The Bus Bench

So what happens next.

2009-07-19T19:33:34-07:00

Today's post is from an article I read on London The Times Online.

Next year, the Commonwealth Games will be celebrated in Delhi, India. As any city in any part of the world would do, it's trying to give the best possible impression to the throngs of visitors it expects as well as the image many may perceive on the television.

In order to do that though, the local government must somehow make the marginalized population. the beggars of the street disappear. Like any nuisance or litter, it must be swept under the rug so that no one might be offended by the horrendous site. This task must be completed by October of 2010.

Some officials have suggested a biometric system to identify repeat offenders in order to lock them up or expelled them from the city. Habitual offenders can be jailed up to ten years. There are some that have actually started begging schools where children are taught how to beg more efficiently.

They would be sent to special homes in order that the city can make a good impression on the more than 100, 000 foreign visitors it expects to receive.

Some of the beggars are reported to be people with degrees and claim to make more than the average a person makes on a day. However, one third are believed to be children along with migrants from India's poorer regions.

These homes, experts believe are inadequate and there would be rampant corruption and child mistreatment.

How is it that cities wait until a big international even to focus on social problems and they only do it in a temporal way. If begging has been a spectacle in India as in many other cities in the world for a long time, why does it take something like this to open the eyes and say, we have to do something about this.

The way I see it, it is every city's responsibility to protect all its citizens, especially those who are the most at risk. When a city or government entity does something for other reasons than to actually help those in its perimeter, than what is saying in essence is you people, are a burden, an
embarrassment to our city and looking good in false appearance is better for us than to care for you.

I doubt these homes, as inefficient as they might be, will be there to help or try to help these marginalized segment of society once the plethora of people leave. What's going to happen to them? Will they be taken care of then? Or will the city government say, o. k. they're gone we can get back to business, us ignoring you and you begging and fending for yourselves.

Perhaps one of the requisites for cities to have a big tent even such as this one should be, to make sure its people are first taken care of. At least the revenues they are sure to get from the Commonwealth games should trickle down to every segment of society. Somehow though, I think the only thing these people will be left with will be a distant memory of what it felt like when they were the ugly face of Delhi that while foreign people went to and fro, they were relegated to live in obscurity and shame... It would be nice if cities and governments actually did something permanent to help those that are otherwise helpless.

Another Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day 10

2009-07-19T05:23:00-07:00

Obviously I could go on; it is as if there is a competition among the parking tards whose alleged job is to protect, is in reality to see who can be the most obnoxious and idiotic. What else might explain a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who not only parks in a fashion to block other motor vehicles, leave his own vehicle unattended and the door open? (One can clearly see the open door and how it looks when our boy returns and closes the door.)

LASD_OpenDoorPolicy.avi

As one can see, I was able to casually approach the LASD vehicle with a proximity that allowed me to capture on video the motor vehicle manufacturer's bar code on the inside of the car door. Inside is a shotgun, the LASD radio and a number of other items—and don't forget about the firearms and other security items that are kept in the trunk of the vehicle and which can be easily accessed in this particular situation.

These brown-shirted bozos are supposed to protect us? Fuhgeddaboutit!

Neutral Man's Burden. Weekend fun!

2009-07-18T11:37:20-07:00

This has always been a major pet peeve of mine!! When I talk about transit issues and bring up people of color, because that's who largely rides the bus, certain people always look at me a little suspect. Why, because I'm a person of color, how could I be neutral on any issue in regards to race? I've never understood that, but Colbert being a white guy (which automatically makes him fair and objective and neutral) may be able to explain it a bit better to doubters of my (and other POC) objectivity.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Word - Neutral Man's Burden

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jeff Goldblum

-Browne Molyneux

Another Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Nine

2009-07-18T05:23:00-07:00

Apparently exposure attracts assholes like "America's Funniest Videos" and other reality TV shows attract morons.

What can I state that is not illustrated by these jerks?

LAPD_Parking_Jerks_10 July_2009_A.avi

LAPD_Parking_Jerks_10 July_2009_B.avi

Another Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Eight

2009-07-17T05:23:00-07:00

Why is it that people who pose no danger as they walk to work are singled out by assholes such as this LAPD motorman? And why does this jerk let Metro busses run red lights while he hobnobs with an off-duty LAPD schmuck, after having ruining someone's day for nothing more than revenue even as Bratton bullshits the people of Los Angeles with tales of making L.A. safer?

