Getting P.O.'ed With The Militant

The Militant is massively P.O.'ed today!

Thats "P.O." as in "post office," actually. Today the Militant takes you to the largest post office in Los Angeles, right at zip code 90001. It's no ordinary post office, but a Sectional Center Facility (SCF), the main mail-sorting and distribution center for Los Angeles. Located on a huge-ass size of a lot in South Los Angeles along Central between Gage and Florence avenues, at 7001 S. Central Avenue to be exact (this location was once the Goodyear Tire factory from 1920 to 1979, hence the big-ass real estate). The large location is necessary for an around-the-clock operation such as this.

If you've got mail (er, the one in your mailbox, not the electronic kind), or ever sent out mail, chances are it's gone through this facility. According to an operative who works for the US Postal Service, outgoing mail is picked up at local post offices and is sent to the SCF in the afternoon, where the mail is sorted overnight. Incoming mail at this SCF is also sorted overnight, then distributed to all post offices whose ZIP codes begin with "900xx" (The five ZIP code digits refer to a city/region (the first three numbers) and a particular corresponding post office; Los Angeles has the "900" prefix, so even when the ZIP code plan was devised in the early 1960s, Los Angeles was already an important city back then) by 9 a.m. the next day.

There are other SCFs in the region as well: Van Nuys (handlinf the SFV), Marina Del Rey/Inglewood (handling the entire South Bay down to Long Beach), Santa Ana (OC) and City of Industry (SGV).

If you've got a letter or bill that needs to be sent out pronto, the Militant recommends dropping it off here at 90001 or your local SCF; there are mailboxes along Florence and by the main post office entrance on 7001 Central Avenue (which has a mail drop open all night). It's gonna wind up here anyway and it'll get to its destination q bit more quicker.

By the way, the Militant's postal operative also informed him that because of modern technology, the volume of postal mail is declining day after day -- except for all that damn junk mail (most of which originates in Wilmington, DE), which the USPS actually encourages, mainly because the junk mail companies are a major source of revenue for the postal service.

The Militant delivers for you!

Shaking Up Those Earthquake Myths!

You may or may not know that the Militant loves to dispel myths and debunk stereotypes. Well, Tuesday's little E ticket ride (Wiki it, kids...) brought out the same tired old non-truths about earthquakes from people with no prior experience in seismic activity who think they know more about seismology than Dr. Lucy Freaking Jones. It boggles the mind, folks...

So here's a bunch of myths, mis-truths and just plain bad knowledge cleared up once and for all by the Militant:

"Los Angeles is 'Earthquake Country.'" Well, you can't deny that quakes happen here. But sorry to break this to you: earthquakes happen in other cities as well. You might have heard of San Francisco? Quakes happen in the Pacific Northwest as well, and one of the largest earthquakes in U.S. history originated not in the west coast but in the Midwest: The 8.0 New Madrid quake in 1812 centered in what is now Missouri, not only changed the course of the Mississippi River, but reportedly rang church bells in Boston and was felt as far away as Maine. Nonsense? Look at this map comparing the damage range of our 1994 6.7 Northridge Earthquake with a 6.8 New Madrid quake in 1895. Where's your "Earthquake Country" now?

The East Coast is not totally immune to earthquakes, either. Though not as seismically active, they do happen, mainly due to the crust re-settling after the Ice Age. Earthquakes are also a reality in Asia, Africa, southern Europe and South America. In fact, 2/3 of the world's population lives in an earthquake-prone zone. "Earthquake Country," you say? More like Earthquake Planet.

"Ack! I don't wanna fall through a hole in the ground!" Um, no. Though surface fissures occur, not only are most of them not large enough for a human being to fall into, but most of them are in the immediate area of the epicenter, and most epicenters are located in mountainous or rural areas, you probably have a greater chance of getting in a car accident. As you're getting hit by lightning. On the day you win the Lottery. Many deaths or injuries from earthquakes come from falling objects or structures, but when was the last time you heard of someone falling into a ground fissure? NEXT!

"Must Be Earthquake Weather..." The belief that weather somehow directly influences earthquakes didn't even originate in Southern California. In 4 B.C. Greek philosopher Aristotle theorized that earthquakes (yes, they happen in Greece, too), were caused by winds trapped in underground caves. Modern scientists have since learned that quakes happen far beneath the surface. Tuesday's tremor originated some seven miles (36,960 feet) below the earth's surface. The temperature down there isn't affected by what's on the ground level. Besides, the weather in Tuesday wasn't that much different than Monday. Where was the quake on Monday? It was even hotter in previous days, where was the earthquake then? Weather has no proven direct effect on earthquakes.

