Pete's Cafe on A Hamburger Today

A Hamburger Today is one of my old favorites of websites to check. It's now a member of the Serious Eats family. When I first found them in 2007, I think I promptly decided to read nearly every single thing I in their archives. Three years later, and I still check in on the headlines. Yes, I have something of a burger fetish. I'm not ashamed. 

Whenever I see something about Los Angeles, I tend to click and check it out. Sadly, despite being often credited with contributing to the rise of drive-in and burger culture, LA doesn't seem to catch much burger lovin'. Maybe I've just overlooked the articles?

I've never been to Pete's Cafe (Pete's Burgers on Hoover & 23rd is more my budget), and AHT's review was lukewarm at best, but the photos (one of which is on the left here) make me want to give it a try... if I can resist going to Nickel Diner down the street.

When I worked desk jobs, I read a lot of blogs. A lot. It started with food blogs and then transitioned to Los Angeles blogs when I moved here in 2007. As a cubicle survivor, I don't spend nearly as much time checking them as I used to, but I'm trying to go to my Netvibes page a little more often so as to at least see the headlines. Looking at all my feeds now reminds me of just how hungry I was for distraction at the time. Now, it's more for pleasure and stimulus than a byproduct of that desperate must-consume-MORE-information-NOW feeling.

Bottom line: A good hamburger (with cheese) is a wonderful thing. Pleasure. And stimulus.

"Life Line" by Bambu feat. The Fighting Cocks // Reform Healthcare!

Someone needs to play this song on the floor of the House today. 

"Life Line" - Bambu feat. The Fighting Cocks



This isn't some ploy to lobby for health care reform; this is a true story. The story was lived and the song was written long before Obama took office and long before the current debate.


The opening lyrics of "Life Line":


I been waitin' in this line
'scuse me sir
do you have the time?
'cause i been here for a long, long while
and I'm sure we'll never be seen soon


Rest in peace Arnold Moreno
your brothers in Echo remember your smile
And never forget the reason you gone
And you not standin' here with us now--


See the homie went down
The ambulance came
and handled that fool (?) like a rag
from one emergency room to another he went--
insurance, he did not have

He was hurt, but nurse 
could not do work
until she knew she was paid--
Is the nurse or the system 
the reason no breathin' is comin' from Arnold today?


Play songs for those
who know what it's like
to sign up for county aid
From LA to Bay to the A to the Chi to the boroughs of NYC


We all the same
bleed the same
treated the same
all in the name of a Jesus
who seems to like the people
with ch-change

...


People die because of our current healthcare policies. This bill isn't perfect, but we have to start doing something. People have died. People are dying. People will keep dying before they have to, because our government decides to do nothing. Those of us who can't afford healthcare-- our numbers are growing with every single month that passes in these harsh economic times-- will die. Something has to be done. Now.

In all honesty, I think a major shift in the way we think about health care needs to happen in this country, and working within the current system can only go so far, but we have to keep moving in a positive direction. Let not the perfect be enemy of the good.

Another Cort Guitar Workers Concert Tonight!

The last Night of Music with Cort Worker Action was a blast. Come to this next one in Historic Filipinotown tonight and stand with Korean workers trying to get their jobs back--and bob your head to some great music from Tuesday Night Project Resident Artists David Tran aka applesauce, Sue Jin, Shin Kawasaki, Andrew Figueroa Chiang, and Mistah Cookie Jar, with DJ ANT on the 1's & 2's and Johneric Concordia (the man behind LA's BBQ sensation The Park's Finest) as your host.


From the Cort Guitar Workers ACTION site:

BRING BACK THE MUSIC!  Cort Worker Solidarity Concert
- Musicians taking action with guitar workers for worker rights

Thursday March 18th , 7-10pm
@ SIPA, Search to Involve Pilipino-Americans
3200 West Temple Street, Historic Pilipinotown
$3 suggested donation

This is not just a regular show. This is where musicians and the workers who made their guitars are taking action together.

Meet a Cort/Cor-tek guitar worker from Korea who has been making Fender and Ibanez guitars for decades in Cort’s sweatshops. When these workers asked for fair conditions, they were all fired by Cort.

FENDER has agreed to investigate, but your support is needed. Come to the show, and remind these corporations what guitars are for- for MAKING MUSIC!

Contact (regarding concert) : 714- 553-5874
Press contact: Sukjong Hong 646-567-9607

Find out more at the blog:
cortaction.wordpress.com
Join the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cort-Worker-ACTION/344810266124?ref=nf
email: cortguitar.action@gmail.com

Leave now-- beat traffic! Hang out at Tribal Cafe about a mile east on Temple. (And get an apple-celery-cucumber-parsley juice. It's like magic.)

Parking around SIPA can be tight, but it's a cute neighborhood, so don't be afraid to walk. ;n)