LAPD_Watches_As_Metro_Runs-Red_Lights.avi

Is it me? Or are these jerks desperate to get noticed? It is not as if I have all day to seek out this bullshit; I have a job as well as a number of new projects. I happen to carry at least two cameras everywhere I go, and I do not get out often, and as such I wonder just how prevalent is such behaviour in my great absence. If I can casually capture this much, then there must be a conspiracy to entrap citizens that is far larger than I might imagine. And sadly, it may be that most folk are too busy to fight City Hall, or too fearful of being singled out worse than already done, or hope that they will not be targeted again for a few years more.

Well, I am here to speak up for those who wish to tell the LAPD, LASD, the meter maids, the mayor (Tony, you are truly a schmuck, puto and culo), and all else who prey on those they purport to serve the people: Fuck you.

I am not unapproachable, so if you wanna risk telling me in person what you think of me telling you to go screw yerselves, you know where to find me.

-BusTard

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Seven

2009-07-16T05:23:00-07:00

At one point, the meter maids make a collective move. It is made on a cross street in downtown Los Angeles at Broadway and 6th Streets. And it has to do with two motor vehicles that are parked in a restricted zone during rush hour. What is the remedy? Bring in two LAPD tow trucks, a few meter maids and close off two of the three remaining lanes. Who said medieval methods of bleeding an ailing patient failed to work? After all, the leech collected enough blood to worm its way to the next victim, er, patient.

Metermaid_Towtrucks.avi

Nice going. Give my regards to Jimmy Price.

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Six

2009-07-15T05:23:00-07:00

Downtown Los Angeles. Home to dirt farmers, the laziest crackheads anywhere, and the L.A. County sheriff's deputies. When not harassing pedestrians, these brown-shirted bone-heads pick out the next-easiest revenue mark, kick-start their motor-bikes and eventually waddle over to shake down some poor motorist who posed a threat to nothing more than their own wallet.

Another_LASD_Sting.avi

Nice job if you can get others to do your dirty work, eh, Baca?

Who cares if you're terminally ill... you don't belong here.

2009-07-14T23:11:28-07:00

Today's post comes from the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Dispatches.

It is the story of Luis Jimenez. A Guatemalan man who got hit by car in Fla. He suffered brain damaged, however when he ran up the bill, the hospital decided it was best to sent him back to Guatemala. Luis was undocumented see, so he was voiceless and he was just flown back to "where he belongs." This practice is widely known as "patient dumping," though hospitals rather call it "medical repatriation". At the end it's the same. Bottom line is, let others take care of you, you're not our problem. There was a similar story in the La Times a while back but not about illegal immigrants but about homeless people.

In this harsh economic times where the anti immigrant sentiment is growing by wide strides in the country, it has become an easy way out for hospital and physicians to rid of people that obviously have no means of paying for medical expenses. Of all the United States, probably the staunchest supporter of this issue is Arizona which leads in this category.

Luis was left with the mental capacity of a nine year old after the accident which was incurred by a drunk driver. Funny thing is the story on Dispatches at no moment mentions what ever happened to the drunk driver who hit Luis. Instead of investing or rather forfeit millions of dollar caring for Luis, the hospital flew him home to Guatemala and is currently being taken care of by his elderly mother which by the way the only "medicine" she can provide him with is Alka-Seltzer, that's all she can afford.

The New York Times has uncovered many other cases similar to Luis'. The law states any medical procedure, especially of this magnitude, the patient's or the guardians of the patient need to have consent. What happen to Luis was illegal. The hospital however did everything within their power to get rid of him. Now, some lawyer's on behalf of Luis have filed a lawsuit. Hopefully there is a verdict in time for Luis. The case is sure to help other people in similar situations in the future.

The way I see it, at what moment in time did we become a society that stopped caring about the plight of the voiceless. At what moment in time did it become easier to use a specific group of people as a scapegoat and feel is o. k. I don't know what the answer is if there's even one at all or not. I don't see turning the back on people that somehow are the fabric of our society is the answer. I know this is a thorny issue and most people at this moment would like to see all people like Luis begone, be it terminally ill or not, for after all, they don't belong here in the first place.

