Porter Ranch, CA

Posted byPhilip A. Lederer MDPosted innuclear weapons abolition

Yesterday was another wonderful day, starting out with a jog from MacArthur Park in Koreatown down to the University of Southern California campus. Later on we found ourselves in Northridge and Porter Ranch, seeing family and friends, playing jazz violin, picking and eating grapefruits.

One highlight was a phone conversation I had with Jim, a friend who lives in Atlanta. We bemoaned the state of affairs between the U.S. and Russia and need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict over Ukraine. The world seems to have lost its compass, and is on a path of dead reckoning for nuclear disaster. We need to find a sextant, reorient to the stars and get this sailboat back on track.

On November 4, 2016, Dr. Ira Helfand and I wrote an op-ed for CNN.com entitled, “[Obama] Administration is wrong on nuclear weapons and Clinton, Trump are silent.” Sadly, 5.5 years later, nothing has changed – in fact, they have gotten worse. The Biden administration is dead wrong on nukes – we need to stop the saber rattling and get rid of these weapons. Ira was on Democracy Now yesterday making this same point. But it’s not hopeless. All it takes is for people to speak out for the global abolition of these weapons. It could certainly start with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, speaking out publicly and privately to President Biden about the grave danger we face from these weapons. Will Dr. Walensky act? Will I act? Will we act?

Would love to know what kind of art is going on when the Community Art Center is open!
I did run/walk down to the USC campus. An urban trek, but lots of interesting sights and sounds.
Homelessness is evident all over Southern California, but especially in LA. This reminded me of a day in 2010 when I came outside my apartment in San Diego and found a dead body, probably from an overdose. When will we act and make sure everyone gets housing, drug treatment, psychosocial support, job training, mental health care?

Mural seen on my journey to USC
Quality street art
Neurotics anonymous. Maybe I should join.
Electric scooters, the new way to get around. What ever happened to walking, running, biking? I guess they are better than cars.
Near USC
Finally arrived at USC! I didn’t see any Spoiled Children walking around at this University. Everyone seemed very grounded.
Tent in MacArthur Park. When will we end homelessness?
In Northridge, with a family friend, Cliff Ker, who played minor league baseball in the 1970s
Clifford Ker in 1970. Same Expos hat as he wore today?!
One of Cliff Ker’s favorite players, Gary Matthews, who played in the 1979 All Star game
Yes, we did pick about 30 grapefruit from Cliff’s tree (thank you!) Going to make grapefruit juice.
Entertained the crowd with a bit of Autumn Leaves using my laptop and software program iRealpro. The only two issues – I need a lightweight bluetooth speaker, and it got chilly in Northridge when the sun went down. Next time – will figure out a way to do karaoke.
An intense game of backyard baseball. The 7-year-old imagines he is Sandy Koufax
Some artwork
Acorn, my new friend in Porter Ranch
We didn’t walk to Northridge and Porter Ranch – that would have been too much, even for me:)

Published by Philip A. Lederer MD

Thanks for visiting my website! I was born in 1980 in Columbus, Ohio and live with my family in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. My training is in internal medicine, public health, and infectious diseases. I am an advocate, writer, and musician, and recently I completed my first marathon.

2 thoughts on “Porter Ranch, CA”

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    On Thu, Feb 24, 2022 at 8:05 AM Health and Healing wrote:

    > Philip Lederer MD posted: ” Yesterday was another wonderful day, starting > out with a jog from MacArthur Park in Koreatown down to the University of > Southern California campus. Later on we found ourselves in Northridge and > Porter Ranch, seeing family and friends, playing jazz violin” >

    Reply

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