Irwin's Random Thoughts

2010-12-06T16:38:00.001-08:00

Two photos that sum up the 2010 edition of UCLA-USC game

Dear Dunkin' Donuts: America does not run on Dunkin'... At least not until you open some stores in America

2009-10-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

As any of my fellow left coasters will tell you, one of the best thing about visiting Boston or New York City is being able to walk out a building and find a Dunkin' Donuts within short walking distance. Not only are the donuts awesome, Dunkin' also happens to serve great coffee.

My enjoyment of Dunkin' Donuts is always tempered by the knowledge that this is a regional chain. It's how I imagine people from the East coast feel about Kogi Taco, Peet's Coffee or Coffee Bean. And while I love Dunkin' Donuts and their coffee drinks, their advertising tag line "America runs on Dunkin'" always struck me as a little bit delusional... how can "America" run on Dunkin' if their store is no where to be found in America? If you go to the Dunkin' Donuts website and go to store location and put in a zip code, any zip code from California, you will find nothing. Try it with other Western states, too. Nothing. Expand your search to the mountain states and you get a few hits in Arizona. Midwest region get some Dunkin' love but only in selected cities. You don't get many store listings until you get close to New England and the Acela corridor. Which is fine. Whatever... no one expects advertising to be truthful.

Then I went to Asia. And Dunkin' Donuts are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Like Starbucks and McDonald's. According to the intrawebz (which is never wrong), there are nearly 1,800 Dunkin' Donuts shops in the Asia Pacific region, including 725 in Korea, 600 in the Philippines, and 260 in Indonesia. There are two dozen Dunkin' Donuts in Taipei but none in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, or Seattle. What. The. F---? Anyway, that also didn't bother me that much either. I figured the more Dunkin' Donuts overseas the better because it means there are more airports in the world that I can grab delicious donuts (try the mochi donuts next time you are in a Dunkin' Donuts store in Asia).

But now I'm mad. What really ticked me off is the latest Dunkin' Donuts advertising campaign on TV. Instead of advertising regionally, now they are buying prime time ads on national TV. They tempt me with their donuts and coffee drinks and then ruthlessly crush my hope and dreams by running their tag line at the end. America runs on Dunkin'... Oh really? How about you freaking open some stores in America so your TV ads are not an exercise in irony? Korea runs on Dunkin'. Taiwan runs on Dunkin'. Philippines too. But not America. Definitely not America.

Party of No Boundaries

2009-10-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Republican Party has thrown in its lot with the terrorists — the Taliban and Hamas this morning — in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize. Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize — an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride — unless of course you are the Republican Party. The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It’s no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore – it’s an embarrassing label to claim.

Sarah Palin Quit Because...

2009-07-04T19:12:00.000-07:00

10. She's moving to the lower 48 because Alaska is just too far from Glenn Beck.

9. After 30 months as governor, she's cracking under the stress of protecting the U.S. from Russia.

8. She doesn't want her tenure as governor to overshadow her experience as mayor of Wasilla.

7. She wants some time off to go hiking with Mark Sanford in the Appalachian.

6. The Alaska state legislature wasn't giving her time to go for her daily runs, and sweat is her sanity.

5. Trying to conceive triplet so she and Todd can replace Jon and Kate.

4. Because that's what Joe Vogler would have done.

3. Maybe she was just jealous of all the attention Michael Jackson is getting.

2. She's decided to run for President... Of Alaska.

1. There's another shoe left to drop.

Happy 4th of July!

Find Your Way Around LA - A Guide For Public Transit Newbies in Los Angeles

2009-06-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

Note: parts of this page has been updated due to recent changes in bus routes and new fares. Where ever possible, the original version of the text has a been retained with corresponding changes noted. Newly added info are in red.

Are you a transit chicken? If you live in Los Angeles and never used our transit system, you don't know what you are missing. For one thing, the myth that no one takes public transit in LA is just that... a myth. The Orange line (that's the Rapid bus line in the Valley) boards over 650,000 passengers per month and LA County has the 2nd highest number of people in the US who use public transit as the primary means of getting around (after NYC).

I decided to write this guide because I found that there is actually nothing like it on the web. When I started taking public transit 2 years ago (after almost 20 years of living in LA), I had to learn everything the hard way. But once I figure it out, I found myself repeating the same things over and over whenever another transit chicken takes the plunge and decides to give it a try. So I wrote down some Q&A type responses and turned it into this guide - a quick primer on how to use public transit in LA if you have never tried it.

