Venice Beach Violence -- Shooting, Stabbing, Fighting -- Prompts LAPD to Send in The Troops Ahead of Summer

Venice Beach needs to create formal pavilion(s) for the artists to perform and gather. Perhaps the formal gathering would eliminate some of the chaos of a crowd and eliminate a gathering for an organized mob. I think it is time that a modern architectural element be added to Venice that expresses the Bohemian/ artistic accomplishments. I hate to see such a creative outlet become the next ? mark destination.

Irony and satire-- 25 to life-- to keep the dialogue going-- so the city doesn't pass an ordinance prohibiting Heroin-induced, boring, repetitive "urban jungle" drumming at Venice Beach.

see you @ the drum circle this sunday! the weather will be great!! and the beat goes on...

Thanks to LA Weekly for calling me for a quote only to have them allow someone to post lies/libel about me that popped up on Google search for my name, forever. THANKS FOR TAGGING ME A CRIMINAL, LA WEEKLY. YOU GOT ALL MY QUOTE WRONG, TOOK ME OUT OF CONTEXT -- AND MISSED/TWISTED THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE. (I gotta call LAPD and apologize and let them know what I actually said.)

Since I first arrived on the Venice Beach Boardwalk back in '78, it has been in a perpetual state of decline. The tourists don't know it because they are tourists. Anyone who has lived there, or lives there presently, understands that not all change is for the good. When I see the "Po Po," lingering about in blue wool shirts on a 90 degree day, I know the "Poo Poo" can't be too far away. I prefer sun and sand in a more calm atmosphere, so I start my bike trip near Venice Beach and head out to Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beach-- pedaling with a tail wind, and the desire for a slice of pizza and a cold beer-- hoping for a day of fun without Spike Collared Pit-Bulls, Tatted Up Gangbangers, Over-priced Street Vendors. Two-bit Hustlers, Sunstoked Germans in weird shorts, and clueless Hello Kitty Asian women with umbrellas. Call me finicky. But then, I never thought the drum circle had that much going for it anyway, especially that one unending, rhythmically annoying beat that never seems to alter and reminds me of the drum circle at Griffith Park-- which is my Sunday ride without pizza and beer.

Been in Venice over 5 years and the demographics of the street population (some homeless, others not) has changed dramatically. '06: mostly the same people you saw every day: harmless souls you looked out for. Now: most are not from SoCal, steal everything not nailed down and create endless problems for residents and visitors alike. I've heard many anecdotal accounts of the old-timer street peeps being preyed on by this younger, often methed up mob of newcomers.Went from about 3 dozen RV's to 250, now down to 20-40 thanks to community outcry and Pacific Division enforcement, parking enforcement and oversize vehicle zones. (disclaimer: I am a pro-Venice community activist).Enablers hell bent to destroy the community call the new crowd "travelers", to the vast majority of Venice they are just criminals willing to shoot someone over a can of beer.

The problem in Venice is the people there are wayyyyyyyyyyy to liberal. Now that violence has hit hard in their community they're screaming for more cops. I bet if they allowed LAPD to do their damn job and enforce the law no matter how small some idiots think it is, the boardwalk would get cleaned up. Its nasty, filthy and if you read the reviews all over the internet people who visit say they'll never go back. the pot shops and morons that have nothing better to do instead of getting "real jobs" and slam LAPD for doing their job are the problem. The homeless are violent and hostile aggressively pan handling. Too many people fighting over spots to sell crap and so much more. Good for LAPD bringing in the troops to clean up the mess. Poor cops have to deal with soooo much BS. They don't get paid enough to deal with idiots who everyone in the city knows are the problem.

Zuma Dogg is a blight on Los Angeles. A bipolar crminal living off of tax paying law abiding citizens. His constant frivilous lawsuits against the city and the LAPD are draining an already weak economy. Why would his ridiculous opinion be included?BTW the drumcircle does not start under any pavillion.