Related Story 2

Rogelio Gómez Hernández.

The New TAP Turnstiles Are. . . Where?

2009-07-14T14:45:50-07:00

After lengthy discussions with the public rubber-stamp committees that had to allocate for new ink pads, Metro is finally starting to install the TAP faregates along the Red Line. The first station to get them is Normandie.

Well, the first station slated to get them is Normandie. We saw only the old TAP machines being removed. The gates, which had been heavily contested by only a couple people with power, were proved by former MetroLink CEO Richard Stanger to be a financial burden that was implemented through studies rife with imaginative accounting and possibly intentional errors. The initial uproar may be why Metro's plans to install them by the end of June have barely begun in mid-July—so as to let the protests die down.

We at The Bus Bench are pretty sure that the contractor collecting and monitoring the personal information found on TAP cards—defence agency Cubic, Inc.—is not concerned with such things.

Nice job if you can get it.

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Five

2009-07-14T05:23:00-07:00

What the hell is wrong with these people? Oh, yeah—they have a leg up on the working class from which they came and now rely for revenue. Or maybe he is truly retarded, which is why he may have landed a job driving a van for Los Angeles County Probation department. One wonders if there is more space between this schmuck's ears or round that cargo van parked on the handicap ramp.

Kick back, watch the video and be sure to enjoy the crawl—the verbal crawl as well as the amount of time it takes for the probation asshole to back out of the handicap ramp zone after he got his diet soda and donut.

Probation_Parking_Jerk.avi

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Four

2009-07-13T05:23:00-07:00

Who ain't in a hurry?

It is the desire to arrive on time on which revenue collectors, er, meter maids and police, rely, so as to cite private citizens. For those fortunate enough to land a cozy job with the city or county, there is the fringe benefit of flaunting the very laws that their job ostensibly upholds. Moreover, meter maids seem to think they provide some life-giving service.

Meter Maid Runs Red Light

The key word here is "ostensibly" and the subtext is BULLSHIT.

Unfortunately, head meter maid Jimmy Price will not waste any time reprimanding his minions for blatantly running red lights, and the LAPD, LASD and other constabulary cretins that hang out at the nearby 7-11 will not waste time when there are private motorists and East L.A. pedestrians to harass, intimidate and shake down.

Can we speak at the same level?

2009-07-12T23:59:43-07:00

I guess the following can be considered a rant, pet peeve, you choose.

First off, I'd like to apologize for my lack of co-operation for quite a long time.

Now to my post. For some reason it has always puzzled me the fact that my native language Spanish, has been for some reason been relegated to a lesser status by your typical or mainstream American if you will. What do I mean. Well. Whenever I go to restaurants or read newspapers and they have articles, menu items or anything that is written in French for example, mind you, I have no problem with French, it's my favorite language after Spanish and English. As I was saying when I see articles with words in French, I see the editors of these newspapers or other publications go the extra mile to try to be as grammatically correct as possible. inserting the proper accentuation as the words require, they even go as far as to print them in italics so that the reader might better understand the fact the word is special. And when you pronounce it, they even correct you, they let you know that you are somehow killing the word.

Now, let's go to Spanish. I have yet to see, except for rare occasions any newspaper, menus, or magazines that offer the same attention to detail when it comes to anything that has an Iberian background, be it names, places or food.

I had been wanting to share this somewhere, somehow for quite a while, To be honest, I have no idea to what prompted me to do it now.

Perhaps no one will take this post seriously or perhaps there will be others that will take it seriously, acknowledge it but will see no truth in what I am claiming here.

Currently, I live in Los Ángeles (here's an example) and I have for quite a while now. I have been reminded time and time again since I first arrived here to Speak English, we're in America. So I have always tried my best to do just that and respect it.

I am asking though, it would be nice for people to give the respect Spanish deserves. No mutilation of the language for I know if it were French or Italian, heck, even Japanese that would be unthinkable, perhaps even unforgivable,

Try. At least try. I know Spanish is not your language, I know we're not in México or España, But could you at least try not to diminish and belittle my language, Hold it in the same level of respect you would any other European language. I will not make fun of you nor will I think I'm better than you if it doesn't come off right. After all, when I was learning your language, I kept everything I was told in order that I may be a better speaker of it, a better person and so that you would see me eye to eye.