The first thing and the most basic thing to remember: ~~$1.25~~ $1.50 for Metro bus or rail (or ~~75 cent~~ $1.00 if using Big Blue Bus or Culver City Bus) per boarding. If you are making more than 1 round trip in one day, you should consider buying a Day Pass. The Metro Day Pass is $6 and works on both Metro buses and trains. The Big Blue Bus Day Pass is only $4! Unfortunately, Day Pass can only be used on the agency that issued it so Metro Day Pass cannot be used on Big Blue Bus, and vice versa.

Level 1 - Newbies: Learn the Metro Rapid Lines (and the LA Street Grid)

For novice transit users in LA (especially those living in Mid City and Westside), you should focus your attention on learning the system exclusively on the Metro Rapid buses. These are the red (or dark blue for R3 and R7) buses that only make limited stops and takes you places where you want to go (major intersections and landmarks like malls/shopping centers). The slower orange buses also cost ~~$1.25~~ $1.50 but you want to avoid that as much as possible if the red (or dark blue) buses can take you there. The thing to remember about the Rapid bus is that they pretty much stay in sync with LA's street grid. So basically, you need to learn what road and what blvd goes where and which way they go (i.e. north-south, east-west etc) and what order they appear if you are headed in one direction or the other. What I mean is that if you are headed south from Westwood to LAX (for example) on Sepulveda Blvd, you will hit (1) Wilshire, (2) Santa Monica, (3) Olympic, (4) Pico, (5) National, (6) Venice, (7) Washington, (8) Jefferson, (9) Manchester, (10) Century... in that order.

All these Rapid bus numbers start with a "7", which is a prefix denoting that it is a Rapid. They generally have a corresponding "slow train" version (the orange bus). For example, the 704 bus runs on Santa Monica Blvd from Downtown LA to Downtown Santa Monica. It is one of the most popular bus line in the city. It stops only at major intersections. There is a #4 orange bus that runs on pretty much the same route that stops on every block.

There are three exceptions to the Rapid route system. Two of the Rapid bus lines are served by Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus: R3 on Lincoln Blvd and R7 on Pico Blvd and they are dark blue (as oppose to baby blue). A third, R6 on Sepulveda Blvd is operated by Culver City Bus (dark green/silver). This is a legacy of the "turf war" battle from another era which I'll try to explain later. The good news here is that Big Blue Bus and Culver City Bus are cheaper (only ~~75 cents!~~ $1.00) and like the red buses, R3 and R7 have their own "slow train" version, namely, #3 and #7 that stops on every block. The same for Culver city Bus R6 and #6.

The bottom line - you just need to memorize which Rapid bus lines goes on which street... The main ones:

East-West

704 - Santa Monica
720 -Wilshire
728 - Olympic
730/R7 - Pico
~~333~~ 733 - Venice ~~(not really a Rapid bus line but 733 is not yet up and running)~~

North-South

R3 - Lincoln
R6 - Sepulveda
705 - LaCienega
780 - Fairfax
710 - Crenshaw
757 - Western
754 - Vermont

Image cutesy of Wikipedia, without which, western civilization will be erased without a trace.

Level 2 - Grasshopper: Learn the Metro Rail System

Once you have master the Rapid bus system, it is time to move on to taking the trains. LA's Metro system is still a work in progress so one thing you'll notice is that it doesn't go where you want to go... No direct airport connection; no San Fernando Valley to Westside line; no Pasadena to Glendale line; no Southbay to Westside line. Knowing this limitation is key... If you live in Santa Monica and want to go to the Lakers game at Staples Center, you are better off driving... at least for now until the Purple line reaches you in around 2030 (no, really, that's when it is estimated to get there!) However, if you live in Pasadena or Hollywood, I declare jihad on you if you are silly enough to drive to a Lakers game (or USC football game once the Expo line opens in ~~2010~~ 2011).

The second thing to remember about LA's Metro system is that we are new at this... despite operation since the late 1980s and having the 3rd highest passenger count of any rail system in the US (that part is mind boggling if you think about it), MTA is still relatively inexperienced at running a rail system. This is reflected in part by our shortsighted and illogical train line color naming scheme. In major cities around the world, metro systems lines are typically named after a combination of letters and numbers (i.e. New York City) or the destination (i.e. Tokyo or London). The colors on the map is usually only a secondary visual device, not the primary identifier of metro lines. For example, the NYC "F" train is the "orange line" on the NYC subway map but everyone knows F train goes to Queens. And there are actually 4 other trains that runs on the "orange line" with different destinations and service mode (express, local, late night etc). In LA, we did it all wrong so the color is also the primary identifier. This is ok for now... but in the future when the Downtown Connector is completed, and trains start running from Pasadena to Long Beach or Santa Monica to East LA, it's going to be chaos. So ok, enough of a rant... back to the lesson.

