MarielGarza.com

2008-04-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

Restaurant review

Home of the Porno Burrito

Today’s subject: the potato taco or, to be more specific, the wonderment of civilization that is the potato taco at El Atacor #11, a taquería chain’s grungy outpost on the fringes of Glassell Park. You have, no doubt, tasted a potato taco, perhaps the basic model of the starch bomb tricked out with chopped onion and a bit of salsa, or perhaps one of the fancy examples of the breed, cooked with the roasted-chile mixture called rajas or embellished with all manner of sautéed vegetables.

2008-04-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

Narrative story of the week

"Beyond the Statistics: Druggist Confronts the Reality of Robbery" is one of the three pieces in the Pulitzer-winning feature package by Angelo B. Henderson of the Wall Street Journal in 1999. This particular piece is a good example of the type of narrative you will do for your final.

DETROIT -- "Get on the ground," a man holding a gun screamed. "I'll blow your heads off if you move."
Dennis Grehl and a co-worker complied. Dreamlike, he found himself lying face down on a cold, gritty black-tile floor, a pistol against the back of his head.
"Please, mister, don't make me shoot you," a second gunman threatened. A crazy memory: tiny specks of light floating in the tile; that, and the paralyzing weight of helplessness.
Mr. Grehl is a pharmacist, unassuming, mild mannered. A family man with a wife and a daughter.
He was being robbed. He works in the Redford Pharmacy, a small neighborhood place in northwest Detroit. It's been around forever; the kind of place that delivers.
He had gone into his chosen profession in part because his mother had advised him to. "Nice and clean," she had said. Plus, he liked to help people.
He had helped these guys, too. One said he was looking for foot powder and skin lotion; the other, cough drops. They were African-Americans, well-dressed. They had totally conned him from out behind his counter.
Now he was a chump, on the floor.

2008-04-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Dramatic narrative

This story of a man who survived a grizzly bear attack was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer prize. Read it and see why.

A hike into horror and an act of courage in Glacier National Park

A California man visiting Glacier National Park with his daughter instinctively puts himself between her and the rampaging bear's claws and teeth.

By Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
April 29, 2007
Glacier National Park, Mont. — Johan looked up. Jenna was running toward him. She had yelled something, he wasn't sure what. Then he saw it. The open mouth, the tongue, the teeth, the flattened ears. Jenna ran right past him, and it struck him — a flash of fur, two jumps, 400 pounds of lightning.

It was a grizzly, and it had him by his left thigh. His mind started racing — to Jenna, to the trip, to fighting, to escaping. The bear jerked him back and forth like a rag doll, but he remembered no pain, just disbelief. It bit into him again and again, its jaw like a sharp vise stopping at nothing until teeth hit bone. Then came the claws, rising like shiny knife blades, long and stark.

2008-04-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Examples of government/social issue stories

These two stories are good examples of the types of stories for your next assignment.

This first one, from the LA Times, is a good example of a controversy story.

FORT COLLINS, COLO. -- When it starts at 10,000 feet and slices through the mountains in the canyon that bears its name, the Cache la Poudre River is a shock of water in this dry land.

But by the time it winds its way out to this laid-back college city of 120,000 people, most of its water has been grabbed by farmers and other cities that control the maze of canals and diversion dams that turn the river into a trickle.

This second story is profile of a dead U.S. solider who will receive the medal of honor for saving three Navy Seals in Iraq.

On the last day of his life, on a rooftop in Ramadi, Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor was assigned to protect three SEAL snipers. When an insurgent's grenade lobbed from the street bounced off Monsoor's chest, he didn't hesitate. He yelled "Grenade!" and pounced on it even though he had a clear path of escape.

He was dead within 30 minutes, but he had saved the lives of three SEALs.

2008-03-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Wild World of Internet journalism
In-class exercise

And it is wild. American newspapers are failing at spectacular rates even while their online readership is growing. Print newspapers might not know how to deal with the shift in readership, but many online sites do. Blogs and journalism sites like the Drudge Report and the Huffington Post garner millions and millions of readers, making them as influential (possibly even more at times) than traditional print standbys as the New York Times.

If newspapers are confused by the new online rules of journalism, so are traditional journalists themselves. This piece by Mark Glaser, a journalist and blogger, really sums up the struggle. Read the following post and then create your own post about the subject -- giving your own thoughts on the distinction between the world of blogging and news gathering. I'm especially curious to read any predictions you have for the future of online journalism and journalists.

2008-02-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

Money for blogging students!

Check out this link for information about how you -- Yes, you my J. 310 students -- can make money out of all these blogging hoops I'm putting you through.

* Your blog must contain unique and interesting information about political issues, current events, opinions, etc. No spam bloggers please!!!
* U.S. citizen;
* 3.0 GPA;
* Currently attending full-time in post-secondary education; and
* If you win, you must be willing to allow us to list your name and blog on this page. We want to be able to say we knew you before you became a well educated, rich, and famous blogging legend.

2008-02-12T12:23:00.001-08:00

Anatomy of a tornado

This wonderful narrative of a town's visit by a monster tornado is actually a series of narrative stories, interwoven to tell the larger tale of a tornado in north central Illinois. It was written by Julia Keller of the Chicago Tribune and won a Pulitzer for best feature writing in 2005.

I encourage you to read the whole three-part series reprinted on the Pulitzer web site.

2008-01-06T15:26:00.000-08:00

Hello J. 310 class,

In this post, find some helpful tips for blogging at blogger.

Hyperlinks
First, remember that blogs are all about links. A link is a web site URL embedded in a post. When a reader clicks on a particular word, the embedded hyperlink takes them to the new site.

To add a hyperlink is simple. Merely highlight the word or words you want to link to some where, such as my favorite blog, LAObserved.com, then click the strange planet Earth/chain link icon on the tool bar above this text (just to the right of the T). It will give you a box to write in the link. It's that easy.

HINT: Make sure you try your links to see if they worked. One wrong letter can make it invalid.

Text blocks
Many blocks excerpt the news stories they reference and link to in order to entice readers with the most salient parts. Bloggers generally note that this is a quote, and not their own words (thus avoiding plagiarism accusations) by marking it as a text block. To do that, copy and paste the text to your post, highlight it, and click the quote mark button on the tool bar above this text (just to the right of the check mark).

This is what a text bock should look like. Make sure all excerpts are in text block format or no one will be able to tell what's yours and what you borrowed.

2007-11-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

Ozzy and Iron Man

Here's a 1970 video of a very young Ozzy Osbourne performing the classic song Iron Man with Black Sabbath.

2007-11-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

Anatomy of a tornado

This wonderful narrative of a town's visit by a monstor tornado is actually a series of narrative stories, interwoven to tell the larger tale of a tornado in north cetral Illinois. It was written by Julia Keller of the Chicago Tribune and won a Pulitzer for best feature writing in 2005.

I encourage you to read the whole three-part series reprinted on the Pulitzer web site.

2007-11-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

A Hike into Horror
Here's the lead for a great narrative story of a bear attack by the L.A. Times: Note how the writer uses short sentences to convey the drama of the unfolding scene, which instantly hooks readers.

Glacier National Park, Mont. — JOHAN looked up. Jenna was running toward him. She had yelled something, he wasn't sure what. Then he saw it. The open mouth, the tongue, the teeth, the flattened ears. Jenna ran right past him, and it struck him — a flash of fur, two jumps, 400 pounds of lightning.

It was a grizzly, and it had him by his left thigh. His mind started racing — to Jenna, to the trip, to fighting, to escaping. The bear jerked him back and forth like a rag doll, but he remembered no pain, just disbelief. It bit into him again and again, its jaw like a sharp vise stopping at nothing until teeth hit bone. Then came the claws, rising like shiny knife blades, long and stark.

Read it all by clinking on the link above. You won't be sorry.

2007-10-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Read this LA Magazine article: "What's a dog worth?" by Jesse Katz, the guest to the Thursday night J.310 class on Nov. 1

Here's an excerpt to intrigue you:

His name is Roy.

At least for now. Whatever it was before, whatever it might be again, he will live or die as he is known here. The staff of the South Los Angeles shelter came up with it, turned him into Roy, to help improve his odds—of winning someone’s heart, of leaving on a leash. Without a name, he would be just A774623, which has been written on surgical tape and fastened to a chain around his neck. He looks like a Roy. He is old and skinny, the color of faded cinnamon. He has a wrinkled brow and flabby jowls, a face that is weary but earnest. Whenever a stranger enters the kennel, Roy springs to his hind legs, pawing at the metal grate that covers his cinder-block cell. He wriggles his snout between the gaps, sniffing and snorting, his tongue a gush of sloppy kisses. He turns himself sideways, scratching his bony hide against the bars, inviting human fingers to join in. His tail wags. His eyes beg.

