Echo Park Lake Lotus Die-Off

The famous Lotus plants of Echo Park Lake failed to bloom this year. Instead most of plants have died. LA City officials speculated up to 13 different reasons may have been the reasons for the massive die-off including bad water quality, plant poaching-they are edible, and pest. This Lotus field has been around since the 1920's when Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Angelus Temple across the street from the lake, is said to have planted them from plants she imported from China. There were a few Lotus leaves that pushed their way through the unusually brown murky and foul smelling water this spring, only to quickly brown rot and die. The annual 2008 Lotus Festival held at the lake is two weeks away with no Lotus blooms in sight. The Lotus is a symbol of divine beauty in the Hindu religion and is considered a sacred plant.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Douglas Robert Burrows

Douglas Robert Burrows or "Doug" to most was my best friend. He was with me when I bought my first camera a Nikon FE-2 at Pan Pacific Camera many years ago. We also shot hundreds of assignments together back in the day. He was more than a friend, he was a guide possibly a saint. Doug would give the shirt off his back or his last penny to help someone in need with no hesitation. He was also a wonderful photographer, on his way to becoming a great one. His life was cut short days before his 30th birthday on a downtown LA street in 1993. Doug was a victim of a hit and run collision. A speeding 18 wheeler truck ran a red light crashing in his red Toyota Celica. Doug was knocked unconscious by the impact and soon flames began to engulf his car. The truck's driver, Rogelio Pereira, looked into Doug's car rendering no help at all fled on foot leaving Doug to die in the flames. Pereira would soon flee to Mexico and hide there as a fugitive for 14 years. The very hard work of Doug's family, the LAPD, US Marshals Office, and the Mexican Police finally brought Pereira to justice. Pereira was caught by Mexican Police and expelled as an "undesirable person" because he was a US citizen and had no legal standing in Mexico. Pereira stood trial this month for the 1993 collision and pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter before jury selection was complete. His murder plea was dismissed because he pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter according to Deputy District Attorney Catherine Chon. LA Superior Court Judge Drew Edwards sentenced Pereira to 11 years and 8 months in State prison. Pereira who was a fugitive for 14 years, and was previously wanted for drug charges in Arizona, will serve less time than he was in hiding. I remember Doug for not being a vindictive person or harboring any hate at all, but I am and do. The light sentence that Periera received is a huge slap in the face to his family, law enforcement, justice, and to me. I wonder if the same sentence would be rendered if the victim was a LA Superior Court Judge, or a Deputy District Attorney, or a member of law enforcement. Maybe Doug's final legacy to me is to forgive. It will be a long road and huge challenge to get there, but in memory of Doug I will try.

Photos by Jonathan Alcorn c 2008

LA Mayor Villaraigosa Kicks Off Summer Long Anti-Gang Reduction Effort At LA City Parks

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa kicked off the summer long anti-gang reduction effort at LA city parks today called "Summer Night Lights." Several LA city parks will stay open later, some as late as midnite, offering education, artistic, and sports activities to local at risk youths as an alternative to gangs. USC Football Coach Pete Carroll, KCBS Sports Anchor, and 3 LA City Councilmen helped launch the program at Glassell Park. The Mayor even threw some nice spirals into the crowd impressing Coach Carroll.

Photo By Ted Soqui c 2008

Make Up and Alcohol

Just got an email about presidential hopeful John McCain dissing his wife in public in response to her playful remark about his thinning hair in 1992 saying 'At least I don't plaster on make up like a trollop, you cunt!' Yikes! Cindy McCain is the Chairman of a huge beer distribution concern, the largest in the US. If elected, John McCain's wife would be the first Chairman of a company to sit in the White House. Her company, Hensley & Company, has fought tooth and nail against the non-profit MADD on issues like posting the alcohol content of the beverages Hensley distributes.Hensley also distributes highly sweetened caffeinated alcoholic beverages, also referred to as liquid crack for it's cheap prices and high alcohol content that mask the effects of one's intoxication. This last Saturday in the Highland Park/Eagle Rock area a Longs Drugs opened up on the corner of Eagle Rock Blvd. and York Ave. The Grand opening featured a huge spinning wheel in which people with a receipt from Longs could win an item on the table located next to the wheel. Most of the prizes were junk, in which the store looks to be peddleing. The prizes were stuff that probably fell on the floor and marked for the bin. The pharmacy, now the 6th major one in the area (how many do we need?), looked understocked unlike the alcohol sales area which took up over twice the area of the pharmacy. Hensley beverages were featured on sale along with other liquid crack. Not one bottle of Opus One in the place. This big-box-pharma is just another defacto liquor store that is plaguing the Highland Park/Eagle Rock area. On every major corner of the Highland Park/Eagle Rock district there is a monsterous big-box pharma store. These homogeneous cookie cutter box stores are the first thing one sees when entering the once beautiful Highland Park/Eagle Rock district. The district is now fully awash in Hensley products thanks to the lack of leadership in the 14th. Come to think of it, maybe Cindy is wearing too much make-up.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Daaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmn!