It's pretty straight forward:

The main transfer stations are 7th/Flower Metro Center (Red/Purple/Blue/Expo) and Union Station (Red/Purple/Gold Foothill/Gold Eastside). The lines are as follow:

Red line: Downtown LA to North Hollywood - connect to Orange line bus to the Valley [should really be called the "Hollywood line"]
Purple line: Downtown LA to Koreatown (Wilshire/Western) - connect to 720 or 920 Rapid bus to the Westside (extension to Westwood under study right now) [should really be called the "Wilshire line"]
Gold line Foothill: Downtown LA to Sierra Madre (extension to god knows where in the boonies under construction) [should really be called the "Pasadena/Foothill line"]
Gold line Eastside: Downtown LA to East LA/Montebello (extension to Whittier under consideration) [will be combined with Expo line once the Downtown Connector is completed]
Expo line: Downtown LA to Culver City (opening in June ~~2010~~ 2011, extension to Santa Monica schedule to open in 2014) [should really be called "Culver/Santa Monica line"]
Blue line: Downtown LA to Long Beach [should really be called "Long Beach line"]
Green line: Norwalk to Redondo Beach (free bus connection to LAX at Aviation station) [should really be called "Norwalk line"]

A quirk in the LA metro system is that ~~none~~ only some of the stations, mainly the ones for Red and Purple line subways, are gated. Random fare checks do happen (you need to show the Transit Police your ticket stub if they ask - Jack Bauer got busted on 24 once for not having a ticket... I suppose it is slightly more realistic than Keanu Reeves figuring out how to jump a bus over a gap in the 105 freeway).

Metro also operates a special BRT (bus rapid transit) line in the Valley that works like a train but is actually buses on a grade separated road away from other cars. The Orange line was originally going to be an extension of the Red line subway running at surface, but the NIMBYs in the Valley kill it. It works just like Metro's rail lines with "stations" where the train station would have been. It's not as nice as a train but it is a huge improvement over buses on regular street. The success of the Orange line has lead Metro to ~~contemplate offering~~ introduce something very similar on the El Monte Bus Way and Harbor Transit Way. These are the bus lane in the middle of 10 and 110 freeways. The ~~proposed~~ Silver line BRT ~~will~~ now connects El Monte Bus terminal with Artesia Blvd Bus terminal via the Bus Ways and Transit Way with connections at both Union Station and 7th/Fig Metro Center subway stops.

Level 3 - The Matrix: Mastering LA's Byzantine Bus System

MTA or Metro is the largest transit operator in LA County, but it is not the only one. Many cities have their own municipal bus lines. The most familiar ones are probably:

Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (it's blue) and Culver City Bus (it's green).

There are three other pretty big "muni" bus lines: Torrance Bus (white with red stripe); Foothill Transit (white with blue stripe); and Montebello Bus (white with blue and pink stripes).

The reason why we have "muni" and Metro bus lines dates back to an ancient time (like 1920s to 1950s) when LA was crisscrossed by surface trams. The Pacific Railway and the "Red Cars" ran trams from Downtown LA to all kinds of places. They setup depots and terminals throughout the city. Those terminals still exists... but they are now bus terminals. When the trams finally went away (Google "GM and Firestone Los Angeles tram conspiracy" if you want the learn more of this tragic chapter in LA's history) cities in LA County started their own bus services to fill the void. As a result, they established their respective "turf" and their "protected terminals". Metro bus dare not venture into these protected "turfs" without starting a full on gang war (yes, transit agencies are like gangs, they take their turf seriously).

In order to fully master LA's bus system, you need to know these "turf" and their related bus terminals because depending on what part of the city you are in, you are more than likely have to rely on the "muni" to provide local service rather than Metro.

Bus Line - Turf - Terminal

Big Blue Bus - Santa Monica,Westwood, Century City, pretty much everything west of Robertson Blvd - Rimpau Terminal (mid city)
Culver City Bus - Culver City, Palms, Mar Vista, - West LA Transit Center (on Fairfax and Washington), and Fox Hills Mall Transit Center
Torrance Bus - Torrance, Gardena, Redondo, Inglewood, most of Southbay - Artesia Transit Center
Foothill Transit - cities in San Gabriel Valley and western portion of San Bernardino County
Montebello Bus - Montebello, Whittier, Norwalk

So what does this really mean? The most practical example is the bus ride from Downtown to Santa Monica. You can take the 720 and it will run on Wilshire all the way... no problem. However, let say you went to dinner in Koreatown and now need to go back to your place say... off Pico near Westside Pavillian. You will need to take the Metro 730 to Rimpau terminal and change to Big Blue Bus's #7 or Rapid 7 to finish your trip. Ditto 728 and BBB5 on Olympic. Why is this so? Because Big Blue Bus will go ape shit if Metro tried to steal its routes on the Westside on Pico and Olympic. It's an unfortunate reality that we'll just have to deal with and navigate around.

