The short answer is that nothing about Trash Angeles is safe. It's a trashy city that gets trashier and filthier by the second. I got on the metro on a Sunday night. It was already dark. This is not the smartest decision in the world to make. But that was how it turned out. However,… Continue reading Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 4
Author: mh
Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 3
One time as I was waiting for a train, something came flying out of the sky. I heard it before I saw it, because there was a great, frightening crash of breaking glass. Everyone on the platform jumped, and as I turned towards the sound, there was now a heap of what looked like takeout… Continue reading Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 3
Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 1
This all happened in a single day. It starts in the morning with a guy smoking inside the train. It used to be that I thought this was the worst thing that could possibly happen -- how dare you think that it was okay for you to smoke in a train or bus? A bit… Continue reading Is the Los Angeles metro safe? Part 1
What’s it like in Los Angeles?
It's a summer's evening. At a train platform. One lady is pacing back and forth and muttering to herself. A man is having an argument with someone invisible. He suddenly jumps to his feet sassily and snaps his finger at his phantom rival. One person with unwashed long hair is crouched right at the entrance… Continue reading What’s it like in Los Angeles?
Bruce Mau did not redesign Mecca
I went to a talk by "legendary" designer Bruce Mau. I had never heard of him, but apparently, he's a big deal. He told us that he had even redesigned Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. I thought, wow, that's cool. The authorities there asked for his help after a stampede during the Hajj killed… Continue reading Bruce Mau did not redesign Mecca
Native North Carolina flowers
After removing the invasive vinca, we planted flowers that are natural in North Carolina in the yard. Here you can see some pictures of them, and maybe you'll want to plant some yourself! Remember, when they're native plants, you just have to water them when they are first planted and newly caressing their roots into… Continue reading Native North Carolina flowers
Don’t plant vinca
Vinca is an invasive plant. I learned about it when I used to go volunteer with a nature group. Please don't plant it, it wrecks natural ecosystems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3JBtcSOyMM The group I was volunteering with would help to keep a forest at UNC Chapel Hill healthy. There was an old couple who would always volunteer there.… Continue reading Don’t plant vinca
The central library in Los Angeles
The entire city of Loserville, I mean, Los Angeles, is a giant trashy dump. So imagine my surprise when I went to the main branch of the library and found it to be a very nice place. Los Angeles putting money and resources into something that you don't have to be rich to access??? How… Continue reading The central library in Los Angeles
Entry into New York’s JFK airport, post-pandemic
In case anyone is planning to travel overseas and pass through New York's JFK airport: ever since the pandemic, the entry back into the USA, with the passport control and the customs forms, has been very, very easy. It used to be that the officers might want to bark at you a bit as you… Continue reading Entry into New York’s JFK airport, post-pandemic
Medical care in Baghdad
I think the best piece of advice is, don't get sick in Baghdad. They have public hospitals and they have private hospitals. The public ones are apparently dirty on top of everything else, so if you have money, you'd prefer treatment in the private ones. I never experienced the public hospitals myself first-hand, though, so… Continue reading Medical care in Baghdad
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