Got a News Reporter?

Flowers, farewell letters, a poinsettia, a heart cushion that says "I love you", and candles adorn a little tree about 10 yards from one of the busiest intersections in downtown. For anyone that did not cross this intersection exactly a week ago would not know what this shrine was for. To this date no one has reported on the horrific accident that occurred on the morning of Wednesday January 7th.

January 7th was just like any other morning, running late as usual as I walked out of the parking structure checking my phone for the time. With two minutes to eight and the Dash right in front of me, I decided just to power walk the three long blocks to work. As I crossed 4th street I noticed more traffic than usual. I told myself how glad I was that I didn't take the Dash. As I got closer I noticed that Flower St was completely closed and traffic was diverted. Behind the yellow tape there was a bus in the middle of the street. And then I saw blood and what looked like skin chunks. As I realized what had happened I looked away and hoped the person made it. When I walked into my building I asked the security what happened. He began to explain how a lady crossing the street at 6:30 am heading to work was hit by the bus. He then began to describe what she looked like afterwards and I was horrified. I couldn't believe that had happened right in front of my building. It seemed like the bus was making a left onto Flower St and hit her. Wondering what exactly had happened my coworkers and I tried to find more information on the accident online. The next day the same thing; no news reporting or news reels. We began to wonder if it was just a bum or a "working" woman that got hit, since no one bothered to report on it.

Yet, I was still confused at how this news story had slipped through the cracks, since after all it did involve a bus driver. I know driving in LA is horrible, but sometimes bus drivers are extra aggressive and cunning. I know they have deadlines to meet and Angelino drivers sometimes don't give them the courtesy, but I really wonder what happened here. Later that week we received an email from building management explaining that the victim was a 58-year-old woman, Gwendolyn Coleman that worked for a company in the Paul Hastings building. She was the mother of three and had a grandchild. She had worked for her company for more than twenty years.

This was very sad to hear. Hundreds of people cross these streets everyday and I know the last thing on our minds while walking to work is getting hit by a bus. Well my rundown is that I hope that whatever happened on Flower Street gets properly investigated and if it was the bus driver's fault than I hope they prosecute the person to the full extent of the law, since I think Ms. Coleman deserves justice. RIP Ms. Coleman

Heads or Tails

As I sat in my chair totally excited about the New Year, trying to figure out how I could of possibly have gotten this buzzed off of two glasses of white wine, off in the distance I could hear people arguing. Seemingly the voices seemed like they spoke out of the funnel. As I slowly started to tune in I started to discern that they were arguing about the Middle East Crisis. As I took a sip of my water bottle, I recognized one of the voices; one of them was my good friend, a human rights advocate. She was arguing her point to some boy, which decided to play devil's advocate with her. In my mind as I tried to compose my thoughts which almost seemed impossible because after all I was under the influence, I was trying to gather support arguments in her favor and wondered how did we go from playing an awesome game of Kings to talking about the Gaza Strip. Perhaps it could of been all of the alcohol consumed before the stroke of midnight but the fact was that these people were talking politics and politics to me is a very touchy subject especially when we have passionate opinions about war and government, but also when we are arguing about it during New Year's Eve.

As I zoned into the conversation, I could here someone call my friend a manipulator. I quickly defended her and was perplexed by this comment, because it was a matter of prospective. My friend was simply arguing her point and in a debate the argument is won when a person makes the strongest argument, but then again who is to say which side is right or wrong. In this case the debate can easily be answered by the measurement of loss of human life, but how about in other situations. As a person that has a strong opinion about everything, I feel it is almost always a matter of perspective. I have learned that an event with different witnesses can have many different descriptions.


More than a year ago, I myself was in an argument, where my words were taken completely out of context. Months later when the person finally confronted me about things I said, I was completely stunned by their interpretation of what I had actually said. What that person perceived of my words was almost nowhere near the point I was actually trying to make. Comically, I started to realize the reason why that person took such a long time to accept my apology.


I then started to learn that the idea of perspective can take you in so many directions. So when I start to argue my point I try to make it as clear as possible, in the hopes that we are on the same page and my feelings and opinions will be completely understood. I also try not to argue under the influence of alcohol or with a devil's advocate for that matter.

My rundown is that when people are arguing their case, they are not necessarily a manipulator, they are just expressing their opinion. I accept people's opinion at face value and if their points are valid will take them into consideration, because after all who is to say that there are right or wrong answers to life sometimes. Perspective is formed by our upbringings and our conformation to the norms of society and thats why no two people are alike.