Are we back up?

For nearly two weeks, all 1300 L.A. Public Library computers have been on the fritz. Mums the word as to what caused the meltdown--which began a couple days before the New Year holiday. Heads haven't rolled yet as a result...some should I reckon. It's been a frustrating couple weeks. But it seems alls well again...kinda...I lost my files on the desktop on one of the staff computers. Luckily I keeps backup. I am smart. Now if I recall, the tech admin support for the Library Dept. was like 2 extra people for the '07-08 fiscal year...I just feel bad for some patrons, actually I don't. I feel much worse for library staff who have had to play catch-up for the past 10 days or so. Stupid computers. Stupid library computers. Stupid internet. Stupid servers. Stupid books. People should just watch more TV.

My favorite internet quotes.

"The Internet...it's doesn't make you stupid, It makes your stupidity accessible to others"

"They have the Internet on computers now?!" (Homer Simpson)

On Guilds and Beards

Someone tell me why I should support the Writers Guild strike? Why should anyone care who writes the material to the Colbert Report for instance? I say dump them all. There are countless aspiring writers in this town--scripts and screenplays in hand, praying to get even a toe in the door. And I'm sure many of them are good! And of all the workers in this country, in shit jobs/working conditions with lousy representation, we are supposed to empathize with the mainly rich White males of the WGA? Que? Come on, I saw Conan last nite, face filled with hair spinning his wedding ring for 40seconds on his desk. Now that's quality entertainment. But it does prove he can at least write his own material. Even Leno was decent (though today the WGA isn't laughing). And Letterman, who is also sporting a beard, looks more like a dirty old man then ever.

Panic on the streets of Pasadena

Courtesy Pasadena Weekly

OMG! They snuck it in! Those sneaky Chinese.

The scene--Gorgeous clear morning. New Years Day. Orange Grove Blvd and Del Mar Avenue. Pasadena, Ca.

All the floats for the (119th) Tournament of Roses Parade lined up before midnight (New Years Eve). By far the best place to view the floats up close. Tradition. For the 8am start of the parade, the floats (que over a mile long) meet up with the bands/cheerleaders/horsefolk, entering from the East from Del Mar Avenue. Me...on the corner of Orange Grove + Del Mar. On the streets...dozens of Falun Gong activists (placards, pamphlets, petitions in hand, along with some rather graphic depictions of torture) working the street ...various human rights advocates and anti-war protesters as well. A joyous affair indeed. We had heard about the controversy surrounding the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games float (at a cost of $400,000 or so), and that we were to turn our backs as the float rolled by. So...about 45 minutes into the parade, the rumblings began...the float (which was curiously missing from the lineup the nite before), was snuck in from Del Mar Blvd from the West accompanied by the fuzz. Sneaky sneaky. While some activists attempted to make their way toward the float, they weren't very successful. And while there was brief moments of tension, ultimately, it ended like a bad British drama. The irony of course, the Beijing 2008 float was one of the best of the day--winning the Theme Trophy (this year's parade theme was "Passport to the World's Celebrations"), complete with acrobats, dancers, some incredibly colorful costumes, and fireworks! Celebrate. Good times. Come on. What's not to like?

From yahoo:

The float is sanctioned by the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee but is sponsored by the Roundtable of Southern California Chinese-American Organizations and Pasadena-based label maker Avery Dennison Corp. It will feature the upcoming Olympics' five official mascots rotating on a base and decorated with a combination of flowers, including carnations and daisy petals.

Other activists at the Rose Parade included KUCINICH supporters with IMPEACH banners, Ron Paul supporters and even RON PAUL 2008 visible across the sky. But my favorite signs came from our Christian fundamentalist friends--their biggest one read, ASK ME WHY YOU DESERVE HELL! Sadly, I didn't get a chance to ask.

Another minor issue--public funding for the floats...no public funds were used for the various City of Los Angeles floats--seems our previous mayor took some heat for using public funds for such events in the past. Our current ubiquitous smiling mayor rode atop the Port of L.A. float along with 4 other floats designed as boats/ships. Now if we can just get him/city council to stop financing large developers with city subsidies, loans and tax rebates.

I wondered to myself...