I'm one of those that will stop and gawk at the appearance of any unexpected avian in my immediate airspace. Hawk, falcon, turkey vulture, red-breasted hoodeedoo... doesn't matter. A few weeks ago in the backyard I happened to look up in time to see a great blue heron winging it across the skies, and damned if I didn't say aloud "Dood, that's totally a great blue heron flying over our house!" to no one but myself and maybe the dog because that's the kind of freak naturegeek I am.

On the off chance you might share my fascination, my wife and I found today what may very well be one of the best spots in the city to observe the increasingly prevalent and relatively noisy-but-hard-to-watch yellow-chevroned parakeet (such as the one pictured below; click to triplify). As we were locking up our bikes prior to the 1 p.m. matinee of Cloverfield today at the Laemmle's Grande Fourplex on Figuero at 4th downtown, we were greeted by scads of the birds and their familiar raucous screeching taking place overhead as they feasted on the fruit of the the date-festooned palm trees around the Marriot Hotel where the theaters are.

One can either admire them from the ground, or for a closer look, go into the hotel's lobby (BTW: the very same one that showcased Christopher Walken's awesome dance moves in this popular Fatboy Slim video), head up to the second floor and get out onto the pedestrian bridge that joins the hotel across Fig to the World Trade Center. Now your up at frond level and so are the birds, and they're too busy eating to mind the spectators. I'd expect they'll be there as long as the fruit is.

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Actor Suzanne Pleshette died yesterday as reported HERE on mail.com.

Rest in peace funny lady. I watched you growing up and laughed at your wit plaiying the foil to Bob Newhart on his two shows.  My Mom was a fan of Bob Newhart, I was your fan in the house.

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This is likely the big news event for the under 15 set.  After 3 weeks of searching for the Nintendo DS Line is some color other than pink at every imaginable store in the area andon linee my boys had just about given up hope of ever getting one.  Yesterday we did our weekly lookon linee and spotted that Target.com was showing them in stock at a variety of local stores.  We called to verify as we knew in the past that the "inventory" by store was in error.  Dang...the had them and promised they would be on the shelves at 8AM today. 

No holds allowed so guess what I was doing at 8AM?  Yup hauling a very excited kid to but the target of their youthful lust...the Nintendo DS Lite in "Onyx".  Two please as one is for my brother at Astrocamp.

The stock is limited.  Target Duarte had 4 white, 1 Onyx and 6 Pink in stock after we were done shopping.  Check with your local store but it looks like the hot game of the season is rolling back into the stores.

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I've been expecting a book from Amazon all week. I've been terribly excited because it is a cookbook and is not all vegetarian but came recommended by a vegetarian friend. This means it will have nice things for me (mostly veggie) and my husband (mostly carnie) (hahahahaha). This is the second time Amazon has sent the book to me -- the first time it didn't show up. This time around it had an estimated delivery date of Wednesday. I checked the mail Wednesday, no book. I checked the mail Thursday, no book. Friday was the day of rest (I forgot to check) but I went and checked early this afternoon. No book. Wait a second, what's that on the floor? Holy hell, IT'S MY BOOK. Still in the Amazon wrapping, NEXT TO its box. Someone has opened my box and found my book to be undesirable. There are two open, empty boxes (addressed to other people) next to mine.

Now, I am extremely annoyed with the would-be thief. But I am REALLY pissed at the mail carrier. I am certain it wasn't the regular carrier, who is awesome and knows me well enough that she brought me a Christmas present with the wrong apartment number on it (there are 150 units in my building). But someone from the post office left packages unattended by the mailboxes.

I intend to write a letter of complaint to the postmaster when I have calmed down a bit (it's been most of a day and at this point the letter in my head has improved to "*** you in your FACE!"). Other than that, what can I do? I imagine not much, but damn it, I'm mad.

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On a bike ride with my wife last week around the Silver Lake Reservoir I found this little two-color statement applied directly to the West Silver Lke Boulevard roadway (click to triplify):

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55 years ago, your mother Lucy birthed you in Hollywood, but the nation saw you born on CBS. While most people know you as the famous son born to famous parents, few know of your musical talents.

A member of Dino, Desi & Billy, he and his pals had a few hits during the mid-1960s, most notably "I'm A Fool." Above, you will find one of their lesser hits, but a personal favorite, "The Rebel Kind."

He is currently living somewhere in Boulder City, Nevada and has reformed his boyhood group as Ricci, Desi & Billy (Dino passed in 1987; his brother Ricci has taken his place in the group).

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Yahoo news ran the story yesterday ACLU: Sex in Restroom Stalls Is Private, The ACLU has taken on the appeal of that Idaho senator who sought a little oral pleasure at an airport this summer. Their argument relies on a case heard 38 years ago where the state ruled one had "a reasonable expectation of privacy" when they had sex in closed stalls.

Oh sweet lord, I nearly spit up my morning coffee with this one. What the hell...an expectation of privacy to having sex in a public bathroom? I honeslty thought it was illegal. I expect to have a privacy so I can do my business, get in and get out. The only noise I want to hear is the plop plop whiz whiz what a relief it is. When I go into a public restroom with my kids I certainly expect the bathroom will be just what it is intended for, not walk in a sex show. Not that I'm a prude but some things I don't want to walk in on, something I certainly don't want my kids to be exposed to.

