The Awesome™ Project: Everyone's Voice

          We would like to take this opportunity of a blog post to continue the discussion we had on Wednesday, specifically about our final two choices in the Awesome™ project. We all were able to observe the fairly even split in the class, and with this post we all will have an opportunity to clearly and thoughtfully share our opinion on the matter. The blog post allows everyone to have the same voice and opportunity, and anyone can take time to formulate their thoughts before posting. We will both post our thoughts on the matter to start the discussion.


Townsend:

            As many probably know, I opted for the Awesome™ Project to pursue Dean’s public art wall idea. The art walls would not only be highly visible to the surrounding communities and give an outlet to the many people who have the desire to create, but also act as a containment measure against local graffiti. I feel that I gravitate more towards this idea as opposed to the library boxes simply because if someone has the desire to read a book there is no barriers for them to seek out their passion, but an individual who wants to create public art faces much greater risks. What this means is that the library boxes wouldn’t be necessary to people who want to read, but an art wall is exactly what public artists need to hone their craft and show off their creativity. Permitting would be an issue for both ideas, but an art wall just needs the consent of a building owner while library boxes would require government access for bus stations or sidewalks. We are moving into a digital age in terms of literature, making this idea of paper books in boxes appear out of date. A physical art wall will last for years and years, and has the potential to become a local cultural monument.

Lucas:
           I voted for Rachel’s library box from the beginning. The ingenuity involved in her proposal clearly came from a place of passion. These boxes do not represent a solution to illiteracy nor will they make every Angeleno put down her or his device; however, each book represents a chance for inspiration. A chance for one person’s eye to catch the bright colored binding of a book and be provoked to pick it up. A chance to change that one person. One person is not the far-reaching impact the Awesome foundation has in mind, but that is just the  paradoxical point that makes this book-sharing idea worthwhile. Books are inherently personal. They attempt to connect with the reader on an individual level. With this idea, however, Rachel has taken that personal connection and broadcasted it city-wide, using the metro rails as her airwaves. I urge each one of us to consider how many people this idea has the power to change.


         While keeping in mind thoughtfully considering others' opinions, state your position to debate and discuss the merits of the idea you stand behind. There are no limits to how many comments you may post, so feel free to come back to and respond in a way which will further our understanding.

Group 2: Dec 13

Group 2 is in the process of reviewing and scoring applications. In the past week, the flow of applications sped up quite a bit, so we have over 30 ideas to sift through to narrow down to 6 ideas and people we want to interview this week. We initially had specific criteria that we were grading these ideas on (creative, practical, impact), but now we are questioning whether or not that system is the most effective way of finding the best idea. Any suggestions regarding the grading process would be appreciated. This week, Group 2 just needs to evaluate each application by Monday afternoon and then begin interviewing to find the most awesome idea.

Chutes and Ladders

Terra Magee
Mr. Donnell/ Dr. Stogdill
City of Angels
10 December 2015

Chutes and Ladders

 There is a ladder. One that we do not notice, one that we do not like to talk about, but it is there and always has been. Over the years the wrings have, as I have been led to believe, become closer. The US, beacon of industrial freedom under the law, prides itself on its easy accessibility to this ladder– go as high as you want or as low as you wish. But you must understand that it is hard work that allows you to climb to gain more power... or is it?

Perhaps my privileged life with my Gucci sunglasses do not allow me to see this ladder they speak of because I am allowed to move on it freely. Why would I notice something I never encounter? I can't say the same for others, however. Sorry to disappoint you, and it is a secret I'll let you in on so don't share it with anyone, but my neighbors rungs have been sawed off. And my neighbor's neighbors rungs are missing too. In fact, millions of people in Los Angeles and the United States as a whole have ladders with broken rungs. How do they climb?

If He Hollers Let Him Go illustrates this ladder clearly through characters like Madge or the dirty white woman who entered the bar. White men are shown to be at the top of this ladder followed by white women, black men, and black women. The dirty white woman who has no power over a white man and who would be kicked out of any white person's bar for the ways she acted contrarily had incredible power to ruin the lives of the black people in the bar because she is simply a few steps higher on the ladder. As Bob put it, she was dirty and gross, "but she was white."

The outsiders who see the world without sunglasses, like Bob for example, notice the ladder sagging with the weight of minorities pushed to the bottom wrung. However, of the blacks in this novel, no matter how simple-minded or educated, like the people in Bob's dream or Alice and her parents, choose to not pay attention to the ladder because they have given up on accommodating to the white's ideal version of a black person. Elsie, Madge's sister in law, spoke of these types of blacks in Texas who keep to themselves and created their own society– their own ladder.  On the other hand there is Alice and her parents who play into the game of chutes and ladders, believing that the next rung above them is just within grasp– one step closer to the white sunlight.

