Category Archives: 2 minutes

NEWS FLASH! “Quantifying Hate Speech on Commercial Talk Radio”

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flyinureye 2010

The UCLA Chicano Studies Department has some very interesting presentations and programming during the week.  Wish I didn’t have to work–darn! For the price of parking and some gas, you are invited to join these important topics taking place (mostly) at the UCLA Chicano Studies Department. 

I just saw this week’s Discussion Panel and Press Conference—and you are in luck, it’s just downtown.  For those of us looking at ourselves, our actions and (especially) our speech critically, this dialogue is crucial.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011
12:30 p.m. (PST)
MALDEF
634 S. Spring Street
Edison Room, 1st floor
Los Angeles, CA 90014

In a groundbreaking pilot study conducted by the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC) in partnership with the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), a team of researchers have developed a replicable methodology to quantify hate speech in commercial broadcasting—i.e., speech that expresses prejudice against ethnic, racial, religious, and/or sexual minorities. At this event, the principal investigators will officially release the study report. A panel discussion will include two other scholars working in this area.

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Chilenismos

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A fellow artist and friend started a blog with her brother called Fundi2.  Its a new go-to place for the Los Angeles Chilean community.  They plan on interesting POVs, cultural gathering info and related political discussions. Interesting to see how our worlds collide in a city where everyone is trying to find their voice and place.

I (heart) Carmageddon!!

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A few years back when we had the Day without a Mexican in LA (May Day Immigration March) with a million strikers marching down Wilshire Blvd, a westsider said to me that they loved being able to get to all their appointments on time that day.  There was no traffic.

Well, today I can relate to that.  I made it from Boyle Heights to the Fairfax exit in 15 minutes!! Woo hoo!!  I think I broke the mythical record of “Everything in LA being 20 minutes away”.

Also I love the Metro’s advice to westsiders “Plan ahead, avoid the area or stay home.”  LOL!

2 Random Minutes on Whittier and Indiana

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You think I’m done with these stupid random videos? Ha! Today we check out the hot action on Indiana, the street that divides Boyle Heights from East LA, and Whittier that other major Avenue that goes on forever. Yup, this is the Eastside.

Lately there’s been a few more pretenders doing the fake Eastside thing (they always send us press releases and fawning notes) and I’m about to get my chelas ready to go on another not-the-Eastside rant. Get ready for it okay?

The Geniuses of East LA

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Last month Popular Mechanics announced that Motive Industries in Canada is in the process of developing an earth-friendly-eco car made out of hemp. Gives the concept of hot-boxing a new definition, right?

As I laughed non-stop about the marijuana-mobile in Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke— never did I think, “Hey, that’s a great idea!” I kinda remember this vehicle made out of weed as funny and absurd. Who knew that 33 years later this stoner-logic would be the answer to our gas and ecological woes? Now it’s genius!

This hemp car, The Kestrel is scheduled to be available in 2012 or 2013. More than likely it will not be too popular on the eastside though, because of its size, being electrical and its general meekness. Had the developers stuck to the original van as Cheech and Chong had envisioned it—we might have been more into it. Especially, if the van had that burning exhaust pipe, with it’s 100-foot mota-smoke screen.

The techs working on this hemp car have no idea how the car body will wear down, they believe it will have a quiet interior and will not smell. Still, I envision a side industry of car sprays and air fresheners with names like Kalifornia Kush, Turkish Gold or Blueberry Purps—sort of a rip on the popular New Car scent. I also wondered if the Kestrel would drive the scent dogs crazy when crossing the international border, especially on a really hot day. Since the body is organic, it is supposed to bounce back and be easy to repair. Just a few Zig-Zags would work maybe.

Hemp has the lowest amount of THC, the chemical that gives marijuana its magical properties. You’d probably have to torch the whole car to get any effect—but hemp does have great nutritional value. I think that’s a big plus, because during some natural disaster—you’d have something life saving to gnaw on.

Now my thoughts are onto other genius inventions from the eastside. Maybe in 2025 all vehicles will come standard with hydraulics—something we may need for a future flood or for jumping-in during an earthquake.

