The Galen Center and Specific Needs

The area around USC, which is south central Los Angeles, specifically needs a public space where people can converse and socially interact with each other in a safe environment. The area also specifically needs a public space that will hold various meetings and get-togethers, whether that be for the town as a whole or individual groups. This downtown area does not have too many actual public spaces that are known for bonding the community together and attracting a diversity of people, without the impending reminder of events costing large amounts of money. Having the money or income to actually enjoy public venues is one of the biggest disadvantages that this part of Los Angeles sees. There are many people who cannot afford to pay to enjoy entertainment, so Los Angeles should try to create more venues that are low in costs for those who want to enjoy it:This would be the most specific need of Los Angeles relevant to this area.

The Galen Center at USC

The Galen Center at USC is a specific building of USC that is located off-campus, but provides an attraction and influences the surrounding area in South-Central Los Angeles. The Galen Center is the home of the Trojan's basketball and volleyball teams, and is also widely used for a myriad of events for downtown LA. The center is both for the community and for the school of USC; it can be used for athletic events that the community, and the people of the trojan family both attend. To be specific, the stadium often hosts NCAA division I games for many to enjoy, but concerts, graduations, and special events are there specifically to benefit the area surrounding the University of Southern California campus. Therefore, this Center may be officially property of USC, but it is an attraction for south-central LA, as many of the events at the Galen Center will prove.
The Galen center then is an accommodating space for those in LA, especially for a wide range of people in LA. It could be more accommodating since its location is primarily for those attending USC, but when it does host events other than sports, the community is definitely able to reinforce ties with each other, and the venue provides an opportunity for many to socially interact. The Galen center however should continue to do anything that it can to provide opportunities of interaction for those in the South Central area of Los Angeles with social events and concerts. Stating the previous, it could be doing a better job than it currently is, but it is doing a decent job in regards to the Galen Center being a publicly diverse and exclusive spot for downtown LA. What does the blog group think? Is the Galen center accommodating for the surrounding area?
Here is a link to the USC Galen Center

Re-Evaluating "Beverly Hills"

Since I began writing about this song I have noticed a few things about the lyrics in the song "Beverly Hills" by Weezer. Both at the beginning and the end of the song, the lead singer and writer, River Cuomo, tries to emphasize this sense of self pity in the song. He talks about how average and nearly depressing his life is, which I interpret as a chance for Cuomo to manipulate and persuade the audience to feel bad for him or the average person, who will never succeed in California like the celebrities and the affluent have. This is an idea expressed in the theory of social slots existing in the United States. For example, some people believe that those not given advantages early in life don't stand a chance of rising up above what they already are in society. I believe this is a point Weezer may be trying to get across, because Rivers Cuomo believes social slots may be a restriction for many people trying to succeed in the eyes of the California dream. My views of the dream have not changed though since I have written about it. I still firmly believe the California dream is something far superior and more demanding than the typical American dream, because it consists of extreme wealth and over indulgence in material items. This is not to mention of course how the ideas of stardom and excessive fame tie into the dream, a position in society that many long for.