How do we fix the ladder or is it fixed today? In what ways have the ladder changed in Los Angeles since WWII? Bob says revolution, breaking the ladder and making a bonfire of it, is how to fix social mobility. Do you agree with this statement? How would you go about fixing the ladder if you believe it needs fixing?

Group 2 12/6

Group 2 is currently in the process of receiving applications, and we're worried that it's not going too well. So far we have only received 3 applications, and one of them was a prank, one of them didn't really get the point of the project (they wanted to donate the money to charities), and the last one is decent but we want more. We need some more help from Group 1 to get this out there! At this point if we don't receive more applications, this could go south very quickly. Anyone who has ideas to solicit more should bring them (or just do it themselves). If we could get the engineering classes to have to submit applications, that would really help out a lot.

Please, everyone, keep soliciting applications! Advertise on your own! I don't think that any of us want to be making a decision from one or two applications.

Thanks!

Group 1: 12/6

This week has not been that eventful as we just put out the application via email. Fliers are in process as we have the logo completed, but it seems like not many students have really contemplated submitting anything for our awesome $1000 give away! Any ideas on how to push for more applications would be much appreciated. Our group has somewhat discussed entering other classes during B & E periods and reminding people who could be interested about  the project so they can meet the deadline and understand more in depth. I think we just need some sort of factor that would motivate students to be creative and help their community. Maybe we could find some other sort of small but worthwhile prize to be rewarded to the winning recipient.

Group 3 Update 12/6

So, as Lucas posted in our last update, Group 3 does not have a ton to do in the immediate days/weeks. We have continued trying to contact news sources, but so far, we have had no responses. 

Annie: I think someone from our group talked to you already about possibly getting in contact with the LA Times via your dad? Not sure if that would be a possibility, but it would be great if you could ask him about it.

Is anyone in the Paw Print? We are going to contact one of the editors, but if someone is a staff member that would make life easier.

Let us know if you guys have any cool ideas for the documentary/promo video we are making for the cumulative project. If you are working on any especially-interesting aspect that you think should be part of the film, definitely tell one of us. 

Same City, New World

Living in Glendale and going to school in Pasadena gives you a chance to see a whole lot of LA just on your drive into school. I eat and shop in Burbank often, use the 5 to go to Los Feliz, and spend time with friends in Pasadena. Each city and neighborhood has their quirks but I have never really been taken aback by the differences to the point where I have to stop and pause to take it all in.Given that I have spent my whole life here, I have been surprised these past few weeks on our neighborhood studies on how different my community (Frogtown) is than anywhere I have spent time in throughout Los Angeles.

My group has visited the small rural community of Frogtown twice thus far and yet I still feel just as disconnected from the place as I did when I first stepped out of our van. No one appreciates our presence in a positive light, constantly receiving probing glances without a hint of emotion or care. No one seems to like that we are here, or even care to the slightest extent. People seem to instantly question our presence and wonder if they need to be worried about 5 teenagers walking down the street. I thought maybe it was just busy people minding their own business, but when attempting today to hold discussions with various residents, we barely could get a question out without being given an excuse as to why he/she cant be bothered to talk to us at this time and needed to conveniently leave the place they were just standing.

It was clear that plenty of families lived here by the number of "Watch for Children" signs we saw. And yet none of the people we saw were warm or welcoming in the slightest. It almost felt like a community where everyone is there just to live and sleep but no one wants anything to do with the place itself in the slightest. On our first visit we spent a good amount of time taking pictures and upon stopping at a car part lot we stopped to take photos. The owners of the place came out and immediately made their way towards us looking confused and worried. They asked us what we were doing and why we were taking photos. They ended up staring at us as we walked away confused and slightly worried. It was not exactly the warmest of greetings, especially given that we were 5 kids walking down the street quietly taking photos and talking among ourselves. Frogtown plain just felt unfriendly and I was so curious as to how a neighborhood less than 5 miles from where I live could feel so darn cold and distant, especially having visited multiple foreign countries and having spent time in over half the states in the US.

As someone who spends a lot of time pondering the world and trying to understand its many shades, I found Frogtown to be yet another layer for me to have to uncover. In California, people are not nearly as nice as those in the south or even on the east coast outside of big cities. And yet most of the people I come into contact with are 10x as friendly and welcoming as those that I commonly saw and interacted with in Frogtown. I am curious as to how everyone has experienced their respective neighborhoods and what has struck you. I clearly was not expecting the cold and distant response and feel I have been getting walking and observing Frogtown. Is this just a case of one neighborhood having an extremely down and off feel or is there something bigger in play that I am just not fully grasping? I really am curious as to how your neighborhood studies are going and if you have ever experienced this kind of reception in and around Los Angeles, even though we only live minutes and a few miles away at any given time.