But nobody comes for Roy. Not an owner, if he ever had one. Not the people who found him on the street and called the city for help. Not even the rescue groups that scour the shelters for overlooked mutts, fostering them until they can be placed in a permanent home. Roy is not anyone’s idea of a pet. He is not cute. He is not fluffy. He is not tiny. He is not exotic. He is an eight-year-old pit bull, a mastiff-and-Staffordshire mix, whose singular misfortune is to belong to a breed for which supply exceeds demand. Roy is surplus. In our system of animal control—a system few of us have seen, a system most of us will never encounter—dogs like Roy are doomed from the start.

2007-10-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

Getting the paper on john doe ... and other great online sources for investigations large and small

The Web can be a great place for a journalist. But it can also be a huge time suck as you search for relevant material turns into a three-hour hyperlink fest on IMDB.com (Don't do it! Just don't click through.)

Below are some research and journalism sites to get you started.

First thing you need is the California Public Records Act. Go to the site now. Print yourself a copy.

Reporter.org is a great site to start if you want figure out where to go for information for your story. The beat source guide is particularly helpful. And if you're backgrounding someone for a profile, try the Getting the Paper page.

Ponyter.org is the online presence for the Poynter Institute, which is concerned with journalism excellence. They have many, many tips on writing better. But the most popular part is its industry gossip column, Romenesko. For L.A. media gossip, however. LAObserved.com is the place to go.

If you're covering an upcoming election, Smart Voter is the place to go. The site hosted by the League of Women Voters can search for any ballot (presuming the ballot for that election if finalized) and includes its text, the arguments on both sides and also includes links about the measures or candidates. It's very helpful.

The General Accounting Office is a goldmine of interesting reports. This is the investigative arm of Congress and probably have audited something related to something you're writing about. It's also a great source for ideas. Check it out.

Tell me your favorite information sites by commenting to this post.

2007-10-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

Stories about government and social issues

Hello students of Mariel Garza's J. 310 courses. In this post you will find excerpts of, and links to, stories about government and social issues. Note that stories that are government related aren't neccesarily about laws or council meetings. In fact, considering how many ways government (local, state and federal) regulates or otherwise affects our lives, there's an enormous variety to chose from.

Government-related stories
Take a look at this fine issue story in today's Daily News:

GLENDALE - For sale: 123-year-old, padlocked cemetery with overgrown weeds and the remains of 40,000.

Fire Department says it's a hazard, city says it's a public nuisance. Fixer-upper. Owner must sell. $1 million, or best offer.

Any takers?

State officials are forcing the sale of embattled Grand View Memorial Park after finding that late owner Marsha Howard resold grave plots, improperly disposed of the cremated remains of thousands of people and left the once-sparkling mausoleum and its surrounding property in shambles.

Here's a government-related article from LA Times writer David Zahniser about the Mayor's Million Trees initiative, which looked at its sucess (or lack of) one year after it began.

Monica Barra went to South Los Angeles last month to attend a jazz festival. She went home with a free tree, a one-gallon African sumac that she lugged around on a Sunday afternoon past the shops and restaurants of Leimert Park.

The college senior took the tree on an impulse, though each tree recipient was required to fill out a "pledge to plant," a form smaller than an index card and a signature feature of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's plan to plant 1 million trees across Los Angeles.

Six weeks later, Barra's leafy friend has yet to make contact with the soil. Because Barra has no land of her own, the tree sits in her apartment in Redlands, roughly 60 miles from Los Angeles.

"I just really like having trees and plants where I'm living," said Barra, who majors in literature, historiography and urban studies. "And it was free."

Villaraigosa has trumpeted his Million Trees LA initiative as a cornerstone of his environmental agenda, bringing it up before audiences as far away as London and Hong Kong. Each time, the mayor's refrain has been the same: "We're planting 1 million trees," a phrase that brings to mind a populace working harmoniously to transform Los Angeles into a verdant forest.

The reality, however, is that, in many cases, organizers are not so much planting trees as giving them away, offering them up by the hundreds at fairs, festivals and farmers markets, many of them in the summer in a year of intense drought.

So far, no one has checked to see whether those trees have been planted, are still alive or even are in Los Angeles, one of several cities pursuing massive tree initiatives.

Social issue stories

Social issues are things that affect society, right? So the possibilities are endless. There's homelessness, poverty, addiction, health care, mental health, workplace violence, fair housing...

Below are two examples of stories about social issues:

One is rom the Daily News' series last year on the pornography industry in the San Fernando Valley about the family and porn. The other one a Column One in today's L.A. Times about how Middle-Eastern actors finding only terrorist roles available in a Post-9/11 Hollywood.

The reason these two are packaged together is that a lot of times, social issues are government- related, and vice versa. For an example read this example in today's L.A. Times.

California is rapidly losing families willing to care for foster children because its payment rate lags far behind the cost of living and is lower than the price to kennel a dog, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that mirrored the findings of a new national study.
The lawsuit was launched by a coalition of advocates for foster families in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on the same day that the analysis by the University of Maryland showed that California has fallen far behind in caring for its most vulnerable wards.

2007-09-25T15:30:00.001-07:00

Posting photos and images

Hello J. 310 students. In this entry we learn about posting images.

This is Chuy. He was my sweet fat cat -- 15 pounds! -- who was eaten by three coyotes in April.

It was very easy to post this photo. Here are the steps I took:

1) I copied the photo I wanted to put on the blog post on my hard drive in "My Pictures" folder.

2) I created a new blog entry.

3) Before I wrote anything, I clicked the photo icon on the tool bar above (third button in from the right).

4) A pop-up window appeared and asked me to "Browse" for the photo I wanted to post, which I found in the "My pictures" folder on my hard drive. I clicked on it.

5) In that same pop-up window, I chose the photo layout I wanted (such as, on the left with text wrapped around), and agreed to terms of use. Then I clicked "Upload photo."

6) Photo was uploaded unto my new post, and I just started typing next to it. Then I saved and that was it.

You can also go to the official Blogger.com help page for posting pictures by clicking this embedded link.

2006-08-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

I've Moved!!

It's true. This spot is now defunct. The Mariel blog is now sponsored by the Daily News. Updated regularly! Funny pictures! Go here to see it.

2006-06-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

New blog

The Daily News created a blog for me here. It will be up and running by mid week. I will be posting there from now on.

2006-06-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

Back on the bus

Three more weeks of bus life. I've only been doing this 1-1/2 weeks and I hate it already. I missed my regular bus this morning, and I was overwhelmed by the options. Should I take the DASH to the subway to the Orange Line. Should I take the 200? Should I catch the 2 or 4 up to a further bus line? Should I take a later commuter express bus and hope it isn't too late? So many choices. In my indecisions, I kept missing buses as it got later: There goes the Dash, there goes the 200, there goes the 304.

I finally got to work, one hour late. I was demoralized and slightly queasy from the herky-jerky driving of my Orange Line driver. While on the bus, I tried to make a list of why the Red Line is better than the Orange Line. But the bumpy riding conditions turned my notes into intelligble scribbles. So here's what I have at the top of my head on why the Red Line is better than the Orange Line:

1) The subway train has roomier seats. Both wider benches and more leg room. On the Orange Line even a 5'4" tall person such as myself feels cramped.
2) You can write notes, letters, do the Sudoku puzzle on the Red Line thanks to the smooth ride. On the Orange Line, you are liable to lose your pen during a particularly hard stop.
3) There's no Transit TV on the Red Line. No wonder everyoen's got headphones on. The Transit TV on the Orange Line and other MTA buses blares from these little white boxes mounted above the seats on each side. You can't even move away from the sound. And it's not like it's "The Sopranos" or even "Finding Nemo." It's either headlines or obnoxious ads for vocational school.
4) You can read a book or my column on the Red Line and not get nauseated. I know the Orange Line buses are supposed to be exceptionally superior, but they still bounce along at the pavement. And if you're in a bus with a driver who is heavy on the gas and brakes, it will take all your concentration just to hold on.
5) The Red Line is not over-airconditioned. It's just right. In my experience the climate in buses falls into two categories: Third-world melt-o-rama or Arctic freezerific.

Were it not for the fact that I ride one right after the other, I might never have noticed how the Orange Lines fails so spectacularly by comparison.