So the bottom line is this: if you are going from Downtown LA, Mid City or Koreatown to West LA or Santa Monica, you have to transfer at either Rimpau or Westwood Blvd (unless you are taking Rapid 720 or 704, which goes all the way through). Similarly, if you want to go to Culver City from points east or north, you will most likely need to transfer at Fairfax/Washington bus terminal.

Now that we get that out of the way, there is one more intimidating aspect of using the bus in LA that newbies find impossible to comprehend. What does the Metro bus numbers mean?

1-99: Local bus service to/from Downtown Los Angeles and other areas. The route numbering begins at Route 2 (Sunset Boulevard, a route leading west from downtown) and proceeds counterclockwise around Downtown Los Angeles, ending at route 96 (Riverside Drive.)
100-199: East-west service, not serving Downtown Los Angeles.
200-299: North-south service, not serving Downtown Los Angeles.
300-399: Limited-stop versions of traditional local routes, which make fewer stops and generally operate during peak times. Most limited-stop routes are designated by placing a 3 before a main route number (example: the limited-stop version of route 2 is route 302). Most limited-stop (300-series) routes have been replaced by Metro Rapid routes.
400-599: Express (all or part of the service runs on freeways)
600-699: Shuttle and special event services.
700-799: Rapid
900-999: Rapid Express (the "Rapid of Rapids", even fewer stops than the 700 buses)

The long an short of this migraine inducing numbering scheme is this:

The first digit tells you what kind of service (Local, Express, Rapid etc) and the general direction (Downtown, East-West, North-South)
The last 2 digits tells you what neighborhoods it goes through (not exact but close enough)

Think of LA area (excluding the Valley) as a long rectangle... with Sunset Blvd on top and Lincoln Blvd/PCH on the left, Downtown LA as the top right point, the juntion of 105 and 110 freeway as the bottom right point, and 105 freeway as the lower border. The lower the last two digit (i.e. #2, #4, #20, 704, 720 etc), the closer the route runs near the top left (Northwest) corner. The higher the last two digit (#53, #55, 760 etc.), the closer it runs near 105/110 junction (Southeast). Got that?

Now if you go back to to Level 1 where I mention the main Rapid bus line numbers, notice how 704 is Santa Monica (northern most), follow by 720 Wilshire (middle), 730 on Pico (lower middle), and 333 on Venice (south). This is only a rough guide of course... the number system breaks down completely once you go past "X60", after which, it is kind of a free-for-all.

Level 4 - Jedi Master: Use The Force

If you have managed to learn the first 3 steps, you are probably in the top 3% of people in LA in terms of transit proficiency. There is nothing more I can teach you really... you just need to keep using the system and learn on your own. You may be wondering... what about Metrolink? Well, that is our regional commuter train system (not to be confused with Metro, which is our local transit agency) and I actually have never used it since I live and work in LA. Metrolink takes you to some really far out places out in the suburbs like Ventura County, Orange County, and Inland Empire. Since I have never used it, I can't give you any tips about how to approach it if you are a newbie... but once you get to Union Station, everything I mentioned in Level 1~3 applies. And also, your Metrolink ticket entitles you to one free boarding on Metro rail... so you can hop on the Red, Purple, or Gold line without having to buy another ticket.

Another recent development in LA's transit scene is the FlyAway bus that connects Downtown, Westwood, Van Nuys, or Irvine with LAX. This is the most convenient way to get to LAX and the bus drops you right off at the Terminals.

Go ahead transit chickens... take that first step towards independence.

Links to some transit agency websites if you want more info on specific bus routes:
Metro
Big Blue Bus
Culver City Bus
FlyAway LAX

Remember This

2009-06-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Financial Crisis Explained

2009-02-27T15:49:00.000-08:00

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, please take note: An amateur video maker did a better job explaining the financial crisis then you did or anyone else in the Government.

This video is awesome (and completely free of partisan spin).