Group 1 update

Yesterday we presented the video to the school in morning meeting. Do you guys feel as if people understood the project? Should we continue to make announcements in morning meeting?
We plan to post flyers with the logo we created around the school this week.
Should an email be sent asking the school if they have any questions and listing the members of our English class?

Group 3 Update: 11/30

Hey everybody,

I think we're making good progress with the video and our media outreach. Unfortunately, we're kind of in the prep-phase so I think it is important for us to continue to be involved with the rest of the class. I want to implore y'all to let your voice be heard in the classroom when we discuss who to select (after all, we will be spending a lot of time following up with this person).

I've been trying to think of more original ways to attack the media outlets. I think if we made personal phone calls and even tried to set up face-to-face meetings, some of these places might take us seriously.

Anyone have more creative ideas?

Group 2 Update 11/29

This week, we wanted to design the application and discuss how we are going to review applications as a group and then as a class.

Along with Group 1, we have been drafting and finalizing the application. It should be ready to go tomorrow in conjunction with the morning meeting announcement. We decided to do it as a Google Form because it seemed to be the easiest data collection method both for applicants and for us. We are engaged in a dialogue about application review, and to inform that dialogue we are asking you to fill out the following survey:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dR0w3N96y6L0lAL1S8VLxzd1OhUgTFS5IWdz_ue1jr8/viewform

I am not sure if it will count as your comment for the week (probably not), but regardless it is important that we continue and complete our dialogue with a knowledge of the general sentiments of the class. We also realize that the questions are a tad repetitive (we discussed them a little in class); we want to have a formal set of data on class opinions. Please respond promptly so that Group 2 can move forward.

Thanks for your help!

Group 1: First Post

Since this is the first blog post of our group I think it is fitting to state what we want to do and how we are going to accomplish it. Like all the groups we want to be able to find a project that makes LA more awesome. However, there are many steps that needs to be taken. 

For group one our main job is to adversities the Awesome Project to the Poly Community. We have taken the steps to tell our advisee groups, but I think we need to take it a step further. As we discussed in class a lot of people in the Poly Community were confused by the project. I think one way to clear the air is to create an informational/creative video to advertise the project. We can also talk about it in Morning meeting and have Ms. Williams send it out in the Student Bulletin as well. In addition, I suggested to Group one of making a logo for the Awesome Project. This way we will have something to represent the project itself in a more artistic and unique way instead of just posting, "The Awesome Project".  

The other goal of Group one is to create the application and the criteria itself. Like I said in class on friday, I think that group one should create an outline of the application (hopefully tomorrow in class) and then present it to the class as a whole. If you guys have an suggestions as to what the application should have please leave a comment. 

Also if you guys have any suggestions on how we can spread the word around the Poly community please let us know! 

Group 2: First Post

Note: This has been updated from yesterday (the updates are bolded)

For this post, we wanted to answer three questions: What does it mean for a project to be awesome?  How much work should go into an application?  And should we consider prior knowledge about an applicant when evaluating their application?

For a project to be awesome, some thoughts we had were that it should be creative, yet achievable.  It should have an effect on the surrounding community and area that is larger than the sum of its parts. It should be long-lasting and have a good cost to reward ratio. Lastly, it should be accessible to everyone and well-advertised. Is there anything you guys think we should add?

For the application, we all agreed that the applicant should have to be able to provide a description of their project, its goal, and be able to make a case for why it is awesome. That can be in the form of a questionnaire. Rebecca brought up the point that it would be a good idea to have a second part to the application, where they outline the first few steps they would take to implement their project. In general, the application should be accessible but also informative.
*The application is drafted and we are working on sending it out ASAP

*Update: we decided to let people in the class apply. However, to keep it fair, no one in Group 2 will be allowed. We decided to keep the initial round of applications blind (we'll just cover up the name) and then we will narrow it down to 6 people to interview.



Thanks everyone! Let us know if you have any comments/concerns!

Group 3: First Post

Hey everyone,

Being the first post for group three's role in the Awesome Foundation Project I feel that I should go over what our goals are and specific ways we can reach them.
Group three's role is to advertise the project we will have chose so that our "awesome" project will actually be used or taken advantage of in a community. Another role our group has is to prepare us for the presentation we will be having on January 4th in front of the trustees. Of course, all of us will be participating in this part of the project, but I feel as though group three should be responsible for how to organize the presentation. Please feel free to disagree and comment if you have a better idea.
Some ideas we had for advertising our project is to give each person in our group a specific medium to advertise with. Whether that be flyers, email, social media, word of mouth, posters..etc. I feel like this would be the most effective way to complete our part of this project. We would be able to work on a specific part of advertising, which seems more efficient and more likely to be completed on time. Of course there will be collaborating between each of the people in group three as well as the rest of our class. It would be greatly appreciated if any of you had any ideas or questions that could help our group out.

