Doran

Corner Cottage Cheeseburger

2011-08-04T20:38:00.001-07:00

Corner Cottage Cheeseburger, originally uploaded by ~db~.

The Corner Cottage is a Burbank favorite and famous for its breakfast burrito. I was too late for one of those, so got a cheeseburger instead. Simple but real good. Fresh veggies, properly cooked meat and a soft, tasty bun. Also, it's smaller than many burgers, which I like since I can better stuff the thing in my mouth and get a good bite. About $3.

Vicious Chicago Dog

2011-07-24T18:45:00.001-07:00

Vicious Chicago Dog, originally uploaded by ~db~.

Now this is a hot dog. Simply outstanding. Exactly what I'd expect if I went to the Windy City and ordered one there, complete with neon green relish and Vienna dog. With this, along with the Sweet and Spicy Kielbasa I had a couple weeks ago, Vicious Dogs has quickly risen to the top of my list when it comes to hot dogs. About $4.

Shadow Goes To The Vet

2011-07-16T12:13:00.001-07:00

Shadow Goes To The Vet, originally uploaded by ~db~.

It was stressful for us all.

Phil's Diner Cheeseburger

2011-07-13T22:28:00.001-07:00

Phil's Diner Cheeseburger, originally uploaded by ~db~.

An excellent burger and awesome onion rings, $8.50.

Opened in the 1920's, the original Phil's Diner was set up in a small train car located on Chandler Blvd, a few blocks from where it is located now. During the early '80's I'd eat there regularly, usually having the Idiot's Mish-Mosh (eggs and potatoes and a whole bunch of other stuff). The place was always packed, and its small size meant you got up close and personal with your hungry neighbors. At the time the place was decidedly not some trendy eatery, with great gobs of goo coating the single exhaust fan behind the flattop. But it was a local landmark. During that era, "Phil" was an Asian man who's attitude provided half the reason I'd want eat there.

The place was closed down in the 90's and the train car languished in disrepair. Thankfully its been rescued and moved a couple of blocks to its current location on Lankershim in the NoHo Arts District. Opened in April, the new owners have cleaned it up, added a proper hood over the cooking area and a few tables outside. Voila, a trendy neighborhood eatery! The inside it still tiny, with so little room behind the counter that two people can only pass each other with great difficultly. Of course that makes it fun to watch.

The food itself was pretty excellent. The burger bun is as good as it looks, and the onion rings were fantastic. The service was a bit slow, especially since it wasn't very busy, but was very friendly. Even though it's been opened only a couple months, it's clear the place now a part of the neighborhood, with customers being greeted by first name and stories of home life being exchanged while their order is being prepared. Really glad it's back, even if it's more a re-creation rather than the actual original.

Oh, and yes they still serve the Idiot's Mish-Mosh.

City of Angels

2011-06-28T07:00:00.001-07:00

City of Angels, originally uploaded by ~db~.

Hidden Kingdom

2011-01-02T16:25:00.001-08:00

Hidden Kingdom, originally uploaded by ~db~.

The alley behind my home.

Movie of the Year

2010-12-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

Booboo Kills Yogi by Edmund Earle

Room 700

2010-10-11T16:10:00.001-07:00

Room 700, originally uploaded by ~db~.

Brewery Art Colony

la frida

2010-09-24T00:18:00.001-07:00

la frida, originally uploaded by ~db~.

A beautiful piece on the side of a Oaxacan restaurant at Wilton and Melrose in Hollywood.

I've been there.

2010-06-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

"My girlfriend's run off with my car,
And gone back to her ma and pa,
Telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty."

Burbank AMC IMAX Ripping Off Patrons?

2009-05-11T21:59:00.000-07:00

The AMC theater in Burbank charges $5 extra to see an "IMAX" version of movies such as Star Trek. But, according to Aziz Ansari, it's a total rip-off. He suggests the theater should be boycotted for what he sees as a misleading promotion. From what I read, I'm sure glad I didn't pay the extra fee.

Boycott Kellogg's

2009-02-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

From Raw Story:

Pot activists aren't taking Kellogg's very public snub of Olympic champion Michael Phelps lightly: four national organizations are calling for a boycott of all the cereal and snack company's products – and asking their members to contact Kellogg with complaints.

Cop Prevents Cat Rescue

2008-12-31T09:41:00.000-08:00

A Phoenix man is claiming his neighbor, a police officer, prevented anyone from rescuing his cat, which had climbed into the cop's tree. It took 9 days before fellow police officers went to the house and were able to get the pet out of the tree.