After reading the article in more detail and looking at a few other sources I understand their argument. The senator was arrested for an alleged invasion of privacy. They argue "The government cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Senator Craig was inviting the undercover officer to engage in anything other than sexual intimacy that would not have called attention to itself in a closed stall in the public restroom,". Interesting twist and good use of shepardizing. Although not a CA or LA specific case it could have interesting ramifications elsewhere as it moves along.

Continued reading ACLU argues sex in oublic potty is OK...

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It might not jump out right away (photo is doublifiable if clicked), but there was potential for trouble here at the intersection of Wilshire and La Brea Friday morning... at least it made me do a double take before unholstering the cam for a snap.

WTF, you ask? I'm talking about the traffic signal over there on the right being green, while the ones dnagling over the street are red.

No, it's not a case of anything being out of sync. It's a result of either A) a case of holliganism or, B) the winds from earlier in the week somehow blowing the normally east-facing signal an almost exact 90 degrees north. Show of hands that think it's B? Yeah, me neither.

A call to 311 to report the issue continued with me being transfered to the Department of Transportation where a traffic enforcement operator answered and frankly shoulda grabbed that first cuppa joe before putting her headset on because she stifled a couple yawns during the course of my explanation and left me with the distinct impression that on a priority scale of 1 - 10 with 1 being highest, rectification of this issue rated a 12.

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If you saw a movie at Hollywood's Chinese Theatre, or any of the 17 other Mann Theatres in Southern California, between December 4, 2006 and January 25, 2007 and paid with a credit card, you're likely entitled to two ticket vouchers and two small popcorns... all because the theatre chain printed the expiration date on credit card receipts during this period. And the best part is that you don't even need to provide evidence you were affected!

To obtain your share of the settlement, you'll need to file a claim by March 9th, 2008 (either by mail, or electronically via fax or email). The form and more info can be found at manntheatressettlement.com, and it will ask for you to provide the number of the credit card you used during the above mentioned period.

Of course, if you're like me you'll pretend that the free tickets aren't due to some technical oversight, but instead for Mann's management turning a blind eye towards patrons talking, texting, and changing diapers during screenings. That sort of experience I want for free!

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US magazine reports that the Associated Press has already written the obituary for Britney Spears. You know, just in case she winds up dead in a gutter anytime soon.

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, considering the fact that Britney is probably ranked #1 in celebrity death pools everywhere. But, it does have to feel a little odd knowing that your death is expected to arrive sooner than later. Makes me wonder how many people are wandering around Los Angeles right now for whom the AP has already scripted an early exit, stage left.

Two things to think about and comment:

1. How will Britney die?

2. Who is next in line?

Remember, kids...

Death is no laughing matter. That's what life is for.

Photo of Young Sinead from justicenotblind

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It was all over the news today that chess legend Bobby Fischer has passed away at age 64 in Iceland. Aside from his chess prowess, Fischer later became known for his anti-American and anti-Semitic sentiments, even though his own mother was Jewish.

So what's the tie to LA?

In 1982, Fischer published a pamphlet called, "I Was Tortured in the Pasadena Jailhouse!", which chronicled his experiences regarding his arrest on May 26, 1981 after being mistaken for a bank robber. Fischer said that the police treated him brutally and that a bank robbery wasn't the real reason for his arrest. It's quite a fascinating read.

In the end Fischer may be remembered as both a genius and a nut job, but his mark on the world of chess will not be soon forgotten.

RIP, Bobby.

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I just got this email from York Chang about a new project that sounds amazing (probably due to my current obsession with books). Chang is collaborating with g727 (the space formerly known as Gallery 727) with "a new community resource/library space where contemporary artists, architects, urban planners, and social justice organizers can come together to engage their imaginations in new ways to address issues of urban communities in Los Angeles."...more on art.blogging.la

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Today we salute you: Mr. & Ms. Sideview Mirror Turner-Inner. Sure there aren't many of you out there, and for those that are there are plenty who'd scoff and say you're not doing what you do for any reason beyond your own self interest. But we few, we proud, we urban cylists... we know the truth. We know when you park your vehicle, you're not just looking out for Number One, you're looking out for all of us on two wheels -- not just by giving us that scosh more room within which to manuever on your streets, but also to let us know loud and proud that "This Vehicle Is Unoccupied And Free From Suddenly Opening Doors. Mostly."

So here's to you, you kings and queens of the curb lane, you dukes and duchesses of the door zone. Because be it manually or with the push of a button, when you retract that driver's side mirror in tight against the side of your sweet sled, you're not only making sure it stands a better chance of being there in the morning, you're pimping the road as a safer place to ride.

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Here's a case that, at least given the bare details, should send chills down the backs of any employer in Los Angeles:

A civil jury has found a Burbank apartment owner and manager liable in the death of a former tenant because they hired a convicted felon and registered sex offender. [Daily News]

A jury issued a $12 million verdict against the apartment management company for hiring a maintainence worker who is a suspect in the 2004 rape and murder of a tenant. The maintainence worker has not been arrested in that particular case, but is serving a 12 year prison term for an act of sexual battery at the same complex in 2005.

The Daily News story has a scant five paragraphs, so I hope there's some signifigant details they aren't sharing. But as horrible as the story is, this sounds like anyone who employs an ex-felon or parolee could be held liable for the employee's crimes.

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