Los Angeles Transit lifestyle intro

The LA metro trains are undergoing a surge in ridership. Not too much, just about 6 percent, but enough to turn heads in the city built for the automobile.

“The cost of a gallon of gas now is only slightly less than a $5 Metro Day Pass, good for unlimited rides day and night on Metro buses and trains,” said Metro CEO Roger Snoble. “When you factor in the cost of fuel, vehicle depreciation, maintenance, insurance and parking, hard-pressed consumers can easily save well over $6,000 a year by going Metro and getting rid of one of the average family’s 2.5 cars and trucks

I remember when I first got unto the Red Line subway I was thinking “Where the hell are the people”. One would think there would be a rush or something , especially since goes right through Hollywood and some other cool ass areas. Heck, I was even shocked to notice that people could come in and out without ever buying a ticket.

So anyway, as I found out later from an Urban Studies class that the LA Metro Red Line is the most expensive subway line ever built. The worst thing is that the expected ridership was less than a quarter until recently, when gas prices are really hitting the fan. Los Angeles, with its sprawling suburbs and a presumption that having a car is the most natural thing in the world, is also choking with enviromental pollution and crazy traffic gridlocks.  There was a book I had to review that mentioned its strange to see a person walking. Pedestrians are endangered enough that anyone seen ‘walking’ around after dark is suspicious.

I will be writing more on this topic, firstly because I thought ‘hey Los Angeles is a world city its public transportation infrastructure must be better than Kuala Lumpur’ ( hint: its not), and also to share what I have learned from my Urban Studies class. Since Im also the poor international student, I have no choice but to take public transit, but the fact is its just gona get more expensive to drive. I’ve also picked up urban biking, which I incorporate with my transit trips, and it makes a world’s difference than just walking and whining. More to come!

Goodbye Malaysia Hello USA

Word up.

There has been a deliberate hiatus on this blog.

Im sick of talking about the small things. I have plans for the big things but there is just no way I could keep it going on a regular basis.

The things that I really would like to talk about, are just not something for the public to consume. Friends and family perhaps, but I should have done that from the beginning. Photo or video blog, which what Ive been doing seems ‘koo’, but now that I have the dslr I’ve been saving for a long ass time, pretty pictures seem hella good idea now.

Anyway, lots of things have changed. Im in Los Angeles now, studying televison/film production at Cal State University Northridge. Its in the San Fernando Valley portion of Los Angeles, which is by itself a sprawling city. Better known as ‘The Valley’, it is where suburbia was practically invented.  Hoping to learn some mad skills, have the exposure, but most importantly experience life like never before. Its bit of a tourist adventurer scholar mindset but, whatever, Im here to do and give my best.

You wanna know something? Ive only been on a plane like, thrice, from Penang to KL, and even then only in the last few years. So when I sat on that 13 hour flight from Taipei to Los Angeles, it was like jail. I had to sit-sleep most of the time, with very little room, and swear had a butt and neckache after that. A bus ride was even better. Even with the food and cute stewardesses, it was torture. And then I hear people say Malaysian Airlines is one of the best aha that was the cincher.

Im the only Malaysian I know on college, and in Los Angeles, save for family members.

So, hello blog, with all the facebook and myspace and kiddy diddy fads going in and out - I’ll prolly have something significant when I write. Differences, observations, funny things, life and leftovers. All there in your 3 minute instant dinner, USA style.

Re: Cat Talking, Translation

Cats with a dialogue out of Seinfeld

Re: Jesus loves you

The funny grey bloke asks a simple question about Jesus.

Office is Closed: Due to Zombies

A anime mashup to a neat zombie ‘anthem’ by Jonathan Coulton.