Author Archives: JimArnoldLA

After threats, no evidence of gay boycott of Palm Springs

Desert Sun story: After threats, no evidence of gay boycott of Palm Springs.

from PS Pride 2010

I’m certainly relieved to know that gay tourists and others won’t boycott PS as a result of the ill-advised Warm Sands Sex Sting in 2009.
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The Sting, in which the Palm Springs police allegedly used entrapment techniques to lure gay men into exposing themselves in the gay resort-heavy Warm Sands area, has become a lightning rod (pun intended) for selective enforcement issues – for example, it seems gay men have been selectively targeted for this kind of sting even though the majority straight population has never been targeted for their own anecdotally documented public sex habits.

This Sting became so much of an issue that Palm Springs Police Chief Dominquez was forced to resign. IMHO, he did the right thing. Hopefully, eventually, all charges will be dropped against the men involved in this alleged entrapment and Palm Springs will find a police force that works in concert with the public they are sworn to protect and serve.

A Tour Of Abandoned Detroit Neighborhoods

I’m reading Richard Florida’s “The Great Reset,” which is his take on how economic upheavals (like the one we’re going through) lead to a huge change in how capitalism works – what and how things are consumed, where and how people live, etc. Hence, a “re-set.”

He spent a good deal of time discussing Detroit, a great city which rose out of a Long Depression in the 19th century, and the perils that can and do befall localities too heavily dependent on one industry. He directed readers to YouTube to see videos of Detroit’s Urban Decay.

This is one of the videos I found. There are more – some compilations of hauntingly beautiful stills of abandoned theaters, train stations and factories; others, like this one, a drive-by compilation of desolation set to music.

I’ve read about this decay for years but have never been to Detroit. I’ve also never seen video like this. If nothing else, it was the enormity of the area and what must have been the human toll there – neighborhoods shattered, families uprooted and displaced, nature finally taking over everything once the rest is gone (urban prairie – complete with raccoons, pheasant and a real-life beaver). Continue reading →

The Ghost Shows, Part 3: Paranormal State

Paranormal State cast

Paranormal State site

The third, and last – for now at least – Ghost show I’ll be talking about is Paranormal State from A&E.

Led by the young Ryan Buell, the Paranormal State group is basically a bunch of college or college-aged kids going out and doing ghost hunts, with a particular emphasis on helping families in need of being rid of unwanted ghostly guests.

According to their sister site PRS (Paranormal Research Society), the group was originally conceived by Buell as a student group at Penn State while he was a student there in 2001.

The focus of this show is demonstrably different from the other two, in that (of the episodes I’ve seen) it definitely allows for alternative interpretations of events – in that they could be created by people with really active imaginations just as likely as by verifiable paranormal phenomena.

That said, there’s a curious sexual energy I’ve detected in the interactions our hero young Ryan frequently has with the slightly older “moms” residing in haunted houses, who are often desperately trying to protect their children from otherworldly entities.

Knight in Shining Armor? Perhaps. I’ve definitely gotten the feeling that these ladies could use help of a different sort from Ryan as well as the ghostbuster duty.

What I like about this show:

The team often brings in outside psychics, including Chip Coffey, who adds a bit of “drama” – wink wink – to what otherwise might be pedestrian technical quests (see Ghost Hunters – a show devoid of gay energy).
The college kids are generally enthusiastic and fun. Additionally, there are women who occupy central ghost-hunting roles, unlike “Ghost Adventures,” which is only the three guys.
They can’t always provide answers. I think that’s honest and makes me respect it more.

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What I don’t like about this show:

Way too much emphasis on demonology, religion, and putting everything into a Christian context and world view. Actually, that is the major downside to this show, as it often ends with an exorcism performed by an out-of-bounds priest.

Modernism Week in Palm Springs

Modernism Week website

My sister has a lamp like this.

