Only in L.A.

[saiholmes]

More than one tough cookie born in L.A.
March 18, 2007

I f you're not already proud to live in (or near) L.A., the Otis College of Art and Design can give you plenty of reasons. To spotlight the "creative economy" of this area, the college came up with 50 "interesting" things born in the L.A. area.

They include the strapless bra, tooth-whitening toothpaste, the Hula Hoop, Bugs Bunny, the modern T-shirt (developed for USC's football players in 1932 to absorb their sweat), Barbie, the Frisbee, the Internet, valet parking, the skateboard and the fortune cookie.

Of course, some of the above items may also be claimed by others.

Otis, for instance, contends that the fortune cookie was invented by L.A. noodle company owner David Jung in 1918. But others maintain that Japanese immigrant Makota Hagiwara introduced the morsel in San Francisco in 1914.

Some years ago, San Francisco's unofficial Court of Historical Review held a mock trial to determine the creator. You didn't need to read a fortune cookie to guess that San Francisco would win.

No one can take Barbie from L.A., though.

[Fern~Fern*]

^ Hey what about Ken?

[Elsongs]

Here's a totally true, real-life "Only in L.A." story a friend of mine told me.

My friend is Armenian, he has a thick accent. For those of you who don't know, Armenians are neither Arab or Muslim though many of them can be mistaken for Middle Eastern, as Armenia is nestled in between Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

One day he was driving though Beverly Hills, and then a BH police officer turned on his siren and pulled him over.

"Do you know why I'm pulling you over?" said the officer.

My Armenian friend paused.
"Is it because I look suspicious?" he said in his accented English.

"Haha, no!" The officer laughed. "It's because you're not wearing your seat belt!"

I couldn't stop laughing on an off for an hour after he told me that story.

[godblessbotox]

^^ha. that was good, thanks for that

[Fern~Fern*]

...did I miss something?

[The Baz]

don't get it :dunno:

[PotatoGuy]

...did I miss something?

ditto

[ArchiTennis]

Keanu Reeves' car hits paparazzi

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood actor KEANU REEVES was behind the wheel of a Porsche that allegedly grazed a photographer standing in the path of the sports car, investigators said.

The photographer fell to the ground and paramedics were called after the Matrix star's car allegedly struck the man on Monday evening, said Deputy Ed Hernandez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Reeves, 42, was not hurt.

"He grazed a paparazzi standing in front of his Porsche and the man fell to the ground," Hernandez said.

It was not known how fast the Porsche was travelling at the time.

Reeves was leaving a parking space in the Avenida Tranquila residential area about 48km south of downtown Los Angeles, he said.

The photographer, whose name was not released, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of unknown injuries, Hernandez said.




OMG Keanu Reeves is 42!!!

[saiholmes]

Firm redefines 'speed dating'
March 25, 2007
By Steve Harvey
Los Angeles Times

You don't think traffic is chaotic enough? Well, AutoWeek magazine reports that a Texas company called SameLane has developed software that would enable drivers to make connections with strangers on roadways via cellphones.

Here's how it would work: Motorists would register their license plate and phone numbers with the company's website and receive bumper stickers letting the world know of their availability.

ADVERTISEMENT
Other parties could then call a central number (for a charge), enter the license plate number and be put in touch with the bumper-sticker owner's phone.

But is this a good idea?

"Think of the opportunities SameLane presents," AutoWeek wrote. "A stalker can breathe heavy while ogling a sexy Nissan driver up ahead. A sports fan can rag a rival while bobbing and weaving through traffic…."

This isn't the first attempt to hook up motorists.

A couple of decades ago, the Huntington Beach-based Freeway Singles Club (see accompanying) was formed by a widow who had spotted a distinguished-looking man in a yellow Cadillac but couldn't think of a way to break the ice.

The Freeway Singles also displayed numbered bumper stickers. Other drivers could jot down the number, write a letter to the club and await a written response. Perhaps the process was too slow for our rush-rush culture, because the club eventually ran out of gas (the widow never did find the man in the yellow Cadillac).

SameLane, of course, would work very quickly, for better or for worse. AutoWeek termed it "very stupid," adding: "It's sure to be a success."

[saiholmes]

After 'The OC' ended, a bike owner had to become a sleuth
April 27, 2007
Steve Harvey, LA Times

"The OC" is no more, but the TV series left behind one mystery.

A worker at the Raleigh Studios lot in Manhattan Beach, where the show was filmed, reported that he parked his bike near the set several months ago only to find it missing. The Beach Reporter newspaper said another worker told him the bike had "been packed with the set for 'The OC' and sent to the studio's Hollywood location," the newspaper said.

