Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) - Soon-to-be Victim of Serious Cutbacks?

If there's plan to close some or many branch libraries in Los Angeles, well, then, there goes my neighborhood library.

The library system in this city is always a victim of the City's near-sightedness about the library's power to impact the city. The image of librarians working at the Reference Desk, usually motherly old-women, wearing nerdy eye-glasses, processing books, or trying to help some kids find books is probably the dominant image that most city administrators and legislators have in mind when they think about public libraries. But that image is outdated. The librarians I've met are bookish and nerdy, yes, but they are more than that; they are mostly young, computer savvy, very diverse in terms of race, are quite informed about many, many things, and are willing to help patrons who want to avail library services.

But there's a very important reason why the City of Los Angeles should give the Los Angeles Public Library a lot of attention: It is the place where people go online and look for jobs! Yes, the library system does let the public borrow books, music cds, movies, or magazines for free; that's the default function for libraries. But in the Age of Information or Digital Age, computer-usage in public libraries competes with these other materials which patrons can avail for free.

I've used public-library computers to look for jobs, and write my resumes. My neighborhood library is very important to me, because of that, and I'm sure, for many patrons as well. Because of this, the City should increase funding for LAPL to enhance their computer-system capabilities. And the library system should not cut hours either. In fact, the library system should have regular seminars or workshops that help patrons use computers, so they can find what they need online. There should also be regular job-seeking workshops, how to open email-account workshops, or how to use the library's word-processing software.

In many ways, neighborhood public libraries are neighborhood resource centers, especially because of the one-on-one attention librarians give to patrons, most of the time, usually assessing patrons' needs for the best resources to meet those needs. City administrators and legislators do not see this part of library-work, and may even consider the idea of borrowing library materials for free and using computers for free a luxury!...that's why they think about brushing the idea and importance of public libraries aside.

More on this issue here and here and Petition Here To: SAVE THE LIBRARY!!!

Conan O'Brien & Fox Broadcasting

This is a reaction to a recent LATimes story.

When Conan O'Brien recently left NBC's late-night spot - giving it back to Jay Leno - Conan is prevented from appearing on television until September this year. Conan's short disappearance on-air gives back competition for audience percentages to Jay Leno and David Letterman. This means Leno is given time to regain back or re-establish new followers and fan-base.

But the idea of Conan O'Brien having a Fox TV late-night show is not a bad idea at all. I think it's a great idea. In many ways, Conan's act, before replacing Leno briefly and softening his one-liners for an 11:30pm audience, leaned more on being Fox TV material, a bit edgy, somewhat colorful, and highly imaginative. The 12:35am Conan O'Brien on NBC that was still based in New York was suited for a Fox audience, because it catered for a younger set, a bit nerdy, and, I'd like to assume, tech-savvy social-networkers whose list of language skills include HTML and Javacript, those who can easily revise any default MySpace or Blogger profile-template.

Many think that since Fox leans towards the right and Conan he left, having Conan in Fox would not be good. But Conan would fit right in Fox, under Rupert Murdoch who, I think likes to lean towards whichever or whoever delivers revenues. When Murdoch bought MySpace, its young and tech-savvy users or social-networkers looked like something the right might not like. But Murdoch's purchase has been lucrative, indeed. In 2005, he bought MySpace for $580 million; in 2008, the site's revenues moved towards $800 million. Fox should try Conan out.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Los Angeles Sheriff Baca's New Plan.

According to the Los Angeles Independent, L.A. Sheriff Baca has a new plan: to be on patrol duty, out there, on the streets; the Sheriff said:

"The movies are never going to depict what the L.A. County Sheriff's Department is all about because we're into public trust policing, core values, leadership, education and partnering with the community," he said. "It's a matter of us not needing a celebrity series on what the Sheriff's Department is all about. We're not relying on television shows to depict what we do."

I like this. But the entertainment industry is naturally attracted to what's going on in law enforcement organizations, and the individual lives who work in them, because of  the  highly visceral elements involved  in upholding and maintaining law and order; human casualties are involved, guns, violence, loyalties, disloyalties. Police drama is inherently Shakesperean; talented producers, directors, and scriptwriters can weave highly-marketable tragedies out of them, and can, therefore, use them as foundation for career longevity in that industry. Many people could view Baca's new plan for himself as a form of resistance against the  galmourization of police life in movies and television. The Sheriff is already 67. That's retirement age for many people.

Los Angeles Sister City: Berlin, Germany.

I took this shot sometime last year, at Griffith Park, just walking distance from the Griffith Park Observatory. The placement of this sign-post seems appropriate, since the Observatory attracts tourists, visitors, or sightseers, especially now that the newly-renovated observatory has been opened to the public again. There's a new area to shop for souvenirs, and an eating section where you can feel the city in your food, while eating, because of the great city-view on clear days. Now I assume Los Angeles is sister-city to other cities in the world. But Berlin is the only city-sign I saw there that time. It could be that this sign's solitary presence there and its placement between trees had something exotic about it, that's why my camera didn't hesitate to take this shot.

Earthquake Los Angeles (March 16, 2010) - Some Thoughts.

I remember the Northridge earthquake back in 1994, which also occurred early in the morning, 4:30am, close to the  time the earth shook Los Angeles this morning. Back then, tv and radio news  stations were buzzing with information about serious damages in many parts of the city. Copcar and firetruck  sirens were all over the city. Fortunately, the apartment building I was living in back then was spared of any serious damages; and it was an old building. I was amazed about that building, because that earthquake registered 6.7 on the Richter scale. Generally though, I feel worried about what might happen, when the 'Big One' arrives. But this worry can almost be stuffed under the fantasy department, because this worry does not give me any serious nervousness.

Earthquake Los Angeles (4.4) - Info from USGS

Four hours ago, around 4am, I was about to sleep when Los Angeles was shaken by a 4.4 earthquake. As always, any tremor around these parts is not unusual. But when the ground shakes here, you can't avoid thinking if that quick shake you just felt will be followed by a bigger shake a few minutes later.

Here's information from the U.S Geological Survey about this morning's tremor.

Earthquake Los Angeles.

A few minutes ago, I heard my window rattle a bit. I don' t think that was a ghost trying to scare me, or my imagination playing games with me. That was an earthquake. I've been sleepy since the last hour. But that window noise definitely woke me up a bit. Will the 'Big One' happen while I am asleep?

According to the Southern California Earthquake Data Center, that tremor registered 4.4 on the scale.