Otto the Angry Octopus

2008-12-04T23:11:00.000-08:00

The cephalopod is my new hero.

via BoingBoing

Fire Extinguishers Are A Fire Hazard?

2008-12-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Apparently some folks in the UK think so.

The life-saving devices encourage untrained people to fight a fire rather than leave the building, risk assessors in Bournemouth decided.

Naked Hitler Ad Pulled

2008-12-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

The print ad featured a Belgian TV host caricatured as Hitler, with a message to "Discover the real Europe. Not the cliches."

Cops in Standoff With Cardboard Cutout

2008-12-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

From the Star-Ledger:

A cardboard figure of a person inside a Somerset County bank kept police at bay for 90 minutes last night, authorities said.

Stephen Baldwin's New Tattoo

2008-11-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Uhhh, more than a little creepy, even for a creep.

Dildos Delay Hockey Match

2008-10-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

A hockey game in Sweden was delayed when fans of the AIK ice hockey team from Stockholm caused a "dildo downpour" and inflated a giant penis in the stands.

Apparently plans for the prank had been posted online, and was targeted against a former AIK player who had previously been involved in a sex scandal, and who was now playing for the opposing team.

"We'd also heard mention of it, but we decided that it would only be worse if we went out and told the fans they were absolutely not allowed to throw dildos on the ice," said AIK club head Mats Hedenstrom to the newspaper.

R.I.P. Lloyd Thaxton

2008-10-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

Lloyd Thaxton, one of my childhood icons, has died. He brought joy to my life, as much for his enthusiasm as for anything else. Whereas Dick Clark was polished and boring, Thaxton was a force, creating something out of little more than his love of music and kids. He will be long remembered.

God Loves Margaret Cho

2008-09-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

He really does.

Don’t fucking question my Christianity you fucking idiot assholes. If you continue to have a problem, then talk to God about it, not me, you fucking racist homophobic misogynist fake Christian shitheads. God thinks it is funny that I swear so much. He said I could use his name in vain or whatever. He just wants me to use it. He loves me. So fuck you. And I guess he loves you too. Even though you are fake Christian assholes. If you were truly Christians, you would let gays get married, and send them fucking presents from Bed Bath and Beyond!

If you truly believed in Jesus, you would try to be like him and love us, fags and dykes and feminists all. God bless you, even you. You fucking fuckers.

via dailykos

Dear Food Network

2008-09-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

I care about food, not personalities.

The War Against Boobs

2008-08-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Having large breasts is not a crime!

When Mr. Marshall Died

2008-08-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, we all have teachers who have had a real impact on our lives. The kind of teacher you knew at the time was special, and which time has not diminished the reputation.

Mr. Marshall was such a teacher.

He was one of a handful of my Important Teachers, yet I never really talked with him. Only later did I find I was not alone in this. He was the most distant of my mentors, yet I can still regale you with his stories of history.

Today, while searching for something else, I was reminded that Mr. Marshall is dead. He is still missed.

When Size Doesn't Matter

2008-08-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

An unnamed (to save his children further embarrassment) doctor who had been convicted of indecent exposure, has lost his appeal. His lawyer (named Dick, of course) claimed the defendant's 2.8 inch pee-pee was too small to be seen by the arresting officer. In a 30 page decision, the three judge panel unanimously disagreed and upheld the conviction.

The bottom line: This is a case that could be described as de minimis, a legal term defined by Black's Law Dictionary as "1. Trifling, minimal. 2. (Of a fact or thing) so insignificant that a court may overlook it in deciding an issue or case."

via osrr

The Burger King Butt Probe

2008-08-14T20:41:00.001-07:00

You might want to skip the onions next time you're at BK.

Martin Bashir's Boner

2008-08-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Martin Bashir, co-anchor of ABC's Nightline has apologized for this remark, made at an event sponsored by the Asian American Journalists Association:

"I'm happy to be in the midst of so many Asian babes," he said onstage, with his 20/20 colleague Juju Chang nearby. "In fact, I'm happy that the podium covers me from the waist down." He then noted that a speech should be "like a dress on a beautiful woman -- long enough to cover the important parts and short enough to keep your interest -- like my colleague Juju's."

Lesbos Loses

2008-07-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Lesbians can still call themselves lesbians.

DUI With 0.491 Blood Alcohol Level

2008-07-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

Setting a new American record!

Via BoingBoing

Spray On Condoms

2008-07-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a can of Krylon, but the new condom is said to provide a much better fit.