"I Don't Want To Be In The Red Line When An Earthquake Hits." Actually, you should. Our subway tunnels and stations, built at least 60 feet below street level, were constructed to move with the earth (by comparison, New York's subway tunnels, most of which are immediately below street level, would actually be unsafe places during an earthquake in NYC (which is always a scientific possibility), and will cause the streets to collapse, making the entire city un-navigable). Would you rather be on a freeway overpass (or under one?) Didn't think so. Being deeper in the ground has its advantages, as all seismologists know that seismic waves are released and more amplified on the surface, whereas underground, they just pass through.

Many people complain about our Metro system being built too little, too late, but the "too late" part does have its advantages, as its design incorporates decades worth of seismic-resistant engineering learned from experience in other subway systems in seismic-prone areas. Speaking of which, after their respective large quakes in 1985 and 1989, Mexico City's and San Francisco's subway systems survived intact, and were the only reliable means of transportation following the quake.

BTW, the Red Line got through Tuesday's quake just fine, as it did in the Northridge quake back in '94.

"California Will Fall Into The Sea." Ah, the stuff of movies, and every East Coaster's wet dream. This has got to be the Militant's favorite one. The Militant will admit this is based on partial truth. Yes, California will "fall into the sea" one day, as the portion of the state that lies on the Pacific Plate will subduct into the ocean off of Alaska. But it will NOT happen as a single cataclysmic event, but rather a long-ass process that will take at least 50 million years. During that time, Los Angeles is expected to be twin cities with San Francisco, and though that would make the baseball rivalries rather interesting, that won't happen for another 26 million years. To put it into perspective, human beings have only been around for some 250,000 years.

Furthermore, parts of California are even below sea level so how can it even "fall into" the ocean? Pttth. Idiots. So, sorry envious, wishful-thinking East Coasters, ain't gonna happen!

Besides, and this is the most important part -- there has never been any historical precedent of an entire surface land mass "falling into the sea" in a single, cataclysmic incident. And if it ever did happen, if you think it's gonna suck for us, think of the folks on the other side of the ocean who would get the one big mother of a tsunami. Remember, far more people died and were impacted in the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami than the 9.0 Banda Aceh, Indonesia quake that triggered it.

So please, stop this utter ignorance. The next person that says the "Fall into the sea" thing is gonna get a sock in the face from the Militant's fist. Seriously.

Of course, the Militant's not going to complain AT ALL if there's a wave of transplants that do decide to flee after this quake, or any quake. It's just gonna make the housing market all the more affordable!

FEEL IT! FEEL IT!! FEEL THE VIBRATIONS!!!

Yep. 5.8 5.4, Chino Hills/Diamond Bar (Epicenter here), 11:42 a.m. No reports of serious damage, and none of the 2,347 shopping centers in the Inland Empire anchored by a Target and a Home Depot suffered any damage. The Militant was in an unspecified location in the San Gabriel Valley at the time (it rolled for quite a bit), he instantly knew what was up. Reports say the quake was felt as far away as Las Vegas.

And to all the new transplants: WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA! (Wait...moving back already? Okay! Here's to lower housing prices/rent!)

MILITANT EMERGENCY TIP! BTW, to everyone hogging up the cellphone lines, take note: Local calls are hard to make but you CAN make out-of-state calls. The Militant recommends you designate an out-of-state friend or relative to be an emergency Single Point of Contact in the event of an earthquake, flood, wildfire, riot, alien invasion or zombie attack, and have your family members or social circle contact that person next time these things come round.

You're welcome.

The Bus Driver's Serenade

While riding on the Metro Local bus today along Line 204 on Vermont Avenue, the Militant found this Metro Bus driver (badge number 29688), with a particularly entertaining method of doing his job:



Not only did he serenade his riders with standards by the likes of Dean Martin and Nat King Cole, and call out his stops with humor (as we approached Normal Avenue near Los Angeles City College, he quipped, "Normal...as though any of us are!") and class, but his totally awesome disposition brightens up the bus-riding experience and sends departing passengers off on a positive note. The Militant thinks he deserves much credit, and unlike others who have been on his bus, he doesn't think he's crazy at all (you know we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy...). Sure beats those automated pre-recorded stop calls!

