City officials and residents of Los Angeles and San Gabriel joined together this morning in an annual walk to commemorate the founding of Los Angeles 227 years ago.
Los Pobladores-Walk to Los Angeles began at 6 a.m. and recounted the steps of the original Spanish settlers who founded Los Angeles at El Pueblo (now Olvera Street) on Sept. 4, 1781.
The nine-mile trek followed the last leg of the settlers' journey from Mexico, which extended from the San Gabriel Mission to the Los Angeles River.
Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar joined the historic walk.
"From day one, Los Angeles was a diverse city made up of people from different backgrounds and experiences," he said, noting the original settlers were people of Native-American, African and European descent.
The city was originally named El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles sobre el Rio del Porciuncula. The 44 settlers traveled more than 1,000 miles across the desert from Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico.
Today's celebration will continue until 6 tonight at Olvera Street, where food, music and other entertainment are offered. The events are free and open to the public.
NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Gustav is quickly losing its punch after plowing through south Louisiana's fishing and oil industry.
The National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm to a Category 1 storm with 90-mph winds Monday afternoon as it sideswiped New Orleans and pushed through the state toward Texas.
Gustav arrived with 110-mph winds and storm surge that had water splashing over the top of the floodwall of the Industrial Canal along the 9th Ward in New Orleans.
But the hurricane's wind and surge haven't been nearly as fearsome as forecasters had predicted.
The storm is expected to move into Texas overnight and drop as much as 20 inches of rain there by Thursday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A weakened Hurricane Gustav slammed into the heart of Louisiana's fishing and oil industry with 110 mph winds Monday, delivering only a glancing blow to New Orleans that raised hopes the city would escape the kind of catastrophic flooding brought by Katrina three years ago.
Wind-driven water sloshed over the top of the Industrial Canal's floodwall, but city officials and the Army Corps of Engineers said they expected the levees, still only partially rebuilt after Katrina, would hold. The canal broke with disastrous effect during Katrina, submerging St. Bernard Parish and the Lower Ninth Ward.
"We are seeing some overtopping waves," said Col. Jeff Bedey, commander of the Corps' hurricane protection office. "We are cautiously optimistic and confident that we won't see catastrophic wall failure."
In the Upper Ninth Ward, about half the streets closest to the canal were flooded with ankle- to knee-deep water as the road dipped and rose. Of more immediate concern to authorities were two small vessels that broke loose from their moorings in the canal and were resting against the Florida Street wharf. There were no immediate reports of any damage to the canal.
Mayor Ray Nagin said the city wouldn't know until late afternoon if the vulnerable West Bank would stay dry. Worries about the level of flood protection in an area where enhancements to the levees are years from completion were a key reason Nagin was so insistent residents evacuate the city.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Gustav hit around 9:30 a.m. near Cocodrie (pronounced ko-ko-DREE), a low-lying community in Louisiana's Cajun country 72 miles southwest of New Orleans, as a Category 2 storm on a scale of 1 to 5. Forecasters had feared the storm would arrive as a devastating Category 4.
As of noon, the extent of the damage in Cajun country was not immediately clear. State officials said they had still not reached anyone at Port Fourchon, a vital hub for the energy industry where huge amounts of oil and gas are piped inland to refineries. The eye of Gustav passed about 20 miles from the port and there were fears the damage there could be extensive.
The storm could prove devastating to the region of fishing villages and oil-and-gas towns. For most of the past half century, the bayou communities have watched their land disappear at one of the highest rates of erosion in the world. A combination of factors — oil drilling, hurricanes, levees, dams — have destroyed the swamps and left the area with virtually no natural buffer against storms.
Damage to refineries and drilling platforms could cause gasoline prices at the pump to spike. A risk modeling firm, Eqecat Inc., projected Monday that Gustav could knock capacity for about 5 percent of both oil and natural gas production for the next year. The Gulf Coast is home to nearly half the nation's refining capacity, while offshore the Gulf accounts for about 25 percent of domestic oil production and 15 percent of natural gas output.
Only one storm-related death, a woman killed in a car wreck driving from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, was reported in Louisiana. Before arriving in the U.S., Gustav was blamed for at least 94 deaths in the Caribbean.
The
Настроение сейчас - busy, closer to workingSo, today's Sunday. And tomorrow will be Fall. That means nothing 4 those who live in LA as the weather is still will be the same, but 4 me it means that I'll have some new projects and will work somewhere else (Chicago, SF, New Orleans, etc). So, I guess I will be here more often (that depends on the state where I will be) & will do smth with my community. So, wish me luck to finish some left work today and wish luck to have a good state challenge.
Lyrics:
Obama: [rapping] Uh huh! Uh huh!
Yo my girl Hillary, former first lady, will she be president?
Who knows, maybe.
Yo Barack Obama!