2006-06-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

Stop the (campaign mailer) presses

This year's primary election was remarkable in its amount of campaign mailers. I have lived in California all my voting life and at this address for nearly four years and have never had the amount of slick mailers begging for my vote that I did this year. Every day my mailbox was loaded down with a small stack of appeals from state assembly candidates, the governor guys, various PACs and voting groups and school board candidates. Apparently even that wasn't enough as I got several mailers stuck directly in my fence. I vowed to not vote for the candidates who sent the most junk to my house.

Here's a short list of the goofiest campaign mail I received:
- A paperback book by the candidate who is related to Cesar Chavez.
- A pink fridge magnet from GloMo advertising the county's 2-1-1 call service.
- A glossy photo of Kevin de Leon with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
- A watercolor portrait of Steve Westly.
- A mailer featuring JFK sailing on a boat (The democrats really need to get a new icon. That one has been dead longer than most of the voters in my district have been alive.)

2006-06-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

BusMonth Diary: Day 5

I had a longer column explaining my June bus experiment in the actual paper on Sunday. But here are my observations from the last few days.

Friday, June 2: Here's another thing I learned. You meet people on public transportation, whether you want to or not! On Friday a young shaved man riding the Red Line from NoHo to Ho proper struck up a brief conversation with me. At first I thought he was hitting on me when he asked, "Are you Italian?" Then I realized that he was pushing his art when he gave me a post card explaining his personal story and art. Still, it was nice to have an actual conversation, and his art is nice to look at. You can check it out here.

Sat. and Sun, June 3-4: I spent the two days holed up inside with the A/C cranking, reading or watching TV. This wasn't car withdrawal per se. I had been planning a bus tour of Hollywood on Saturday, but two blocks from home I was blasted into a sweating, woozy blob and turned around and limped home. And then stayed there all weekend. Normally, I would have been driving around, probably from store to store, spending money on stuff for home improvement projects I might get to at some point in the next year. Lunch with friends. Movies. That sort of thing. I saved a lot of money this way, but didn't have much to show for my weekend.

Monday, June 5: Who knew I might one day welcome the return of June gloom. "Gloom is Good" is my new motto. Certainly my perspecitve has changed with the new morning ritual that includes a 1.1 mile walk to catch the bus on the side of the 101 freeway. It's no fun to arrive at work stinky and disheveled. The quick and pleasant morning commutes on LADOT's Commuter Express ( just 35 minutes to Warner Center!) make the daily 2-hour Orange Line/Red Line/MTA bus return journey bearable. But only just.

This morning, as I read my free copy of Hoy, I noted with satisfaction that about a third of the bus riders were also reading a newspaper. But there was not an LA Times, Daily News or NY Times in the lot. Half were reading La Opinion, the other half the freebie tabloid Hoy. I'm starting to think I should concentrate on improving my Spanish grammar if I want to continue to be a print journalist in LA.

Note about LADOT maintenance: This morning, I noticed the copies of Hoy and Daily News that I left Friday morning for other commuters to partake was still stuffed in the same place. I guess the buses don't get the daily cleaning I expected. Good to know.

2006-06-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

BusMonth Diary: Day 1

While the morning ride on the Commuter Express 422 on Thursday was pleasant despite whisting dude, the return commute was like a quick visit to the Third World. Part of it was the weather, and the fact that the rickety old bus (most of the commuter exresses are new with charter bus-like plushness) that seemed to be a MTA reject had no air conditioning. It was 20 mintues late and packed with people. I squeezed passed the other hot, sweaty grumpy workers to the very back where I found a small step to squat upon right in front of the last row. Note to self: No more white clothes.

After about 5 minutes I was drenched with sweat. I could feel it dripping from my kneepit, and cruising down my back. The smell of the engine might have made me sick had I felt the least bit queasy. 1 hour and 10 minute of jerking down the 101 freeway later, I limped off the bus, gurbby, stinky and with numb butt, and sat down to wait for the 200 Alvarado. Normally, I would walk the 1.1 mile home. Not today.

Two hours after I left the office, I was home. I cranked up the a/c and poured a glass of wine and plopped on the couch. I was too tired for anything else. I hope I get better at this.

2006-06-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Month of the Bus

For those of you not in the small Mariel Circle of Confidence, I want to let you know my latest kooky endeavor. I am striving for a car-free month. This means that I will not drive my car all 30 days of June except in the case of a personal health emergency, or that of one of my menagerie.

I've only just begun this morning, so it's hard to say how it will go. But if my frustrating experiences getting a bus pass was any indication, it's going to be a long month. Turns out that many of the places that sell the regular MTA monthly passes, don't seel the pricier EZ Pass, which is good on MTA and LA DOT buses, as well as a bunch of regional bus lines. After futilely driving around to places that sell passes on Wednesday monring, I gave in and went directly to the source -- the MTA HQ downtown -- and bought my pass.

And, I've already discovered there's a bus version of road rage. I felt a twinge of it on this morning's drive thanks to the personal weirdness of another passenger. I won't get into. Suffice to day after this morning's experience, I will be packing my Walkman.

I'll be updating my experiences on this site, assuming I have any meaningful exchanges, observations or ephipanies.

Meanwhile, see you on the Orange Line, baby!

2006-06-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't it ironic?

It took the denouncing of me and my Sunday column about the LAPD blog to make the LAPD blog interesting. Mary Grady fires back here. Good for her! That's what will take the blog beyond just a PR machine.

And re: this "factual error" that folks keep bandying about. I never indicated the source of the Web redesign money in the column, I merely made a crack later on in the column about spending taxpayer money. Yet that's what folks are quibbling about, not the overall sum. The result is that it seems its ok to spend provate donations friviously, even though the people who donated the money (who, I suspect are taxpayers like the rest of us) would want that money used sensibly. Just a guess. Anyhow, despite the abuse heaped on me, I'm glad that this generated some outraged response.

2006-05-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Blogging blues

Who isn't blogging these days? The LAPD is, and I wrote a column about it. Check it out here.

But you might not want to read it, according to one reader not only am I a bad writer, but I'm ugly too!

"Besides being unattractive, you are a poor writer and ignorant. ... You should be pregnant, not writing."

What? I should pass on my stupid and ugly genes?

2006-04-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

Fake News

For last week's column, I wrote about the results of a study on the use of fake new reports used by TV stations across the country, including two in LA. Here's a link to the executive summary of the report by the Center for Media and Democracy.

While the TV industry quietly took its blows after the report, the PR industry struck back.

Check out this excerpt from an open letter to the Center for Media and Democracy sent by Becky Kern and Jay Elliott, principals, WErPR. This excerpt references my column and attributes my words to Price. I hope they do better reporting in their fake news.

"In closing, we can’t help wondering what the CMD is hoping to achieve with this report. Recently Daniel Price, one of the co-authors of the “study,” summed up his concerns in the LA Daily News by remarking “what if a doctor sees a fake news segment and prescribes a drug based on what appears to be a good news story, but really is well disguised advertising?”'This of course is outlandish, unless this same doctor got his credentials watching ER or Grey’s Anatomy. If more FCC regulation is the desired action, it seems incongrueous with an activist organization sponsored by left-leaning, anti-big brother philanthropists; so a check of the charter might be in order. And if it’s fair and objective reporting by the media, perhaps a closer look at the CMD’s own one-sided report is a good place to start. Maybe the CMD is just looking for its fifteen seconds of fame. Whatever the objective, given the times we live in, there are certainly more important, more subversive and more impactful areas of communication and influence worthy of study.

FYI, if you don't think physicians are influenced by news stories they think are real when they are balancing all the other information they get about new drugs -- including the regular visits from drug compnay reps bearing gifts and samples -- think again. They're human liek everyone else, after all, and cannot be blamed for believing that the reports the see in the news are accurate.

2006-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

More hating "readers"

Just got this creepy letter:

Hello Brain Dead, Answer is simple: Enforce the laws. Kick the illegal brown ass, dope smoking, chilli eating pot bellies, greaser heads, back across to their shit filled country: Mexico. You stupid Mex-Indians have soiled Central America and South America. Now, you want to flee your dung infested countries and soil ours. Forget it. It not going to happen. Over half the felons in California Jails are Ilegals from Latino Countries, not Canadians or European. Your such an asshole. Take a look in the mirror . That shit colored face doesn't belong here either.

2006-04-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

From the mail bag

Last week, my column returned to the Sunday Viewpoint section, from whence it came, with an article on the immigration debate. And with it came a tide of mail that continued this week as well with another column about the immigration debate. This time, I've actually managed to convince a few people to quit the paper.