Even if you're not into singing bus drivers, you got to admit that there's far, far, far worse music to be heard on our transit system.

As the Militant got off on his unspecified stop, he gave the driver props on his singing, and Mr. 29688 gave the Militant the biggest smile. A simple song can work wonders, folks.

Note to any Metro personnel reading this: Please, please, pleeeeease do not reprimand this guy. He's doing an awesome job, lifting up the spirits of his riders. Some of the riders even sing along to his crooning. Would you rather have drivers like this? If anything, he deserves some sort of recognition or reward.

Happy 5th Birthday, (M) Gold Line!

Today marks the fifth birthday of the Metro Gold Line, as the 13.5-mile light rail link to from Union Station to East Pasadena opened on July 26, 2003 -- a warm Summer Saturday, not unlike today.

Though the Militant wasn't yet into this "blogging" thing, he was no less Militant in his desire to try out a new Metro Rail line. In fact, he has attended every single Metro Rail line opening since the Blue Line 18 years ago (and already has the unspecified Fall 2009 Gold Line Eastside extension opening date on his calendar). Though with only 26,338 average weekday riders in June (a couple hundred less than the Orange line busway), and less than the 44,000 on the 13-year old Green Line, which doesn't really go anywhere, the Gold Line has been the most-surging of any of the line in ridership, having only registered just under 20,000 riders in June 2007.

Originally designed to be the northern extension of the Blue Line (existing for the longest time with the working title, "Pasadena Blue Line"), the Gold Line really is the most picturesque of the lines, showcasing the natural as well as man-made, rolling over and under streets, coasting in the middle of freeways, gliding through both old-fashioned neighborhoods and 21st-century transit-oriented developments. The Militant has been riding on it more lately, and Militant Operative Stingray rides it every day to work, so perhaps we've contributed to the ridership surge (along with those who have been traumatized by high gas prices as of late). Of course, with its extension to the Eastside next year and possible extension to the eastern SGV in the foreseeable future, perhaps this Gold Line will be all that glitters.

More Gold Line Opening Day pics, courtesy of the Militant's archives:

Whose Line Is It Anyway: The opening day free ride line snaked endlessly through the MTA Gateway Plaza parking garage.

Just Say 'No': Local residents and businesses in South Pasadena held up a too-little, too-late protest against the line, citing that it should have been build underground in the first place. This sign outside an auto shop near the Mission Station called for the trains to cease their Federally-mandated horns and bells and slow down to 20 miles per hour. Eventually, sound walls were built and the horns were suspended, but the trains still run at speed through this stretch.

Sign of the Times: These three-sided aluminum station pylons (that resemble the ones in Washigton D.C. a little too much) have since been replaced systemwide with the more original-looking "colored wedge" pylons.

Chinese New Year in the Summertime: A food festival took place in Chinatown to coincide with the line's opening that weekend. Similar festivals were held in South Pasadena and Pasadena.

Take Me (Up) To The Ballgame: Trolley-Dodgin' with the Dodgers Trolley

Friday was the inaugural night of the Dodgers Trolley (which, as the Militant mentioned, is not really a trolley, but since it's a reference to Dodgers history, he'll bite his lip this time). So naturally, the Militant had to be there!

Earlier in the evening, the Militant just happened to pass by the Union Station area at 6 p.m. and caught part of the festivities there. The local media, Dodger officials, politicians named Antonio, Tom and Wendy and nearly a hundred blue-clad Dodger fans in line were waiting for this service to finally start, kicking off approximately at 6:10 -- 90 minutes before the 7:40 p.m. start of Friday night's game.

But first the Militant had to return to the compound to finish some matters and put on his Dodger gear!

Great Dodger in the Sky, forgive the Militant as he was late to this game (his first time missing the National Anthem and opening lineup call since the 2004 season). He didn't catch his subway ride until 7:30 p.m. and the bus didn't leave until 8 p.m. or so. A couple women there on the bus recognized the Militant (er, not as the Militant, only as his mild-mannered alter-ego...that had him wondering for a second, as he wore his trademark "LA" camo cap to the game). Hey, for the Militant, Los Angeles is really just a small town (with a lot of concrete).

First, here's a few things you should know about the Dodgers Trolley shuttle bus:

A Few Things You Should Know About the Dodgers Trolley Shuttle Bus:
(Oh wait, already said that...)

