solar backpack

i'm all for the whole green movement.  that's one of the reasons i ride mta most days.  but i try not to get too righteous and avoid wearing my opinion on my sleeve.  or on my back.  not this guy.  (pardon the picture.  i didn't have my steadicam with me this day.)

that's right, he's prepared to generate electricity with his backpack anywhere the sun strikes.  speaking of people not reading books (see last post), i'm guessing this person has at least three portable gadgets, including a kindle or some other e-reader.

metal

sometime between when "the chronic" came out and now, the music and fashion sensibilities of much of l.a. has moved from gangster to a bunch of other sub-cultures, mostly ones that involve wearing a lot of black.  punk and metal seem to be the leaders, with some skaters roaming around, all mixed and blended to suit the individual.  the likely but unfortunate truth is that this shift may have been forced on the youth by lapd and society's seemingly insatiable fear of gangs.  for some time, there was no better way to get harassed by authorities than by looking the part.  whatever the reason, all i can say is the kids i see sporting punk and metal today seem to be a happier lot.

enter a man in a light blue shirt with white stripes and a beret.  by virtue of carrying this book:

he and a high-school girl proceeded to have a conversation about music, the bands they and their parents have been in and listen to and the long, twisted history of metal music.  it's good to know people still read books and even better to know that they, like their vinyl brethren, can produce a spontaneous, shared experience.

vietnam vet

i couldn't help but admire this guy when i saw him.  he may not be able to walk, but he'll be damned if he wasn't gonna show the world what he's made of.  some notable details:

1) he uses the head of a terminator to steer his vehicle (its eyes light up red too)
2) the glare hides it, but the pins on his hat include a picture of albert einstein, a peace sign and a picture of janis joplin
3) under the left arm, he's installed a flashlight as what i can only surmise is a headlight (i'm not terribly familiar with the different models of personal mobility vehicles, so maybe this comes standard)

i didn't bother to ask where he was goin, but i sure hope he made it safe.

inaugural post

telling people you choose to take public transporation in los angeles will often get a person a puzzled look in return.  if the listener is not downright ignorant of the system, negative connotations fueled by a fear of strangers and helped along by poorly written articles (like this one or this one) enter people's minds.  this blog is a humble attempt to put some of the more interesting daily realities of taking public transit in los angeles up for viewing.