This week is Modernism Week in Palm Springs. I went to the show on Sunday at the Palm Springs Convention Center – I took some pictures and here they are for you. I don’t know much about Modernism, to be truthful, but always get this nagging feeling that if we’d just kept all the junk we had in the early 60s, we’d be rich now.

Still, the more I’m exposed to it, the more I like it. I like the scale of the furniture, which in general, seems smaller – perhaps a reflection of a world before an obesity epidemic?

Anyway, that kind of design seems to fit better in small places. I snapped the shot of this lamp here because one of my sisters has something quite similar, and she’ll be delighted to know the price of this one was $1295. (It was a pair, I believe that was the price for the pair, though I could be wrong.)

Headboard I covet.

This next photo is a queen-size (!) headboard with built-in reading lights on both sides. I think the guy at the booth said it was from 1955. As you can see, the cabinet pulls out and down, and not only is there the adjustable light inside, there are little drawers and other little cubbyholes, too.

Lies, lies, everywhere I go, it's lies...

The item I noticed first in this next picture was not the “LIES” electric sculpture (is that what you’d call it?) but the painting of the hip/butt/crotch POV below it. However, I soon tired of that and focused on the LIES. I thought, how perfect, and what room would it belong in? Would it be most effective in the living room, over the TV? Or in the bedroom, on top of the bed itself – or would that just stop any welcome guest dead in their tracks? Perhaps the kitchen would be the best, as a comment on our sad state of our industrial food production (it’s all corn and soy…. yumm).
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it's always about dress-up, isn't it?

I was surprised to see vintage clothing displayed at the show, though on second thought, I don’t know why that should surprise me. When I was there, this was one of the more popular booths, as everyone seemed to want to try on something – who could resist the boas, the feathers, the faux fur?

This reminds me of The Shining. Must be all those Ghost shows I've been watching

Finally, here is the view from inside the new Palm Springs Convention Center west entrance, looking out toward Mt. Jacinto. For some reason it reminds me of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, but it was all very benign this particular day. The columns and sweep of the roof are all very Flintstonian, don’t you think? I love it.

Palm Springs Modernism Week goes on for another few days, through the rest of this coming weekend. Check out the website for their full list of faaabulous events…

L.A.-Indio rail expansion plan might actually happen (?)

Desert Sun story on L.A.-Indio rail expansion plan

This is the main story in the Desert Sun this morning. I have been waiting for this – rail expansion between Palm Springs (Indio) and Los Angeles the entire time I’ve had this place out here (almost 10 years).

It just makes so much sense. There are no good public transport options between the Coachella Valley and the L.A. Metro area. Can I tell you how much I hate that drive?

There is a Greyhound Bus, but since they eliminated the downtown Palm Springs station they’ve made it oh-so-unbelievably inconvenient – you either have to backtrack to Indio (30 miles in the wrong direction) or get yourself out to the sandy, desolate and windblown train stop to pick up the bus.

Sandy, desolate and windblown station.

Then, it stops at every little bumf*** burg between here and the city, before finally terminating at downtown L.A.’s bus station – which isn’t even adjacent or walking distance to Union Station or any other kind of subway/bus terminal, making it even more complicated, time consuming and just plain stupid.

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No thanks.

In all my dreams of simple, efficient, fast and pleasant Southern California train travel I’ve never had the mistaken impression that someone would build the train line just for me. But I can tell you, I’d be a loyal and frequent customer! I learned to navigate L.A.s’ award-winning Metro system of light rail and buses and came to realize how much cheaper and less stressful my life would become the more I used it.

The era when the conventional wisdom about mass transit in L.A. – that you were either poor, stupid – or both – to use it, is long past. I believe it’s only a matter of time before trains connect all the urban areas of Southern California from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border and inland. I’d love to see it happen while I’m still breathing.

Madison in my Heart

Union Terrace, my favorite Madison spot. Lake Mendota in BG

I’ve been thinking about Madison a lot in the last few days. If you live under a rock or something, this is the reason why.