Unlike its depiction in popular media, it's not a generic spray can that men haphazardly shoot towards their crotch. In reality, it works like a miniature car wash, employing a penis chamber lined with jets that distribute liquid latex. The entire process takes 10 seconds, with another 20 to 25 required for drying.

%@#&*!

2008-07-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

It's a grawlix.

via kottke

Justin Gimelstob: FAIL

2008-06-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

After threatening to "hurt" Anna Kournikova, American tennis player Justin Gimelstob is still employed by the Tennis Channel, which apparently hopes a "substantial donation" to the Women's Sports Foundation will be enough to pay off those he offended.

"We extend our sincere apologies to those who may have been offended by his comments," the statement said. "There is simply no place in our Tennis Channel family for language that is derogatory or dismissive of women."

Yea, right. Perhaps they think violence against women is just a matter of money.

George Carlin, R.I.P.

2008-06-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

It is a sad, sad day. George Carlin has died.

Neal Pollack on Salvia

2008-06-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

While I might quibble with calling it "an experience as intense as LSD" (a car crash might be as intense as LSD, but is not really comparable), Neal Pollack has written his Confessions of a salvia eater. Be sure to read at least a few of the comments. One thing is important to note: Salvia is not a "fun" drug.

Panties for Peace!

2008-05-30T12:03:00.001-07:00

Well, I guess it's better than Nukes for Peace.

Missing Persons Report

2008-05-30T11:27:00.001-07:00

I've been seeing a lot more lost people signs lately.

An 81 year old woman who walks slowly, with a cane.

A graduate, with a whole future ahead of her.

A middle aged woman, with a wonderful smile.

I hope they are all safe, and with those who love them.

Robert Rauschenberg, Dead at 82

2008-05-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Though his work didn't resonate with me the way others did, nobody can deny the power of Rauschenberg and his art. He died today at the age of 82.

No Pot Pops For Kids

2008-05-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

At least not in Georgia.

Teens Use Corpse Head as Bong

2008-05-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Ewwww

The FBI, Marilyn, XXX, and $1.5mil

2008-04-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

An unidentified New York businessman has paid $1.5 million for the only known duplicate of a film showing Marilyn Monroe performing oral sex on an unidentified man. The original copy of the film is owned by the FBI.

The footage appears to have been shot in the 1950s. When it came to light in the mid-'60s, then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had his agents spend two weeks futilely trying to prove that Monroe's sex partner was either John F. Kennedy or Robert F. Kennedy, according to declassified agency documents and interviews, Morgan said.

I Hate April Fools Day, But...

2008-04-01T20:22:00.001-07:00

...I thought this was funny.

Please Remove Your Nipple Rings

2008-03-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Mandi Hamlin wants an apology and government investigation after she was told to remove her nipple rings or miss her flight.

Hamlin's attorney, Gloria Allred, said the woman "was given a pair of pliers in order to remove the rings in her nipples ... The rings had been in her nipples for many years."

Anti-Emo Riots in Mexico

2008-03-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

And police say the violence is spreading.

Upskirt Photos OK!

2008-03-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma's Court of Criminal Appeals ruled 4-1 that a 34 year old man did not violate the state's "Peeping Tom" statute when he took an upskirt photo of a 16 year-old girl since she was in public, without an expectation of privacy.

In a dissent, Appeals Judge Gary Lumpkin wrote that "what this decision does is state to women who desire to wear dresses that there is no expectation of privacy as to what they have covered with their dress."

via HuffPost

CNN to Launch Comedy Program

2008-03-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

More blurring of entertainment and news. Kill me now.

Thomas is Preggers!

2008-03-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

Thomas and Nancy Beatie are having a baby. The catch? Thomas is carrying the child.

via boingboing

Loss for Air Passenger Rights

2008-03-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against New York's Air Passenger Rights Law, saying the state didn't have the authority.

The appeals court said the new law was laudable but only the federal government has the authority to enact such a regulation.

Marijuana Vending Machines in LA

2008-01-24T21:55:00.000-08:00

God bless America.

She'll See Dead People

2008-01-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

Lindsey Lohan will work two days in a morgue and two days in a hospital emergency room as part of her punishment for misdemeanor drunken driving.

Plastic vs. Poop

2008-01-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

Some Australian dog owners are concerned that a ban on plastic bags will result in an increase of uncollected dog poop.

"I have no idea what I would use instead," she said. "My dogs are insane. Sometimes it's not one bag each but two or three each. That's a lot of bags I go through just with them."