Toyota Drivers, Menace to Society

2009-02-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why the lane you are in is moving 10 mph slower than every other lane? Chances are you are following a Corolla. Even wonder why the parking lot at Whole Foods is always backed up? Chances are a Prius driver is having trouble parking. Ever wonder why you are not turning left despite the green left turn signal? Chances are a Camry driver at the front of the line is not paying attention. Ever notice that almost every Camry and Highlander you see on the street has a dent in the bumper? In the 20+ years of driving, I have observed many Toyota drivers and I have come to the conclusion that there is a greater force at work. Like Darwin, who saw evidence of evolution in Galapagos island lizards and booby, I too have come up with a theory that explains it all.

First, the question: Why is it that Toyota drivers are especially inept and timid? And what makes Toyota so special that these bad drivers are drawn to its car like moth into open flames? My theory is that Toyota (and Lexus) drivers are humor-less drones who, following Darwin's theory, have self-selected into driving the very soul-sucking cars that defines their personality. This in term shapes how Toyota makes its car into ever more numb, isolated, ill-handling pods. Which of course makes its cars even more attractive to the bad drivers of the world all over. It's a self-fulfilling cycle - Toyota makes cars only bad drivers appreciate; only bad drivers buy Toyota as a result; Toyota makes the next one even worse to satisfy its main customers.

The basic truth is that there are two kinds of drivers in the world, those who like it and those who don't. I'm not talking about speed fiends or people who like to take their car to the race track (although, you'd never find a Camry at a track day event). I'm taking about just the simple pleasure of driving. The feel of connectedness of steering wheel and gear shift to the tires and motion of the car, the satisfied feeling one gets from piloting a complex machine. If you ask Toyota (and Lexus) owners about this, they would have a blank look on their face. These people simply do not understand driving. They are bad drivers. The kind that takes 20 seconds to make a right turn when there are no cross traffic. The kind that sees a sign for 65 mph and thinks a prudent speed should be 50 mph. The kind that thinks turn signals are optional and the best way to merge on to a freeway is to ride on the brakes and force other cars to slow down to their speed. Toyota drivers on a whole are the kind that prefers soft crushy ride and no steering feedback. In another word, they prefer cars that don't tell them they are doing a bad job of driving.

Now, I fully concede that my theory is not foolproof. Toyota sells a lot of cars and not everyone who buys Toyotas are bad drivers per se. But my observation is largely true... Think of it as a Venn diagram:

If you are driving a Toyota, chances are you are a bad driver. Your subconscious and biological evolution in inept driving skills has lead you down a path towards a vehicle that least offends your sensibility. You are driving a Corolla. Congratulation. Now watch out for that couch on the side of the street... it may jump out at you any time. Slow down... way down... and annoy the rest of us with adequate motor skills and hand-eye coordination that are stuck behind you.

Congressional Republicans = Wingnuts

2009-02-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

Republican arguments against a stimulus package are veritable fruit basket of stupid. Some are even arguing that there is no recession, reminiscent of McCain's pronouncement that the "fundamentals of our economy is strong". Just look at this graph: The Bush recession is the on pace to be the worst ever in terms of job losses. EVER!

The graphs shows how fast the economy has lost jobs since the start of recession. The magnitude of the trouble we are in is mind blowing. Just another thing to be thankful for the 8 years of George W Bush.

Top 25 Bushism (or why I can't wait for 1-20-09)

2009-01-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

With 1-20-09 fast becoming a reality, let us remember the tragic comedy that is the Bush Presidency. Presenting the top 25 Bush outbursts that will go down in history as being probably the most moronic quotables from the worst President ever (courtesy of Slate.com - what? You actually think I have original content on this lousy blog?):

1. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

2. "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."—Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000

3. "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"—Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

4. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

5. "Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexican."—declining to answer reporters' questions at the Summit of the Americas, Quebec City, Canada, April 21, 2001

6. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.''—Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001

7. "I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006

8. "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."—Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005

9. "I've heard he's been called Bush's poodle. He's bigger than that."—discussing former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as quoted by the Sun newspaper, June 27, 2007

10. "And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq."—meeting with Army Gen. Ray Odierno, Washington, D.C., March 3, 2008

11. "We ought to make the pie higher."—South Carolina Republican debate, Feb. 15, 2000

12. "There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

13. "And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to elevate it."—speaking on National Public Radio, Jan. 29, 2007

14. "We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers."—Houston, Sept. 6, 2000

15. "It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet."—Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000

16. "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."—U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 3, 2000

17. "People say, 'How can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil?' You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002

18. "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."—CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000

19. "I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend."—on the prospect of visiting Denmark, Washington, D.C., June 29, 2005

20. "I think it's really important for this great state of baseball to reach out to people of all walks of life to make sure that the sport is inclusive. The best way to do it is to convince little kids how to—the beauty of playing baseball."—Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2006

21. "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

22. "You know, when I campaigned here in 2000, I said, I want to be a war president. No president wants to be a war president, but I am one."—Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006

23. "There's a huge trust. I see it all the time when people come up to me and say, 'I don't want you to let me down again.' "—Boston, Oct. 3, 2000

24. "They misunderestimated me."—Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

25. "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008

Happy Holidays

2008-12-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from Max

It's official... 2008 is the worst year ever...

