With state funds going to relieving a historic budget deficit, Los Angeles has to find alternative solutions improve transportation issues by implementing short- and long-term plans throughout the region, a councilwoman said Tuesday.

"The federal government is telling us they cannot finish the commitment that they made to some of our projects. And state government is taking some of our Proposition 1B money that was supposed to go for transportation to help balance the budget," said Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, addressing one of Los Angeles' primary grievances: transportation.

"There is no more important issue in the city than traffic," she said. "We spend about 93 hours a year stuck in traffic and it changes our lives."

            Greuel oversees Los Angeles's 2nd District, which spans from the Hollywood Hills north to Verdugo Canyon Road. She is also running for City Controller in the March election. Speaking at a Neighborhood Council meeting in Porter Ranch, she discussed her exhaustive Transportation Strategic Plan, which the city has not had since the 1980s, that would use stimulus funds allocated by the Obama Administration to meet transportation needs.

Greuel also addressed traffic issues that plague Los Angeles as a whole in addition to those unique to the San Fernando Valley, emphasizing a regional plan and community action to get her goals to work.

"The thing that we've found in Los Angeles is there is no quick fix and there is no easy way," she said. 

            She emphasized that her committee was looking at any and every option to relieve some to the traffic issues. "It's not just subways, it's not just buses," she said. "It is light rails, it is subways it is Orange Lines. It is all of those things."

            She also urged residents to call 3-1-1 to make suggestions and report any traffic violations they saw.

"We are taking it into our own hands to actually build a transportation system, a seamless system in Los Angeles."

            Greuel envisions "a Los Angeles where citizens can walk to nearby subways, bus stops and light rail stations that will drop them a few block from their offices," making the city "accessible to all residents, no matter their income level or locations," according to her Web site.

The councilwoman said she supported Measure R despite the lack of "credence or credibility" people gave to the sales-tax increase that would finance transportation projects due to the economic crisis. "No people would vote for some sort of funding for transportation."

She was unable to give an exact timeframe for her plans and said timing, in addition to financing, depends on the approved projects.

Greuel's own track record has earned her the monikers "ticket lady" and "pothole queen." Under her watch as chairwoman of the Transportation Committee, traffic fines doubled to $140 for 200,000 motorists who parked in peak-hour restricted zones.  

"The 200,000 people won't be happy with me...but the millions of people that have been impacted, or the thousands of people, will be thankful that we addressed that."

Her mission as the chair was to implement a short-term plan that included synchronizing lights so they adapt to cuing, adding more left-hand turn signals, banning road construction during peak hours and creating anti-gridlock zones in the city, which prohibit parking in restricted areas. But state budget issues already hampered her plans by diverting $150 million meant to synchronize traffic lights to other state expenses.

She used simple anecdotes to explain the severity of the situation and urged the residents to get involved.

"You're in that lane next to the curb," she said. "Suddenly you have to stop because someone has stopped in front of Starbucks with their lights flashing because that's their emergency at 7:30 in the morning and they've caused this huge traffic jam."

            Greuel cited reports that highlighted the decrease in number of people who park in peak-hour restricted parking and the impact has already unclogged traffic flow.

            Her long-term goals include building an extension of the Orange Line, which would travel north to south, in the San Fernando Valley and addressing the controversial 405 carpool extension, which Greuel said "is not getting any better and it won't" without resident feedback and funding.

The Valley is a part of Los Angeles County that prides itself on being different because it is set apart from Los Angeles proper.

            "We need to create a seamless system that exists in other cities that does not exist here and as much as we'd like to think that we are different...we still have the same problems as other cities have," she said to the residents.

However, the Valley's distance complicates its transportation needs.

"If you go from the San Fernando Valley to the other side of the hill, there is no natural destination," she said. "If you really want to have a system that goes over the hill, you have to have a clear demand." Valley residents anticipate hours of traffic when travelling to common destinations throughout Los Angeles County like Santa Monica, Century City and LAX.

But Greuel made it clear that she could not make any more changes until people voiced their grievances and made suggestions.  

"Even though we don't have money, and sometimes it's almost easier when you don't have money because people are not fighting as much for it," she said. "We can be, I call it, the Silicon Valley of innovation on transportation and how we look at things differently."

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Despite the economic meltdown, business is booming in secondhand resale stores.

It wasn't me, obviously. But I do know the couple getting married. After I got over the shock of the Google's revelation, I remembered it was a wedding I was actually invited to. The bride and I have the same name, my parents copied it for me from their friends' Nadra and Saad, whom they've known since the 80s. Nardine is not a common name so I share a sense of camaraderie with anyone who has it--the schoolyard teasing "Nardine Sardine," the constant neglect of the "r" that drives me crazy and, most of all, its meaning. Nardine is the Arabic translation of "spikenard," a fragrant herb used to make the oil Mary, Lazarus' sister, used to anoint Jesus' Christ's feet.