Xmas Brawl at South Pole

2007-12-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Two men working at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station got into a "drunken Christmas punch-up". One man, an unidentified Raytheon employee, was injured so bad he couldn't be treated at nearby McMurdo station and required an emergency medical evacuation to a New Zealand hospital. The other man was flown back to the US.

Patron Dies After Marathon Lapdance

2007-12-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

The 28 year old was said to be drinking heavily during the 2 hour private session with dancer Vicky Gloria. He was later taken to a room to sleep it off. He was found dead an hour later.

Doc Busted for "Hot Rod" Photo

2007-12-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

Dr. Adam Hansen, chief resident of general surgery at Mayo Clinic Hospital, is facing disciplinary action for snapping a photo of Sean Dubowik's penis, which has a tattoo reading "Hot Rod", during surgery and sharing it with colleagues.

"I got a strange call after my surgery from a doctor who said there was a problem. He said Hansen was on the phone and would explain," he said.

"He told me he didn't want me to read about it in the newspaper first," Dubowik said.

Japanese Defense Minister: Prepare for UFOs

2007-12-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

Shigeru Ishiba. Japan's defense minister says the time has come to prepare for the inevitable visit from extraterrestrials.

"If they descended, saying 'People of the Earth, let's make friends,' it would not be considered an urgent, unjust attack on our country," Ishiba said.

"And there is another issue of how can we convey our intentions if we don't understand what they are saying," he said.

Wife Kills TV. Husband is Safe

2007-12-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

In a dispute over the temperature in their home, Cheryl Grucz fired a gun at her husband, missed, and shot their flat screen television instead.

She said her spouse is dealing with a family member dying and a recent stroke and was "taking it all out on me."

"No, I'm not," he chimed in from a phone in the basement, where he was hiding until police arrived.

via obscure store

Hindu Gods Summoned to Court

2007-12-07T17:44:00.000-08:00

Good luck enforcing that one.

Hanukkah Ham

2007-12-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

Maybe not such a good idea.

Karlheinz Stockhausen Dies at 79

2007-12-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

...

Women Can Tend Bar in India

2007-12-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

WooHoo!

Goodbye Mitchell Harding

2007-11-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Mitchell Harding, one of my personal radio icons, has died. I haven't heard his voice in over a decade, but in my mind it is still clear as a bell.

Dumbledore is Gay

2007-10-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yup

Are Sex Changes Deductable?

2007-10-02T23:48:00.000-07:00

Rhiannon O'Donnabhain thinks so.

Asteroid Named for Takei

2007-10-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

George Takei has asteroid 7307 Takei named in his honor.

SCOTUS: No Right To Dildos

2007-10-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case regarding Alabama's anti-sex toy law. The owner of the store who brought the original lawsuit says this isn't the end.

"My motto has been they are going to have to pry this vibrator from my cold, dead hand. I refuse to give up," she said.

via BoingBoing

Ah, Ewww

2007-10-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Is Pearlman a Predatory Pedophile?

FCC: Fine Comcast For "Fake News"

2007-09-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

The FCC is saying Comcast should be fined $4000 for airing a video news release promoting "Nelson's Rescue Sleep" without telling viewers that the commercial was funded by the manufacturer.

Comic Pulled Over "Goon" Theme

2007-09-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was the Chicago Tribune which pulled the Get Fuzzy strip.
I guess they don't want to offend mobsters.

via Romenesko

Ride The SLUT!

2007-09-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

That would be the South Lake Union Trolley.

via Obscure

MTV Series is a Deodorant Ad

2007-09-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

MTV's new series The Gamekillers is really just an ad for Axe.

Unilever says it believes enough consumers got the connection. After the show aired, executives at Edelman, Axe's public-relations firm, scoured the Internet, searching blogs and Web sites. In less than three months, the "Gamekillers" group page on MySpace had attracted 75,000 friends; the "Gamekillers" Web site, which also tied the show to Axe Dry, attracted 1.4 million unique visitors. Based on that, Unilever believes that the show helped its related ad campaign boost Axe Dry's sales by 60% in 2006.

via bwe

Quote of the week

2007-09-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

"I'm O.J. Simpson. How am I going to think that I'm going to rob somebody and get away with it?" - in an interview with the L.A. Times

Leave Britney Alone!

2007-09-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

This is why God invented YouTube:

The Tenor of His Time

2007-09-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

There won't be another Pavarotti.

China: No Reincarnating Without Permission

2007-08-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

The Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs has issued a statement saying, beginning next month, reincarnation is prohibited without government permission.

