Rocky's Horror: Grisolano Out

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has suffered a blow to his campaign for California Attorney General. Sources are telling us that his chief consultant, Larry Grisolano, of The Strategy Group, has left the campaign. No further details are available.

Delgadillo will go up against former California Governor and current Mayor of Oakland Jerry Brown for the Democratic nomination for the AG post.

Grisolano previously was campaign manager for Gray Davis' failed effort to fight being recalled and for the no on Proposition 75 effort in the recent special elections.

Is it Hip to be Clip?

Something strange is happening with LA Hoops. The Clippers are good. Not just good. Really really good.

Before the season started, you could tell the Clippers were going to be much improved. A line up with Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Sam Cassell, and Cuttino Mobley was probably going to be the best in Clipper history. Mike Dunleavy is an excellent coach. And Donald Sterling is finally investing in his franchise, by actually paying for free agents, and building essentials like a practice facility. While there are many who disagreed with me, I really felt the Clippers had the talent to make the playoffs this year.

But they're not just a playoff team. Despite losing a tough overtime battle with the Cavs, the Clippers are 10-5 and lead the Pacific Division. They look like a legitimate top team every night. And it's all happened while the Lakers are off to a sluggish 5-8 start.

So all of this begs the question... is it OK to start rooting for the Clippers? Is LA a Clipper city now? Is it Hip to Clip?

I've spent too much time up here hanging out with Jack Kent Cooke's and Chick Hearn's ghosts to not be a Laker fan. I feel like I'd be betraying my Laker loyalties to ever actively cheer for the Clippers, so I don't. But about the rest of you? Are you embracing the Clippers?

Wendie Jo Sperber, 46

Actress Wendie Jo Sperber, best known for her co-starring role with Tom Hanks in the television show Bosom Buddies and with Michael J. Fox in the Back To The Future film series has died at the age of 46.

Sperber had been suffering from breast cancer. She is the founder of the weSPARK cancer victims support organization, based in Sherman Oaks. She is survived by a son, daughter, sister, brother and parents.

Busy Day in Council

We had Garcetti being elected President, Huizar and Wesson being sworn in, and Mirell's appointment to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority finally being confirmed after the Mayor couldn't muster the votes on two previous occassions. Here's the coverage...

Garcetti:

Daily Breeze - Garcetti chosen for council's top spot
Daily News -(Tied in with this story) Huizar, Wesson take office
LA Times - Garcetti Will Become Council Chief on Jan. 1
Eric Garcetti - President of the Los Angeles City Council
Downtown Central City East Blogger - Eric Garcetti elected Council President!! God save the President!!!!
Blogging.LA - Eric The Great: Garcetti Elected President of Los Angeles!
Lonewacko Blog - Eric Garcetti now President of Los Angeles City Council
LA Voice - Young Blood: City Council Names Garcetti Its Leader
LA Observed - No day of rest after all *

Huizar and Wesson:

Daily News - Huizar, Wesson take office
Daily Breeze -(Tied in with this story) Garcetti chosen for council's top spot
LA Times - Huizar, Wesson Sworn In as Council Members

Mirell:

Daily Breeze - 3rd vote's a charm for mayor's pick
Daily News - Mirell named to homeless panel
Downtown Central City East Blogger - BREAKING NEWS - MIrell Confirmed to LAHSA Commission

Don't Let the Door Hit You in the ***

Three headlines for you:

Garthwaite Quits County Health Agency
Los Angeles Times Wed, 30 Nov 2005
Battered by budget problems, politicians and King/Drew woes since taking the post in 2002, he leaves a job that may be difficult to fill.

County health chief resigns
L.A. Daily News Wed, 30 Nov 2005
Dr. Thomas Garthwaite, the embattled head of Los Angeles County's troubled health department, resigned Tuesday and said he will become chief medical officer at Catholic Health Care East in Pennsylvania.

County health department chief calls it quits
Daily Breeze Wed, 30 Nov 2005
As King-Drew Medical Center faces a critical inspection, the controversial executive takes a new job.

Adios Amigo!

Mayor Sam's Morning Update

Well not sure if Lucille Ball had anything to do with this, but movie legend Gregory Peck's star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been stolen. Honorary Mayor of Hollywood (no, not Mayor V) Johnny Grant reported the disappearance to the Hollywood Police Station. Apparently this is the first time a star has been stolen.

News reports are saying that Michael Jackson is not the biological father of his children he has claimed to father with his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe. Prince Michael and Paris Jackson are the byproducts of Rowe's eggs and an unknown donor's sperm, she tells reporters. Wow.

Mayor V is in Massachusetts today, scheduled to speak to new mayors from other US cities and students and faculty from the John F. Kennedy School's Institute of Politics at Harvard University.

An organization calling themselves Kwanza People of Color is staging a parade and guess who their grand marshall will be? No, not Antonio Villaraigosa, but none other than convicted murderer Stanley "Tookie" Williams, whose appointment with lethal injection is rapidly approaching. Of course, Tookie won't be able to be at the parade "in person" but in spirit (especially if he fails to get Governor Schwarzenegger to grant him clemency).