Thanks Friends!
Terra Magee

Powerful Pasts

Mia Fernandez
B/E Donnell/Stogdill
City of Angels
November 20th, 2015


This past week we have talked a lot about power and background through What Makes Sammy Run?, Davis, new projects, and through our urban labs. As we brought up these immense topics I watched how people discussed the meaning of power, where it comes from, and how we all had different opinions of its true meaning. When you think of power you usually think of money, hierarchy, wealth, strength, force, and influence among other things. As we had various dialogues throughout the week I began to see different sides of power, where it can come from, and how sometimes, we don't even know we have it, even when it is there the most.

As we talked about our new project and collaboration with The Awesome Foundation, we were introduced to a new form of power that was given directly to us as a class. Suddenly the ball was in our hands, and we could throw it any direction we wanted. Some of us didn't know what to do with it, and were surprised that we were given this great opportunity. As we expressed our ideas about power in Sammy, we began to talk about a new kind of power, a less innocent one. This kind of power stemmed from Sammy's past and helped him all throughout his career. It was the one thing that kept him going and even though he didn't ask for it, it was there. This kind of power, as we saw and read, was not a blessing but more of a burden. Through both of these scenarios power played, and will play, a key role in the outcome of future situations. It could benefit L.A. with a unique contribution from one of our very own, and help build our city, but as we read in Sammy, it could also be the very thing that adds to the destruction within.

Towards the end of the week I began to think to myself, "How much good does all this power really do?" If we have the opportunity to make the best of our city, then how could people like Sammy add such disgust to it? Some people are born into power, and some people just come across it every now and then. Do we really know what to do with it, and what's best? Or is there a serious problem within L.A., past and present, that needs some fixing? It's hard to tell what's best for a city when you're the one right in the middle of it, but I think that these two examples, even though What Makes Sammy Run? is fictional, can give us some real insight into what changes need to, or don't need to, be made.

What is LA?

Hunter Harper 

Throughout this class we have been searching for an answer to this broad question: What is LA?  Keep in mind that this question has no right answer, but makes each of us question the city we live in and draw conclusions that satisfy our individual ideas.

I don't believe that everyone's experience during the lab focused on the negative aspects of LA like mine did, but nonetheless I feel that it was very important for me to recognize what I did.  Exploring City Hall this week made me think about how secretive and fake Los Angeles can be.  When we finally entered the building, navigating our way through a crowd of protesters, I was surprised to see that there was close to no interaction between City Hall workers.  It seemed as though everyone was keeping to themselves, scared to reveal something.

Another very interesting aspect of City Hall that I noticed was the decrease in aestheticness as I made my way to the top of the building.  The 1st floor is really the only floor that contains anything interesting.  The top floors were as dull as can be.

In class today, we observed the interesting architecture of Walt Disney Concert Hall, the secretive nature of City Hall, the controversial passage on the LA Times building, and the below par praise that the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels receives compared to the cathedrals in Europe.  After close observation of these buildings, do any of these buildings speak for LA as a whole?  What do you think all of them have in common?  Would these similarities be used by boosters or detractors?  If you were to design or build a building that includes what you think the most important aspects of LA are, what would it consist of? (The last question is just for those of you who wanna have some fun)

Is Noir True?

Sitting in front of the projection of Chinatown, I was captivated by each scene. As the film progressed the secrets began to be exposed, the lies caught up with the characters, and the plot unfolded. This motif of doing what ever it takes to get to the top was again present in another text. There was something about this movie where the audience was enthralled, but also so extremely disturbing.

After class when I would dig into my backpack and pull out our most recent novel, "What makes Sammy run?",  I was once again reminded of this "rat race" of a city we live in. These texts often arise questions such as "why do we do what we do?" I try to dissect the character and sympathize with them and attempt to see the situations and conflicts through their lenses, but I haven't quite figured it out. As residence of Los Angeles we should be able to relate and understand the obstacles these characters often face. The reoccurring plot idea of our protagonist being rudely awakened by the cruelties of this city and their world being flipped upside down. I am personally not exposed to all these lies and deception our city is appositely laced with, but maybe others are. Do people identify with characters like Huff, Jake, Al, Lola? Although these fictional tales were set in 80 years ago, are these ever present in this great city? As Angelenos are we quick to adapt these texts as historical data?

 Al, in What makes Sammy run? explains his understanding of Hollywood when he states,
"It was no secret to anybody that she was working out on him and he was working out on her, each one wanting something and not quite admitting it. Some people call that the Hollywood tug of war, though that incept is a little narrow. Hollywood may be one of its most blatant battlegrounds, but it is really a world war, undeclared." (Schulberg, 37). 