But beyond the irony lies China's true motive: to cut off the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual and political leader, and to quell the region's Buddhist religious establishment more than 50 years after China invaded the small Himalayan country. By barring any Buddhist monk living outside China from seeking reincarnation, the law effectively gives Chinese authorities the power to choose the next Dalai Lama, whose soul, by tradition, is reborn as a new human to continue the work of relieving suffering.

Wanna Piss on the Virgin Mary?

2007-07-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

You'll have to go to Chongqing, China.

via BoingBoing

Kobayashi Loses Hot Dog Title

2007-07-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

American Joey Chestnut won this year's annual hot dog eating contest at Nathan's on Coney Island, setting a new record by eating 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. He beat long standing champion Takeru Kobayashi, who was only able to down 63 dogs.

Five Die in Manure Pit

2007-07-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Virginia farmer Scott Showalter entered the manure pit to clear a clogged pipe. It's something he may have done hundreds of times. But this time he became overwhelmed by methane fumes. Amous Stoltzfus, who was helping, apparently thought it was a heart attack and entered the pit to help, only to pass out himself. Showalter's wife and two of their daughters then entered in a frantic attempt to help, but they were all overwhelmed by the fumes and died.

"You cannot smell it, you cannot see it, but it's an instant kill," said Dan Brubaker, a family friend who oversaw the construction of the pit decades earlier.

Kissing Girls Kicked Off Bus

2007-06-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Two 14 year old girls were kicked off a city bus in Portland Oregon earlier this month when a passenger complained about the girls kissing. The bus driver pulled the bus over and forced them off the bus, calling the girls "sickos". The chief of the transit agency has apologized and said the driver faces disciplinary action.

via Obscure Store

R.I.P. Charles Nelson Reilly

2007-05-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

Charles Nelson Reilly has died. The AP is reporting it was of complications from pneumonia.

I met him several times, and he was always the very best type of person. The first time was when I was a pre-teen and working as an extra on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir television series. Years later, he was the guest of Fred Hyatt on The Sunday Opera at KPFK, where I was the engineer. After mentioning that I had worked with him earlier, he instantly began treating me like a long-lost colleague. During future visits, he would be the one reminding me of how we had worked together those many years before.

He was passionate and committed to his art, which was theater in its very many varieties. I personally witnessed hours-long discussions about opera and the musical stage, and he obviously knew of what he was speaking. Both on and off the air, he was quick with jokes and stories. He filled the room with his presence and always left everyone smiling. He was a good guy and will be missed.

Talk Like Bob Dylan Day

2007-05-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

It's today!

http://www.talklikebobdylan.com/

via BoingBoing

Al Martinez leaves the LA Times

2007-05-24T00:39:00.000-07:00

My God, how much worse can it get?

Beware the Hair Thieves of Myanmar

2007-05-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

This one sounds a bit questionable, but it's on the Internet, so it must be true.

The AP has noted a story in a Burmese news journal which says long haired women in Myanmar are having their hair stolen. The hair then gets resold at about $100 per pound. It happens in crowded places, often with the women unaware of what has happened.

"My long hair was cut while I was on my way back from the office. I found out only when I got back home," an unidentified female bus commuter was quoted as saying.

Damaged

2007-05-03T21:54:00.001-07:00

It's a prerequisite.

Wally Schirra, RIP

2007-05-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

My favorite Mercury Astronaut died today. Walter Schirra was 84.

RIP Howard Larman

2007-04-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

Folk Music and Public Radio have lost a true champion. Howard Larman passed away over the weekend. I've known the Larmans for decades and know the passion Howard had for both music and public radio. He has been, and will continue to be, an inspiration. His wife Roz and sound engineer Peter Cutler will continue to broadcast Folkscene. I know Howard wouldn't want it any other way.

Pilot's Potty Mouth Grounds Flight

2007-04-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Northwest Airlines canceled a flight from Las Vegas to Detroit because of "rude language" used by the captain. The cursing reportedly happened during passenger boarding while the pilot was talking on a cell phone. He exited the cockpit and locked himself in the plane's bathroom, where passengers could still hear his coarse language.

When the captain emerged from the bathroom, a passenger confronted him about his behavior, reportedly prompting more cursing by the pilot of the B757 aircraft.

Organ Donors Aren't Quite Dead

2007-04-11T22:55:00.000-07:00

The L.A. Times is reporting that, for the second time in recent months, California doctors may have attempted to harvest organs from a patient before they were dead.