2008-12-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

This is not a drawing of the corny-named Freedom Tower in NYC. This is a chart that shows the range of movement in S&P 500 within the calendar year. And 2008 is one of the worst year on record with S&P 500 having declined more than 50% just short of record decline in 1931.

Thanks George W Bush... don't let the door hit your bum ass on the way out.

Random Max Photos

2008-12-02T19:03:00.001-08:00

View more photos of Max by visiting his photo blog.

Measure R passes, LA to become a real city

2008-11-19T17:40:00.001-08:00

The most important item that came up for vote in the recent election in LA County was Measure R, the sale tax increase to fund transportation projects. Well, congratulations Los Angeles... you have made a wise decision. Measure R will begin provide funding next year from sales tax receipts towards completion of Expo Line Phase 2, which will connect Culver City with Santa Monica. It will also accelerate the timeline for Purple Line subway extension under Wilshire Blvd to Westwood.

In San Gabriel Valley, where dimwit politicians had opposed Measure R, will now see the Gold Line extended all the way to Azusa.

Perhaps more importantly, now that Measure R has passed, it means the Metro and the County can now ask President Obama (oh yeah, that sounds great!) and congress for matching funds. Measure R was never going to fully fund all the projects (for example, R only pays for subway to Westwood, not Santa Monica); however, with money in hand, we can now ask the Feds to cough up the rest.

The picture below shows what LA looks like when all the mass transit projects in Measure R are completed, which is estimated to be around 2030.

This is just the beginning... With enough Federal funding, we can add a couple more projects that will make the system even better. In the picture below, you can see expanded bus way in SFV, more light rails in SGV, and extensions for Green Line (to South Bay) and Expo Line (to Westwood). These projects are not mentioned in Measure R but are in Metro's long term plan.

But for now, we can concentrate on the Wilshire subway extension, which is the centerpiece of LA's transportation future. Metro has tentatively proposed the following routing:

The yellow line is proposed Expo Line extension and the Blue line is proposed Wilshire (Purple) Line extension.

Wake up... it's morning in America again!

2008-11-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

We don't have to pretend to be Canadians anymore when we travel overseas. Our 8 year long national nightmare is over

Irwin's California Proposition Voting Guide

2008-10-09T17:44:00.001-07:00

I did the reading so you don't have to...

State: 1A-Yes, 2-No, 3-No, 4-No, 5-No, 6-No, 7-No, 8-No, 9-No, 10-No, 11-No, 12-No

LA County: R-Yes, J-No, Q-Yes

LA City: A-No, B-Yes

Statewide Propositions

Prop 1A - Funding for High Speed Rail - Vote YES

What will it really do: Sell bonds ($9.95 billion) to fund construction of high speed rail (HSR)

Why: Anyone who has been to Japan or Europe knows that HSR is fantastic way of getting around. Yes, it will cost a lot of money but this is an important investment in California's future and we need to think long term. Here are some of the benefits:

1. Job creation in a down economy - During the Depression, the State of California had the foresight to invest in a bunch of infrastructure projects, including most famously, the Golden Gate Bridge. All these public works project paid off handsomely when the economy recovered. We may be on the brink of another depression and this public works project is going to be the most important investment in California for years to come. Edit: Someone pointed out to me that Shasta Dam and the California Aqueduct were the other 2 major Depression era bond-financed public works project along with Golden Gate Bridge.

2. Reduce carbon footprint - Electric trains has far less carbon footprint than airplanes. Most of the departures in our regional airports (Burbank, Ontario, Oakland, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento) and a big chunk of flights at major hubs (LAX, SFO) are for flights within California. This is a huge waste of valuable urban land and create all kinds of pollution. If HSR exists today, demand for most of the flights within California would disappear, thus greatly reducing California's carbon footprint.