This passage reminded me of Huff's perception Los Angeles and Jake's complex feeling towards Chinatown. All these hostilities toward Los Angels made me think this is what Noir does.  It brings a skeptical mind set upon people. An idea that if your in Los Angeles  everyone has an agenda. No interaction with another is genuine especially if you are wealthy and/or powerful. Everyone is working on each other and tearing each other down until they are at the top. People are absolutely relentless and unforgiving. One can neither breathe nor let their guard down with out the fear of someone mistaking them as human. I have observed in both are books and the movie that once a character opens up they become human, however, they are immediately yanked down from their societal rank and their weakness is displayed.
Is this a fair representation of our city? Is my assumption of Noir correct?


 We have all witnessed corruption, deceit, power of the institution, greed, etc. in these texts, but do these ideas define Noir. I've been struggling for a few weeks to really define this genre. I feel that I may identify Noir when I see it , but at the same time I'm unsure what in these texts triggers this recognition.

America's Most Seductive City

Brenda Chen

Donnell/Stogdill
City of Angels
October 29, 2015

Round-up post for October 30

"In Los Angeles, the police didn't fight organized crime.  They managed it."

This line from L.A. Noir echoed what I thought after reading Double Indemnity: that nothing in Los Angeles seems to be real.  The police, for example, who are supposed to be protecting the city, are instead permitting and even contributing to the crime.  In Double Indemnity, many of the characters are weirdly averted to being genuine or honest.  Huff (and Phyllis especially) have ulterior motives for almost every action.  Bringing it back to Day of the Locust, Faye and her father are completely fake, and their relationship seems strange and unhealthy.  Does Los Angeles bring out this dark, twisted side in people?  If so, how and why?

I understand that these are completely fabricated events that are supposed to be more warped for effect.  But I feel that they are also making a commentary about Angelenos: that they are selfish, secretive, and completely calculated.  Also, I couldn't help but notice that in both Double Indemnity and Day of the Locust, there are many "fake" characters, whereas in other novels that are set in other cities, that quality is not prominent.  Is this just a coincidence?  Or has insincerity become L.A.'s culture?

We've been talking about why Noir is such a popular genre in Los Angeles.  Do Angelenos love it because secretly, they see themselves reflected in it?  Do you see yourself reflected in it?  Is this twisted mindset unique to Los Angeles?  Lastly, John Buntin calls Los Angeles "America's Most Seductive City," and Wright says there is something "unspoken" about the city that "uncannily grips the stranger."  Is Los Angeles seductive because it's dark and complicated, or does that have the opposite effect?  Do you even think Los Angeles is seductive?  And what is that unspoken thing about the city?

Expectations

On the Metro to Union Station this afternoon I did not find myself surrounded by two of the same people. No two people looked or dressed the same, and I made different judgments and stories up about who they were, where they were going and what they were doing. Living in Los Angeles, there is nothing surprising about this observation. However, what surprised me only later was how accustomed and almost numb I was in the moment to this incredible diversity. I continued to ask myself how we have yet to have an Urban Lab dedicated to some aspect of studying the people of Los Angeles (outside of our immediate community). When will we have a people-watching lab? Throughout the course so far we have asked many versions of the question “what characteristics or opportunities bring people to Los Angeles?” to ourselves, and I believe we will continue to do so over the entire course. We have asked what exactly about Los Angeles makes the city so successful in attracting the hugely diverse community we were among today on the Gold Line and in Union Station. To theses overarching questions I add: What came first, LA or it’s people? I mean this in the context of how the city’s authentic character has been created and what the origin of outsider’s perceptions of Los Angeles is.
Although I find characteristics of the city of Los Angeles and Angelinos themselves very much intertwined, as my people-watching idea for a lab would suggest, I also believe there is a huge division between the two as they are used as propaganda for LA outsiders. Boosters seem to use the physicality and nature in Los Angeles as propaganda for the city, while Detractors rely on  the people of LA to highlight the negative aspects of the city. In looking at Adamic’s description of LA we see this division. “From Mount Hollywood, [nature!!] Los Angeles looks rather nice….[but] in spite of all the healthful sunshine and ocean breezes [nature!!] it is a bad place-full of old, dying people [people!!]...victims [people!!] of Los Angeles. In today’s lab prompt even Mr. Donnell and Dr. Stogdill wrote that “‘Detractors’ on the other hand, offer a view of LA that emphasizes the violence, deception, greed and disappointment underlying the ‘brightness’ of the Booster propaganda.” Nature is not capable of violence, deception, greed and disappointment. Humans are. In creating “booster” and “detractor” photos today, I found that Union Station (which we could say is a sample-size location of LA) needed more human assistance in creating “detractor” images than “booster” images. The detractor photos needed human body language to make them successful in creating a more negative vibe. To sort of reiterate what I have already said, I believe that, in a way, LA physically propagates itself with two basic qualities: the weather and it’s diversity in landscape. All of its boostering features seem to be in the physicality of LA and the detracting features in the people that make it up.
I then wonder if the beauty of Los Angeles’s physicality in a sense sets a standard for the type of people that “should” be living in it and the lifestyle they “should” be living? It seems as if since the weather of LA is so perfect, its inhabitants are criticized for not being all “super-humanly” happy, lively and genuine people. Does the beauty in the city of Los Angeles itself set an unrealistic standard for all who live here? If so, what or who exactly is setting such a high standard for Los Angeles?