Heard everything cost more in Beverly Hills. Latest consumer gas prices at a Union 76 gasoline station on Olympic Blvd. at Beverwil. Light, sweet crude oil rose $2.30 to $136.31 on the New York Mercantile Exchange today.

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

Gay Weddings in LA, Day One

Crowds of people lined up all over Los Angeles to get married today. LA City Council President Eric Garcetti presided at a wedding of two of his former staffers on the LA City Hall south steps. He even played a couple of tunes on the piano. West Hollywood held weddings in the park with the Mayor John J. Duran performing several weddings. Good luck to all of them.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Congratulations Robin And Diane 6-16-08

 A landmark day at the Beverly Hills Courthouse. Diane Olsen and Robin Tyler became the first same sex couple to wed in California. The California Supreme Court overturned the marriage ban which Olsen and Tyler were plaintiffs in. The couple wed in a Jewish style ceremony on the courthouse steps at 5:01 pm when the overturned ban took affect. It was a mostly ruckus affair complete with rabid members of the media, religious zealots, and members of the family. 

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

"Kiss My Gass" Protest

The activist group "Kiss My Gass" held a rolling protest at a Mobil Gasoline station located at Santa Monica Blvd. and Vine. They urged drivers not to buy gas from ExxonMobil/Esso gasoline stations. They also urged members of congress to drive hybrid cars "first" and to "take the bus" as well, then they would follow. Gas prices in Los Angeles are approaching the 5 and 9/10th dollar mark.

Signs Of Our Times 6-10-08

Record high gas prices on the corner of Beverly Blvd. and La Cienega Blvd. Gang tagging on the corner of York Ave. and Aldama St. one week after the murder of Cynthia Perez. These are the signs our times.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Hillary Ends Campaign

Senator Hillary Clinton ended her historic 17 month presidential campaign today in Washington, DC. She ran a hard fought campaign with real issues like ending the war in Iraq, ending the mortgage crisis, and health care for all. She also continued the fight for equal rights for everyone. Mrs. Clinton's campaign of integrity and solid issues allowed her to finished strong in the last months of the race showing that her messages were finally resonating with America. 

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Nicholas Indicted

Former Broadcom CEO Henry T. Nicholas III was indicted today on 25 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy to distribute and possess drugs by the US Government. Nicholas is accused of spiking some of co-workers drinks with Ecstasy, MDMA, and also hired prostitutes for himself and other Broadcom customers and associates. He had a taste for the highlife which included buying private jets and expensive sports cars. The indictment also states that Nicholas and others smoked "extensive amounts of marijuana during a flight on a private plane between OC and Las Vegas, causing marijuana smoke to enter the cockpit and requiring the pilot to put on an oxygen mask." He was also a work out freak and would often stay up for days on end working out and partying. Bail was set at 3.4 million dollars because Nicholas is considered a major flight risk. The 48 year old is estimated to be worth 1.5 Billion dollars. His company, Broadcom, is one of the world's top chip makers for use in cell phones and wireless internet devices. 

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

The Moment, The Man.

Senator Barack Obama made history tonight claiming 2154 delegates making him the winner of the Democratic presidential race. Senator Obama will next face off against his next opponent Senator John McCain.

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

Universal Studios Fire

A massive fire burned the back lot of the world famous Universal Studios. Several building and historic movie sets burned to the ground including the "Back to the Future" clock tower, "New York Street", and the set from "King Kong." A video library also burned and poured toxic black smoke into the sky for several hours. Over 400 firefighters fought the heavy smoke and flames for most of the day. The black smoke could be seen for miles. Universal City Walk and Universal Studio Tours closed for the day due to the fire. Cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Also, thanks to Jonathan Alcorn for waking me up and alerting me to the incident.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Ferris Rules!

The Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier was finally opened last night. The new Ferris wheel replaces the last one which was auctioned off on eBay for $132, 400 USD. This new and improved version features over 160, 000 lights and is solar powered. It is 130 feet tall at it's highest point , has 20 gondolas which hold 6 adults, and cost $1.5 million USD. Rides were free to the public along with popcorn and cotton candy for all. Overall it was an amazing night and everyone who exited the wheel had a smile. A rare night in LA (Santa Monica).

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

Another Senseless Shooting In The HLP

A 14 year old girl sitting in her families car was struck in the head by a stray bullet when two gang members got into an argument near a Rite Aid parking lot at York Blvd. at Ave 64 in Highland Park. One gangster produced a gun and shot the other twice in the arms, one bullet strayed and hit the girl. She was pronounced brain dead and will probably not make it according to LAPD authorities (she has now died). Several people in the area were arrested. The area where the shooting occurred has a red hot gang problem. Gang graffiti goes up faster than it is taken down and LAPD are overwhelmed by the gang plague. The local city councilman, Jose Huizar 14 District, is oblivious to the gang plague and has done nothing effective to slow the tide. Sadly there is another big box-pharma store opening on the corner of York Blvd. at Eagle Rock Blvd. There are now four within 6 miles of each other, the third is at Figueroa St. at Colorado Blvd, and the fourth is at Colorado Blvd at Eagle Rock Blvd. I went into the Rite Aid at York Blvd. and Ave 64. The biggest selling item was 12 packs of cheap beer. Theses big-box-pharmas are just gloried liquor stores. The city councilman should produce legislation, too late now, that would limit the amount of these big-box-pharmas and not allow them to flood the Highland Park area with cheap hooch. They homogenize a wonderful historic neighborhood .

Memorial Day 2008

In memory of Staff Sergeant David Soqui Urias.

Keeper Of The Flame, Cornell Capa 1918-2008

Founder of the ICP, international Center For Photography, and legacy keeper of his brother's photography, Robert Capa, died last Friday at his NYC home. His dedication to photojournalism was rarely matched by anyone. Cornell's was often conflicted by "concerned photography", a term he coined that referred to his personal and emotional engagement he often had for his subject. The end results gave Cornell a glimpse into his subjects that was seldom found by others. 

Photo by Cornell Capa /ICP Photography Collection 1960

David Cook American Idol 2008

What a night at the Nokia Theater. No one in the building thought David Cook would really win over wunderkind Archuleta. Even the normally quiet press room broke into a loud roar of "OH MY GODS", screams, and applause, bringing the old rule of no cheering in the press box to an end. David Cook finally made it down to the press photo room after the show and was congratulated by many elated photographers. One photog told Cook she voted for him 30 times last night. The gracious Cook looked a bit tired from his wild journey but posed for every photog and seemed to enjoy his time in the spot light.

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

More American Idol Hawaiian Style

Was just in Kona, Hawaii and spotted this message on a lava field. Personally, I don't think Clay Aiken sucks. Guess the Hawaiians feel different and strongly enough to put it on a lava field for all to see. Clay Aiken, born Clay Holmes Grissom, was runner up in the 2003 American Idol season 2 singing competition. Wonder if he gets out to Hawaii much?

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

Battle Of The Davids

2008 American Idol finalist David Archuleta and David Cook battled it out with song tonight at the Nokia Theater located in Downtown LA. Archuleta performed flawlessly and outshined Cook with every song. The winner will be announced tomorrow at the Nokia in a 2 hour show. Who did you vote for?

Photos By Ted Soqui c 2008

Uncle Teddy

It was reported today that legendary lawmaker Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor. He is expected to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Survival rates for this type of cancer are sadly dismal, and the treatments are often debilitating. My prayers and well wishes go out to Senator Kennedy and his family. I was also named after the Senator. Ted.

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2008

Bellisima!

Over 100 of the world's most beautiful driving machines were on display in Old Town Pasadena last Sunday. Ferrari owners from the Ferrari Club of America southwest region, showed off their vintage and contemporary bella Ferraris to the public on Colorado Blvd. The total value of Ferrari on display was listed as $100,000,000 by the club. 

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008

May Day March

Several thousand marchers and protesters paraded up Broadway to 1st Street in downtown LA. It was a mostly peaceful event. I was only shoved by a couple of over zealous photographers and had my toes run over by a few street vendor carts. Otherwise it was an great march sans the popo beat down.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2008