• Dude, it's free (Though apparently not free for the City of Los Angeles, whose Department of Transportation contracted an operator to run the buses for $70,000). You do not need a game ticket in order to board the bus.
  
• The five buses and one shuttle van are powered by biodiesel fuel.
• At Union Station, you catch the bus on Alameda Street, not in the taxi curb in front of the building.
• Connecting transit at Union Station: (M) Red, Purple and Gold lines, Metrolink, Amtrak, a bunch of Metro buses.
  
• The bus' route heads north on Alameda, makes a left on Cesar Chavez, which turns into Sunset at Figueroa and stops there to pick up passengers. It also stops at Sunset and Marion Ave. near Angelino Heights and then makes a right on Elysian Park Avenue, into the Sunset gate, and stops at Lot G, behind the outfield Pavilions (no, not that one).
• The entire route from end to end, traffic allowing, takes about 10 minutes.
• The service is continuous from 90 minutes before game time, through the duration of the game, to 60 minutes after the game ends. The five buses work the route until about the third inning, and then only the shuttle van operates. Service is supposedly stepped up after the 7th inning stretch, but on this night none of the buses left until after the end of the game.
  
• After the game, the bus encircles the parking lot, exits the Sunset gate and traverses the same route in reverse. It enters the Union Station parking lot at Cesar Chavez and lets out passengers in front of the station building.
  

Since the Militant didn't have a ticket, he had to buy one there. Top deck was sold out, mainly because of the Brad Penny Bobblehead giveaway that night (yes, the Militant got his). He settled for an upper reserve ticket in left field. After wasting two innings in line for the slow- as- molasses- in- slo- mo- I'm- gonna- take- my- own- sweet- time- oops- this- cup- of- beer- is - all- head- let- me - try- again service at the concession stand for his his hot dog and beer, he finally got to his seat, where he was able to see the buses parked on the same curb they dropped us off at (pictured left).

Chad Billingsley and the Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals (which included some punk named Paul LoDuca) 3-2, thanks to a couple bases-loaded RBIs in the 6th courtesy of Nomar and James Loney, and the Saito-less team relied on Jonathan Broxton, who pitched 1 2/3 innings, to get the save. Not just that, but the Militant finally got to see Nomar as a shortstop, Juan Pierre returned to the lineup and Andruw "Swings At Every Pitch" Jones actually got a hit (a double)! Cue the Randy Newman!

But even as the "We Love It!" Chants blared on the PA system, the Militant navigated his way through the crowds down to Lot G so as not to see a smaller, yet just-as-inconvenient version of the shuttle bus fiasco that the folks that used it to get to the Coliseum game back in March.

The Militant managed to hop on the second bus that left, which was full, yet not to sardine can magnitudes. He also ran into the same ladies from the bus ride over, and sat next to a Canadian tourist from Alberta who brought his two sons to see a baseball game. A flatscreen TV screen aired Dodgers trivia, shuttle bus facts, images of Dodger greats, and footage of the great Kirk Gibson you-know-what. Interestingly, about half of the riders did not take transit to Union Station, but instead parked there ($6), which still saved them $9 as opposed to doing it at the Stadium.

It took 20 minutes to get out of the Stadium parking lot, which was probably the only real flaw in the shuttle service on Friday night, and it took a traffic-less 9 minutes to return to Union Station. According to the Los Angeles Times, nearly 600 riders used the rookie shuttle on its big-league debut.

The Militant joined about 80 or so Dodger fans in the subway platform on the train ride back. It was totally an awesome sight to see people dressed in Dodger blue riding the Red Line; now Dodger fans can finally join Lakers, Kings and Clippers fans (USC fans, you're next, in 2010!) in riding with their fellow fans to the game.

So far, so good. The Militant would like to see, though, a dedicated bus lane so us Trolley Dodgers don't have to sit in traffic. He's glad that this service is there for every game, as opposed to the half-assed Friday-only 2004 sorry attempt at a Stadium shuttle. $70,000 for 32 games is only about $2200 per game, so he wouldn't mind paying a buck for this service - It's still waaaaay cheaper than parking. And since it just started, he expects the service to grow,

There's other, unquantifiable effects of this service. It gives Dodger fans a chance to connect before or after the game - to gloat about a win or commiserate a loss. And though Metrolink doesn't operate after the games, perhaps it will soon. Imagine Metrolink service between Union Station and Anaheim for the Freeway Series games...Or how about a special Metrolink or Amtrak train going down to SD when we play the Padres? This could be the start of something big, folks.