The Palette of Architecture in LA (sheppy weppy)

Annie Winton and Audrey Wu

Donnell/ Stogdill

City of Angels

October 15th, 2015

Round-up post for October 16th

Throughout the week, our class has been discussing what characteristics entice people to want to come to Los Angeles as well as novelists/writers opinions of this environment. I’ve always felt that this Surfurbia, Foothills, Plains, Autopia ecology has accumulated over the years to become almost a paradise (Feel free to disagree; you can mention in your comments!!). Obviously, depending on what area, the type of ecology can change or can be a combination of more than one. As our class defined an ecology as a way people interact in certain environment, it is understandable that ecologies are consistently evolving. Mountain cropping (mostly in foothill ecologies) has literally reshaped physical features of nature for the benefit of human architecture being able to thrive. Examples like this exhibit how our society being formed does include imperfections that have altered and will continue to alter the development of our vicinity.

Two quotes from the end of one of this week’s articles portrayed a negative perspective of LA life:

“The unique thing about LA is that people had a new reason to be unhappy.”

“That promise of a perfect life isn’t what people really want.”

To me, both of these statements seemed justified in examples of The Day of the Locust.  I find it ironic that our urban lab routed us to one of the locations described in the book and we were supposed to promote that spot by producing a brochure aimed for 1920s midwesterners. This brochure is to promote the surrounding areas and to sell the architecture of the different houses. I believe that LA architecture is quite sporadic. Each neighborhood has its own uniqueness, its own character. While we were driving, I noticed how in Los Feliz there is a distinct change from big houses, to smaller houses, but all of the houses have their own style giving them individuality. This obviously shows the two different socioeconomic classes of people. Looking towards the more glamorous side of LA and relating it to our readings, I can recognize Hollywood as the centerpiece of what defined Tod Hackett and his acquaintances and how their paths unwounded. All of this connects to the much disputed concept of environment influencing who you become. Hollywood and all of its glories and flaws destroyed Tod Hackett’s sanity.

With the knowledge of the characters and their lifestyles (pertaining to the book), to what degree do you agree that there is superficiality in the neighborhoods of LA? Or, if you don’t, what traits exactly of LA make it so desirable? What affect does aesthetics/appearance of this city have in proving that a person has “a perfect life” and is happy? And does the fact that we live here force us to believe it’s an attractive domain? What affect does architecture play into who is living in a certain area or home? Does it affect it at all?  Looking at different neighborhoods to what extent does demolishing or expanding houses, do to the neighborhood's identity/reputation as a whole? I know there are a lot of questions. Answer any one or two to the best of your ability and try to be specific with examples!

Bound by Our Roots

Gabe Van de Sande
Donnell/Stogdill
City of Angels
October 8, 2015

Friday Roundup for October 9th

          The past week of class has been devoted to the direct study of our roots. Whether we are observing the macro-patterns of population growth over time in major cities, or focusing on the direct series of events that has brought an individual to where they stand today, we are recognizing the diverse history of societal patterns and correlations. I have always been uneasy with the emphasis and importance of history that is demonstrated in school. Logically, it seems impractical and regressive to focus energy and time relearning the past. The values of such studies, however, have been unveiling themselves gradually throughout this course. Why do we study the past? It seems odd to devote an entire field to a study that is limited. We only know what we know. However, it is not the raw facts that are important, but rather their effect on the world. These effects can be broken down to reveal recurrences that, without history, we would not be aware of until we experienced them. It seems that studying the past tells us more about the present, and more so the future, however counter intuitive that may be.

         All reminiscing aside, lets zoom in and analyze what this history means to us, as teenage individuals, each a product of our own past. I do not mean to urge a dialogue of Nature vs. Nurture, but I cannot control the outcome of eighteen minds working together to create purple. whatever purple may be. I mean more to pose a general question, that can be regarded as an umbrella to other smaller ideas: What effect does our unique past have upon our individual persona? Does it have an effect at all? Allow me to rephrase. Are we caught in the roots of our family history? In my personal case, I would argue that my upbringing  has been effected immensely by events that have taken place prior to my birth or consciousness. A specific example would involve the conflicting opinions of my parents when it comes to discipline. My father, being raised in a strict Catholic boarding school, has always resorted to conventional forms of social discipline: If a rule is broken, you are punished. Contrarily, my Mom was raised in an environment in which independence was crucial. Consequences would not entail direct punishment, but rather the coming to a mental realization by oneself that an action taken was wrong. These two conflicting viewpoints have formed the fusion of discipline that my parents enforce, a practice that has, in one way or another, formed the person I am today. 