Rogelio Gómez Hernández

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Three

2009-07-12T05:23:00-07:00

Who does not love a great burrito?

We at The Bus Bench are avid foodies and can tell you quite a bit about great food in a number of cities and towns across the continent. However, we like to eat and not wait, yet after having finished eating, do not mind waiting. And while elsewhere, we certainly do not like returning to a rented vehicle to find a citation on the windshield. So one can imagine how we felt as we waited for the Metro W/B 76 at N. Main and Griffin, (after having ate, of course) and observing this meter maid. For someone whose so-called motto about "Keeping L.A. moving" behaving in a manner that was far from extolling the economy of motor vehicular movement, we have neither patience nor manners. This guy is an asshole. And he was an asshole for no more than a burrito.

All_That_For_One_Burrito

Nice job, jerk. Give our regards to Jimmy Price.

Stay tuned for Monday morning's post, where we offer this schmuck's co-worker blatant disregard for the traffic light up the street at Main and Daley.

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day Two

2009-07-11T05:23:00-07:00

This one might seem mild. But today is Saturday, and we like to upload the fluff over the weekend. The good stuff is waiting for next week, and with every day we observe enough hypocrisy to extend this week into a fortnight. We may well do so.

But for now, here is an LASD deputy parking his car in the Metro bus zone. How's that donut, jerk? In a way, I cannot blame him, owing to the way all the other constabulary assholes park—the footage that will be aired throughout next week.

LASD_Donut_Crew

We wish we had been fast enough with the camera to catch the Metro lines 751 and 251 that had to pull round this schmuck's patrol car a minute earlier.

Seats Removed for Cyclists Takes Up Space

2009-07-10T20:56:22-07:00

Before the L.A. City Council considers lifting the ban on bicycles on trains during rush hours, perhaps they should stop wasting time and observe that not only do such rules get ignored but that the recent ruling to take out seats for cyclists too often does not work, as this video clearly exhibits.

Seats_Rmoved_For_Cyclists_10july2009.avi

Should not this cyclist be with his bike in the area where two seats were removed, rather than sitting in the seat reserved for handicapped straphangers?

What needs to be done is far more than what Los Angeles councilmembers appear willing to do. Unenforced laws that are already on the books and councilmembers whose idea of job security is illustrated by appeasing the burgeoning contingent of bicycle riders (a contingent that seems to ready to define itself as "oppressed" and "second-class citizens"—as if they have suffered hundreds of years of being beaten down for a physical characteristic they can never escape, when all they need do is dismount a bicycle to no longer be harassed by the man) is what appears to be driving this strange discussion.

-BusTard

UPDATE:

BikeSpace.avi

A Week on The Road Watching Revenue Collectors: Day One

2009-07-10T05:23:00-07:00

As Los Angeles' newly elected officials continue to draw paycheques even as taxpayers are taking home IOUs, it may not yet be known that there is a campaign to gain revenue through selective means. In other words, lawbreakers are divided into two groups: those who drive city and county vehicles, and those who pay for them and their handlers. We all know about those who pay. The Bus Bench is taking a look at those who are driving.

The Bus Bench spent the first week of July filming a number of events that exhibit a rather disturbing trend (which we admit was already in place but which insider City Hall sources informed us would be greatly stepped up as the summer heats up; will DC—or Sacramento—tell L.A. to "Drop Dead"?) regarding those who take to the road and exploit the infrastructure to collect revenues under the auspices of "public safety." One can only imagine that, as Los Angeles sinks deeper into the mire of bankruptcy, Tony's chum Wendy will only facilitate more behavior as will be exhibited here over the next week. (Wendy's control of the hick enclave of Sun Valley, Tujunga—and the rest of an area that is home to wanna-be gangsters and other hicks—was failing in a financial fashion long before the rest of southern California felt the sting of being broke; what might that mean for dirt-farmer central, neé Los Angeles?)