After repeated inquiries, the victim said he was told it had been returned to Manhattan Beach but "possibly thrown away." He investigated and found the bike "outside the studio, hidden in some bushes, with two flat tires." He filed a theft report with police.

What I don't understand is how the item could have been mistaken for something used in "The OC." As I recall, the rich kids in that series got around in Mercedes SUVs, BMWs and Jaguars.

Speaking of traffic: A shutdown of the freeway is not going to help one car dealer, Bob Hinman of Anaheim suspects (see accompanying).

Another questionable attraction: Noe"l Plourde decided against accepting one roadside invitation (see photo).

Not sure about this opportunity either: Cal Porter of Malibu saw an ad for a residence that has suffered some quake damage (see item).

Easy for them to say: Paul Rayton of L.A. noticed a couple of posters that were anything but letter perfect (see photo).

Bad connection: The "What's New" category of snopes.com investigates an Internet report that the message on Palisades High's answering machine offers the following options:

‧ "To lie about why your child is absent, press 1."

‧ "To make excuses for why your child did not do his work, press 2."

‧ "To complain about what we do, press 3."

‧ "To swear at staff members, press 4."

And so on. The message supposedly concludes: "If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, classwork, homework, and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort, hang up and have a nice day!"

In reality, there is no such recording. The anonymous fake message was written after the school district overruled a school policy of flunking students with numerous unexcused absences.

As snopes.com points out, the Internet version "often omits the introductory line, 'Too bad they can't actually use it…. ' "

miscelLAny: KFWB-AM (980) promotes its freeway advisories with this statement: "Southern California traffic never stops." Funny, I can't remember the last time traffic didn't stop during my commutes.

[globetrek]

By Sandy Robins
MSNBC contributor


Facelifts, tummy tucks, nose jobs, breast reductions, testicular implants and cosmetic dentistry — it sounds like the line-up for an extreme-makeover reality TV show. Well, get ready for a fresh dose of reality: those going under the knife to be nipped and tucked are not people but pets.

“Pets are no longer considered property, but family members," says Dr. Alan Schulman, a board-certified orthopedic veterinary surgeon who performs plastic surgery and also sees general practice cases at the Animal Medical Center of Southern California in Los Angeles. "With the evolution of this emotional bond, people with a discretionary income are taking advantage of technology and veterinary expertise to give their animals medically indicated reconstructive surgery resulting in a better quality of life.”

But are these procedures really medically necessary or are pets undergoing surgery simply to appease their owners' vanity? Dubbed in Hollywood as the "Veterinarian to the Stars," Schulman sees many pets belonging to celebrities and says he gets his fair share of requests to perform unnecessary cosmetic procedures.

[godblessbotox]

...isnt that considered animal abuse?

[Fern~Fern*]

^ No Silly not at all......

[Westsidelife]

Only in LA will you find rows and rows of palm tree lined streets set against a mountain backdrop.

http://www.goodapartment.com/photos/a938b457af83078035961fdc68224dab.jpeg

[saiholmes]

Lohan arrested in suspected DUI crash
The 5:30 a.m. wreck in Beverly Hills leaves the actress slightly hurt. Police say a substance believed to be cocaine was found.
By Patrick McGreevy, Times Staff Writer
May 27, 2007

Hard-partying actress Lindsay Lohan was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Saturday after the rehab veteran crashed her Mercedes convertible in Beverly Hills shortly before dawn.

Lohan, 20, who could face more charges, was slightly injured after she lost control of her car traveling west on Sunset Boulevard about 5:30 a.m., Beverly Hills police said. The car ended up striking a curb and shrubbery along Foothill Road. Two other people in the 2005 Mercedes SL65 — a car that normally seats a driver and one passenger — were not hurt.

The "Georgia Rule" and "Mean Girls" star left the scene of the crash and was taken by an unidentified associate to Century City Doctors Hospital, Lt. Mitch McCann said.

Someone also drove off the heavily damaged Mercedes, which police located at a nearby condominium complex. McCann initially said that police found a substance believed to be cocaine in Lohan's car, but he later backed away from that statement, saying only that the substance was found during the investigation.

Officers responding to a 911 call tracked down and arrested Lohan at the hospital, he said. She was cited on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, a misdemeanor, and released for treatment of a chest injury, McCann said.

He said the case will be presented to prosecutors this week. Lohan is due in court Aug. 24.

The actress had checked herself into a Los Angeles rehabilitation clinic in January and has attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, her publicist and mother have said. They could not be reached for comment.

Last summer, a studio executive blasted Lohan in a letter that accused her of hampering the filming of "Georgia Rule," which is now in theaters, with her "exhaustion"-related absences.

