. Figures.

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It’s been about a good month since I joined the bicycle community. I have always loved riding around town on a bike and now more than ever I find zen like pleasure when I do it at night and when I do it with friends. I do ride around primarily for transportation because I’m tired off the bus and because I need to get rid of the situation, and by the situation I mean my pansa. I’ve been getting around town just fine and just last night I biked 15 miles from UCLA to Boyle Heights. Nothing compared to seasoned riders, but I’m proud of myself. It’s not like when I decide to do the marathon with P3000 out of the blue. Since I started riding more actively and around town I’ve noticed a few things.

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So uhh the circus is in Boyle Heights. I’m kinda conflicted by its presence here though. I mean it’s awesome that there’s something for families to check out on the weekend or during the week. To have the opportunity to see acrobatics, crazy stunts of some kind, clowns making fools of themselves and animals. Since the last two weeks it’s been here I’ve seen families leave with huge smiles on their faces and kids painted like kitty cats, eating their cotton candy, mesmerized by the show they saw. That part I love, but the part about the animals being kept in small confined cages all day until they perform, that’s the part I hate.

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