Avenida_Revenue.avi

-BusTard

Metro Announces Possible Blue Line Shutdown—on Red Line

2009-07-06T16:35:57-07:00

Infrequent announcements along at Red Line Stations have warned Blue Line straphangers of possible rail station closures that might occur Tuesday during the Staples Center's Michael Jackson memorial event. If such a closure occurs, the Blue Line will be essentially cut off from the Red Line. However, no other information is available, nor are Blue Line riders being told of this possible closure—only Red Line riders appear to have been informed of the possibility. There is a brief mention of the possible closure on Metro's Web site.

There are many questions regarding this possible shutdown, so let us let Metro tell us in its own words exactly what might occur Tuesday, 07 July 2009:

Blue_Line_Shutdown_Statement

After that four-minute video, one might conclude only that Metro has redefined the term deadman's switch. One might wonder what precedent such a closure, if it occurs, will mean every time Staples Center, the Los Angeles Convention Center and L.A. Live hosts an event. All three venues are immediately adjacent to each other as well as three northernmost stations along the Blue Line.

-BusTard

More TAP Crap: Is Metro Fabricating Answers About TAP Card Failure?

2009-07-03T18:32:03-07:00

On July 1st, several thousand Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) students may have been affected in what may well be the TAP Pass program's greatest failure to date, owing to a software update that was not uploaded in time for the student TAP cards issued by the nine campuses that comprise LACCD. Numerous inquiries to Metro and Metro TAP management personnel went unanswered.

Sources close to the problem have stated that they "are still trying to monitor the situation. . . regarding the "fix" that MTA applied to the software yesterday around 1:00 p.m. It was supposed to be downloaded to all train stations within about 4 hours, or by 5:00 p.m., but that didn't actually happen."

For those who were affected, I was also informed that "if you paid for a ticket, the MTA will reimburse you, at least at the Customer Resources office at Union Station, and possibly other locations."

Our source, who will for obvious reasons remain anonymous, also stated that he was "distressed that many MTA employees gave the students answers to the problem which they were obviously fabricating! People can't seem to say, 'I don't know, but I'll try to find out'."

For those students who have been misinformed by TAP, and continue to be vexed by the problem with the card (not to mention the ridiculously long lines at Union Station's Metro ticket window), here are some possibly helpful e-mail contacts to find out about any unresolved TAP pass problems:

David Sutton: SuttonD@metro.net
Hines, Kelly Hines: HINESK@metro.net
CustomerService@taptogo.net
and
Nelson Prudencio: Nelson.Prudencio@acs-inc.com
(This last e-mail is to the agency that is contracted to execute the TAP program; it is also the same agency that oversees the Los Angeles parking violations processing program with LADOT as well as the photo enforcement program—the traffic cameras that take photos of vehicles that run red lights. I have yet to hear of either of the two revenue streams being interrupted, so one wonders what happened with ACS and TAP.)

Along with all the other problems regarding TAP and what appears to be yet another installment of FareGate, one wonders what is in store for straphangers and bus riders now that the City of Los Angeles is issuing IOUs. Perhaps this was an intentional hacking from within TAP's IT or executive offices, as a warning to City Hall? Or was it just gross incompetence?

-BusTard

Was The MetroLink Board at Union Station Hacked?

2009-06-26T16:38:41-07:00

While traveling through Union Station last Saturday, 21 June 2009, a Bus Bencher captured some footage of what appeared to be a computer hacking of MetroLink arrival/departure board. We cannot be sure, but it was odd. And did it mean to imply Bob Dobbs of the Subgenious Foundation with "Bob Says Hi"? Did the hacker mean to invoke the famous World War II phrase, "Kilroy was here" with "Kelsy was here"? After all, both icons' names are known for appearing in bizarre places, such as inside school pencil sharpeners and on enemy pill boxes prior to invasions during WWII.

Was MetroLink Board at Union Station Hacked?

If anyone can clear up this little mystery, we would sure like to hear from you.

Blue Line Derailed While Metro Pick-up Trucks Travel The Red Line

2009-06-19T05:23:00-07:00

This has been a very busy week.

The Bus Bench was preoccupied with larger art projects (that will come to fruition in late 2009 and early 2010). Massive state tax cuts courtesy of Arnold and Co. were making their way south like a tsunami starved, albeit for southern California. The Los Angels Police Department and Los Angles County Sheriff Department managed to forget all the past riots round the Staples Center when the Lakers played. (Where the hell were the protectors of civility while people blatantly pitched steel garbage cans at passing trains even as Associated Press photographers blatantly recorded the events? Were Baca's brownshirts too busy handing out citations to those attempting to interpret the confusing TAP pass crap?) But a few BusBenchers were underground while the lazy constabulary allowed the sports eruptions to derail the Blue Line and sever every north-south bus line in downtown.