Nardine, who I mentioned is a long time friend, is Coptic Orthodox--a traditional form of Christianity that began in Egypt under the See of St. Mark around 43 A.D. The following is a slideshow of St. Mark's Church where her and Nicholas' wedding took place on October 4, 2008.

Sen. Barack Obama insisted the debate continue as scheduled. McCain said the economy was more important. The drama ensued. Almost as good as "Lost." Will they or won't they? And another question brewing in the mind of some Angelenos was: would Ralph Nader step up? 

Then, the show went on despite continuing morning doubts that McCain wouldn't show. Did you see it? It was all over the news!

I like a little bit of spin. A little bit of attitude and point of view make stories much easier and more entertaining to read--as long as the writer is transparent about it. So, I disagree with SpinSpotter's mission to rid the media of all spin, or bias or point of view (or FUN) in any story. Newstrust, on the other hand, has the same goal as SpinSpotter but approaches it in less pervasive ways. It allows users to rate content as opposed to highlighting "spin" on a webpage.

Admittedly, SpinSpotter.com is beta ("very beta," according to the site) so I'm a little weary to make so many critiques. It doesn't have that many users yet either, so its full potential can't be seen at this moment in time. SpinSpotter only caters to Firefox users (again, at this time), and as an avid Internet Explorer-er and occasional Google Chrome-er, I was annoyed I had to download Firefox just for the program. Step One of.... many.

Treating her with respect is understandable, but deference? Really? Even if we're talking about a potential vice-president?

Since she was named the vice-presidential nominee on August 26, the media has printed and broadcasted both story and scandal about Palin. Her daughter's pregnancy, inadequate vetting, supporting and killing the Bridge to Nowhere, using taxpayer dollars to live in her home to name a few. Clark Hoyt, public editor and reader's representative for the New York Times appeared on The New York Times Campaign Edition on MSNBC and answered John Harwood's question: has the media been unfair to Sarah Palin? 

"For the most part, no," Hoyt said.

"The media is doing its job, which is to find out who this person who was basically unknown to the country, except for Alaska, until roughly ten days or so ago, who she is what her record is and what she might do as vice-president of the United States. And possibly even as president of the United States...She should be treated with respect. Deference is not something members of the press should treat any political candidate with. Deference suggests caving in to the image that's trying to be projected and not asking the tough questions."

I completely agree. Up until a few days ago I wasn't sure how I would vote in the upcoming election. But now, with Palin out from under the oddball novice microscope and finally talking about her take on the issues, McCain has become less of a contender.

Legacy media outlets have attempted to adhere to the ethic of neutrality to reach the broadest audience by reporting "just the facts." By doing so, they allow readers and viewers to form their own opinion. 

On the other hand, legacy media outlets also produce work that is not neutral. For example, opinion sections draw on journalists and professionals alike to contribute. In most newspapers, including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, there is a message at the bottom of the piece indicating the background and beliefs of the person who wrote it. Transparency is what makes these sections work.

I don't think transparency is more important than neutrality or vice-versa. Both have their place depending on what is being published and who is publishing it. If, for whatever reason, someone cannot be neutral, then they have to be transparent indicating how and why they are not neutral.  

 Can a citizen journalist research and break the same type of investigative story a New York Times team can? Depends. If the blogger has the tenacity, means and resources to do so, then why not? Why can't we call that finished product a piece of journalism? Simply because the citizen journalist doesn't have the title?    

Perhaps documentarian is a better title here.  I do not consider myself a journalist just because I am writing this blog. Put another way, the act of writing this blog doesn't make me journalist. I am, however, documenting my perceptions of the world around me.

A journalistic institution has to approach a story, in this case Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, from an angle while still maintaining objectivity. But for a lot of media outlets, objectivity is the polar opposite of what they are trying to achieve. Nothing obligates a blogger or citizen journalist to be objective, accordingly, no one can stop a citizen journalist from hammering out their reactions, thoughts and feelings on a keyboard. Citizen journalists could sound off on Obama's "thank yous" at the beginning of the speech, or on the type of people the cameras on each channel cut to. They could criticize Obama's mannerisms or his wife's expressions, Biden's enthusiasm or any other miniscule detail and probably get away with it. Their only real obligation is to themselves and occasionally, depending on the blog, their readers. But the former usually trumps the latter.  It is  important to keep in mind one of Clay Shirky's points: people who create or share user-generated content don't necessarily intend it to be for general or even mass consumption.