3. Free yourself from the Homeland Security thugs at the airport security check.

For more information, check out the CA-HSR website http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/

Prop 2 - Farm Animal Cage Regulation - Vote NO

What will it really do: Increase the size of animal pens

Why: It sounds great... who wouldn't want our farm animals to have bigger cages before we slaughter them for meat. But here is my reasoning for why you should vote no: California has no hog or cow farms. We have some dairy farms and dairy cows for the most part are free range. This law really only will apply to chickens - and as anyone who studied the ODI case in their MBA class can tell you, giving chickens more room is a death sentence because they will peck each other to death. The small cages for hens are there to protect them from being peck to death by another chicken. The unintended consequence of this proposition if it becomes law is that a lot more chickens will die and egg farms will simply move to Mexico.

Prop 3 - Children's Hospital Bond - Vote NO

What will it really do: Sell bonds ($1 billion) to fund children's hospital construction

Why: I oppose Prop 3 on principle. We need more hospital bed for everyone, not just children. Also, we need better health care system, period.

Prop 4 - Parental Notification For Abortion - Vote NO

What will it really do: Force young girls to notify potentially abusive parents before getting abortion

Why: We have voted NO 3 times on this same exact proposition in the last 3 election. Enough is enough.

Prop 5 - Nonviolent Drug Offenses Sentencing - Vote NO

What will it really do: Allow convicted non-violent criminals to enter drug rehab instead of jail

Why: Sounds good in principle but won't work in practice. We already passed a similar Prop 36 in 2000 and the results were poor. Most criminals that enrolled in drug treatment never finish it. Prop 5 will expand that failing program and provide no safety measure against people claiming to have a drug problem to escape jail sentence. Prop 5 is also bankrolled by Henry Nicholas, co-founder of Broadcom, who is currently under indictment for felony drug possession, conspiracy, and securities fraud. Say no to billionaires who tries to buy himself an out of jail card.

Prop 6 - Police Funding and Various Minimum Sentencing Revisions - Vote NO

What will it really do: It's hard to say because the proposition is so vaguely worded and confusing. But at the very minimum, it compels the State of California to spend $965 million a year on "fighting crime" regardless of our other budget priorities.

Why: We don't need more straight jackets limiting how the State can allocate our limited funds. California is not suffering a crime wave and our jails are already overcrowded. This is another proposition bankrolled by Henry Nicholas (see Prop 5) so it is very suspect.

Prop 7 - Renewable Energy Generation - Vote NO

What will it really do: Force utilities to buy 20% of their power from renewable source by 2010

Why: Prop 7 sounds like a good idea but the early deadline in 2010 means utilities will be forced to lock in long term energy contracts with existing technology, which stands mainly to benefit existing solar and wind farm owners, at the expense of new and developing technologies. We need funding to develop more efficient solar cells and wind turbines and other renewable energy technologies, not be forced to buy something that exists today.

Prop 8 - Constitutional Amendment to Ban Same Sex Marriage - Vote NO

What will it really do: Strip citizens of civil rights to marry and amends California constitution to ban same sex marriage.

Why: Look, even if you are against same sex marriage, you should vote NO for this proposition. This is the first time in US history that we are voting to repeal a civil right to a certain group and it sets a really bad precedent. Bigotry has no place in our constitution.

Prop 9 - Victim Notification of Parole - Vote NO

What will it really do: Nothing that already exists. Supposedly improved "victims' rights" so a crime victim will receive notification for pending parole hearings. Also restricts the number of people who can testify for parolee at hearing.

Why: This proposition is again bankrolled by Henry Nicholas who is under indictment. Prop 9 is a "rider" with Prop 5 and Prop 6 designed to gain sympathy from low-information voters. If you are convinced Prop 9 is good (who can say no to poor crime victims!), you are most likely going to vote for Prop 5 and 6 as well. The only problem is the main point of Prop 9 (notification of parole hearing) is already law.

Prop 10 - Alternative Fuel Vehicle Bond - Vote NO

What will it really do: Sell bonds ($3.425 billion) to help pay for State tax credits for vehicles using natural gas.

Why: I'm sure you've seen those natural gas ads with T Boone Pickens on TV. This proposition was bankrolled by Pickens. What his ads don't tell you is that he wants our State to pay for adopting natural gas vehicles, which will benefit his company if demand for natural gas goes up. I have nothing against natural gas but it is not the solution to our transportation and energy problem. Our reserve of natural gas in the US will last approximately 7 years if we use it at the same rate we use oil - it's not a sustainable source of energy. But the fundamental problem with Prop 10 is that it is funded by Picken and will benefit his company. It is a text book case of conflict of interest and an abuse of our proposition system.

Prop 11 - Redistricting Reform - Vote NO

What will it really do: Take away State legislature's power to redistrict State Assembly and Senate districts and give it to a "citizen commission".

