I love it when the human spirit finds creative and alternative means to an end in the midst of adversity. When times get tough, people will react in different ways. Some, not so pretty. Some, downright inspired.
Here’s two stories I just had to share…… Continue reading
Image from Amor Y Resistencia!
It’s that time again, when custom dictates you give friends and families “gifts” comprised of trinkets you go out and purchase, but this year you can’t even figure out how the hell you’re gonna make the rent on the first of the month, so what is to be done? You could hit the 99¢ store and try to scrounge up the best looking items that DON’T look like they came from the 99, but who are you kidding? Economists and Politicians keep repeating the mantra that we must buy-buy-buy to save the economy but that’s getting a bit boring. Besides, they messed things up anyways, let them fix it. They’re already tapping into our wallets for those stupid bailouts of banks and car companies but I don’t think we should help them any further. Thus I give you the practical suggestion for saving lots of money this season: Don’t buy anyone nothing! (Sticklers for grammar can substitute that last word with “anything”.)
Why not rethink the concept of the gift? It doesn’t mean much anyways when you give or get random STUFF at the end of the year, maybe save your gift and turn it into a nice surprise in May? Skip the credit card debt-spree and do something corny but nice for your pals, like a nice homemade meal or some help with the garden. Besides, if all they want is some plastic crap from you then maybe they shouldn’t be your friends or family. You might have to make an exception for your significant other or somebody else but the idea is to feel free to NOT give things this year. Run with it.
Man, that sure was a crappy post. But I really just wanted a reason to share that picture above with you! Enjoy!
Though many people are calling it an African-American show (oddly I never really got that) I called it the people of color, multiculty orgy show. It was awesome she regular had people on from the African-American, Latino-American and Asian-American blogosphere (and not just during our appropriate month you didn’t even have to be married to a white person to get on her show) pretty much the only person in the established media who viewed non-white people in the blogosphere as relevant to the editorial conversations of the day.
A link to Farai Chideya’s page: LINK
The demise of this show will be a sad day.
Please go over to Jasymne Cannick’s site to get all of the juicy info and to sign the petition, because this truly is some bullshit.
Browne
edited 12/12 to add Farai’s link
5.99 WOW!!!
I was unlucky enough to be a child of the 90s. The 90s sucked. I always wished I could have been a child of the 80s, but no I was stuck in the decade that started sarcasm, plaid shirts as fashion statements or rather just not washing in general as a fashion statement. It was filled with lots of music that I hated, but had to listen to because there was nothing else available. Lots of whiny songs about killing yourselves and the gov’t and how it sucked and blowing up shit, but it wasn’t fun like punk in the 1970s it was all 1990s and crap. Oh yeah and techno started then too, freakin’ great disco without the cocaine or fun lyrics.
I’ve got a Gift Certificate good for a Free Dinner for Two at:
EL CONQUISTADOR Restaurant in Silver Lake. Because I am feeling in a generous Holiday Spirit and want to do my part towards La Crisis, I’ve decided to offer this nice prize to the lucky L.A. Eastside reader who wins this contest.
All you have to do is answer these 10 Eastside Trivia Questions. The first person with all the correct answers is the Winner! Good Luck! No Cheating, Sinverguenzas! Continue reading
Homeless Camp seen on Myra Ave. from Sunset Boulevard Bridge, Silver Lake.
Wendy O Williams. Did life with a purpose!
Opening Performance: Thursday, December 4, 2008 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Loft, 401 S. Mesa, San Pedro, CA 90731
Post-Post-Apocalypse
From December 4 to January 17, artists Edith Abeyta and Marshall Astor will engage in a series of actions, using the gallery at The Loft as a stage for process and experimentation in the public sphere.
The primary focus of this exhibition is the construction of a house inside of the gallery. This project is intended as an experimental exercise, loosely rooted in the ideas contained within the two artists’ installations for the 2006 exhibition Contemplating Apocalypse, which took place at The Brewery Project.
Post-Post-Apocalypse takes place in a cycle of three parts, Ruins, Survival and Civilization.
Ruins: On December 4, beginning at 6 PM, the two artists will enact Ruins, the symbolic exodus from their destroyed city. In a rain of light and sound they will make their path into the wilderness, in search of a new home.
Survival: Following ruins, the artists will engage in the primary action of the exhibition, Survival. During Survival, the artists will construct both the artificial environment for their post-apocalyptic hermitage and their new home, a 12’ x 24’ house on stilts, occupying most of the gallery space. In addition, a series of events and actions by guest participants will take place, including curatorial and artist salons, a cheesemaking workshop, a meditation exercise, the murder of a car, a birthday party and other events to be cooked up during the course of the exhibition.
Civilization: The close of the exhibition will be the celebration of the return of Civilization. Following the successful construction of the house, the artists will host a closing event/performance in celebration of both the New Year and the completion of their project.
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I think most of you are going to agree with me on this statement: free stuff to do is usually better than paying. Oh, no doubt that sometimes seeing a movie or checking out some band is worth the money for some passing entertainment, but more often than not I’m sitting at a theater thinking “what a waste of time and money.” Come on, you know it’s true! And with La Crisis getting all serious and shit, free stuff to do is back on the list.
So this following post is a contribution to your personal list of possible activities to consider, it’s up to you. Maybe some of my LA Eastside cohorts will contribute their own suggestions of free or cheap things to do around town, but let’s start with this day trip into the Arroyo Seco! Siganme los pobres!
A temporary Walmart employee was trampled too death in New York by customers eager to get into more of a hole for the new year. I guess Walmart literally is evil.
I just got back from the Really Really Free Market (easily accessed by the Red Line/Purple Line and Metro Lines 720, 20, 200, 51/26) and was greeted by pleasant people exchanging clothes, bicycles parts, cds, book and various accessories for your humble abode. It’s going on until 5pm and the Really Really Free Market promises to not kill you, injure you or empty your bank account.
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Sidenote while Walmart in the big city is a big deal among progressives the places where Walmart truly does the most damage is in rural America. They go in undercut everyone and everyone else closes shop and Walmart literally is the only game in town and people end up completely dependent on this horrible company that doesn’t pay a livable wage.
Browne Molyneux
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Don’t let not having money bring you down. All you need is love AND you can still have a Happy Holidays with stuff, maybe not new stuff, but free stuff (continues click more…)
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Unemployment is at 8.3 % in California. That’s pretty insane. And that doesn’t include people who have stopped looking for work or are underemployed (working parttime for peanuts) or business owners who are going under.
Can you hear the screams.
I can.
Now the counties that are especially hurting: 24% unemployment in Imperial County. In Yuba County it is at 12% and there are lots of places already at 10% and/or creeping towards 10%.
California isn’t the only place hurting. Michigan (Detroit auto industry) 9.3% and Rhode Island is also at 9.3%. Continue reading
It makes me feel kind of Nostalgic to see stores like Sears, WalMart & Kmart starting to offer their customers the choice of LAY AWAY plans again. Can’t say I blame them, with all the credit related uncertainties these days. Back when I was a kid…. Continue reading