Venice is not the polished tourist destination people associate with glitz California beaches and Southern California affluence. Instead, the eclectic community boasts decades of arts influences, the Venice Family Clinic, multiple activism organizations, gangs and poverty but, overall, is a community that rejects corporate gentrification. The prospective grand opening of a Whole Foods store, which is replacing low-price Big! Lots, is causing a buzz within the community that generally rejects any chain stores within its parameters. In the spirit of Venice, a coalition has formed to get Whole Foods to provide employment for low income residents. So, what exactly is the spirit of Venice today?

The community is supposed to be gentrifying, according to local developer Frank Murphy. Murphy is currently turning two former one-bedroom units with a commercial space worth about $1 million into two two-bedroom condominiums worth about $5 million near the boardwalk. Current Venice residents may not be the ones who purchase his units, but the appeal of a brand new home on the boardwalk is undeniable by prospective affluent residents on the outside. While Murphy occasionally works in tandem with the Venice Community Housing Corporation (VCHC), he willingly admits that he's in the business for the money, "I'll build those [low income] homes to get what I need from the city later on." 

The juxtaposition of development and rising real estate costs in this motley community underscores the community's resistance to gentrification when other communities have welcomed the change. Venice is struggling to preserve its identity as a haven for artists and activists. Lynn Warshafsky, co-founder of non-profit Venice Arts, adamantly described the art community as "gone." Her organization, which teaches media arts to children ages 6-18, welcomes Venice and other Westside residents to embrace the community's arts tradition with modern innovation. Like the Venice Family Clinic, Venice Arts began extending its reach throughout Los Angeles despite the limitations the two organizations' names may suggest. Warshafsky, a Venice resident since the early 80s, witnessed the migration of low income families out of Venice. The displacement of artists over the years has even pushed her to teach her students about gentrification in Venice Arts' classrooms.

Along with the artists, street performers, craft vendors and others prominent on the famous boardwalk, Venice is home to a large impoverished population. The Venice Family Clinic, the largest free clinic in the country, is a crossroads for wealth and poverty on the Westside. Its $20 million annual operating budget made possible by the Venice Art Walk, grants, community and corporate donors, provides basic healthcare for low-income people lacking private insurance. While some argue that the clinic attracts a homeless population causing decreases in nearby real estate value, CEO and executive director, Liz Forer attributes this conundrum to a "chicken and egg thing." She believes that the clinic should no longer expand within Venice and focus more on outreach programs for those who do not have easy access to healthcare on the Westside. Also, the issue of Venice vs. Santa Monica is worth looking into. According to Tim Smith, director of communications for the Venice Family Clinic, Venice is more transient-friendly than neighboring Santa Monica, a rivalry that is well-known among residents of the two cities.

The clinic seems to be a microcosm for the gentrification of Venice. Clearly, the clinic is renowned and attracts donations in the millions; however, the wealth is set out to serve a population that is low income, which seems to create an unending cycle. Money is brought in to serve and rehabilitate an impoverished population; in turn, the clinic attracts more poverty because it a well-known niche for those in need. So, does the philanthropy of the clinic outweigh the desire to cover up, if not wipe out, the poverty in Venice with new multi-million dollar developments?

Mostly everyone we spoke with had a strong opinion about the happenings in the community. However, I realize that much of the information we received lacks hard numbers and data that are crucial to understanding the story of Venice in more concrete terms.

Photos: Venice Boardwalk; Steve Clare, executive director for VCHC at Frank Murphy's current development;. Lynn Warshafsky at Venice Arts

As far as writing goes, my interests range from Middle Eastern happenings to both international and hyper-local art, culture and fashion scenes. While many may attribute some of those topics to "soft journalism," that doesn't really matter to me. Those are the subjects I love to read and write about; I'm certain that I'm not alone. I hope to change these topics' negative perception  in the world of "hard journalism." Arts and culture are always indicative of political and social climates at any given time--their existence, or lack thereof, says volumes about the societies we live in. 

I love travel writing, especially humorous, first person, culture shock pieces mostly because I tend to become a protagonist who gets caught in those situations. I want to show my colleagues that there is no such thing as a stupid question. Said "stupid questions" should be used as a means for clarification--travel writing commonly relies on the asking of seemingly stupid questions. However, the most complex stories benefit from the simplest inquiries. One of our most important jobs as journalists is to simplify the complicated. I want to be the person who asks the simple questions making a name for myself among readers as their go-to writer when an issue is beyond their understanding (granted that I understand the issue myself). Oh, and I plan to do all this while overcoming my fear of talking to strangers and the anxiety I feel when inconveniencing people with journalistic probing. Yes, I still hate picking up the phone to ask someone for an interview. That's what I'm hoping an M.A. degree will eradicate. So, get to work, Annenberg.