Young adults not on twitter? You don't say...

I knew I wasn't the only one.

From cnet:

While 99 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds have profiles on social networks, only 22 percent use Twitter, according to a new survey from Pace University and the Participatory Media Network.

This is consistent with what some observers have said about Twitter's recent push from early-adopter territory into the mainstream: that it's catching on with a slightly older demographic than the teenagers and college students who formed Facebook's initial core.

I hate to say I told you so.

Gardasil Requirement for Immigrants

This disgusts me.

TCM to WGA: Funny cause it's true

Updates on Subway to the Sea

I might not live on the westside these days, but I'm still passionate about the idea of a subway to the sea. Last year at around this time the idea of a Subway to the Sea exploded on the web, and now the L.A. Times reported that the subway to the sea issue is going to be opened to the public. We now have two, that's right TWO different routes to choose from. After looking at them, I find myself agreeing with the general public:

"We thought a lot of people would choose" one route or the other, said Jody Litvak, the MTA spokeswoman for the Westside transit study. "But a lot of people said they're both good and do them both."

DO THEM BOTH! DO THEM BOTH!

Take a look at the map and decide for yourself.



I know some people are weary about the idea, or worry about where the money is going to come from for the project, the L.A. Times itself made sure to state, "The subway project, estimated to cost $5 billion to $7 billion, has no funding and has not undergone a required environmental review. Nor has a new subway been approved by the MTA board, which consists mostly of elected officials and their appointees."

So what does that mean? It means we have to elect those officials who believe in the subway as much as we do. Something needs to be done to alleviate traffic, and soon.

Government Sponsored Media? No, I'm not talking about Fox News

Last week when I was writing about China's ban on online porn, I shuttered when I read the story had been reported by "State Media." To me, a public run newspaper industry would spell disaster for those who want to report unbiased news about politics and the government. But with the decline 0f traditional media, what can be done to insure newspapers don't truly go the way of the literary dinosaurs? Michael Arrington over at Tech Crunch covers the story and cites some other very knowledgeable figures and their opinions on the matter.

But what do you think? Does the idea of government-run newspapers send shivers down your spine? Or in the wake of fox news, the patriot act and other crimes against our freedoms, is it just another cross to bear in la la land of the free, home of the brave?

China bans online porn, Calls it "unhealthy"

Remember how awhile ago, I said China scares me? Well, they just gave me another reason to fear the People's Republic. China is anti-porn! Wednesday, Reuters reported that President Hu Jintao shut down a website selling porn and arrested 33 people. Last year alone 44,000 websites were shut down and 868 people arrested.

The story printed by the state media, (Fox News China) said President Jintao's anti-porn initiative or what they call "crackdown on online pornography and "unhealthy" Web content" was launched because it poses a threat to "social stability."

"China employs tens of thousands of human Internet censors and a vast network of filters to control online information.

China last month said it would crack down on video-sharing Web sites, and allow only state-controlled sites to post video content online in new restrictions effective from January 31."

I guess I posted this because it the rationality behind it didn't make sense to me. I mean, look at Japan. They have TONS of porn (weird porn and used teenage panties in vending machines on sidewalks) and they are probably the most socially stable country on earth. On top of that they're only busting online porn—so Chinese men and women who want to get themselves some pr0n have to travel down to the local video store to stock up.

Oh well, I guess they never were ones for efficiency.

Headlines of the Day

I don't really wanna talk about Heath Ledger it's too sad.

But here are some headlines from today that made me chuckle :

Thin May Be In But Fat's More Fun
Sociable people get fat, worriers thin: Japan

Sam Zell Lets Journos Read LA Observed
Which is nice, since every company needs an internal newsletter.

How To Deal With (And Talk About) The Coming Recession
Is it true that the Chinese have been artificially propping up our standards of living? Don't they hate us?
Yes, and: not as much as they hate their own people.

And then things happen

That just makes everything around you stop.

Such a waste.

JUDITH REGAN RETURNS

Oh how I love my crazy ex-boss. There was a huge scandal when the press found out about Judith's affair with Bernie Kerik, NYC Police Commissioner. He was then the leading candidate for the Director of Homeland Security, backed by Giuliani when the scandal broke and took him out of the running.

She lost her imprint (about two months after I stopped working there) and now she's suing News Corp! I love it!

"Defendants were well aware that Regan had a personal relationship with Kerik,” the complaint says. “In fact, a senior executive in the News Corporation organization told Regan that he believed she had information about Kerik that, if disclosed, would harm Giuliani’s presidential campaign. This executive advised Regan to lie to, and to withhold information from, investigators concerning Kerik."

"We're fully confident that the evidence will show that Judith Regan was the victim of a vicious smear campaign engineered by News Corp. and HarperCollins," Mr. Kerr said.

I don't know if she's doing it for the money, the fame or both! Either way I can't wait to hear how it unfolds and am THRILLED that Judith found a way to get her name back into the news.

Notice her lawyer's name is Kerr...couldn't bring herself to hire a Jewish lawyer eh Judy?

Blues Clues guy is alive, The Office may go on strike and King Tut is exposed for the first time.

SO much has happened today it's madness, dribbling bubbling madness (ten points if you know what movie my new favorite catch phrase has come from)!!!!

