Ovarian Psychos/Cycle Bycicle Brigade
4
Monthly Archives: August 2010
It’s All Relative
I was mostly minding my own business out in some other parts of California when I happened upon this sight. Since I’ve been derided as one of the agents for the Eastside Border Patrol, I decided a quick report on this particular usage of the seemingly precious term was in order. You know, just so they know that we’re still paying attention.
The Inside Story of The Night Stalker’s Last Run by Lt. Gil Carrillo
During my research for the 25th Anniversary Night Stalker Walking Tour,I contacted Retired Sheriff’s Homicide Detective, Lt. Gil Carrillo for an interview. He cordially agreed and I arrived at the East L.A. Sheriff’s Station one morning for my highly anticipated meeting. Listening to the man speak about one of the most infamous criminal cases in Los Angeles history was both mesmerized and enlightening. Teamed with Det. Frank Salerno, Carrillo was the lead L.A. County Sheriff’s homicide detective assigned to the Night Stalker case in 1984. During our interview, I saw the human side of a man assigned to track down and capture one evil son of a bitch. This was his job, but it was one assignment that got under his skin like no other. By learning about the evil that men do, I also learned about the sacrifices that men make. I learned what it is to give pieces of yourself away in order for the greater society to not have to. I learned what it means to make a difference in humanity’s never ending struggle against the ebb and flow of good vs. evil. This was a story of horror and heroism with a happy ending. Another dark player eliminated from society’s sick game. A game that never ends ands picks it’s players randomly every day. I also wondered about some higher powers at work here, and how we, as mere individuals must often find ourselves taking on battles that may seem beyond us and may require us to set aside every natural fear that makes us human. For me,…that is heroic. And it’s those singular acts that define and shape our collective fate in a world that can only hope to contain it’s fear and lust for violence. Hurray for the heroes.
Spokes & Words
In the spirit of creativity, Spokes & Words is focused in bringing together spoken word with bike riding. As Julio commented on facebook, riding a bike is poetry.
There are six designated stops in which anyone can share words, poems and stories. Each location will have two/three people sharing and we will ride on to the next stop.
All poets, artist, riders and anyone who has an appreciation for poetry, spoken word and riding their bike around town is welcomed. Since this is the first ride, it’ll be an easy one. We welcome input from everyone on rides, routes and locations to include in future rides.
TO ALL PARTICIPANTS, MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS IN WORKING ORDER. MAKE SURE TO BRING EXTRA INNER TUBES, TOOLS ETC. IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS.
ON THE DAY OF THE RIDE WE WILL QUICKLY GO OVER THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS. HERE IS A QUICK LINK,
http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm
We will meet at Mariachi Plaza this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and ride out at 7 p.m. West, stopping first in Little Tokyo by the Japanese National Museum. We will continue on 1st. stopping at the Walt Disney concert hall, then continuing on stopping under the bridge on Beverly and Glendale, in front of the long gone Belmont tunnel, riding up Glendale stopping at Echo Park Lake and riding down Sunset, finishing of at the Chinatown Gold line stop and riding bake to the Eastside.You can view the route on google maps,
Got Towed?
Predators attack for personal gain. Parking on an Eastside street I naively thought that a city sanctioned tow company would never attack for personal gain. I now feel differently.
Here’s a taste. I park a car a block from my house late one night. The next day it is gone. I report it as stolen to LAPD and wait. Three week later I get a call to call the towing company–the car has been found. Total to recover just under $900. As the clerk is doing paper work I discover that the car was found the same day it went missing on the same block where it was parked. Strange? When I ask why it toke three weeks to notify me if the car was found the same day, the clerk stares back in silence. Still strange? To make this even stranger I had locked the steering wheel with a Club, which was still attached at the pick-up yard. Strange, strange, strange? No, I think scam!
I feel violated by my city, my family attacked–emotionally raped in a way. Power makes people do deranged things. I wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences with Viertel Towing?
—
submitted by M. Saldivar Galindo
Grupo Latas
Hopefully playing at a beach near you sometime soon.
Annoying Gifts Depot!