Here is some interesting footage from last Sunday night:

LAkersRiotNight_02

In 2000, when the Staples center hosted the Democratic National Convention, there were far more people and everyone was fenced in the same area there near Mayor Dick Riordan's Pantry and the intersection of Figueroa and Pico. The LAPD started beating and shooting people despite the absolute lack of antagonism. (I was one of those shot twice by the rubber batons as well as eventually financially compensated via a class action suit that was settled in 2004.) The National Lawyers Guild stood in for us, and even as I took care of business in the wake of my own losses owing to the terrorist attacks in lower Manhattan one year later, I was sent my pithy cheque for the considerable injury I incurred at the hands of those whom I made the mistake of photographing prior to the police riots. (I will be reproducing those photos in a show in 2010.)

But back to nearly now.
As I made my way to downtown that Sunday night, satiated from having completed production on a new book by a well-established author of several Los Angeles books even as I were ignorant of the idiocy and pointless violence about to take place at Staples Center, I had a conversation with three drunken Lakers' fans on the downtown-bound #4 line from Echo Park. Said schmoes were on their way to the victory bash, and with box-cutters they were carving "Lakers" into the rear windows of the bus. At least three Metro cameras appeared to record their obvious actions over the duration of the 15-minute exchange, and yet, as ever, no action was taken. They asked what I was doing there, I asked who wanted to know—and the next thing ya know, I was being begged to take pictures of them as they carved deep into the rear windows of the bus as we wound south along Sunset-cum-Cesar E. Chavez, then south on Hill toward the epicenter of the basketball riots.(Metro might corroborate this with footage from their cameras, providing their operators were watching.)

Now that we know how well are being spent all those trash collection fees that our schmuck of a mayor Tony V stole from the people of Los Angeles, we cannot wait to show our appreciation for any dim transit fare-checking git the next time we run into one of them collecting revenue under the guise of maintaining public service for Los Angeles. Why might we be so angry about what last Sunday wrought? Read on.

Peaceful political protesters get their heads smashed in 2000 while erstwhile sports fans intent on destroying infrastructure are allowed to run rampant in 2009. Perhaps the voter revolt that has helped compel students and workers into the streets might spread to encompass everything, and let Los Angeles finally experience its Rite of Spring, its long-overdue Bar/Bat Mitzvah, its own Quinceaños.

But no.
Despite the damage caused by these hordes of morons, the Lakers celebration carried thousands of ball-sucking schmucks to the parade earlier this week via the Red Line.

Screw all of you. I'm heading back to New York, where even Bensonhurst beats the best of L.A. (It ain't linked because I doubt any of you have the ability to figure out the damning allusion, let alone encompass the ability to look up the bleeding obvious.) Say what you want, and be sure to scribble it down with your best crayon so your tiny mind can recall what you thought you meant to state anonymously should you grow the backbone to show up in person when I reäppear to read from the long-since suppressed book about Los Angeles that no-one wants to know still exists and yet may well explain why Los Angeles is the way it is, that will be re-published in 2010 after nearly 70 years of censorship. What can I state? Not much except that the title under review was published by a major publisher the same year that Hitler came to power, and that the typeface was duly noted in the colophon as Janson. To any true historian of Los Angeles, this should be no mystery.

Oh, and some photos from that romp across Olympic in the three days after Ozomatli played, right before Rage Against The Machine was meant to play? You bet; here ya go:

One might suppose that the difference between now and then was that then "they" failed to pay for tickets, whereas the rioters of last Sunday paid premium ticket prices for that which Staples Center, Lakers, Inc. and the City of Los Angeles greatly anticipated. How else might a patterned riot have spread so wide as to have derailed a 20-year-old commuter light rail train when a determined political protest a decade earlier—checked by massive amounts of armed police long before as well as well after the one action that the protectors prompted—did nothing nearly as nefarious?

I'd like to give a kiss to L.A. like some do, but, well. . . there ya go.

-BusTard