Here's an excerpt of the nasty-grams:
And be sure to publish your home address in the newspaper, too, Ms. Garza, so you can share all you have with everyone. But you won't. As a newspaper writer, you probably live in a reeeeal nice neighborhood, perhaps a gated one. There are no chickens clucking next door to YOU. YOU don't have to listen to Mariachi music blasting until 2:00 a.m. If you have kids, they probably go to private school. The Daily News probably gives you real good health insurance, too. No, YOU won't be the one waiting for hours in an emergency room crowded with illegals. YOUR child will never come home from school saying, "Mommy, I didn't learn anything today because the teacher put all us English-speaking kids in the corner to read quietly while she worked with the Spanish language kids all day." Neither will your child come home crying because some illegal classmate told him or her to "go back to Africa" or "go back to Europe"...right before beating the leaving daylights out of him/her.

You know what, Ms. Garza? I've never said anything this harsh to anyone in my life, but screw you. SCREW YOU and your pious preaching! You can go to hell.

For the record, after I responded to this writer thanking her for the note, she apologized for the nastiness.

2006-02-01T16:45:00.001-08:00

Me on TV

For those of you Westsiders with Comcast cable, look for me on a quickie local segment by comcast to be aired on CNN's Headline News later this month. In the short segments, which will air several times, but I don't know when, I talk with host brad Pomerance about state and local issues.

2006-02-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

BlackBerry madness!

I have no symphathy for people worried about losing their BlackBerrys over a patent fight. We all know the technology isn't going away, so it's ridiculous. Besides, I shudder to imagine a world of people charging down the 101 in their Lincoln Navigators while checking their e-mails on a BlackBerry. Here's a link to a column about it.

2006-01-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

I'm back, but not from outer space

I kicked off the year by poring through the 79-page analysis of the legislative "accomplishments" of state lawmakers. Then, I made fun of them. Read it here.

2005-11-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

Stud farms

I don't think enough women will want to pay for sex to make Heidi Fleiss' latest endeavor, a female Bordello in Las Vegas. I mean, we can generally get it for free almost any time. read about it in this week's column.

A mention of Playgirl magazine in the column prompted a note from Megan Hussey, the Possemeister of the Playgirl Posse, a fan group that's 90 percent women. She invited me to join.

2005-11-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Bonaza

It might be a short work week, but there are two Mariel columns to enjoy this week. The first is an observation of the first real-life trial of the teleconferencing of the Los Angeles City Council. Find it here.

And sometime after midnight tonight, you can find my Thanksgiving day column about all the bird flu hype during turkey day. It's on the nifty, mariel garza page.

Enjoy!

2005-11-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Hey NYC, F** You!

Since everyone else in the world was writing about the California special election this week, I decided to use the opportunity to take a whack at the NYC-LA rivalry in the form of the NYC mayoral race.

I wanted (Fernando) Ferrer to tank because I'm fed up with the Big
Fancy Apple always trying to keep the City of Angels down. Yeah, don't
think we don't know about all those fruits-and-nuts jokes.
If Ferrer wins, NYC will steal L.A.'s well-deserved, and long-overdue,
thunder.

2005-11-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

Orange Line mania

At the Daily News, we're all exicted about the opening of the new Orange Line busway, despite the accident today.

I rode it Monday morning by catching the 302 bus and then the Red Line to NoHo. Here's my account. Also, my very funny co-worker Mike Tetreault, the DN's letters editor, wrote about his own experience. Check it out here.

2005-10-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

A ride on the Orange Line

The east-west busway opens for service on Oct. 29. I took a test ride on it Tuesday, and was underwhelmed. Here's the column.

2005-09-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Reggie, Measure Y and Disaster Survival Tips

I've been busy. Check out my new columns on my Daily News page. Also, check out the new design of the Daily News web site. It looks MUCH better.

I have a bonus column next week in the Daily News special section on gas prices and motoring trends. It's set to run on Monday.

2005-09-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Charity Begins at the Bar

I'm sure many of the five people who read this blog (Hi Mom!) have been asking yourself how you can help Mariel help the victims Hurricane Katrina. Here's your answer: Come to the SPJ monthly mixer at the Hotel Figueroa next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Fox News reporter, and my co-host in crime Claudia will be telling some of her first-hand accounts of her fearless reporting only 20 MILES! From New Orleans over the past week. We haven't figured out yet the gimick for collecting money for Katrina, as we just came up with the idea today after our regularly scheduled guest, Sen. Gloria Romero, ditched us. But we will. And it just might involve bald Hungarian dwarves stripping to the Oldies.

So join us for some unscripted, unedited and completely smug-o-rific fun!

2005-09-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Back in business

After about a month of vacations and crises of one variety or another, I'm back in the regular column business. Here's this week's, on the rise of the "decline to state" voter ranks in California.

2005-08-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

News in the News

Sorry, positng late today becase I am still reeling from the news that has rocked my world _ that the owner of the Daily News, MediaNews Group, bought the Detroit News and our editor David Butler was hired to run the new paper.

We'll be getting a new editor, but meanwhile ME Ron Kaye is running things.

Maybe it was wise that I considered a career in dock working in this week's column.

2005-07-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

Compulsive Sudoku Syndrome

That's what the Brits call the disorder that I apparently have. I chronicle it in this week's column. Read it here.

2005-07-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

Column on HACLA reversal

Is here

2005-06-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Score one for the good guys !

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles reinstated Karla Gomez to the Section 8 program after last week's column prompted many readers to call the HACLA themselves and note their outrage. The power of the people prevails!

2005-06-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

Mayor Yawn's farewell, as imagined by Mariel

The mayor's final presentation before the Los Angeles was they typical uneventful lovefest. So, I made up something much more fun for this week's column. Read it here

2005-06-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

People are good

Sometimes I forget that's mostly true. My faith in people has been restored in the past two days. Many readers of Wednesday's column took it upon themselves to call or write housing authority officials, the HUD office, U.S. Attorney's office, congress men and our two U.S. Senators to register their outrage over the treatment of Karla Gomez. All for someone they never met.

Here's part of what a reader name Ken wrote to me:
I called the Housing Authority this afternoon and the only one who seemed to be available was your friend Hugo Garcia. I told him how outrageous I thought that their actions were. His response was that they are "looking at it." I told him that was not good enough and asked him pointedly what his agency is doing to put these people back where they belong. He was quite evasive, but ultimately said that it was not up to him, but up to people higher than him. When I asked who had to authority to fix this, he would not name anyone specific. Finally, I asked for Rudolph Montel, who is apparently the Director, but was told that he was not in.Someone really needs to get on these people. Their indifference at how they disrupt people's lives is mind boggling. As one who worked for a governmental agency for almost 28 years I have seen a lot of this, but this one is more egregious, as well as more disruptive, than most. I finally told him that I was going to call the Attorney General.

Another reader in Mid-Wilshire area, Geneva Johnson called to tell me that she was a Section 8 landlord and had dealt with the same Housing Authority caseworker, Araceli Meza. Geneva found her to be rude, flippant and prone to mistakes. "You can quote me,'' she said. I am.

2005-06-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Evicted!

I got somewhat outraged for this week's column. A single mom in the HUD housing program got dumped from section 8. Not because she was a crack dealer, but because she misunderstood the confusing rules of the government agency during a emergency relocation after her place was damaged by this winter's rains. Either that, or was mislead by her caseworker. After the stories I've heard about the Housing Authority of Los Angeles, I wouldn't disbelieve that. Now, she's about to be out on the street with her young son. Your taxpayer dollars at work.

2005-06-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

A shock in Indianapolis

It was hot and muggy and then it rained. That's the Midwest for you. I spent a long weeekend getting indoctrinated into the ways of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ good! Must recruit.) at the University Place Hotel in Indianapolis. Two things that are universal about journalists: they can talk about the biz until people's ears bleed and they love to eat. To the credit of SPJ, they fed us copious amounts of delicious food and provided ample opportunity for chatting about the biz.

Before the start of the conference, and operating on virtually no sleep, I took a tour of downtown Indy. It was charming, if disturbingly empty. I particularly liked the canals between downtown and the UIPIU, which is the university my hotel's name makes reference to.

My visit to the state house was the subject of this week's column.

2005-06-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

No column for you!

Sorry, I'm half on vacation this week, half working like a maniac to be able to take time off for dual trips to Monterrey for wedding last weekend and Indiananpolis, city of my birth, tomorrow.

It's true. I am a hoosier.