Don Bolles Gets Soaped!

2007-04-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

Don Bolles, drummer for some of LA's most seminal bands, was pulled over for a broken tail light last week and ended up getting busted because cops said his bottle of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap was actually GHB.

Bolles insisted the soap was only soap. "I've been using Dr. Bronner's for 35 years," he said Tuesday, adding that the organic ingredients help give him the complexion of a 15-year-old girl.

Kurt Vonnegut is Dead

2007-04-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

Oh fuck! My favorite writer just died.

Pot User Must Die

2007-03-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Angel Raich, an Oakland mother of two who "suffers from scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other ailments" cannot smoke marijuana, even if it's the only thing that keeps her alive. Raich had lost an earlier case at the U.S. Supreme Court and was hoping that the appeals court would favor her "right to life" theory. They did not, effectively saying that avoiding death isn't a good enough reason to smoke pot. She has reportedly said she will continue to use the drug.

"I'm sure not going to let them kill me," she said. "Oh my God."

Israeli Ambassador of Bondage is Recalled

2007-03-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

Tzuriel Refael, the Israeli ambassador to El Salvador, has been recalled after he was found drunk and naked, except for the bondage gear he was wearing. He was only able to speak after a rubber ball was removed from his mouth. This was his first diplomatic posting as ambassador.

La Cucaracha to Return

2007-03-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Times has reversed one of its most stupid recent mistakes and will not be eliminating Lalo Alcaraz' La Cucaracha from its comics section. This just one day after the Times announced it was dropping the strip. It seems the folks from Chicago were a bit confused about the whole local thing.

We decided to bring it back after hearing from so many of our readers who follow the comic strip loyally. "La Cucaracha" will return to our Sunday pages starting March 25.

via laobserved

Magritte vs. The Ladybugs

2007-03-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Magritte exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art was evacuated for about 15 minutes Friday afternoon when a bag full of ladybugs was discovered. No works were damaged.

via blogging.la

Proposed Ban on Truck Testicles

2007-02-23T11:28:00.000-08:00

Maryland Delegate LeRoy E. Myers Jr. has filed legislation to ban the display of those oh-so-chic Truck Nuts and "anatomically correct" human or animal genitalia.

"People are making a joke out of it," Myers said yesterday. "But I think it's a pretty serious problem. You have body parts hanging from the hitches of cars. We've crossed a line."

via Obscure Store

Sheen Bros are a Bit Sensitive

2007-02-22T17:13:00.000-08:00

It seems Charlie Sheen and his big brother Emilio Estevez aren't too happy with recent remarks by Susan King in the L.A. Times. King wrote "Charlie Sheen took brotherly love to a new level of hokum when introducing the clip of sibling Emilio Estevez's overly hyped 'Bobby' on the Golden Globes." The brothers apparently decided to write back.

Hey Sad Susan - It must suck watching people do things you can only fantasize about. To spend your entire life watching the other kids play, knowing deep in your heart your parents LIED to you when they promised, "You can be whatever you want, if you just follow your dreams." Oh well, try and enjoy your daily nightmare

"A Tea Blog Like No Other"

2007-02-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Teabirds. "Nothing but pictures of cute girls at tea."

Then there's Babes with Books.

Just more reasons why I love them Internets.

via BoingBoing

Wimbledon: Equal Money for Men and Women

2007-02-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

It's about time.

Men-Free Island Planned

2007-02-22T07:23:00.000-08:00

Reuters is reporting that Iran is planning to develop a female-only island on Urumiyeh lake in Western Azerbaijan province.

"There will be no men on the Arezou (Wish) island. Public transport, restaurants and other facilities will be staffed only by women,"

Britney Meltdown Weekend?

2007-02-16T23:52:00.000-08:00

With word out now that Britney Spears is sporting a new bald look after ditching rehab, I can't help but wonder if she's destined to fill the void left by Anna.

Consumerist: "We are a jerkface"

2007-02-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

It seems the Consumerist blog has been using Flickr photos without the permission of the photographers. The disrespectful reasoning given for doing this was less than warm and fuzzy. Needless to say, this has angered many Flickr users. Now Consumerist has apologized and promises to do The Right Thing in the future. Let's hope so.

via blogging.la

Ghost

2007-02-11T16:45:00.001-08:00

Just short of her 16th birthday, my beautiful old girl Tush died this morning, a few inches away from the spot where she was born. I knew it was going to happen for a while, and she actually lasted a lot longer than I thought she would. There is solace in that the end came peacefully. She will be missed deeply.