The Bus Bench

Friday Night Rides: Cocktail Mass.

2008-11-21T06:00:00-08:00

This Friday, 21 Nov, Metro experiments with late night Red Line service—and the Bus bench plans to be on board!

Join Browne, BusTard and other daring, soon-to-be merry straphangers as they go bar-hopping on the Red Line. We'll be going around downtown but are starting at Traxx bar at Union Station at 10:30 p.m. We'll be heading out from there around 11:30 p.m.

They'll be disguises and cocktails.

There will be time enough to stumble back home, as the Red Line will be running until 3 a.m.

The late-night transit experiment is being partially funded by a number of dining and drinking establishments, and The Bus Bench wishes to show its support to some of these places (and by proxy, support for Metro's willingness to do expand service).

Here are the anticipated alcohol stops:

7th/Metro: Golden Gopher (417 W. 8th, 90014)
Pershing Square La Cita (336 S. Hill, 90013)
Civic Center: Redwood Bar & Grill (316 W. 2nd Street, 90012)

But who knows. We will tape the final schedule inside the men's and women's first bathroom stall if you miss us, along with a phone number. We may answer, we may not. We are here to inspire you. We at The Bus Bench aren't really good at the getting-you-home-alive thing. We obviously don't want you to die, but if you did that wouldn't prevent us from having a good time.

ShameTrain LA

L.A. County Sheriff Takes Metro's Money—and Runs! And Street Brawl Video.

2008-11-21T05:23:00-08:00

It took all of a moment to grant the L.A. County Sheriff a contract renewal to the tune of nearly $16 million dollars. It was a foregone conclusion, and only the formalities had to be observed.

One might be wondering what the above video of a downtown Los Angeles street brawl has to do with any of this. Well, lemme tell ya.

Yesterday (Thursday, 20 Nov. 2008), at 5th and Hill, a street fight took place in downtown Los Angeles. More than 100 people were standing round watching at the corner of 5th and Hill, while perhaps another 100 or more stood on the east side of Hill as well as the parking lot across the way. The melee occurred round 2:45 in the middle of Hill Street immediately north of 5th Street. Despite the obvious commotion (which I and several other people observed as we exited the south entrance of the Pershing Square station), the mob of potential rioters was passed up by a sheriff's deputy going north on Hill. Crowds of people on every corner, traffic stopped, people in the street and lawn tools as weapons did not appear to make the motor deputy suspicious as he motored casually by. Even when some gawkers shouted at him he kept going, and the resultant laughter was loud. (This appears at exactly three minutes into the four-minute video.)

There are usually two to three deputies loafing at Pershing Square Red Line station round this time, but they may have been celebrating their contract renewal elsewhere. (In any case, three of the usual suspects, er deputies were on hand round 6:30 p.m. to watch the hideous traffic snarl as well as tens of cars and several Metro busses block the box at 5th and Hill as well as 5th and Broadway. The three deputies all stood round, joking and laughing and with hands in pockets.)

It is rather obvious that the L.A. County Sheriff and his deputies either do not care or are incompetent—or both.

-BusTard

Note: I dropped some of the audio near the beginning, owing to the extremely foul language of the person who later runs into the street and gets into the middle of the skirmish.

Wouldn't it be nice, if cars were banned.

2008-11-20T19:32:12-08:00

From the Car Free Networks YouTube Site.

A video by Heather.

TONIGHT! "This Was Pacific Electric"

2008-11-20T16:29:30-08:00

Thursday, November 20 – THIS WAS PACIFIC ELECTRIC - 8 PM
In 1902 Southern California was a collection of small farm towns. It was waiting for something to pull it together. That something was The Pacific Electric. This Was Pacific Electric is the story of the rise and fall of the “The World’s Greatest Electric Railway.” It is a complete history starting in 1872 with L.A.’s first horse car line and continuing through the last Red Car in 1961. The story is told using rare film footage, hundred of photographs, animated maps and extensive interviews. In fact, the PE Red Cars operated along Glendale Boulevard right outside of this facility and today, LARHF has installed a mini-museum open to the public in the Belmont Station Apartments located at the south end of Glendale Blvd. where the PE tracks used to disappear into a subway tunnel leading to the Subway Terminal Building on Hill and 4th Streets. Presented by the Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation. http://www.larhf.org/

Echo Park Film Center
1200 N. Alvarado St.
213-484-8846
(near Sunset and Alvarado, behind the Edendale Library)

Edith Abeyta. Street Wear.