Many are surprised to find out I wasn't born in a small Oaxacan (can you say WA-HOCK-AN?) village and then crawled through a rat-infested sewer pipe in order to steal the good jobs from legal residents, such as cleaning the McMansions of rich Beverly Hills socialites for $3 an hour or swabbing out the mensroom at Hooters for five bucks a day. Indeed was born right here in the good ole' Midwest, the child of one legal resident and one actual citizen. So, telling me to go back to Mexico --as so many of my loving readers do with enthusiasm and regularity -- makes about as much sense as telling me to go back to Spain in the 15th century. I just can't do it!

Now I am going to visit this home I haven't seen since I was just a toddler, courtesy of an all-expenses paid trip to the Ted Scripps Leadership Institute for Naughty Reporters (or something like that) where I will be punished with three days of workshops, rubber chicken dinners and some odd midwestern ritual called "duck bowling." Run Donald, run!

I am also going to be checking out the city, which is lauded for its urban renewal in the 1990s. I'm going to write about it next week, I think, unless the duck bowling turns dangerous and someone puts out an eye.

2005-06-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

The Mariel mailbox

The best part of my job (and sometimes the worst) is the reader mail I get. Here's a letter from one reader in the same boat as so many of us Gen X 30 types who want to do the grownup thing but can't afford it.

From Angelica and LA:
"We are leaving to NC in the near future also. Housing is out of our reach. Two decent regular type jobs with just about 83K before taxes (basically half that) with two car payments and rent in LA… forget about it. It will never become reality for us."

And a lament from Dan in Brooklyn:

"My wife and I make about 90,000 per year combined. I have two kids , one goes to college and we pay full tuitions, the other one is in the 8th grade. We can not afford anything around here and when I hear the politicians claiming that "more and more people
are buying houses" I go to the toilet and flush it! Where the hell are these people? My job is in New York and I want to stay here.

2005-06-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Jean; hello home equity!

I hate that my good friend Jean is leaving LA because of housing prices. But I don't hate this crazy market. How could I? It's making this former poor kid rich! Or rich-ish. In this week's column, I exploit my friend's story. Read it here.

2005-05-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

Downsizing at City Hall

Or at least that's what it feels like to the 125 or so people who are going to be out of work in a month. Here's a column about it.

2005-05-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

One person, one vote, free beer

Here's this week's column in full. Remember, you read it in the Los Angeles Daily News first, right?

Confound the cocksure politicians and cast your vote

Experts are predicting extremely low turnout in Tuesday's Los Angeles mayoral runoff -- only about 30 percent of registered voters. Many people say the two candidates, incumbent James Hahn and challenger Antonio Villaraigosa, have just not made a compelling case for themselves.
I say, so what?
There are plenty of good reasons to vote Tuesday that have nothing to do with victory for one person or political party. Here's my list of the top 10:
No. 10: Chicks dig the oval "I voted" sticker.
Plus, they will think you're smart. In this age when homely but clever men like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett own the world, that can't hurt your chances.
No. 9: You're more likely to get picked for jury duty if you vote.
At least that's the rumor. Jurors are identified through voter registration records. Getting that jury duty notice is like a "get out of work free" card. You get to spend the day goofing off in the jury room, reading magazines, watching the soaps and Oprah, taking a two-hour lunch, and leaving at 4:30 p.m. It's almost like having a civil service job.
No. 8: It's a good excuse to come in late.
Some people take five minutes to cast their ballot; others must labor over it for an hour or more. How's your boss going to know that you were done in five minutes, stopped by Starbucks for a grande latte and got a quick pedicure before you strolled into the office? Armed with your little sticker, you are untouchable.
No. 7: Free beer and other goodies.
Check with your local watering hole because some bars have two-for-one beer night for people with ballot stubs, knowing that so few people in Los Angeles actually cast a ballot that they're not likely to lose money. Ditto with some eateries. My favorite lunch place in Woodland Hills offers free dessert to those who take their civic duty seriously. (Helpful hint: You can also find spare ballot stubs by combing through gutters and trash cans outside polling stations.)
No. 6: You can make a difference and help your community become a better place.
Ha-ha. Just kidding! Did I mention the free beer?
No. 5: So you can say with conviction, "Well, I didn't vote for him," whenever the mayor does something boneheaded.
Now one will know whether you did or not. Remember, in America, voting is anonymous!
No. 4: It entitles you to a full day of unmolested smugness.
This is the day to work your self-righteousness for deferral and concessions from friends, enemies and family members. "No, I didn't take out the trash. I was busy voting. Where were you?" Win any argument with nonvoters by using this debate-stopping line: "Yes that's true, but why do you hate freedom so much?"
No. 3: Vote with an actual ballot before they go the way of the dinosaurs.
Someday soon, computerized balloting will replace our quaint but reassuring ballot-marking system, reducing the experience to something akin to visiting the ATM. Enjoy the last few days of a brick-and-mortar polling place in which you run into neighbors you would never otherwise see.
No. 2: Because this is not a dictatorship -- yet.
But as Hollywood shows us over and over, that could change in a second. All it takes is aliens landing on Earth, a large natural disaster, an epidemic or just one evil person in charge of voting-machine software.
And the No. 1 reason to vote on Tuesday: It really freaks out politicians when lots of people vote.
Modern political campaigns depend on most average folks staying home, so they target their messages, their pitches and their advertising campaigns to the few targeted groups that will be motivated to vote -- cranky retirees, union members, contractors and developers who have business with the city and people with absolutely no social life.
Go ahead and confound the political experts by showing up in droves. It'll be fun.

2005-05-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Like a silver bullet

Ever since I bought a Toyota Prius in March, I've wanted to write about it. This week, I did. Here it is. I feel a bit like a guinea pig in a great social experiment. I hope what Peter Blackstock said in the column is true, that hybrids are not fads. I imagine that's what those people who bought Yugos back in the day thought.

Take a look at the car here.

2005-04-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

Freeway junk

It's not the biggest problem in the world, but unsecured things falling off trucks happens way more often in LA than it ought to. Read about it here.

2005-04-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Keep Venice funky

For this week's column I visited Venice Beach over the weekend to see how folks are dealing wiht the new city lottery. Many aren't happy, and there are lots and lots of empty spaces on the boardwalk. Read about it here.

2005-03-02T16:06:00.000-08:00

Lucky lament

My doggie's been sick for a couple weeks. Vets haven't pinned it down, but have managed to separate me from huge sums of cash. I wrote a sad column about it. Lots of nice strangers sent me in stories of their own pet tragedies.

Here's an excerpt of one of the sweetest stories:

My dog Scooter was diagnosed with Cancer in 7/03 and we were told he had 8 months to live. I was devastated. However, it is now ONE YEAR past his "expiration date" and he is still with us. He is a little demented and odd, but still hanging in there.

Nothing like a good doggie story. Anyhow, the good news is that not a few hours later, I got the dreaded biospy results that I was sure would spell Lucky's doom. Turns out it's not cancerous. It's very good news. But Lucky's going to be bummed that the special guilt diet of chicken and cheese is going to end.

2005-02-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

Hanging with the would-be mayors

I sat down with Mayor James Hahn and the four major challengers over the past three weeks to get to the people behind all the rhetoric. The resulting five columns run all week, alphabetically, with the first one on Alarcon running today.

Tuesday: Hahn
Wednesday: Bob Hertzberg
Thursday: Bernard Parks
Friday: Antonio Villaraigosa

2005-01-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Back in bizniz

My column on the oddities of the Robert Blake trial premeired Wednesday in the Daily News' metro section, page 3. Check it out here. You can't see it online, but I am quite happy with the new photo that replaced the Mean Mariel pic.

However, I am instantly going on hiatus for a few weeks while I work on a package of Super Secret columns on the mayor's race. Then, I will stick to the once a week thingy _ unless I go on another Super Secret Assignment.

2005-01-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Starting mid January, my column resumes, but will be found on the Metro sections Wednesday, Page 3. I did do a trial run for the Sunday, Dec. 26 paper to help out with filling the holiday papers. You can read it here. It's the inspiring story of an immigrant who's the first in her family to go to college _ the usual touching holiday story.

Stay tuned. There's more to come.

2004-12-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

Waxing trashy

The city's trash bin reclamation program had me miffed this week. You can read about it here.
The above referenced column is somewhat historic. It has the distinction of being the last time my column ir run on the Sunday Viewpoint section. Starting in mid January, my column will appear on Page 3 of the metro section on Wednesdays. However, I will have a special holday column sometime over this long weekend that I did to help fill space.

Until then...

2004-12-13T15:38:00.000-08:00

Fans and foes

I was humbled and deeply touched by the mostly supportive response I got for Sunday's column on the startling amoung of racially-tinged hate mail I get each week. It somehow made the months of abuse worth it in a way. It also moved many people to share their own personal stories of discrimination.

