BURKEPOST BLOG

My current project is a radio piece (with supplementary video) about the recent firing of more than 1,500 undocumented garment workers at American Apparel. A government audit of personnel files forced the exodus. This has been a favored approach in the Obama Administration, in contrast to Bush’s detention raids.

Peter Schey is representing American Apparel as part of his private practice. He’s also the Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law and has a suit pending class action suit seeking an end to immigration raids. I visited him at the center to talk about workplace enforcement under Obama.

SCHEY excerpt from Patrick Burke on Vimeo.

This is, of course, just a sample of that long interview. More background on the story is laid out on spot.us.

Another amazing time lapse shot, from someone named Dan Finnerty.

Station File Time Lapse #4 from Dan Finnerty on Vimeo.

The Station Fire is burning near Mount Wilson, where LA radio and TV stations have transmitters, and where emergency and commercial signals are relayed.  I haven’t listened to KPFK, or any radio stations really, in an eon.  But I’ve had it on tonight, as fire officials said it was only a matter of time before the fire reaches the top of the mountain.  Mark Maxwell’s Rise had melodious abstractions. It’s now 2 am.  They still have a signal.  Two firefighters died this afternoon in this fire, the first I can see from my room.

This is from Earth Snapshot.  LA Observed pointed me to it.

This is from a UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy webcam on Mount Wilson.

If it weren’t so late, I’d upload some pocketcam shots I got last night while driving to the Gemeni screening in Burbank.

Here’s an interesting look at the media scene for the broadcaster-threatening fire, and the announcement of the deaths.  This again is from LA Observed.