The photo on my left is the Union Terrace, where I’ve spent many hours. I probably would have done better on my studies at UW had I not spent so much time there, but the memories are delicious.

When I visit Wisconsin in the summertime, I always make a trip to the University to look around and hang out and have some Glory Days:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQpW9XRiyM[/youtube]

Pointless, but fun, memories of youth. This Madison Memorial Union, however, was also the place where I learned a great deal about unions themselves. As I recall, the Union employees had/have a very strong union, and there were always fliers and whatnot lying around which explained their positions on things and their current negotiations. In fact, as I recall, the concept of “union” permeated the place.

As such, it was one of the primo places for college students to work, as there was decent pay and benefits, even if you were part-time. I remember still, how rare this was. I know I applied for various service-type jobs there but never got hired. Continue reading →

The Ghost Shows! Part 2: Ghost Adventures

Ghost Adventures

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeGAh5ZJ9Tg[/youtube]

Part two in our series on the ghost shows that Jim kills time watching (scaring himself half to death or half to sleep, depending on the episode and program) is Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures.

The hosts/ghostbusters are three guys from Vegas, Zak Bagans (the star), Nick Groff (second in command) and Aaron Goodwin (who they sometimes use as comic relief). All three are young, hip and cool, and quite attractive.

The deal here is they, like the Ghost Hunters from SyFy, investigate hauntings – but with a twist – which is, they get “locked in” said haunted premises from dusk till dawn “without any camera crew following us around.” So they all double as camera and sound guys.

Interestingly, some of the sites visited are the same as the SyFy group, such as that Florida Lighthouse and the Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama. I guess if featured on two separate Ghost shows, they must be freakin’ haunted, right?

Authenticity is similar to Ghost Hunters. In fact, there are some sequences in which Nick in particular is so freaked out by something he sees that I couldn’t possibly see how it could be premeditated acting (that sequence is actually from a haunted hospital in East L.A., Linda Vista).

What I like:

of all the Ghost shows, without a doubt the cutest bunch, from Zak who is a bodybuilder, to Nick who is gorgeous, to Aaron who’s a hot bear
For the most part, they don’t try to bring religion into their ghost hunting, which I appreciate as a viewer
there’s a nice sense of boyish fun, as if “let’s go on a ghost hunt, guys!” that permeates the show. There are many many “whoa, dudes!” and bleeped out eff words – again a nice sense of authenticity to make me think it’s not scripted.
They actually went somewhere I have been (the Bird Cage Theater in Tombstone, Arizona – I didn’t have a paranormal experience but then again I wasn’t looking for one…)

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What I don’t like:

Bizarre contraptions, not one but two:
- Ghost translator: they have something that looks like a little modem which they point in the general direction of a ghost, and the ghost can interact with this device and say stuff, which comes out in a robot sounding voice. Uh huh.
- They have another device which monitors a white noise frequency within which ghosts talk and then we can hear them. Often, we hear threats directly targeting our three hosts. Hmmm.

Right. Well, maybe so, maybe it’s all true, really, but I think Oprah would have done a show had science devised a real way to communicate with ghosts, but then again, maybe that’s just me.

Vote John D’Amico for West Hollywood City Council

Welcome! – John D’Amico for West Hollywood City Council.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H49a-tkfuDA[/youtube]

Isn’t it wild, you get older and things are just going along and then someone you actually know – John D’Amico – gets involved with public service and runs for political office! I think that’s an amazing part of our political process – when so many people don’t even vote, yet I personally know someone who wants to make a difference, and as far as I know, he’s not even a billionaire!

I met John and his husband Keith back in the early ’90s, when we had friends in common. As a matter of fact, I believe I met him in Palm Springs, which, of course, is where I now live. John’s running for city council in West Hollywood (where I did live, during the ’94 Northridge Quake and again from 1995-1999) and the election is on March 8.

