After my handcuff dilemma, I couldn't help but notice that the cuffs were made in China. I finally had the chance to package and take my faulty 1000 Watt tripod light back to the store I got it from and realized that it was made in China as well. How ironic is that after all the flack China received for the recalled Chinese made toys containing lead paint? I was a bit bothered myself with these two products, especially by getting stuck in the handcuffs when they broke on me, but I try to look at the big picture. I think about the people in China who make these things for a pittance. From what I read recently, Burma makes a lot of products for China to be marked as "made in China" in their sweat factories where children are evidently held at gunpoint to work long and arduous shifts. These kind of conditions sure make my troubles seem like nothing. I don't know whether or not I live in the best country in the world for certain, but it certainly is not the worst either. I am happy to be where I am, and continuously remind myself that though we may have to deal with a little lead paint and broken accessories, others must trudge with heavy lead shackles, suppressive governments, constant states of violence and broken spirits. I just can't see the fairness in being upset about trifle things in light to living in lifestyles like that. I'm still just as guilty at getting upset over nothing as the next person probably, but thoughts like this make me rebound back pretty quick. I guess that's just my technique to deal with stuff.

255 East 5th St. in Downtown LA - it's in the heart of the Toy District, which also happens to be at the heart of a lot of street living and poverty. Irony. I think. The building, if you're curious, was featured in films like The Mask (it was the bank), Big Trouble in Little China (it was Egg's garage), and Ghostbusters - built at roughly the same time and in the same manner as Engine 8 in New York, it's much much bigger on the inside, so while the exteriors were shot at Engine 8, the interiors were shot on the other side of the country at Engine 23.