Why: The theory behind Prop 11 is that State legislature will set up districts to protect incumbents and make election less competitive so we must take away their right to redistrict. I have no beef against this line of argument. In fact, it is probably true. However, Prop 11 is HUGELY flawed in several ways. First, there is no guarantee who will make up the "citizen commission" and how accountable they are to the public. With the legislature, at least they face election every couple of years... even if the district is safe for each party you still get new legislators. Which brings me to the second point: In California, the most competitive elections are the party primaries. It's not true that incumbents always win. This coupled with the fact that we have the most draconian term limit laws in the country means that while districts are not necessarily competitive, they do turn over quite rapidly. In another word, Prop 11 is addressing a problem that doesn't exist by creating a non-elected body unaccountable to the voters. It's about as anti-democratic of an institution as one can get. The funding for Prop 11 comes from a variety of special interest groups, both left and right. You might ask yourself why they got together to support this anti-democratic proposition? The answer is they are tired of having to bribe a new legislator every 3 or 4 years as they termed out so they are going all the way to the source... by getting themselves influence over redistricting. This way, special interest groups welds an even bigger power in the State. Think carefully through this one... it is very insidious.

Prop 12 - Veterans' Bond - Vote NO

What will it really do: Sell bonds ($8.4 billion) to help veterans' buy homes.

Why: Veterans' doesn't deserve any special treatment in this depressed economy when other groups do not receive any special Government assistance to buy homes. While the bonds authorized by Prop 1A for high speed rail will pay dividends for California for year to come, helping a few veterans buy a house does nothing for the state at large. It's another "feel good" special interest bond initiative that sucks money away from real needed investments in our State.

LA County Propositions

Measure R - LA County Traffic Relieve - Vote YES

What will it really do: Increase sales tax in LA County by 0.05% for 30 years to fund a variety of rail projects and freeway improvements. Amongst the most important projects to be funded are Purple Line subway extension from Wilshire/Western in Koreatown to Wilshire/Westwood in Westwood; and the Expo Line light rail extension from National Blvd in Culver City to Downtown Santa Monica. This is the most important vote you will make as a resident of LA County. We need the money from the sales tax so we can get matching Federal funding from President Obama and Congress.

- Imagine being able to commute from San Gabriel Valley to Century City by subway and light rail.
- Imagine getting to USC football game from Santa Monica with a 30 minute train ride on the Expo Line.
- Imagine getting to UCLA from San Fernando Valley via subway.
- Imagine dinning in Santa Monica, then going Downtown to a concert at Nokia Center, then going the San Gabriel Valley for some yummy Chinese food after midnight, then going back to the Sunset Strip for some clubbing, then go home... all without driving your car - it could happen if you vote for Measure R.

The net impact of the sales tax hike is estimated to cost each LA County resident $25 a year for the next 30 years. Would you pay $25 a year to make sure we have a working transportation system?

Measure J - Community College Bonds - Vote NO

What will it really do: Sell bonds ($3.5 billion) to pay for repairs and facility upgrades at 3 community colleges located in LA County: LA City College, East LA College, LA Harbor College.

Why: This is the pie-in-the-sky "wish list" for these 3 community colleges. I'm all for expanding education opportunities to everyone but $3.5 billion for 3 community colleges seems excessive don't you think? We are not talking about UC needing money to build research facilities... the $3.5 billion will go towards things such as administration building, parking garages, student gym, restoration of soccer fields etc. These community colleges will survive without lavish new buildings.

Measure Q - LAUSD General bond fund - Vote YES

What will it really do: Sell bonds ($7 billion) to pay for general operations and school building repairs and upgrades.

Why: I know it sounds strange... I say no to a $3.5 billion bond for community colleges but yes to a $7 billion bond for LAUSD. But here is the bottom line: LAUSD needs the money due to our failed property tax scheme while our community colleges are doing ok.

LA City Propositions

Prop A - Gang Prevention Tax - Vote NO

What will it really do: Assess an annual $36 special tax on each property. Proceeds goes towards funding gang prevention programs.

Why: The tax will fund a program that was found to be mis-managed by LA Times. The City was basically handing cash over to gang members for anti-gang programs. Yes, you read that right, the City gave cash to gang members that claimed to run anti-gang programs. They got lots of balls to put up a tax increase in the ballot to continue funding that program.

Prop B - Low Rent Housing - Vote YES

What will it really do: Reauthorize the City to regulate affordable units within City's zoning and land use laws. The authorization will allow the City to receive State funds for housing assistance.

Why: We need this vote so we can continue to receive State funds. The people against Prop B are wingnut crazy.