2004-12-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrr. It's cold in here

Sometimes I rant about big things. Sometimes it's the small things. This week the over-air-conditioning of Southern California has me steamed.

I didn't get into it in the the column, but I do suspect there might be some correlation between the interior temps creeping up and the fattening of America, as one reader suggests:
On some occasions when I have tried to discuss this problem with other females, I have been looked upon as a hopeless popsicle. Generally the women who put me in that classoutweigh me by half, which leaves me with no recourse. To point out the obvious wouldhurt their feelings, and, in some cases, lose friendship for me.

Another, regular reader and creepy leatter writer, Larry Prentke, writes me a note that has nothing to do with what I wrote and everything to do with how much he hates me. Or the idea of me, since he doesn't know me personally.
(Addressed to his term of endearment for me: Affirmative Action Idiot: You expose your inner self through you're written words. You are an anti American, anti male, angry feminist fool.

Larry, Larry - you hate me so much, why do you keep reading my columns?

2004-11-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

La cruda presidential

Can I get out from under the covers yet? You know things are getting back to normal when the most popular e-mail spam is a photo of the Vice President's pants. It's so nice we can all get along and giggle over the size of famous people's thingies. The healing has begun!

That's why I wrote about local politics for this week's column. I'm over the prez election. Don't bother me for another three years.

Also, today I was on an Internet radio show called Mario's Verdad on VoiceAmerica.com. Not to be confused with Voice of America. I'm not sure anyone was listening, but it was fun. Looks like there are some archived voice files, so this one might make it on the site before too long.

2004-11-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

See! They want us gone

The red staters want to let California out of this nation-state of wedded antipathy. Read why in the expulsion manifesto here at this conservative web site.

Juicy excerpt: That is why the unthinkable must become thinkable. If the so-called "Red States" (those that voted for George W. Bush) cannot be respected or at least tolerated by the "Blue States" (those that voted for Al Gore and John Kerry), then the most disparate of them must live apart--not by secession of the former (a majority), but by expulsion of the latter. Here is how to do it.

Click the link for his primer on a DIY secession.

This is so crazy it just might work.

2004-11-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

Even more secession talk...

Patt Morrison writes about it as well on the Times' op-ed page today. (She taked to Erwin too. Perhaps complaints that reporters rely too heavily on a few sources has a bit of validity).

Hope her e-mail isn't as nasty as mine has been. I have counted five flat out race-based insults that don't even engage the ideas. Here's my favorite:
"You affirmative action idiot....your only option is to go back to Mexico."

But, but... I'm not from Mexico!

Also, check out this site where someone is circulating a petition to withdraw from the union.

2004-11-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

Caliwashegon

The secession idea in this week's Daily News column engaged and enraged readers across the country. I guess it was picked up in several "red" states. And many of those readers apparently would be glad to see me personally, at the very least, secede from the country. Several helpfully suggested that I could move to Canada or France.

Here's my favorite reader mail excerpt: "Dear Mariel, time to sober up and start taking your medication before the men in white coats show up to take you away."

Heck, if I did that, I'd never be able to write. Sheesh.

But quite a few also liked the idea, though it seems like Oregon and Washington would not be that welcomed by the new republic of California. I'll bet we could get Hawaii, though.

2004-10-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

Don't Mess With the Founding Fathers

Because they've got one hell of an angry constituency ready to pounce on anyone who dares question the relevance of their every utterances in the 21st century. I found this out when I penned a column suggesting the electoral college is a relic and that we in California ought to consider doling out the votes proportionally, the way Colorado is considering. Read all about it here.

And because I have elections on the brain (who doesn't), here's another column about how polling is becoming a relic as well, due to all the up and coming youngsters who don't see the reason for a land-line (as in home phone v. cell phone). Here that is. Humorous aside: On Friday night, after I wrote the column, I dreamed that Kerry won the election. I was pissed off because the east coast folks called it at p.m. pst and I hadn't voted yet!

2004-09-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Bush-Kerry: Quien es mas macho?

You tell me, and why. mariel.garza@dailynews.com

2004-09-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

He's baaaaaaack....

My no. 1 anti-fan has returned. I hadn't heard from ole' Rich in so long, I thought he might have choked to death on his own bile or something. But he's back and in top form. He sent me a note today suggesting I get a job at the Tijuana Tribune. What a jokester!

P.S. no column this coming Sunday. Too damn busy with other things. I'll return the following week.

2004-09-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Readers say the darndest things!

"The enemy doesn't wear turbans...they wear serapes.''

This was a gem of wisdom from one of my faithful, regular readers who regularly scour my columns looking for me to show just a little trace of my Mexicaness, so they have a chance to denounce me as one of "them." Since I wrote about the driver's license issue last Sunday, I was flooded with e-mail from readers who took the opportunity to share some of their thoughts with me, such as the one above.

Yay.

You can read the column by clicking here.

2004-08-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

Soft money

527 committees are the non-profits that have taken the place of PACs for collected unregulated amouts of cash to do political things. Like MoveOn.Org and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Read about them here:
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29627~2350275,00.html

P.S. Blogger's new interface sucks! They seemed to have forgotten to put the formatting keys into the new look. So I can't bold or link or anything fun. Boo.

2004-07-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

No new column this week

I am saving my strength for the daily freeway grind. It wipes me out. Too tired for any opinining of my own. However, it's a good time to review some of the classic oldies from back in May here.

Meanwhile, I've been embarking on a little freeway destressification of late that includes some rather drastic action. I have been _ you better sit down for this _ been taking the bus some days. If you're interested in how this little bus taking experiement is going, I suggest you stay tuned for Sunday's column, where all will be revealed.

Next week, I am going to the Unity conference in DC and am taking the whole week off. I will not have a column that following week. So don't think I'm slacking.

2004-07-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

Oh crap.

Blogger changed its interface and I can't find all the tools for bolding, and linking, and italicizing, and other stuff. So, to see that last column, go to the Daily News site (www.dailynews.com) and scroll all the way to very bottom to find my place of (dis)honor. That link will take you to many of the recent columns.

On an unrelated note and to reassure those of you worried about my health: I do not have back cancer after all. It turns out that in addition to a severely strained muscle, I have also developed a bad case of hypocondriacism. There is no cure.

2004-07-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Eyesore alert

Heaven knows LA hasn't been known for it's architectural sense. That's why I truly believe the city needs a Deputy Mayor of Beauty (props go to Dave Z. of Copley News for coining the phrase, although his version was Deputy Mayor of Ugly). Read all about it CLICK RIGHT HERE.

One reader suggest that I forget the Staples complex and focus on something that a bigger eyesore across the city -- above ground utility poles.

DW writes: "If you're ever appointed to be LA's Commissioner of
Eye Out for Eyesores, please deal with something that
affects the WHOLE town (Valley included), not just a
few blocks in downtown Los Angeles. I'm referring to
what the residents of San Diego, based on the clipping
below, apparently have the good sense to deal
with---finally and belatedly---in a savvy, ambitious
manner."

As someone who has one in her backyard (and right outside my bedroom window), I have to agree:

2004-07-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

Summer daze

I blame the heat. Here now find the link to my latest column, on cyber cafes, gang bangers and how the city deal with both. Please note that in the eiting process the word "emoticons" was changed without my knowledge to "emotions," thus making the sentence senseless.

Here's the link.

Couple weeks before, I had a column on how politics are cool again for the Gen X set. (And they called us Slackers!) Check it out here.

Also, stay tuned for my exciting column this Sunday on how ugly buildings get built and why the city need a Deputy Mayor of Beauty and for a post here on my bold experiment of taking public transportation to the Valley.

2004-06-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

Me = very bad

I haven't posted in exactly one month. I thought no one would notice. Oops. So here's what's been happening. Got a dog, he bit my cat. Did it again. Wrote some columns. Won an award. Made my mother happy.

Go tot he Mariel Garza page to read the latest columns. Here's the link.

And, just because I can't help myself, here's text of the DN story about the award. I never win things, so I'm still stunned.

Columnist Garza wins first at press awards

By Daily News

Monday, June 14, 2004 - Mariel Garza of the Daily News was named best columnist in Southern California in the Los Angeles Press Club's 46th annual Journalism Awards competition.

In addition to Garza, Daily News contributor Jill Stewart won for best signed commentary, and Daily News Editorial Page Editor Chris Weinkopf took home second-place honors for his weekly column.

