Some history about Visual Communications, the Asian American community media arts org, as well as how Linda Mabalot was documenting the history of Filipino in the UFW.

From the VC Vault

I think this is what the GOP are afraid of: hardcore Christian constituents who need healthcare and will be helped out by the ACA.

Thank you Mr. Pres. for The affordable healthcare act

If wealth were distributed equally in the US (the wealthiest country in the world, by GDP), we would each have $250,000. The median wealth in the US, however, is $45,000. (He didn't include a breakdown by race, but obviously, it's Nth-generational white families pulling the numbers upward.) So, the difference between that 45k and the 250k is what some rich person has in their bank account. :)

Despite Record Poverty, the US Has Made Most Gains in Global Wealth (with Charts!)

In Boston Striking Workers at Insomnia Cookies Join the IWW

I was listening to Killradio.org and they were talking about Curly Howard. So I looked him up, and found out he passed away in a nursing home across the street from my elementary school.

Curly Howard, RIP

Forbes had an article about how many contemporary management techniques were used by slaveowners. Quote:

"Rosenthal is aware that what started out as a straightforward history of business practices could become highly controversial, with some misconstruing her research as a kind of justification of slavery. Instead, she wants her research to inform managers and companies to become more aware of the complicated legacy of today’s business practices and the origins of some their day-to-day management practices."

What a loaded paragraph, as if there's no question about ethics of management practices.

The Messy Link Between Slave Owners And Modern Management

There's a new trend in the civic space, which is to create web portals for government services. These portals are run by private companies, some venture capital funded. They sound very nice, but I wonder if they could become a way to privatize more government, and thus, increase inequality.

We're in a "government shutdown" due to the Republican refusal to pass a continuing resolution that would fund the Affordable Care Act. This brings the issue of public services right into the spotlight. It's become a battleground.

Here are two related articles:

Can Billionaire Philanthropists Replace the Federal Government? - Some wealthy individuals are using the government shutdown to promote a very different vision for America’s future.

When Batman isn’t available: Crowd-fund - Broken society alert: An Oakland, Calif., neighborhood turns to the Internet to raise money for local security

Within LA, look it up: Healthy City, Los Angeles City Repair, SeeClickFix, 211 LA, Hack for LA, GovJam, The Hub LA.

The guy who manages my apartment told me I didn't have to let the LAHD inspector in, that I could refuse.

I told him I like having the inspector check it out.

The conflict between owners and tenants is material, but exists more often as unspoken suspicions and speculations rather than visible conflicts.

LA residents should know about the LAHD inspections program. City inspectors come in and make a report of substandard conditions. The landlord must then fix them.

If the don't fix them, you have two ways to fight back, legally. First option is to pay 15% less rent to the landlord. Second option it to pay into a city escrow account that goes to the landlord after the repairs are made. This is called "REAP".