2008-11-20T05:33:43-08:00

I was the shelf for artist’s Edith Abeyta’s interpretation of a walking alter at Tropico de Nopal’s Calavera Fashion Show.

The art was called: Street Wear

Street Wear is the representation of homeless woman. There are lots of them in downtown LA.

She made a kimono out of a mattress, which I’m going to steal from her house. All of the materials for the outfit were “found” materials that Edith then created something new with. She hand makes everything, which is rare nowadays.

Edith's Street Wear with in the background with me as the hanger, stolen from a photos taken by Robert Gauthier at the Los Angeles Times.

The change sign that I was holding with the art took on a whole new meaning, owing to Obama winning the US presidency two days before the event.

Luckily Edith and I killed what people thought she meant when I took out a 40 oz can of Tecate beer and chugged it on stage and then rolled around a bit on the stage and went up to audience members and yelled CHANGE!!!

Edith was talking about the real change, not the new meaning of change, which is now a slogan for people who want to hold on to the middle class dream, which to me doesn’t seem so much like change. Of course with the right spin you can change the meaning of anything.

The "Murder Your Car!" art project will be at her studio in San Pedro at a complex called The Loft. More details later, but it has to do with the Post-Post Apocalypse.

(All photos except the LA Times shot were taken by Chimatli.)

Browne Molyneux

Dueling Chainsaws on 5th Street

2008-11-18T17:23:00-08:00

Earlier this week, a cacophony of nearby chainsaws prompted a run to the roof of a nearby building, then a walk round the machines from which the arboreal assault was launched.

-BusTard

The Early Late Night Red Line

2008-11-17T15:23:00-08:00

-BusTard

Wrong Way Main Street

2008-11-17T15:23:00-08:00

Earlier in the week, while dining at the wonderful Pete's Cafe, we watched yet another driver go the wrong way on Main Street. While this such a scenario is often quickly rectified, this driver insisted on continuing the wrong way. For once, it were a damn good thing that a couple of otherwise annoying off-duty cops were on hand (for a small film project) to make the driver stop (no small feat, as the cops' comments make clear) and eventually turn round.

-BusTard

If He Is Alive, Will He Vote to Renew Metro's Contract with Sheriff?

2008-11-17T05:23:00-08:00

Just over a week ago, a man was beaten and left for dead on the Blue Line's Pacific platform. The downtown Long Beach platform, which is supposedly overseen by the L.A. County Sheriff, is one of many Blue Line platforms obviously neglected by the deputies.

The attack, which occurred Saturday, 08 Nov 2008 at 11 p.m., has received little news. The name of the victim has not been released nor has any news about the victim—or if he even remains alive. A solitary report was issued by the L.A. County Sheriff may as well have stated, "Some guy was nearly beaten to death. What? Dunno." No updates have been announced as of 16 November 2008.

If the unnamed beating vivtim has not died by this Thursday morning, will he cast a vote in favour of giving the L.A. County Sheriff a three-month contract extension worth nearly $16 million?

A number of other violent incidents have happened on the Blue Line over the last few months, all of which can be traced back to an almost absolute absence of deputies. Of course, the deputies are present—but only at a very few stations during during rush hour when the possibility for revenue from fare evaders is highest, or when staging stings (by non-Transit Division deputies using Red Line stations for staging grounds).The brown-shirted bums have even released a report admitting to the poor record of protection proffered to Metro patrons.