          The example I have presented is minuscule in relation to the infinite influences upon one's upbringing and personality that occur, however it does reflect on a smaller scale the effect that personal history has upon my life. So I ask again: What effect does our unique past have upon our individual persona, if any? Are we bound by our roots, or can we break free?

The Commons: Art vs. Abuse

Brennan Hart

Donnell/Stogdill

City of Angels

September 24, 2015

Roundup Post for September 25

What is art? That’s the question I heard Terra ask ironically during our feedback of the Spring Street Bridge tableaus. As defined by Dictionary.com, art is “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.” I think our class can agree that the graffiti we found beneath the bridge is considered art: it was aesthetically pleasing and seemed to hold actual meaning or value. For some, it was the feeling of being welcomed to a unique space amidst the drudgery of concrete government structures. For others, the graffiti was a visual representation of the individuality of Angelenos, even when lost in a city of almost 4 million. Either way, we decided that most of the graffiti added something positive to the setting.

Meanwhile, Mr. Donnell brought up an opposing thought to this idea. The theme for the last lab was ownership, and previously we talked about our personal responsibility to keep public spaces maintained as they were. After our “Tragedy of the Commons” mishap, we finally figured out that abusing whatever was not considered our own (or anything purely in self-interest)  would lead to a collapse of the system. Over the last few urban labs there have been different examples of this: leaving trash on the mountain, spray painting what wasn’t ours to spray paint, empty bottles left by the river, etc. Most people condemned these actions and ultimately made a strong argument that it is the individual’s job to uphold “the commons.” So how does graffiti differ from the rest of what we have criticized?

In my own experience, I felt more connected to LA when I saw what others had left behind. I would not go so far as to be happy about litter, but I definitely appreciated the tags others had left behind. Although not scenic murals or specific illustrations, the graffiti that covered the walls by the railroad tracks was awesome. Part of the hype was probably that my group had hopped some fences getting down to the river, so we already felt a little badass, but the overwhelming sense was feeling like part of something bigger than ourselves. We had gone underneath the bridge adjacent to the Spring Street one, which felt almost like a secret clubhouse. The railroad tracks casually suggested a Stand By Me scenario, while the Spanglish tags alluded to the many cultures of Los Angeles. Empty spray cans littered the floor, as did shards of glass bottles, like seaglass without a beach. I was lucky: picking up a random can, there was a tiny bit of yellow paint left--just enough to write the letter B in a rare, unpainted section of the wall. Although the simple letter paled in comparison to the fancy lettering and vibrant energy of the rest of the graffiti, I was left feeling like I had somehow collaborated with the rest of the city.

Now, I guess I am part of the problem: abusing the commons for my own gain. Was it wrong for me to add my mark? Even further, at the end of class today, I started to think about personal responsibility as a larger whole. To what extent to do we owe the community? Where do we draw the line? If the world is the commons, are we being ignorant shepherds? Maybe that is too harsh, but people seem to have a weak sense of obligation when it comes to bettering our world. Or perhaps, they have already tried and failed--after all, “the convergence of dreams leads to a nightmare.”

Vanished

William Dean
Donnell/Stogdill
City of Angels
September 17, 2015

Friday Roundup for September 18

I stepped out of the van, standing in awe in front of the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. Once handed the assignment sheet Jake and I sprinted up the trail, thrilled at the prospect of adventure. Within a few short turns onto alternate "trails" we found ourselves completely consumed by nature. Soon Conor and Annie caught up right before we came upon a scene of displaced concrete tattooed with explicit and vile graffiti. Within a few seconds medical marijuana containers were found among a variety of soda and alcoholic bottles. Stumbling over pipes and trash we attempted to run away from the poisons that suffocated that place. That idea of unbound exploration re-entered our minds as we ducked under trees, stepped over logs, and pushed through bushes, until we came upon a hill. Jake spotted deer tracks leading up a small dirt path, undisturbed by human foot. So we climbed up the hill which seemingly only grew steeper and steeper until we hear a shuffle nearby. I turned sharply to find a young deer nibbling at a bush. We saw a real living animal just feet away! It was incredible! Who knew that something besides humans could survive in such a contaminated wasteland? We continued on. After surviving miniature rock slides, swinging branches, and the uncomfortable climate we made it to the top of the foothill. After a deep breath I opened my eyes towards the mountains expecting a nice view of the mountains, but instead my gaze was blinded by endless telephone poles and wires streaming across the range. I turned around in panic only to find a beautiful cloud of smog covering a once luscious valley filled with houses and skyscrapers. After a while I found some peace, and began messing around on the hilltop. Looking back on it I now realize the freedom that that hill eventually provided me. As I ran around in the chaparral, my mind was completely cleared of all the thoughts of exams and assignments that corrupted it. The wild is no place for stress and anxiety, it is a place of relaxation and cleansing. I was freed mentally and physically. I finally wasn't caged inside a four walled classroom. And now as I reflect back on that amazing day, I wonder how we could let such a beautiful place of freedom and relief be continuously polluted by our own kind?