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Also, take a look at the Development and Traffic section. I almost shudder when I know an activity will take me to WeHo, if only because I know it will be a traffic and parking nightmare. I’d love to see this oasis of a place turn into a real walking and biking paradise – it certainly has all that potential and has been that way in the past. There are so many innovative people who live in West Hollywood and they really do have the ideas to make it something special, to get back to the dream the founders had back in the early 80s.

Now they just need those in power to do it. I’m certain John D’Amico would be a strong part of that and I urge you to vote for him if you live in West Hollywood.

March 11 — hey, he won a seat! Huge congratulations to John!!

The Ghost Shows! Part One: Ghost Hunters trilogy

TAPS site

Awesome location for Ghost Hunting

Recently, my cousin said to me: “for a smart guy, you have really odd taste in television programs,” or something like that.

I guess I do.

Lately I’ve let the actual DVDs Netflix has sent me languish on the TeeVee (it’s the last couple of disks from the last season of Nip/Tuck… another post entirely) in favor of watching three reality ghost-hunting shows: Ghost Hunters trilogy (Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Ghost Hunters Academy), Paranormal State and Ghost Adventures.

Today’s post is about the Ghost Hunters trilogy of shows. Do I believe in ghosts? Well, maybe, kinda sorta, you know, never saw one but then I don’t think I’m one to have much ESP or other kinds of psychic abilities.

Still, like anybody, I have that part of me that likes being scared to death. So I watch these shows hoping to get that kind of rise. Ghost Hunters is based out of Warwick, Rhode Island. Jason and Grant, who are plumbers some of the time, also head up the The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) which investigates ghostly happenings in the USA and around the world (Ghost Hunters International).

There’s also one season of Ghost Hunters Academy, which is a reality show competition for best student ghost hunter, who then gets to be part of the show.

I’ve enjoyed Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International. One of the reasons is that it seems more authentic, i.e., the team doesn’t always find evidence of paranormal activity. Of course, it’s better when they do.

What I like:
- Of the 3 ghost series, these guys are the most skeptical
- Authentic blue collar, regular guy appeal
- Of the 3 series, the only one with substantial female ghost hunters
- Dave Tango – EZ on the eyes. Also Steve Gonsalves‘ sleeve tattoos.
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What I don’t like:
- EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) most often are things like “get out” and “help” – If I were a ghost I’d have more interesting things to say. Also, how come all the international ghosts speak English?
- Shots of the team evaluating their ghost hunter data. Usually they are set up in a hotel conference room and we get establishing shots of them poring over video and audio evidence. This is like watching paint dry.
- Epic Fail: team investigation in Atlanta with the Real Housewives. To me, that just screamed FAKE! However, mildly entertaining, though it’s 42 minutes I will never get back.

For those who have to see, here’s a clip:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciHf4WXKY4E[/youtube]

This is what globalization can “do” for you: California’s visual effects firms fading as foreign competition mounts

Hollywood visual effects: California’s visual effects firms fading as foreign competition mounts – latimes.com.

Link above to the disturbing trend among entertainment professional jobs that are racing to the bottom internationally. Here, it’s the computer whizzes that make the digital effects modern movies rely on to make any kind of money the conglomerates must have.

I was sad to see this, but not surprised, as I’ve seen it with professional writing already. With the advent of internet outsourcing, why pay someone in West L.A. $500 for a press release or something similar when you can find someone who will think it’s a bonanza to do it for $50 somewhere in India?

The situation with computer programmers and effects geniuses might even be more dire, as English facility is probably not as important a requirement as it is with, say, English writing.
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And I’m sure it’s the tip of the iceberg. What else can entertainment companies offshore for less, so that they’re more profitable at home? Legal services? Set Design? Production accounting?

Plan A would be regulations to keep these jobs in the United States, but I don’t see that happening, do you? The Corporations which control profits certainly won’t allow that to happen. Plan B would be for the cost of living and doing business to rise around the world so that it’s equal to the U.S., or lower it so that it’s equal to the cheaper costs in the rest of the world.

And I have no idea how that would ever happen, either. Thoughts?