Steve Burns not dead, a pedophile or a drug addict.

So that guy from Blues Clues who everyone thought had died from a drug overdose/suicide/who cares is actually alive and has done an interview with MTV to prove it. Apparently this was just another one of those urban legends your parents tell you to make sure you don't do drugs.

It didn't work.







WGA Strike may affect our favorite show. Michael Scott is not pleased.

The WGA walk outs start today. Writers in Los Angeles and New York are picketing to make sure they get a fair share of the revenue made from new technology and aren't screwed out of royalties the way they were when DVD's were introduced to the market.

The problem with this is that many of the cast members on The Office (including B.J Novak, "Ryan" Mindy Kaling, "Kelly" and Paul Lieberstein "Toby") are also writers on the show. NBC has made it clear that as actors they are expected to arrive at work as scheduled which puts them in a tight spot with their responsibilities to the Writers Guild of America.

I totally respect their right to picket, I just hope it doesn't go on for too long.

Although I'm sure Michael Scott wouldn't mind having Toby out of the office for a few days.


King Tut's Sarcophagus opened. The world holds their breathe (plugs their nose).

King Tut's mummy will be on display to the public for the first time ever in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. He'll be kept in a climate controlled glass encasement for viewing if you feel like making the trip by camel to see him.

After looking at his pictures I think I'd rather be in this hemisphere...and curse free.

Train kills women, stiletto's to blame

In what they are calling a "freak train accident" two young women, 18 and 23 were killed when their car got stuck on the train tracks.

Apparently when they exited the vehicle they had difficulty walking through the gravel in their heels and out of harms way.

First of all, how pitiful is this photo? Is this really the best they could do? It looks like the cover of some cheap murder/mystery mass market thriller. The only thing that could make it worse would be if they put some fake blood on the heel. Disgusting. Second, how did their car get stuck on the tracks (or near the part off the tracks where there is gravel, aren't most railway crossings on the road)? Third, why didn't they kick off their shoes so they could scramble out of the way? Were they wearing Manolo Mary Janes?

Maybe the title of this article shouldn't be "Train kills women, stiletto's to blame" but "Train kills women, stupidity to blame." Or "Train kills women, Carrie Bradshaw to blame."

ugg.

California on Fire

I have a lot of friends in San Diego, I am praying for the safety of you and your families.

The Onion's Hilarious Headline

I mean...awful headline.

What's up Italia?

Two headlines from Reuters today:

Teacher cuts pupil's tongue with scissors

Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:50am

MILAN (Reuters) - A Milan teacher cut a unruly 7-year-old pupil's tongue with scissors to silence him, police and school officials said on Tuesday.

Granny finds grenade in groceries

Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:40am

NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - A 74-year-old Italian grandmother who bought a sack of potatoes at the her local market found a live grenade among the spuds.

WHAT is going on over there?

You can read the stories here and here.

Mostafa Tabatabainejad Sues for Money, I mean Civil Rights

If you were privy to the video of Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a 23-year-old UCLA senior getting tasered last month, or heard anything about it you probably felt the same sense of shame and disapointment in the UCPD as I have-- but recent news of his filing a FEDERAL LAWSUIT against UCLA for "unspecified monetary damages" because they "violated the Americans With Disabilities Act" in regards to his "Bi-polar disorder" have left me...wait...

Hold on! PUT ON THE BRAKES! WHAT?!!?!

FEDERAL CASE? CIVIL RIGHTS?

The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990 by Bush I. The act is meant to protect people against discrimination based on disability.

I don't know about you but I think people born with disabilities which severely affect their quality of life would be pissed that Mr. Tabatabainejad is saying he was being discriminated against because of his bi-polarity.

When Tabatabainejad said that he suffered from bipolar disorder, Duren allegedly responded that he "didn't know what bipolar has to do with standing up."

Don't get me wrong I believe that excessive force was used on Mr. Tabatabainejad but do I think it requires a federal case? Do I think his civil rights were infringed upon? No, I don't.

Everybody knows that if you are going to Powell during night hours you have to have your UCLA ID or you will be removed from the library. They do this to protect students studying in the library from robbery, theft and assault. There are signs everywhere making this statement and as a SENIOR Mr. Tabatabainejad would have known this fact. The fact that he refused to produce his ID and remove himself from the library shows arrogance-- who knows, maybe his disability isn't bi-polarity, maybe he is just a jerk.

Tabatabainejad, who is of Iranian descent, was concerned that he was being singled out because of his ethnicity, so he told the guard to make the same request of any other student, the suit alleges. The guard refused.

It's shameful for Mr. Tabatabainejad to make this case about race, which it is so obviously not, at a time when middle-eastern and American relations in the U.S. are at such a fragile state. I haven't seen anything so disgusting since the O.J. Simpson case.

On top of that think about all the student loans, tuition and other funds being drained from UCLA students and Alumni that would go to this guy if he won his case. When an article says, "unspecified monetary damages" it means EXPLOITATION.

Shame on UCPD for using excessive force, you are there to protect the student body. We are not the enemy.

Shame on you Mostafa Tabatabainejad for exploiting this unfortunate situation to drain UCLA and the community of students who STOOD UP FOR YOU after the incident.