In class we discussed what we all felt as we wandered through the hills. Words like freeing and relaxing were mindlessly intertwined with words like polluted and contaminated. These foothills that used to be flourishing with life is being cut through by trails like daggers. Poles and stairs infect the once fertile soil beneath. The mediterranean plants that attempt to grow have been burned by the acid that floats through the air. Maybe in order to protect itself the mountain creates these disasters that we read of. The mountains embrace us still today, but are on the verge of collapse due to our betrayal. If we can see the suffering of the mountains, and the power that they hold, why don't we mend the wounds that we have created? Why do we continue to implant telephone poles and cables in the belly of the hills? Why do we continue to pile layers and layers of useless toxic cement over the nurturing soil? Why do we continue to litter in the very place that brings relief and joy to thousands of visitors? Why don't we remove our involvement and let this sanctuary be free of our pollution so that we can continue to feel free, and continue to have a place of joy and cleansing? Our job shouldn't be to create paths and stairs along the mountain, it should be protecting it from the very entities that try to cage these mountains. In order to free ourselves and our minds from the stresses and problems of our lives, we must free the mountains of the structured cell that we have surrounded it in.

The Vanishing Stones and the Flaws in Educational Philosophy

Sean McMahon
Donnell/Stogdill
City of Angels
September 10, 2015

Friday Roundup for September 11

“Where did all the good stones go, and all simplicity?” (Steinbeck 129).

Procrastinating as usual, I found myself reading hastily this Monday, trying desperately to knock out the last 500 pages of East of Eden. I picked a good spot for it, looking out at a seemingly endless expanse of water in Toronto that people tried in vain to convince me was a lake and not in fact the ocean. I was not, however, very pleased. In an act of poetic justice, or possibly just cruel irony, the universe presented the question above to me on a beach with the best skipping stones that I have ever encountered. I love skipping stones, and I often make a point to search through a whole beach in order to find just one passable stone to skip. So, when I was presented at once with a passage lamenting the scarcity of stones and a veritable treasure trove of skippable stones that I did not have the time to skip, I remarked to myself caustically about the legitimacy of summer reading.

Now some might think, “Didn’t you do this to yourself? It is summer reading after all.” Yes, yes I did. However, if we ignore my feelings on summer reading as a construct (I’m not a fan), know that there are many more valid examples out there, many self-rounding opportunities denied to Poly students based on workload, while they are concurrently lectured about the importance of being well-rounded. In that vein, I’d like to explore the axiomatic principles behind schooling seniors, who are recognized by most to be intellectually mature. As far as I can see, there are three possible definitions of this education. Maybe it is a means to an end, a way of perfecting skills needed for application in college and/or life. Maybe it is an end on its own, a place to apply what we have learned and perfected earlier in life. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, maybe it is a barrier to intellectual progress. The last seems invalid on a daily basis, but few of my peers would dispute the assertion that school has, at one point or another, not only proved unproductive but counterproductive.

So, the correct definition of a senior education at Poly is likely a combination of the three. But where does it lean? It depends. I know how helpful that response sounds, so let me expand. I think we have so many choices between and within subjects this year that it would be silly to unite them under a common pedagogy or definitional purpose. City of Angels seems to me like an end. We don’t read texts in class; we are not smothered by excessive or fatuous work (at least not yet…); indeed, we almost unfailingly focus on analysis, on application. Unfortunately, it may well be the exception to the rule. Still, despite our age or (more importantly) our competence, we are pushed by a drive for rigor into a bottleneck of aimless or pedagogically unsound assignments. It’s a rite of passage, the final fiery trial before we are sent into the world and, for many, into the waiting arms of yet another academic institution, but, while reading on the beach, I could not help but to wonder whether this intellectual traffic jam is truly necessary.

I don’t know whether I am expected to end this entry with questions, so I’ll put in a few to cover my bases. Where do your classes fall on the intellectual stimulation spectrum mentioned above? Are there any other issues within our educational philosophy? Are the problems that I’ve mentioned and those that you have considered immutable? If so, why? If not, what can be done to change them, and who must be involved?