Pictures Of The Dodgers Trolley Opening Festivities:

Open Open Open: About a hundred fans queued up for the inaugural bus.

Pimp My Ride: The eternally happy shuttle van. They see me rollin', they hatin'...

Councilpeopletypes! Tom LaBonge and Wendy Greuel meet with the media.

The VIP Section: Dodgers Community Affairs VP Howard Sunkin (left) and Mayor Villaraigosa (center) get ready to finally unleash some Stadium transit goodness on the Dodger fans of this City.

My Humps, My Humps, My Ugly Cycling Bumps

The Militant rode on bike last night from his compound to visit an operative in West Adams (and yes, he did ride past his favorite mystery spot for the fun of it), but en route, while riding along Western Avenue, just a few feet south of Venice Blvd, on the west side (wesssoiiide!) of the street, there it is, you can't miss it (pictured right).

Now, the Militant, as well as anyone who rides a bike in this City, knows there's potholes, there's cracks, there's some fux0red-up pavement. But...wtf is THIS? A mountain range? Lessee. We got the San Gabriels, The Santa Susanas, the Santa Monica mountains...and THIS! How did this happen? Plate tectonics?

Maybe they're speed bumps. If they are, they work, alright. They're great at slowing down cyclists like the Militant. Fortunately, the Militant's urban assault bicycle can take the jagged terrain. But most cyclists can't.

In all seriousness, this particular asphalt deformity is dangerous. Dangerous for cyclists, for obvious reasons. But also dangerous for motorists, who, upon driving over these, can potentially lose control and hit a cyclist, a pedestrian or another motor vehicle.

As you may or may not know, the Militant isn't into petty whining like, um, some other blogs tend to do, so, true to Militant form, he wants to get into action and find (and fight for) a solution. While riding not more than two blocks south is Councilman Herb Wesson's 10th District Field office. The Militant will contact the office and get some answers, and hopefully get that stretch of Western fixed up! Stay tuned, Angelenos!

Dodgin' The Trolleys: Dodger Stadium Shuttle Bus Begins Tonight!

The Militant can't stand the transportation transvetitism known as internal-combustion buses being passed off as "trolleys." Eugh. It's like a false advertisement. The misused term 'trolley' does not actually mean vehicle per se, but to the mechanism by which it picks up electric power from overhead wires. So yes there can be trolley buses, but they have to be powered by overhead electric wire. The term "trolley" is derived from "trolling," as in fishing.

Anyway, what a tangent to go off on. Tonight, the first-place second-place NL West Dodgers play their first home game of the second half of the season against the last-place NL East Washington Nationals at the Ravine. But tonight is especially significant since it marks the debut of the Dodgers Trolley, a free, LADOT-run shuttle bus service (Dodger Dash?) from Union Station to The Stadium, a 20-minute route that takes Dodger fans from the front of the 1939 transportation center to the back of the 1962 sports venue two miles away.

As any diehard Dodger fan knows, the team's name originated from "trolley dodgers" -- the fans back in the Brooklyn days who had to navigate the yard tracks of the old trolley system to get to Washington Park, the team's late-1800s era venue (Overlooked fact: when the Dodgers moved here 50 years ago, though Brooklyn's trolleys were already gone by then, Los Angeles still had them on its streets, at least for the next five years).

So in the interest of tradition and history, the Militant won't be offended when he sees these wireless, gas-powered things roll through Sunset Blvd. and into the park, where they will stop behind the pavilions in center field (the future "front entrance" of the park in the proposed "Next 50" renovation plan). He just hopes they don't actually look like the picture on the left. Looks like the package for some Kid's Fun Meal at the All-You-Can-Eat-Pavilion.

For the remainder of this season's home games, the Dodger Trolley will be making its rounds on every game day in 10-minute intervals, 90 minutes before the first pitch and 60 minutes after the game ends (you will stay until the end of the game, right? The Militant orders you to!). There are two stops along the route, at Cesar Chavez and Figueroa (so all those Evans students and Orsini residents can hop on board) and at Sunset and Marion, where people can connect to/from Metro Local lines 2 and 4.

Yes, We all can be trolley dodgers now...sorta. But unlike the half-assed, Friday-only service back in 2004, this runs during every home game. But most importantly, we finally have direct transit to The Stadium again. And (channeling the Sit N Sleep guy here) it's freeeeeeeeeee!