The behaviour of the deputies is certainly suspect when they are more concerned with passing the buck and later harassing straphangers. This video is of deputy Larry Ware in September, 2008, being asked about a Metro matter and showing a lack of concern as he directs the concerned person—myself—to pester his colleagues loafing by the fence:

Two months later, Larry took it upon himself to arrest this transit advocate for documenting the blatant laziness of the deputies loitering at Pershing Square. Pershing Square appears to be the deputies' private lounge—as implied by the footage put up by The Bus Bench in September and in this new footage:

Pershing Square is not the only staging ground for LASD's revenue collection stings. Below is a video each from Pershing Square and Wilshire/Western Stations:

And we have received reports of previous incidents along the Gold Line, where deputies followed straphangers home—a blatant violation of the law.

Now is the time to act. This Thursday, 20 Nov at 9 a.m., Baca's brownshirts come under review when Metro considers a temporary renewal of the sheriff's contract. (It is the Executive Management and Audit Committee Meeting at One Gateway Plaza—Red or Gold Line to Union Station—in the 3rd Floor Boardroom.) The extension of this contract means nearly $16 million more for the schmucks seen in the above videos. Are they worth it? The Bus Bench emphatically states "NO."
How can we expect them to discharge their duties when even their placards (this one is at 7th/Metro) are left to rot?

Show up, speak out and help persuade Metro to kick these lazy cretins to the curb.

-BusTard

Murder your car! Art project.

2008-11-16T11:23:00-08:00

The Bus Bench is doing an art project on January 10th and we need a car to murder.

Are you ready to release yourself from the chain of car ownership? Do you want it documented?

The Bus Bench wants to make that dream happen for you.

Email us at browne@shametrainla.com

Bible Thumpers Save Souls at "Unsafe Location" Bus Stop

2008-11-16T11:23:00-08:00

Repent! lest one be consumed by the eternal damnation of the DASH!

Or so one might surmise from the religious crackpots packing up their signs at this DASH stop on 7th between Broadway and Spring. Even LADOT has formally implied the evil of this particular bus stop: "Unsafe Location" is hand-lettered at the top of the sign.

-BusTard

The 1st Annual Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair - December 13, 2008!

2008-11-15T17:55:47-08:00

H/T Neatorama for the image.

Don’t miss the First Annual Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair! There will be zines, pamphlets, DVD, CDs, radical bumper stickers, protest shirts, records, tapes, speakers, workshops, panels, open discussions, games, DIY distros, and much more.

Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Southern California Library for Social Studies & Research
6120 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, Calif. 90044
$5 (includes free vegan dinner - we want to add free vegan lunch as well but it’s not confirmed. If you’re part of Food Not Bombs chapter and would like to get involved please get in touch.)

-ShameTrainLA

No to oppressing people.

2008-11-15T14:39:16-08:00

A video done by ILOVEUPEOPLE.

H/T to JC

ShameTrainLA

Late Night Video Runs All Day on Metro!

2008-11-15T11:23:00-08:00

Metro's social experiment—funded by many private (and at least one not so privately funded) enterprises is set to start next weekend. The Bus Bench is excited, and will be announcing a Red Line Bar-hopping party later this weekend. (No sheriffs allowed, natch!) We will be starting in Hollywood and making our way downtown to Redwood Bar & Grill with stops along the way.

This morning, we noticed that Metro appears to be equally excited—so much so as to repeatedly announce the wonderful new development in L.A. mass transit. To wit:

-BusTard

We're Not here for Your Safety. We're Here for Your Money

2008-11-12T11:23:00-08:00

Once again, the Los Angeles County Sheriff proves that it is more interested in your wallet than your welfare.

The Blue Line is allegedly patrolled by the L.A. County Sheriff. Nevertheless, an assault on the Pacific Station platform of the Blue Line has left a critically injured man near death and not expected to survive. According to LASD Sgt. Rich Pena, quoted in today's Long Beach Press Telegram: "As of Tuesday afternoon, there was no suspect information or description and no change in the victim's condition." Do they not have cameras on those platforms? Are all those Metro posters of the L.A. County Sheriff's promises of "We're Watching" just a waste of taxpayers' money AND lives?