 

1.5 Random Minutes in Lincoln Heights

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So there I was, about to eat my veggie torta from Chapalita, when all of a sudden this happens. The yearly celebration in honor of Cuauhtemoc was going on today, these dancers were headed to his statue by Lincoln Park. By the time I got there it was all over cuz nobody was there.

Only on the Eastside.

“But what about the torta?” I hear you asking. Well here it is:

$4 with a soda. Not bad at all.

2 Random Minutes at the Glendale Americana

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Why do I get these terrible assignments? Who did I upset in management to get stuck covering this bullshit beat? Damn these office politics.

Oh wait, I’m off today. Crud, the work time and “free time” is starting to merge in the worst sort of way. Gonna have to get that looked at, it can’t be good for my health. Well then, let me explain that I didn’t end up here by choice as in “let’s go take a dip into the cesspool called Americana, just for fun!” it was more like “let’s try to redeem these gift cards for a corporate eatery some nice people gave us before the Corporate Overlords start deducting some surcharge cuz they want to re-gift to themselves something they sold” and before I forget I have a free meal ticket to this place that I wouldn’t put on my to-do list. To make a short story longer, the wait at the BJ’s (haha!) was 45 minutes on a Friday night- AS IF! Don’t people have things to do or places to go on the weekends? I guess they were all cashing in their gift cards at the same time, surely this wasn’t THE destination for the night? Please Lord, tell me it ain’t so.

Thus my 2nd excursion (1st was a family related b-day requirement) into Americana territory. It’s just as bad as The Grove, full of shitty corporate shopping, crappy corporate food, and hints of the plaza concept as interpreted by the needs of companies that want to sell you things.  Public space perfected by Corporations. It’s like a park, only not.

So yes, above you’ll see 2 random minutes of some of the worst aspects of our modern culture. I wonder if I can ask for a hardship stipend for this stressful assignment? And maybe even something extra for that Sinatra on the hour bit with the water show. Now that was excruciating.

What’s on Your San Marcos?

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For those of you who do not know someone on the eastside, more than likely you have never seen a plush, faux-mink blanket from Korea called a San Marcos. These blankets come in the most garish colors and eye-hurting mural prints such as wolves, elephants, Statue of Liberty, cheetahs, Raiders logo, Elvis, Scarface, pandas, zebras stripes, American Flag, Tupac, y La Virgen to name some.  One blanket can take up a whole closet when stored—but they are the warmest, snuggliest and cozy luxury on cold winter nights.
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2 Random Minutes on Brooklyn and Soto

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And the accolades just keep pouring in! The 2 random minutes of action on some LA street corner is making a lasting impression on people. Oh, what an impression.

Today we bring you a corner I know very well, having spent many hours waiting for the 251 to take me back home. On this Saturday morning the traffic and peds were light, not the usual crush of humanity that it once was. There used to be much more street vending which made the place lively and interesting, but the bad planning dept has made sure they get their way. With the bad planning.

On this corner I’ve seen many, many checkpoints, where cars get impounded in the middle of the night and a family of 6 has to figure out how to get home to Huntington Park, I’ve had cholos tell me that they used to kill people and take lots of drugs but cuz of Jesus they don’t do that anymore, I’ve battled for sitting space on the window ledge with the nopal vendor, I’ve seen the buses pass us up cuz they don’t want to bother with the large crowd, I’ve seen murals tagged up and sometimes restored, and I’ve heard my fair share of annoying evangelists with a bullhorn.

Since they moved the bus stop to the Payless, its no longer as busy. But still, its a nice corner.

Westside 101: 2 Minutes on Fairfax and 3rd

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With the motivating force that is the howling success of our previous 2 minute installations, we go beyond the Eastside to explore the vast worlds within LA that are as equally exciting and intriguing! Today we feature that neighborhood known as the Fairfax District, and we get right close to the heart stopping excitement that is the corner of Fairfax and 3rd! Click play to see what life is like on the action part of town!

Hmm, that seemed a bit boring. Just a bunch of speeding autos. Maybe even very boring. Did the Westside just kill the Random 2 Minutes on some stupid corner?

Stay Tuned!