Of course, you can always bike there, as the Militant has (great way to work of them Farmer John All-Beef Super Dodger Dogs).

So thank you, City of Los Angeles for finally making this happen. You're putting the "SPORT" back in "TRANSPORTATION."

Militant Update: Oh Crap! It's Finally Ready...

Over a year since he first blogged about it, and
some eight months since he wrote about the last visible activity on it, the long-awaited JCDecaux automatic pay toilet at the (M) Vermont/Santa Monica Metro Red Line station is finally operational.

The Militant saw it while passing through the East Hollywood area en route to his compound this afternoon. In fact, he asked the maintenance dude on the right, "Is it ready?" and halfway through the Militant's question, he said, "Yeah, it's ready."

Let's face it, it's been a looong time since the Militant first leaked this out. He's sure that the more than 10,000 commuters who use that station daily will no longer have to hold in their enthusiasm and will no longer be as pissed-off. This thing is finally in the can, and you know when urine you're in for a treat when an urban transit amenity like that is finally ready for use. Especially people who just got off their bus or train after their daily toil. Let them have something to use that's a leg up over having no option at all. Finally the commuters who pass through the area will have room to rest. Perhaps there will be more of these in the City! It's like a movement, that's finally pushing through!

The Militant caught the rear end of the pay toilet (pictured left). Looks like a tardis of Dr. Who fame. Or rather, Dr. Loo?

So what's it like inside?

Stay tuned, loyal readers of militancy. The Militant's gonna TOFTT!

That New Park Smell

The Militant is a prophet.

No, really.

When he first developed his passion for the Downtown area circa early 1990s (when there was still nothing there), he read the Downtown News and its seasonal development updates. Learning about this "City West" thing and what was then planned to be a bunch of highrise buildings west of the 110 and north of 1st Street, the Militant for some reason envisioned... a park.

Even when that land-grabbin' LAUSD decided to build the beleaguered Learning Center Formerly Known As Belmont...the Militant still envisioned...a park.

On Saturday, his vision was fulfilled. Look out, folks.

But as the brand-spankin'-new Vista Hermosa Natural Park opened this past Saturday, the Militant on that day avoided the crowds (as well as being recognized in public). Besides, being the active Angeleno that hs is, he took part in the Mayor's Central Area (see, even Antonio gets it) CommUNITY Day of Service, double-volunteering at a different, unspecified event that day. But other blogs were able to cover the action, (despite them incorrectly touting that VHNP is the first new Downtown-area park since the time when Frank Rader was mayor (No, all you vestigal football fans, not the Raiders...oh never mind...).

Instead, the Militant was there Sunday right after sunset, and despite the "Sunrise to Sunset" hours, there was a healthy number of kids running around, families playing soccer and couples making out as the lights of the nearby skyline started to brighten. And yes, did the Militant mention the park has a killer Downtown skyline view?

All parks have their iconic features. Locally, Echo Park has a lake, paddleboats and a lotus bed...Okay, a lake and paddleboats. MacArthur Park has a lake and a bandshell. And Griffith Park has a whole bunch of iconic features. Vista Hermosa, while not under the guise of the City's Recreation and Parks system but rather the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, has a number of iconic features: A big-ass soccer field, a windmill, a view of a victorian house atop the hill, and of course, that killer Downtown view. There's also all sorts of eco-friendly brownie points earned here, from the parking lot with permeable paving, to the localized drip irrigation, to the "green roof" planters atop its two structures.

The Militant, always wanting to be a step ahead of the rest, brought his trusty Militant Cam and took some video for you all, including a 360 shot and a walk through parts of the park:



And lastly, lest you think that the whole "Natural Park" thing is somewhat of an arrogant label, come visit the park itself. Not only does it feature native flora, but it smells natural as well, with the aroma of sagebrush, thistle and native flowers surrounding you. And all these plants are still young - wait till they all grow up! Despite being surrounded by the Beverly Boulevard street bridge, the Belmont Station apartment complex, the new learning center and, yes, that skyline view again (can't get enough of it!), it's a true urban oasis.

Please come. It's waiting for you.

One final note - as the Militant left the park on Sunday, though the sight of neighborhood kids playing in the park was a happily welcome sight, he still caught sight of boys playing ball in an alley across the street, and little kids playing in a parking lot not more than a block away. Old habits die hard, but here's hoping they find their local treasure soon.