I'm a black democrat, no I ain't no punk, Hillary's a hot mama.
She's got her eyes on the prize, and I'm talking 'bout my junk.
Hillary, where you at?
Hillary: I'm in the front.
But what I want is a little bit of mandingo love.
Bill had Monica, played him like a harmonica.
So can I be blamed if I wanna get some strange?
Yes, I am a firm believer of some hardcore jungle fever.
He's my boy, I am his girl, hellz yeah we're both down with the swirl!
We may have differed on Iraq, but no one's stiffer in the sack.
I can't lie - that's why I wanna be under Barack Obama, bama, bama, ay, ay, ay,
under Barack Obama, bama, bama, bama, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay.
The polls have me in the lead, but your polls the only one I need.
Obama: Girl you're making me really hot, I'm gonna put my ballot in your slot.
Hillary: Pour your chocolate rain on me and I'll make you my VP.
Obama: Gonna put my lovin' on ya.
Hillary: I wanna be under Barack Obama, bama, bama, bama, ay, ay, ay, ay,
under Barack Obama, bama, bama, bama, ay, ay, ay ay!
ALABAMA
AL
ALASKA
AK
AMERICAN SAMOA
AS
ARIZONA
AZ
ARKANSAS
AR
CALIFORNIA
CA
COLORADO
CO
CONNECTICUT
CT
DELAWARE
DE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
DC
FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA
FM
FLORIDA
FL
GEORGIA
GA
GUAM
GU
HAWAII
HI
IDAHO
ID
ILLINOIS
IL
INDIANA
IN
IOWA
IA
KANSAS
KS
KENTUCKY
KY
LOUISIANA
LA
MAINE
ME
MARSHALL ISLANDS
MH
MARYLAND
MD
MASSACHUSETTS
MA
MICHIGAN
MI
MINNESOTA
MN
MISSISSIPPI
MS
MISSOURI
MO
MONTANA
MT
NEBRASKA
NE
NEVADA
NV
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NH
NEW JERSEY
NJ
NEW MEXICO
NM
NEW YORK
NY
NORTH CAROLINA
NC
NORTH DAKOTA
ND
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
MP
OHIO
OH
OKLAHOMA
OK
OREGON
OR
PALAU
PW
PENNSYLVANIA
PA
PUERTO RICO
PR
RHODE ISLAND
RI
SOUTH CAROLINA
SC
SOUTH DAKOTA
SD
TENNESSEE
TN
TEXAS
TX
UTAH
UT
VERMONT
VT
VIRGIN ISLANDS
VI
VIRGINIA
VA
WASHINGTON
WA
WEST VIRGINIA
WV
WISCONSIN
WI
WYOMING
WY
Good news: Kat's back and took away her cat
Bad news: I have 1 ex-bf, 1 current bf & 1 accidental lover who's in love with me (or I am pretty stupid in thinking of him this way). A-N-D I have no f*cking idea what I should do with all of them. Really hard to decide between ex and current plus I still want some freedom. Oh!
My dear friend Katherine left me in LA, while she will be spending days with her theatre friends at some premiere @ O'Neill's. And the main point of writing this post is my boss, who said smth like 'You should stay here, and work cuz you took too much weekend days last week'. That is so much unfair!
Well, that post is dedicated to the beautiful America!
Let's sing together!
Lyrics:
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
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People who have never been to Los Angeles often have some pre-conceived notions about Los Angeles that are more based on Hollywood fiction than reality. Here are some of the most common misconceptions people have about the City of Angels.
1. It’s always sunny.
In Los Angeles, winter is both the rainy season and the sunny season. Between the occasional rain days or rain weeks, the sky is a clear blue, even in the morning. The layer of marine clouds that are known as June Gloom actually hang around throughout the summer, making most mornings overcast until at least noon, especially at the beach.
2. It’s hot at the beach.
The average temperature at LA area beaches is about 70 degrees, all year long. This can be about 20 degrees different than inland temperatures. In winter, the thermometer hits 70 for a few minutes then bounces back down. In summer the mercury lingers longer before declining. There are usually a few weeks of summer where heat waves bring beach temperatures into the upper 80s or 90s, but it could equally well be 70 in July and August.
3. Nobody walks in LA
It may be true that distances in LA often preclude walking from where you are to where you want to be. However, there are lots of walkable shopping and beach areas in Hollywood, Downtown LA, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Long Beach and down the coast. Guided walking tours or walking maps are available at local Visitors Centers. There are also great hikes in and around Los Angeles, including Runyan Canyon, just a few short blocks from the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
4. Everyone works in the entertainment industry.
The number one industry in Los Angeles is actually manufacturing. Los Angeles is the largest manufacturing center in the United States.
