Week 5: Project 5a Group 1

1. Title:

909 by Percivial Everett

2. Brief Summary:

Everett begins the essay by comparing the laid back and rugged personality of Riverside county with other more sophisticated counties like L.A. County. He refers to riverside county by its zip code 909. Everett tell how Riverside's Mission Inn previously was the destination for movie stars and celebrities to relax. Then someone discovered Palm Springs and now Riverside is just a highway connecting L.A. and Palm Springs. Everett then talks about his mule Monk, and how he enjoys riding him through the 909 desert. On his mule ride, Everett sees cars in the distance on the highway. He is glad they are far away, because to them Riverside is just a highway to Palm Springs.

3. Favorite Quote:

"Before I head up, I swing south and around a crater that was caused by an exploded automobile." p. 123 My California

4: What the reading made me think of:

This reading made me think of my hometown Cloverdale and its simplicity compared to Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa is way bigger; its newspaper, the Press Democrat, dwarfs the Cloverdale Reveille. Things are much different in a small town. Life is slower. There is less crime. I like Santa Rosa better though, because it is more exciting and there is more to do.

5: One thing I learned from the reading:

I never knew Riverside County was a desert. I always thought of mountains and green trees when I thought of Riverside County. The author describes it as a desert, with big ranches and not many people. He says everyone rides horses.


1. Title:

The Line by Ruben Martinez

2. Brief Summary:

The essay opens with the author talking about a soccer field called Cancha on the Mexican-American Border. At night the illegal immigrants line up to make their attempt at sneaking across the border. Before they leave, they have a huge party. There are street vendors, soccer matches, alcohol, and prostitutes. Then Martinez talks about how former California Governor Pete Wilson revamped border control in the 90's. When Martinez later attended the 1994 World Cup to give a speech, he was met with thousands of booing Mexicans and other Latinos. Eventually the Federal government took Martinez's advice and build a fence in the area of Cancha. There is no longer parties and border hopping.

3. Favorite Quote:

"The crowd gave rise to a mini-economy of street vendors exploiting the migrants' last minute shopping needs." p. 128 My California

4: What the reading made me think of:

The reading made me think of a family friend who was on vacation in Mexico and couldn't get back into America because he lost his passport. He had to wait in Mexico for three weeks. It must have been frustrating. I would have been scared. The illegal immigrants probably feel similar. They want in America badly but the border patrol is working against them.

5: One thing I learned from the reading:

I never knew former California Governor Pete Wilson pusher for stronger border control in response to a state recession.


1. Title:

Flirting with Urbanismo by Patt Morrison

2. Brief Summary:

Patt Morrison begins by informing the reader that they have seen downtown L.A. even if they think they haven't. Countless movies such as Phone Booth and Ghostbusters were set in New York or other places, but were actually filmed in Downtown L.A. Next Morrison says Downtown L.A. is very diverse and is different from street to street. He talks about the many different kinds of people in the population and all the available land. The essay is a compilation of the things he loves about L.A. He loves: the subway, the flower markets, sculptures, etc.

3. Favorite Quote:

"The swift abandonment of downtown for the suburbs was actually what saved the place." p.138
My California

4: What the reading made me think of:

The reading made me think of how powerful movies and the media are. they can easily trick the audience into thinking that something is true when it isn't. For example, movies set in New York being filmed in L.A. As an avid movie watcher, I never knew this to be true. I wonder to what extent movies shape our culture in bad ways disguised as good?

5: One thing I learned from the reading:

I didn't know Attorney General Ed Meese received a Jay Walking ticket from LAPD and didn't pay it until five years later.


1. Title:

Waters of Tranquility by Carolyn See

2. Brief Summary:

This essay is about the author's memories and thoughts pertaining to The Lake Shrine of the Self-Realization Fellowship. It is a lake on Sunset Boulevard. It has Chinese Carp and swans in it. It is a symbol of World Peace. Some people have weddings there. Other are romantic couples on dates. It is a very peaceful area. There are five statues representing the five major religions of the world.

3. Favorite Quote:


"And life itself may be no more than a play toy, a few Burma-Shave signs in the universe." p. 145

4: What the reading made me think of:

This essay made me think of Squaw Rock. It is a huge mountain in my hometown. You can climb it and see for miles. It relaxes me and makes me remember how insignificant we all are compared to the world and the universe.

5: One thing I learned from the reading:

I didn't know the five major religions are: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. This will help me in life to understand the world and its religions.