The judge noted that Garza "makes the reader an on-the-scene witness to the moods and mechanisms of L.A. City Hall," and that Stewart's columns "represent everything readers should demand from regular commentators -- biting, ironic, well-reported, logical, factual, amusing where humor is appropriate, and consistent."

Sports writer Billy Witz won honorable mention for a story on the firing of UCLA men's basketball coach Steve Lavin.

Photographer Hans Gutknecht also won an honorable mention for his photo essay on a crew of female prison inmates who work as firefighters.

"The Press Club awards underscore yet again that the Daily News places a high premium on strong commentary pieces and columns that express a wide variety of views," said David J. Butler, editor of the Daily News and executive vice president/news of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group.

"Week in, week out, columns by Garza, Stewart and Weinkopf tackle tough and often sensitive topics and they get readers to think and respond -- exactly what the writers should be doing. Along with their award-winning colleagues, they represent talent that focuses on providing no-holds-barred commentary and coverage of Greater Los Angeles."

The awards were presented Saturday night at a banquet at the St. Regis Hotel in Century City.

The Daily News competed with newspapers with circulations of 100,000 and over, with other first-place awards going to the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune.

Awards also were given to papers with under-100,000 circulation; to weeklies, monthlies and online journalism; and to radio and television news broadcasters. The competition was open to material published during 2003.

2004-05-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

It's reader mail time again

I only have to mention the words "Latino" "Mexican" or "Cesar Chavez" in a column to stir up the intolerance of many readers. I did a lot more than that in Sunday's column on Latinophobia. In response, I was treated with the clogged up e-mail monday morning with nasty notes, including the usual "go back to where you came from" requests. (Where? Indiana? San Diego? My mother's womb?)

Happily, all that venom only proved my point, which is there's a lot of tension out there.

Here's an excerpt from the scariest letter I received. It's from Mike in Manhattan Beach which is, for those not local among you, a very white south county enclave.

(Oh, and you can read the column here)

Latinophobia, in my case: fear that these miscreants will continue to invade the beach cities and I will be forced to see the same liquor store parking lot urination that I see on Sunset Boulevard and in the San Fernando Valley. I fear that the graffiti that these untermenchen disfigure the landscape with will spread to where I live. Actually, it has already. I fear hearing overpowered sound systems in vehicles driving down our streets polluting the surroundings with noise. I fear the litter that these subhuman scum will so overload our beaches that it will break the budgets of the cities cleaning it up. They have no concept of what a trash can is for. I don't think they have any concept of what a rest room is for, either. They think that disposable diapers are to be thrown out windows or onto the sand on the beach, as if they will disappear. That material does disappear, but at a cost to taxpayers. I fear the closing of more emergency rooms due to overload and I also fear having to use an emergency room for an actual emergency because ERs are the primary health care provider of latinos. I fear going into the cocktail lounge where I have been going for over 20 years and having to (again) watch some salvadoran scum expectorate on the carpet repeatedly. I fear not being able to order a simple hamburger in English because the jobs that should be manned by fresh faced American kids are being done by 18 year old latins with 2 or 4 kids to support. I fear for the stereo in my truck, they almost got it last time. Oh yes, I saw who was trying to do it. I fear for my bicycles because I understand that the border jumpers are told to make the first thing they do when they get here is steal a bicycle (I've lost a number of them). I fear the gang influence and its impact on our country. I fear the growing tax burden that I will have to bear to house these border jumpers in our jails. I also fear the tax burden that is coming because they are outbreeding Americans. The reality is the sows jump the border nine months pregnant and waddle off to the first emergency room they can find and drop a brand new American citizen. Oh you don't think so? Do a little homework, talk to some ER personnel. I fear the clown houses moving further west with their 30 illegal aliens living in a 2 bedroom place. I fear some drunk mexican on a Friday slamming into my vehicle and killing me. This is the reality of immigration, M. Garza. This is reality.
I could rant for a lot more, but I think you may have the idea by now. Or not. "Phobia". Yes, I'm very afraid. And I do not welcome the reconquista idea one bit.

FYI, my Austrian coworker tells me that untermenchen, is a word the Nazis used quite a bit to refer to the jews.

2004-05-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

Pobrecito!

Everyone's picking on Mayor Hahn, so I figured I would too. Check it out here.

Also, I'm always posting nasty reader mail, so I need to balance it from the many, many nice ones. Here's the most recent one:

Thank you, and trust me I'll keep reading your articles. I happen to always look for your little picture first, read your article and get it for my Current Events I have to do for school. Yeah just wanted you to know . Well, thank you again very much. Good luck in everything you write about and remember you will always have a reader looking forward to your little section in what ever is that you will write about. Erika

2004-04-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry so tardy

I'm busy dammit. Too busy pretending I'm a yeti who must heave virtual snowballs at a penguin tossed in the air by a Killer Whale to be updating my blog. I'v got my priorities, you know.

Anyhow, since the last columns posted, I've penned and published two. One about Sheriff Lee Baca (aka King Chuckabubba) on the road selling his sales tax idea and another about plastic bags in the LA River. It's more interesting than it sounds. Both can be accessed on the badly organized Daily News "Mariel Garza" page here.

2004-04-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

Hey, I speak Portugese!

That rascally salsa column is evidentally making its way across the globe. I recently stumbled on this (illegal) translation on a brazilian web site.

Por Mariel Garza Saturday, 07/02/04 - Los Angeles Daily News

Esqueça os seminários de treinamento em diversidade e sensibilização cultural. Tenho a solução definitiva para todos os nossos problemas sociais.

É algo simples, que reúne pessoas de todas as culturas em um local onde são julgados não por como mantêm a rigidez, mas como se soltam. Onde, por algumas horas, as divisões raciais, as rígidas regras de interação social e o politicamente correto são suspensos.

Isso se chama “salsa” e pode salvar o mundo. ...

Obrigado Brazilia!

2004-04-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

I :-( Spam

Those weird spams with random words and gibberish that are suddenly filling up my e-mail accounts prompted me to track down their origins. Here's the result.

2004-04-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Got racism?

I do. As a white girl, I have rarely encountered overt racism that's reserved for those browner than I. Usually, it's of the variety of "so what kind of name is Garza? Oh, Mexican. Hmmm." But the last few months of writing op-ed pieces for the Daily News, I have been called a dirty Mexican, not to mention a stupid girl, an astonishing amount of times.

Today, a rabid reader named Doug sent me this viscious diatribe about my column on Cesar Chavez Day two Sunday's ago. Here's a link to the column.

And here's a choice excerpt from Doug's rant:

I see your people defecate in our parks, piss behind the walls of our homes near bus stops and I see them deal drugs. I don't want them here and you don't fool me a bit. You smell as much as they do. You're not honest. They don't come here and raise their own standard of living. They dilute our standard of living. Have you ever seen one blade of grass in front of an apartment where live?

Nice stuff, huh? He sure put this dirty Mexican in her place.

2004-03-18T17:16:00.000-08:00

NOTE: Hi to all linkers from Laobersved.com. I'm not used to having anyone but my family and coerced friends read this blog!

A view from the other side

I'm starting to see why people hate us journalists. Just have the displeasure of reading a "interview" with me in a PR industry e-mail newsletter, which sexed up my quotes quite a bit. I allowed the interview against my better judgement. But I did it because I realized I had a double standard since I would have done an interview with CNN. I should have honored my inital feelings. Oh well. It's good to get a feeling for the otherside.

However, all the sentiments are mine.

And, I must say, the headline is funny!

When "Hacks" Attacks "Flacks"
L.A.-Based Columnist Slags Fleishman-Hillard - And Reveals What Really
Drives Such Media Attacks and PR Stereotypes

"As part of my civic duty, I hereby vow never to call anyone at the
public relations firm of Fleishman-Hillard ever again," asserted Los
Angeles Daily News editorial writer and columnist Mariel Garza in a
recent piece entitled "Glitzy Schmooze Campaigns Hard to Stomach." Her
primary gripe seemed to be that the Los Angeles Community College
District [LACCD] forked over $400,000 in fees and "taxpayer money" to
the PR giant for work she didn't think was necessary. In addition, Garza
seemed downright irked that one of the agency's senior execs bills
clients $425 an hour for his services.

"It would cost the district as much as $200 for even a brief interview,"
she complained. "The LACCD spends taxpayer money. I am a taxpayer.
Therefore, in a sense, I would be paying from my own pocket for the
privilege of an interview. I don't get paid enough to do that." Then
came the zinger: "But the flacks at Fleishman-Hillard do."

