This first picture shows part of the line (this is closer to the front, but still 2 blocks from the theater) on the left side of the picture. You can kind of see all the heads in from of the buildings.
Here I am standing diagonally from where the line wraps the corner. This would be the transition from the second block of waiting people to the third block of waiting people. I took this picture on the monday of the premiere. The day before (sunday) I saw a sign in line that said, "Bob Saget's Coven." I guess that would be his family...?
Here's a better picture of the line. LOTS of people!
I walked down the block, and thought it ended (when I came by) at 3 blocks. I was WRONG! I turned left, and ran into another 2 blocks of line! The following picture is of the line from the 5th block. I'm actually standing on the opposite side of the street from the end of the line. Or what at that moment was the end. People were getting into line the entire time I was there!
After all the New Moon craziness, I thought the week would slow down. Not so! Wednesday and Thursday UCLA played host to the UC Regents. They came together to vote on a 32% tuition increase that would roll over in stages starting this next quarter (I believe.) MANY people are not happy. I can understand that. I don't want to pay more. Especially this year, when my financial aid has already been set. I mean, does that mean that I no longer will be getting enough money to cover everything? Well, honestly, I didn't have enough before, but now will I have less?
Ok, pros to the protest:
1. People were able to convey their dislike.
Cons to the protest:
1. Poor planning. In protest to the price increase we were asked to skip class.
Tell me, why would I want to skip a class I already gave them money for in order to attend a rally about them taking my money? Lame!
Honestly, a price increase is inevitable. Do you really think we pay the same tuition now that people did in the 1920's? The problem is the amount of the increase. I think the Regents need to take a better look at where the money is going, before they ask for more. I've heard (and these are only rumors, so take it for what it's worth) that the head of the Regents makes over $600,000 a year. Does he really need that much? You know, pride comes before the fall...
I also heard that our tuition money is often used to pay parking tickets for the university "big wigs." If you're making $600,000 a year, or even a 1/6th of that amount, why should I, a poor college student, pay for YOUR TICKET? Again, Lame!
Lastly, I heard someone say that $60,000 of our tuition is given to ReggaeFest. Why? I don't go to ReggaeFest, and while I understand that not everyone is part of the culture associated with Reggae, why would I want to pay for a bunch of drunken pot heads to come and mess up my campus? Use the money you spend there for the things you are lacking, before you charge me more!
Anyway, for the most part I stayed away, but to get to school I had to cross through most of the protest. The first night I tried to avoid it, and instead ended up at a Police roadblock. They made me walk down a steep bank to Sunset Blvd. to finish walking to school, because the rest of the street was closed to foot traffic. That's the night something like 50 people were arrested and a few were even tazed.
Here are some pictures I took the next day when the students from Berkley, Davis, Santa Barbara, San Diego, etc. showed up to join the protest.
This picture is from the top of the stairs going down to Covel Commons. See that light colored wall people are walking under, and the big dark patch behind it? Those are all people.
So, the first day (wednesday) I guess there was a preliminary vote. The meeting was held at Covel Commons, so that's where most of the action took place. This picture is standing down in the Commons. Most of the action took place farther to the left. (Covel Commons is the building behind the trees.) However, later I tried to walk through to get to class, and the protesters had linked arms and were not letting people walk through. I had to walk all the way back around the hill to get to campus. I was late for class, and NOT a happy camper!
The meeting on day 2 was held (I believe) in Campbell Hall on campus. This is a picture of Campbell. There are some signs out front, and a few people. I took this after class, so most of the action had gone back up to Covel, but you can kind of make out the HUGE banner over the doors. I forget what it said, but I didn't get it.
This is the last picture I took. This is at the bottom of the stairs from Covel Commons leading down to the campus. There were SO MANY news vans! All the really tall poles are the statelites o the vans. I think you can see 5 poles in the picture, and I couldn't even get all the vans in the frame!
That's it! The end of a very hectic week. Still in rehearsals, still fretting over Spanish, but excited to be coming home in 4 days! Woo Hoo!
Right now, I'm off to eat dinner, and then homework, homework, homework! :)