The inaugural Cassette Store Day took place this past 7 September. On that day, over 50 audio cassettes were released by major musical acts like The Pastels, The Flaming Lips, and Suicidal Tendencies. Unfortunately for video cassette fans, Cassette Day was a strictly audio observance. For whatever reason, Cassette Culture (or the cassette underground), which … Continue reading 37 Years! Celebrating (or at least thinking about) VHS
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Upcoming Satyajit Ray screenings in Los Angeles, London, and Vienna
Satyajit Ray fans have cause to celebrate with several upcoming film events coming up involving a large body of his film work. Satyajit Ray was a Bengali film director from India who is widely considered to be one of the world's greatest filmmakers. During his life (1921-1992) he directed 36 films, including features, documentaries, and shorts. … Continue reading Upcoming Satyajit Ray screenings in Los Angeles, London, and Vienna
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Upcoming outdoor film screening — Monsoon Wedding
Although summer movies are usually associated with blaring GCI spectacles playing throughout the world's multiplexes, in Los Angeles we're blessed with a popular alternative option -- outdoor screenings. Instead of Crows, Goobers, Jujyfruits, Raisinets, and delicious but nauseating gallons of buttered popcorn a ttendees can in many cases pack a picnic basket or grab some proper … Continue reading Upcoming outdoor film screening — Monsoon Wedding
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No Enclave — Exploring the Remains of Los Angeles’s Little Italy
Los Angeles and Orange counties are home to many official and unofficial (but widely recognized) ethnic enclaves, including Cambodia Town, Chinatown, Filipinotown, Koreatown, Little Armenia, Little Arabia, Little Bangladesh, Little Brazil, Little Ethiopia, Little India, Little Osaka, Little Russia, Little Saigon, Little Seoul, Little Tokyo, Oaxacatown, Tehrangeles, and Thai Town. Attempting to gain official recognition are … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring the Remains of Los Angeles’s Little Italy
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The Cooper’s Doughnuts Uprising
The Cooper's Doughnuts Uprising - LGBT Heritage Month at the Amoeblog. Although it's usually overshadowed by New York's Stonewall Riots, ten years earlier Los Angeles was home to what's often considered to be the first gay uprising in modern time. Happy LGBT Heritage Month!
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The Cooper Do-nuts Uprising
Cooper Do-nuts sign (image source: Stephen Seemayer and Pamela Wilson's film, Young Turks (1982) May 1959: Seven years before Silver Lake's Black Cat Riot and ten before New York's Stonewall riots, a group of drag queens, trans women, and hustlers clashed with LAPD officers at a location of the local Cooper Do-nuts (also known as Cooper's Donut Depot, Cooper's Doughnuts … Continue reading The Cooper Do-nuts Uprising
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Dragnet – The greatest police procedural and realest of the real
DUMMM DAH-DUM DUM Though nowadays the Dragnet franchise is best emembered today as a TV series (or two TV series), it began existence as was most exceptional as a radio drama. Dragnet starred Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday, an LAPD detective who, when the series began, lived at home with his mother and later on his own in a Silver Lake bachelor pad. It first aired on 3 June, … Continue reading Dragnet – The greatest police procedural and realest of the real
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Pan-Asian Metropolis — Sriracha 101: Dispelling myths and misinformation about Sriracha
Huy Fong sriracha (source: NPR) As much as I try to resist the urge to be a know-it-all (and recognize the fact that I don’t, in fact, even know that much – especially about the very things most worth knowing), occasionally I have to get all Bobby Fletcher (the famous checkersmaster) and drop some science of the … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Sriracha 101: Dispelling myths and misinformation about Sriracha
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Urban Rambles — Exploring From Confluence to Atwater Along San Fernando Road
Los Angeles is often characterized as a city in which one simply cannot exist without a car. And yet, as the millions of Angelenos who bicycle, take public transit, or walk will tell you, driving a car is no way to get to know the city. Since Los Angeles County is even larger than the … Continue reading Urban Rambles — Exploring From Confluence to Atwater Along San Fernando Road
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Happy Beltane! Your guide to observances and Beltane in popular culture
Happy Beltane! John Collier's Queen Quinevere's maying (1900) Tonight at sundown begins Beltane (also spelled Beltain, Bealtaine, Bealltainn, Boaltinn, and Boaldyn), a Gaelic holiday marking the beginning of summer (which in the Gaelic calendar takes place at the midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice). Historically it was observed throughout the British Isles. … Continue reading Happy Beltane! Your guide to observances and Beltane in popular culture
Eric Brightwell 