Surprised to see such a seemingly juvenile jab in a major daily? Don't
be. Countless journalists - newbies and vets alike - still see PR as a
profession packed with shills, gatekeepers and, yes, even "flacks."
"Some of it is deserved," Garza said when Journalists Speak Out
questioned her regarding her use of such a tired phrase. Here's how our
Q&A shaped up - as well how Garza thinks PR pros can avoid having such
pejoratives bandied about so freely by peeved journalists:

JSO: What does the word "flack" mean to reporters?
Garza: "It's a commonly used term for PR representatives," Garza
concedes, shrugging it off. "It's a colloquialism - slang, that's all. I
don't think it's to be taken so seriously."

JSO: What does the word mean to you?
Garza: "I think it means basically the same thing to me as it does to
everybody else," she replies. "It's a 'person who takes flak' from
someone else - you know, a hired gun or shield? At least, that's how I
use it."

JSO: That sounds almost complimentary, but isn't "flack" really a
derogatory term?
Garza: "It can be used that way," she concedes. "But I hear a lot of PR
people using the term themselves. It's like other slang that got picked
up by [the people] it was originally used [against]."

JSO: So your usage of the word in the story wasn't negative?
Garza: "First, my story was a column - not an article. It was an opinion
piece. The point of the story was to focus on the useless expenditures
of public funds - not PR people. I don't really have a lot of experience
with PR people, unless they represent public officials," she clarifies.
"But I do know plenty of journalists who have left my offices here and
gone to work for Fleishman Hillard - and they're making a lot of money,"
Garza says. "If they don't like the word flack, I think they're [being]
paid well enough not to let it bother them."

JSO: What do journalists think of being called "hacks" - isn't it the
same thing?
Garza: "The difference is that the word 'hack' is actually derogatory,"
she believes. "It's not the same. 'Hack' implies that you're a
non-perceptive, bad journalist. It also applies to old-timey journalists
who are sensationalists."

JSO: How can PR people avoid being called "flacks" by journalists?
Garza: "They can't. Again, it's just the slang for PR. You'd have to
revise the American lexicon or make up another word if you didn't want
it used. It's just a term - it doesn't define a particular type of PR
person, good or bad."
Even so, Garza offers these quick tips to help PR practitioners avoid
media usual PR stereotypes:

. Don't be a gatekeeper - the media craves access. "From my point of
view, PR people only get in the way - particularly when it comes to
covering politics," she admits. "Basically, they create another level of
bureaucracy between the people and the information they have a right to
know. PR people seem to exist to manage the media. Maybe there is more
media scrutiny these days, and people don't want to deal with the media
directly. I don't really have a problem with PR people at companies -
they're not as indebted to preserving the public trust. They're selling
something - it's accepted. Still, my advice is to be as open as possible
and to facilitate a flow of information. Stay out of our way and give us
access."

Also: "Don't lie to the press," Garza exhorts. "If you don't know
something - tell us. Don't make it up. That just wastes everybody's time
and contributes to the [stereotype] that PR people are obstacles instead
of resources."

. Patronize or perish - know what motivates reporters. "I don't have an
issue with Fleishman's procedures - not really," she continues. "My
issue is the use of public funds to buy image making when they're
dealing with a public institution. Also, the LACCD has its own PR staff.
Why do they have to go outside for help when the in-house team is
already highly educated and well paid? Simply, it was a questionable
expense. You've got to wonder why you need a bottle of caviar when
you've already got the [basics]."

The lesson is clear: "Many of us [journalists] are motivated by
preserving the public trust - that's what this story was all about,"
Garza says. PR practitioners who fail to grasp what motivates reporters
on their beat lists will not only alienate those targets - but also
invite negative coverage.

. Don't take it personally-leave that to the press. "From a journalist's
perspective, I was surprised by the [itemized] dollar amounts. I don't
feel right knowing that every time I chat with one of the folks there
[at Fleishman], some public agency is likely to get a big fat bill,"
Garza vents, and understandably so. After all, reporters are rarely paid
on par with their PR counterparts.

But even more of an emotional hot button for reporters is being reminded
that their jobs often depend on collusion with PR practitioners. The
closing lines of Garza's column say more about what really drives much
of the media's use of the word "flack" and the age-old disconnect
between PR and the press than we ever could: "One invoice item in
particular helped me solidify my vow not to call the PR firm," she
wrote. "In November, Fleishman-Hillard billed the district $1,295 to
meet with Daily News higher-education reporter Lisa Sodders, as well as
discuss an article idea with Southern Sierran magazine. Ouch!"

2004-03-15T14:50:00.000-08:00

Where's Rich!

No more hate mail from Rich. But plenty of love mail from others. I hope he didn't die, perhaps keeled over during the writing of another letter, his personal toxins overwhelming his tiny little heart. Oh my.

2004-03-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Go Martha!

Here's a link to the latest column, in which I pose the question that's been on everyone's mind: What's next for Martha Stewart?

2004-03-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

I'm Back!

I took a week off of writing. Here's my latest. I call it the Idiot's Guide to the Public Corrpution scandal at Los Angeles City Hall.

2004-02-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

My No. 1 anti-fan strikes again!

The leader of the "I Hate Mariel" club, sent another missive. Here it is:

I'm curious why you run columns written by Mariel Garza this section.
The obvious answer would be you want different view points; but can't
you please up the standards a bit? Recently she wrote a shallow and
moronic opinion that the Salsa dance is the solution to our social
ills. Now she tops that with her sappy, syrupy, and delusional views on
the "Sex and the City" show. I would assume this person may be a young
intern that you're trying to give a break to, except she appears to be
35-40 by her photo. Regardless, her columns seem more appropriate for
the comics section. Letters from your readers are much more intelligent
and inciteful.

Thank you,

Rich Dunchak

I do NOT look 40. The nerve!!!

2004-02-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

2004-02-23T10:49:00.000-08:00

So long to "Sex and the City"

Here's my ode to the series.

Only one reader comment so far: "At least Ozzie and Harriet had a moral objective. Selfishness and egotism are not values.'' It will make sense after your read the column.

2004-02-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

News flash

Oh, also -- for those of you living in the Los Angeles city limits. The Daily News now has home delivery over the hill. Imagine the joy of waking up to the glaring headlines each morning, such as "Valley Lawmakers on Top"! Can't beat that.

2004-02-17T16:28:00.000-08:00

It's a new column!!

Sorry for the tardiness!

Click HERE for the lastest column on "glitzy schmooze campaigns" funded by public dollars to affect public opinion. Just a tad creepy!

Also, for more fun, check out LaObserved.com, and scroll down to Sunday. There is a an item on the column titled "Garza takes a stand." Indeed. For even more fun, click on the comments to see what kind of nit-pickers make up the LA media punditry.

Stay tuned for next Sunday's column on the end of Sex and the City.

2004-02-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

Ohio (hearts) salsa

The Daily News sends stuff out on the NY Times wire. Occasionally my stories, and now columns, are picked up by papers in odd places across the country, like Houston and Gallup, N.M. Apparently the salsa column was picked up by the Cinncinnati Enquirer according to Cincinnati reader Dr. Mitch Shapiro. He wrote me to tell me about a salsa-related workout craze sweeping his hometown called Zumba.

2004-02-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

Salsa saves the world
Here is a link to my lastest column about salsa dancing. In case you don't get it, as the reader who sent me the nasty note below, this is supposed to be light and whimsical.

I get a lot of notes from readers, most are nice and complimentary, sometimes offering tips or making suggestions for other columns. But sometimes I guess I hit a nerve, even though my columns are generally light and meant to inspire chuckles. Those generally verge on the "you're-just-a-stupid-girl" or "you're-just-a-stupid-ethnic-person" rants. Sometimes I even get both!

Here's the most recent one:
"I'm guessing your silly, simplistic article was meant to be humorous,
or else a plug for some of your friends' local bars.

If you were the slightest bit serious then you are incredibly naive,
which doesn't surprise me. You see, first generations born here from
immigrants are just so damn happy to be here they believe any major
problems can be "solved" by getting boozed up and going dancing. Much,
much easier than diversity training and cultural sensitivity seminars!

I'm speaking from experience. I grew up back east and all the Slavs and
Poles used to think the same way about the Polka back there. They'd get
boozed up and dance through the wee hours all weekends. Then it was back
to their non-thinking jobs in the mills and the mines, much like your
people out here in the fields. Your implying that dancing can be more
beneficial than education is truly shallow and ludicous.

Keep your article for your children or grandchildren to read. I think
they'll find it as amusing as I did!

Rich"

Ha! My people in the fields?

2004-02-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

Another column on the super bowl is here.

2004-01-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

My latest column on golden monkeys is here