5. Everyone is beautiful.
There are lots of beautiful people in Los Angeles – highly concentrated in upscale nightclubs and shopping areas. There are also lots of ordinary people that make the effort to look their best. That leaves the majority of the population just as overweight and ordinary as the rest of the country.
6. The beaches are full of blond bombshells.
The majority of blonds can more likely be found on southern Orange County beaches. Los Angeles beaches are more populated by ethnic families with kids and tourists. The population of Los Angeles County is about 70 percent non-white, with Hispanic being the largest group at 44 percent.
7. It’s all concrete.
Visitors to Los Angeles are often surprised by LA’s tree-lined streets and frequent parks and green patches. Griffith Park is over 4000 acres of green within the city limits. The Hollywood Hills and Santa Monica Mountains provide a green backdrop for the city all the way to the beach. Even the inner city in Los Angeles is made up of sprawling neighborhoods of single family homes and small apartment buildings with little patch lawns and trees.
8. It’s hard to drive in LA.
Driving in Los Angeles is usually pretty straightforward. Most streets are laid out in a grid with a few notable curves and angles. Few areas have one-way streets. Downtown areas are the exception. Freeways are reasonably well marked, but follow the freeway numbers, not the names, since names change, depending where you are. Freeway signs usually include the name of a city direction, but that doesn’t help if you don’t know which way Santa Ana or San Pedro is from where you are.
9. Los Angeles is a dangerous place to visit; everyone is in a gang.
Most tourist areas in LA are at least as safe as other big cities. There are parts of LA that are dangerous, especially at night. Make sure you have good directions when driving in LA. Normal precautions should be taken, such as locking cars and keeping track of your personal belongings.
10. People dress formally to go out.
LA is the center of the U.S. fashion and clothing industry, and yet LA fashion is casual and individualistic. Despite the best efforts of nightclub bouncers, nice jeans and flip flops go just about anywhere. Some people do dress up for the opera, ballet or symphony – and, of course, the major entertainment award ceremonies.
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Morning guys!
I'm expecting a very long weekend. Tomorrow I'll be enjoying barbecue and a nice walk in Griffith Park.
Hope, I'll take some pics from this huge holiday and post them here later.
See u!! Kisses.
[699x496]
Mr. Mandela, thank you so much for everything! And Happy 90th Birthday (dunno why in London they decided to celebrate it today, not in 18th of July, but who cares?!)
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: [xolíɬaɬa mandéːla] (born 18 July 1918) is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in fully representative democratic elections. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress and its armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe. He spent 27 years in prison, much of it on Robben Island, on convictions for crimes that included sabotage committed while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid.
Among opponents of apartheid in South Africa and internationally, he became a symbol of freedom and equality, while the apartheid government and nations sympathetic to it condemned him and the ANC as communists and terrorists.
Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, his switch to a policy of reconciliation and negotiation helped lead the transition to multi-racial democracy in South Africa. Since the end of apartheid, he has been widely praised, even by former opponents.
Mandela has received more than one hundred awards over four decades, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He is currently a celebrated elder statesman who continues to voice his opinion on topical issues. In South Africa he is often known as Madiba, an honorary title adopted by elders of Mandela's clan. The title has come to be synonymous with Nelson Mandela.
Mandela has frequently credited Mahatma Gandhi for being a major source of inspiration in his life, both for the philosophy of non-violence and for facing adversity with dignity.
So after a few disappointments in relationship, I have gathered some common themes among the men I have been in short and long relationships with, as well as my behavior in these relationships. This comes after a friend telling me I "need to pick better men". I believe it is true! I should value myself enough to be conscious of what I want in another person, as well as be aware of who I am and how I behave in a realationship. This is an ongoing list and I'm not going to use it as a checklist, I'm not crazy, just a set of suggestions to keep in mind. No real order here:* A man must have friends of his own. This is an indicator of his social skills as well as loyalties to people he cares for (non-family).
* A man must live on his own or with roommates, just not at home with family. This is an indicator of his independence as well as individual financial stability.
* I will not introduce the person I'm dating to ANY family until it is serious. That includes my brother and my niece.
* I will not bring along a person I'm dating to outings with friends until we've both had time to get to know each other well.
* A man must not be emotionally unavailable. FIRM on this one!
* A man must be college educated. This is not me being a snob of any sort; the degree can be from Westwood College or Harvard for all I care. It is the pursuit of higher education that I am interested in. It says a lot about the person's dedication and motivation.
* I will not let my "guard" down completely until I know the other person is not just wasting my time. Not to say that I won't open up to someone, just that I will be more cautious since this is what makes me hurt later.
* I will not settle for what appears to be a good guy. His actions must match his words.
* A man must have some sort of humanitarian side. I'm tired of guys always telling me that I have a good heart for helping people. I want to be able to say the same thing to someone else. It's a quality that I would like to share.