"We are well aware that your ongoing all-night heavy partying is the real reason for your so-called exhaustion," James G. Robinson, chief of Morgan Creek Productions, wrote in the letter.

Two years ago, a tabloid photographer crashed his car into Lohan's vehicle. She had become fodder for paparazzi because of what appeared to be her dramatic weight loss.

On Saturday, onlookers gathered outside the Beverly Hills police station as word of Lohan's arrest spread. "I think it's sad," said Susan Beck, who was walking her dog. "She has too much time and too much money."

[godblessbotox]

seriously, how can these people have insurance and/or a valid drivers license?

[Fern~Fern*]

...Way to Lohan!!!! :banana:

[godblessbotox]

ha, is that the new phase for doing somthing stupid or careless

"dude, you so just pulled a lohan":lol:

[Fern~Fern*]

^ Yup!

[saiholmes]

Just from news...... She is really my favorite girl..... (The OC's Marissa Cooper)


Mischa Barton Hospitalized
Posted May 27th 2007 11:42PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned that actress Mischa Barton was rushed to the hospital this evening after suffering an adverse reaction to medication.

Sources tell TMZ that the former "OC" star was at a friend's Memorial Day BBQ enjoying a few holiday cocktails when she began to feel extremely ill. Mischa, who has been quite sick with bronchitis since traveling to Cannes, London and Paris the past several weeks, apparently didn't get the memo -- you can't drink alcohol while taking antibiotics!

The 21-year-old celeb was rushed to an undisclosed medical facility in Los Angeles, where we are told she is "resting comfortably."

A rep for Barton tells TMZ that the starlet is with family and "feeling much better."

http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/48/65/0000024865_20060921191150.jpg
http://www.style-spotlight.net/blog/wp-content/thumb_MischaGoesShopping.jpg

[Fern~Fern*]

^ She looks flat chested...

[Elsongs]

Just from news...... She is really my favorite girl..... (The OC's Marissa Cooper)




http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/48/65/0000024865_20060921191150.jpg
http://www.style-spotlight.net/blog/wp-content/thumb_MischaGoesShopping.jpg


Somebody go make her a sammich.

[The Baz]

Lindsay Lohan ran into some tree or something drunk/coked up(?) and fled the scene in BH. Oh' the young rich shenangins.

[saiholmes]

A media circus outside Paris' house
By Martha Groves, Times Staff Writer
6:19 PM PDT, June 7, 2007

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5517060,00.jpg

As soon as word broke that Paris Hilton was being sprung from her Lynwood jail cell, dozens of paparazzi as well as other entertainment journalists and news reporters began a day of staking out the celebrity's home on Kings Road in Hollywood Hills.

Neighbors cautiously drove through the crowds that blocked the narrow, winding street, honking their horns impatiently. Trash trucks had to wait for police to clear driveways while irate residents chided journalists for leaning against fences and gates.

The pack of--at times--more than 50 news hounds amassed after Hilton's early release from jail and confinement to home for 40 days.

Watching the action were three puzzled Danish tourists who said they wondered what all the fuss was about. "One word I would say: 'Why?' It's useless," said Anders Garder, 32.

The most exciting moment of the morning came about 10:30 when a van bearing the imprint of Mrs. Beasley's Gourmet Cupcakes pulled up, and Anthony Crisafulli delivered three containers of the treats to the Hilton house.

"She hasn't eaten well while she's been away," Crisafulli explained, noting that Hilton had called the Beverly Hills store this morning. She is a regular customer, he said, and the shop delivered today's batch for free. (For the record, her favorite icings are strawberry and mocha.)

Seeing the dozens of paparazzi, Crisafulli took pity and started handing out plastic containers of mini-cupcakes.

Reporters from CNN, E! Entertainment, "Access Hollywood" and "Inside Edition" were among those staking out the multilevel, Spanish-style house with black wrought-iron gates. Two crossed U.S. flags hung in front with a big yellow ribbon in the middle. As the hours went by, journalists from German, British and Japanese television joined the crowd, often resorting to interviewing one another in the absence of breaking news.

Amid the boredom of a working day that stretched for the journalists from 7:30 a.m. until late afternoon, wisecracks abounded. Soo Youn, a freelance writer reporting for the New York Daily News, muttered that since Hilton was out of jail, "Now she can go back to concentrating on how to make the world a better place."

Throughout the day, deliveries and arrivals spurred the paparazzi pack to swarm across the street, converging on whomever was the latest interview candidate to show up. That included a deliveryman who, around noon, wheeled in six cases of Party Animal organic dog food, topped by an extravagant fruit basket.

