Off-Ramp ushers in 2010 with a (historical) tour of LA's Sewers ... Marc Haefele offers a "culinary" solution to our invasive species problem ... William Shatner dishes on his talk show "Shatner's Raw Nerve" ... up and coming painter Camille Rose Garcia finds whimsy in the macabre ... Cyberfrequencies takes us to a beatboxing contest--on the web.
William Shatner's Raw Nerve
John talks with William Shatner, whose show "Shatner's Raw Nerve," has the former Denny Crane and James Tiberius Kirk listening more than talking. The first season of "Shatner's Raw Nerve" is still airing on the Biography Channel.
Rabe Takes on World, Universe in Blog
Off-Ramp host John Rabe has a blog that's been called a "must read," and not just by him. Check it out, and please comment.
Tarzan of Tarzana: Swinging Through the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley historian Kevin Roderick (also of LAObserved) takes us to the ranch home of Edgar Rice Burroughs ... Tarzana.
Sewer History I: The Real Muckraking
Back in April of 2008, Anna Sklar, the author of "Brown Acres, an Intimate History of the Los Angeles Sewers," took Off-Ramp host John Rabe underground into the longest sewer line in the country. Here's the three-part interview from the Off-Ramp archives.
Sewer History II: Digging Into The Past
John and Anna Sklar on the early days of LA's sewers.
Sewer History III: The End of the Line for Clean Beaches?
John and Anna Sklar discuss the fight for clean beaches in 1985.
Rabe hits streets with Vartabedian to ask, "Why are handicapped placards so easy to get?"
L.A. Times writer Ralph Vartabedian shows John the rampant abuse of disabled parking permits. Ten percent of California drivers have them. Do they all really need them, or is it a scam?
Encino's Basque Heritage
Kevin Roderick, author of a history of the San Fernando Valley, on the Basque shepherds who settled around Encino.
CyberFrequencies: Marching to Your Own Beat(Box)
This week, a look back at how a BeatBoxing champion was crowned...on the web, by the web.
Puzzle Movies 101
Movie critic Andy Klein (of Brand X) spells out the rules for puzzle movies.
Meet Rising Star Painter Camille Rose Garcia
39-year old Camille Rose Garcia may not be appreciated by the fine art community, whatever that means, but she has leagues of fans who appreciate her work, which one observer has described as “eerily cute.” Fans who could buy a Camille Rose Garcia print for $200 in 2000 are now paying more than $1,000. Julian Bermudez talked with Camille Rose Garcia at a gallery event.