Where are all the sheriff's deputies? When they are not harassing and arresting passengers recording them loafing about in large groups, they can be found shaking down workplace-bound commuters on the Blue Line/Green Line, creating a bottleneck and slowing down foot traffic significantly enough to cause straphangers to miss their train. (Pop by the Blue/Green Line junction early in the morning or in the mid-afternoon, Monday through Friday, to get a glimpse of the deputies in action.)

-BusTard

L.A. Sheriff deputy allows ADA violation (Pershing Square)

2008-11-12T05:23:00-08:00

This summer, my interest in the significant presence of L.A. County Sheriff's deputies at pershing Square was piqued when I observed a terse conversation between a deputy and a frustrated, wheel-chair bound Metro patron. The deputy appeared to be annoyed that he had to answer to a person regarding the blocked passageway—the vehicle blocking it being a Metro contractor's vehicle.

At one point, the deputy decides to make it clear that he is not going to do anything to resolve a situation that violates the American Disabilities Act (ADA) by which easy egress on public thoroughfares should be observed. The deputy, apparently tired of not being able to just hang out and drink coffee (which he had been observed doing for an hour so daily for a few months), in reference to the contractor responsible for the poorly parked vehicle, glibly remarks, ". . . I don't know where he's at."

What are these guys good for, again? Oh, yeah. This. And This. And. . .?

-BusTard

The little indignities.

2008-11-11T08:30:46-08:00

I'm on the Green Line train and a Metro employee gets on with a trash can. He parks it about one foot from my face.

Now I understand that Metro has to clean, but why do they have to take the dirty disgusting trashcans on the train and park it nose level to seated passengers? Isn't there a better solution to picking up trash at the stations than having people go station to station on the passenger cars with trash?

Isn't the public transit experience in LA exciting enough without this added indignity.

Browne

L.A. County Sheriffs Imply Terrorists Only Work First Shift

2008-11-10T05:23:00-08:00

As reported last week, the brown shirts that hang round Pershing Square have an idea that terrorists only show up during rush hour commutes. Why else would there be such a campaign to arrest "domestic terrorists" in the early morning and mid-afternoon periods?

Any straphanger in Pershing Square on Saturday or Sunday, or after dark during the weekday, will understand that the sheriffs are present for no other reason than to collect revenue. And any true domestic or international terrorist will understand that, just as the sporadic backpack checks on the NYC Metro could be circumvented by going one subway stop away allowed for not only an on-platform attack but presented an opportunity via backed-up straphangers (awaiting NYPD to rifle through their personal belongings, an incident I endured but twice over several years) to be bombed, so too do the exclusive rush-hour presence of Transit Services Bureau officers prompt true terrorists to simply wait for lunch-time and weekends.

-BusTard

Lessons From Being Arrested Last Friday

2008-11-09T11:20:31-08:00

BusTard made some acquaintances in the slammer.

Lessons, like badges, are best appreciated thusly.

But enough of the silly shit.

Here are two shots I took Friday night, once again released from jail owing to some constabulary cretin's emotional interpretation of homeland security. I promised I would post these shots—before the weekend ended—of some new acquaintances (courtesy of two dim L.A. sheriffs' inability to exhibit professionalism).

(I have intentionally omitted mention of any names.
However, if you are one of the guys in the photo, feel free to write me or post a comment.)

-Randall BusTard

LA Times' Institutional Racism. Black peoples lynching courtesy of the LA Times.

2008-11-09T10:00:00-08:00

As The Bus Bench is a blog that talks about a wide variety of civil right's issues beyond just transportation I offer you a link to my post on LA Eastside on Proposition 8 and the LA Times.

"Feelings on Prop 8. I’m upset that it did pass. Gay rights is a civil rights issue. I am not surprised that it passed, but that doesn’t stop me from being pissed about it.

I’m also angry about how the LA Times focus in regards to this seems to be just on black people. " Browne Molyneux's post continued on LA Eastside.