Separately, a man in a dark car pulled up and handed a bouquet of red flowers to a guard at one of the gates. A few hours later came a delivery of dozens of cut orchids displayed in a see-through plexiglass tray.

But even as reporters peppered them with questions, one deliveryman after another refused to divulge any tidbits worthy of the evening entertainment newscasts.

Journalists weren't the only ones eyeing the home. At a couple of points in the day, Starline vans rolled by, filled with out-of-town, camera-wielding tourists.

Among the visitors who trickled in were Faye Resnick, who attained a measure of celebrity herself when she came out with a memoir of her friend Nicole Brown Simpson, the slain ex-wife of O.J. Simpson. Also visiting was Hilton's lawyer, Richard A. Hutton. And Hilton's parents, Rick and Kathy, arrived in a black Mercedes.

TV vans and reporters' cars, meanwhile, lined the streets for blocks near the home. One of the inconvenienced neighbors, Anne Goursaud, complained about the helicopters that had been buzzing overhead from early morning until the late afternoon, when Los Angeles police said Hilton was in for the night.

"I think the whole world has descended on our neighborhood," said Goursaud, a film editor and director who has lived in the neighborhood for 24 years. "The insanity of this. What is my life going to be like for the next 40 days? It's like the age of superficiality."

[Fern~Fern*]

^ That belongs in the Paris Hilton goes to the slammer thread...:lol:

[saiholmes]

Friday, June 29, 2007
Record white seabass speared

http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/sports/2007/06/29fishlarge.jpg

The world record for a white seabass caught on rod and reel is 83.75 pounds. So when anglers see this, jaws are likely to drop and more concerted efforts will probably be made to pursue these kings of croaker along our coast.

On consecutive trips, Bill Ernst, 58, a spearfisherman for 45 years, speared white seabass weighing 42, 47, 68 and an incredible 93.4 pounds, the latter a world record.

The current International Underwater Spearfishing Association record for a speared white seabass is 80 pounds, so Ernst shattered the mark.

"I can't believe it, I just can't believe it," the Malibu freediver said.

Not one to pursue records, Ernst was prompted to submit the fish to offer proof that enormous white seabass like this really do exist along the coastline.

On a certified market scale, the fish weighed 93.1 pounds, and Ernst was taken aback.

"I'm looking at the scale making sure somebody doesn't have their foot on it," he said.

To ensure the validity of the record, he had the fished weighed on a certified scale by Larry Carter, who certifies records for the IUSA. The official weight was actually a few ounces heavier.

Ernst's previous fish, a personal-best 68-pounder, was a record for the Los Angeles Fathomiers, a freediving and spearfishing club.

"I was on the top of the world," he said of that fish. "I figured, well, I'll keep going out until I don't get any more fish.

"When it's good, it's good and it's only good two or three times a year and that's it — and for a week at most."

So a week ago, Ernst headed back to the Deep Hole at the Los Angeles/Ventura county line where he shot the other big white seabass.

It was 8 a.m. Nobody else was around. He climbed onto his paddleboard with his spear gun and paddled to a kelp bed a half-mile out in 50 feet of water. He tied the board to the kelp and started freediving.

"These white seabass are real wary of you so the way I like to hunt them is to go into the darkest part of the kelp so they can't see me," Ernst explained.

On his second dive, he descended inside the kelp but near the edge. He saw two big white seabass facing away from him, just sitting there, apparently asleep.

"The one in front, further away, he was huge," Ernst said. "He was bigger than the one I shot. It had to be 100 pounds."

Ernst was 20 feet away and started slowly swimming toward the fish. At 15 feet, the fish sensed his presence and started swimming off to his left.

"I couldn't get the biggest one, but this other one — as luck would have it, there was a lot of kelp stocks coming off the bottom and as he swam to the left, he went behind a stock of kelp and it obscured his vision of me."

Ernst kicked closer, pointing the gun to where he figured the fish would emerge and fired when it did, hitting it just behind the pectoral fin and through the gill.

He surfaced, pulled the fish up and managed to get it onto the paddle board. Ernst swam it to the beach where its size finally registered with him.

"The day before, on the 68-pounder, I could drag that fish over the sand and up the stairs and into the car no problem, with one drag," he said. "With this fish, I could only go 50 feet and I couldn't go any farther. It took three (rest stops) to get it up (the stairs).

"Then I had to wait for a surfer to come by to help me get it into the truck.

"It was just amazing."

Word quickly spread on the Internet. The secret spot was no longer secret, evidenced by the crowd the next morning when Ernst took his daughter to try for one.

"As a result, my daughter didn't get anything," he said.

[godblessbotox]

just think of all that mercury!

[The Baz]

enough to kill a medium sized orphanage of kids I suspect.