Say its Administrative Professionals Day and you need to get something for that annoying and loud receptionist at the front desk. You know, just so she doesn’t keep reminding you about forgetting for the remainder of the year. Or more practically, so that she might overlook your habitual tardiness. But where does one find the crap paraphernalia by which to appease the West Covina set? I’m always amazed at the mounds of trash people describe as ‘cute’ and even more incredulous that said items were available at an actual store. In the modern era. Plus I can barely believe they chose to look at these items, out of their own volition, all day long, at the place at which they toil, the 40hr cemetery, the drudgeria, all day long, can’t-wait-for-the-clock-to-tick, temple to mediocrity, the workplace, anything but here, yes sir, no sir, thank you for calling, please hold, staff meeting at noon, a dozen donuts in the break room, performance evaluation, consider your IRA, no personal calls please, submit to your KRONOS master, donation envelope for ultra-sugary B-day cake of person down the hall, sign up for reduced price tickets to shitty local outing by noon, waiting to go home, the CFO wants to treat your dept to a “friendly” get-to-know-me-but-mandatory fast food lunch, the workload and stress piles on, yet the obnoxious receptionist expects you to join in with chatter about their stupid offspring and its impending move to some lousy college.
But yeah, so back on topic, you need to buy some junk? Let me show you where!
Botanitas: August 20, 2010
Chinatown grocers offer the most inexpensive and tastiest produce in the area, like this sidewalk stand on North Broadway and Ord. Buy your oranges in Chinatown! (click for larger photo)
Botanitas is an ongoing feature bringing you stories and news from various sources, upcoming events and other bits of ephemera that might be of interest to LA Eastside readers. Suggestions welcome!
Thank goodness for Random’s Rundown because if you counted on my Botanitas posts to keep your social calendar full, you’d probably end up spending most of your nights at home (like me) due to their infrequency (damn you full-time job with no internet access!)
Time to click ahead for weekend events and Eastside news…
DREAM Act Town Hall meeting this Thursday
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.
Continue reading
El Verde ~ The Marriage of Quinceañera
La Quinceañera, played by Ramona Gonzales (center) and her chambalanes Uno, played by Justin Rabi, left and Dos, played by Marcelo Alivias, right, prepare to do battle with El Verde
All Photos courtesy of El Verde Production
You know that phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” ? It’s like a double edge sword. You know what works, but at the same time don’t want to be repetitious and boring. It happens to the best of us, and in the newest installment of the on going adventures of “El Verde,” it’s a good thing.
Soul Skating Opens in Boyle Heights
A few months ago an old friend told me he was contemplating opening up a skate shop in BH. Then he went and got a space. And now he’s finally opened up his shop. C’mon on in and take a look!
How Does Your Garden Grow? Eastside Style!
I know one of my birthrights is being one of the people of the sun, but my DNA has definitely dealt me the “thrives in shady areas” genes. No joke. My grandfather Jose Delgadillo would walk to the store in 100 degrees (Lemon Grove, CA) with a long sleeve Dicky shirt & pants, a sombrero, umbrella and shades, because he had an allergy to the sun. One of my favorite parts of the summer is attending friends’ backyard patio parties. Especially because most of my friends are artists and create their outdoor spaces as if they are creating a great work of art. Its perfect for me —-NO sun and a yearly changing green canvas.
I got inspired to do this piece after I spend the 4th of July at Artist Raul Baltazar’s house. Raul is known for his murals, political performances, personal fashion style (he put the ‘Chic’ in ‘Chicano’), his furry Tochtlli 7 the Aztec bunny, and for being a source of much of my writings in the 90’s.  Yeah, I don’t know why it took me so long to write about him on LAeastside. Everyone knows he’s one of my muses. He grew up in El Sereno, now relocated to Echo Parque. On arriving to his July 4th BBQ this year, I see an unknown man tending luscious rows of various vegetable plants in Raul’s yard. As Raul is helping me unload my car, I whisper “Who is that?” looking towards the gardener—and Raul says matter-of-fact, “Oh, I started a community garden in my yard. All the neighbors come over to tend the vegetables.”    Continue reading