It's A Christmas Tree

Speaker of the House Denny Hastert is standing firm and urging that the Christmas tree in front of the US Capitol be called, well, a Christmas tree.

That's what it is right?

"I strongly urge that we return to this tradition and join the White House, countless other public institutions and millions of American families in celebrating the holiday season with a Christmas tree," said Hastert.

In the last few years, bureaucrats at the Capitol building started calling the tree a "holiday tree." What the hell is a holiday tree? What holiday?

Its like calling a menorah a "seasonal candleabra. " Very silly.

Go Denny Hastert!

Los Angeles Airport of Orange County

Screw it. If it worked for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, why not the airports. Los Angeles Aiport of Ontario? Los Angeles Aiport of Palmdale? Think I'm nuts. Here's proof that it works.

Airport Uses Name Change to Land 2 Airlines

If Orange County can steal LA's name when it is convenient, why can't we steal theirs?

Press Events for Wednesday

9:00 AM -- LA County Regional Planning Commission meeting. Hall of Records, 320 W. Temple St. Room 150.

3:00 PM -- LA City Council's Transportation Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1060, 200 N. Spring St.

4:00 PM -- LA City Council's Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1010, 200 N. Spring St.

6:30 PM -- Neighborhood Council Valley Village will hold a board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Colfax Elementary School, 11724 Addison St., Valley Village. Call (818) 766-2932.

7:00 PM -- Canoga Park Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Wednesday at Canoga Park Senior Center, 7326 Jordan Ave., Canoga Park. Call (818) 416-8645.

7:00 PM -- Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, will hold a town hall meeting on the Middle East. Temple Judea, 5429 Lindley Ave.

From the Daily News -- Neighborhood Meetings (Updated 11/28/05):

Here is a list of upcoming neighborhood council meetings:

North Hills East Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the library at Sepulveda Middle School, 15330 Plummer St., North Hills. Call (818) 891-0060.

Reseda Neighborhood Council will hold a board meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Magnolia Science Academy, 18238 Sherman Way, Reseda. Call (818) 832-7540 or see www.resedacouncil.org.

Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council, will hold a board meeting at 6 p.m. and a council meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 in room 131 at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch. Call (818) 831-2330 or see www.prnc.org.

Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Room 1-B at the Marvin Braude Constituents Service Center, 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys. Call (818) 908-1840.

Panorama City Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the second-floor meeting room at the Mission Community Hospital medical building, 14860 Roscoe Blvd., Panorama City. Call (818) 756-9422.

Open Thread for Wednesday

A year ago today, longtime Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings finally loses, leaving him with $2,520,700, television's all-time biggest game show haul.

Clueless

It's been one month since the Dodgers fired Paul DePodesta and more than two weeks since Ned Colletti was hired as GM. And what was once one of the greatest franchises in pro sports history still shows no signs that it has a clue.

DePodesta was presumably fired one month into his own mangerial search because Frank McCourt was unimpressed with a field of candidates led by Terry Collins. But this current list doesn't exactly make the heart go pitter-patter. How exactly is a list of Jim Fregosi, Grady Little, John McLaren, Manny Acta, and Joel Skinner any better than what DePodesta announced?

Fregosi has 10 losing seasons in 15 years as a manager. He had one great year with the Phillies in 1993, and another quality year with the Angels in 1979, but that's about it. He's old school, but couldn't even get the Bill Plaschke endorsement. Little is actually a decent manager, but he's best known for his foolish decision to leave Pedro Martinez in too long for Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. McLaren is a Lou Piniella lifer, who said he had a lot of Sweet Lou in him. But you have to question the foresight of a man who would actually follow Piniella to Tampa Bay in the Vince Naimoli years. Manny Acta has an undistinguished resume, and little association with winning. And Joel Skinner? The guy who went 35-41 with the Indians in the second half of 2003? Why?

With Bobby Valentine entrenched in Japan, and Orel Hershiser back in Texas, maybe the Dodgers should just trot Tommy Lasorda back out there.

In the meantime, the Dodgers payroll is reportedly going to be only $75 million. So while the Red Sox could jump at the Josh Beckett-Mike Lowell trade with Florida, the Dodgers just had to watch a deal that was perfect for them (they had the prospects to make it happen!) sail to New England. And just when you thought the Dodgers were completely AWOL this free agent season (it's awfully tough to sign a guy when you don't know who the manager will be), ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports Colletti is trying to use the team's limited resources on Rafael Furcal.

Rafael Furcal? The same guy who is demanding a five-year $50 million contract? Don't we already have a shortstop in Cesar Izturis?

This is pure silliness. Even with Cesar Izturis out until July, Oscar Robles is more than capable of filling the position in the interim. Colletti would be better off squeezing some starting pitching, an outfielder, and a first baseman into McCourt's tight budget constraints.

Goodwill towards the Dodgers in LA hasn't been this low since Norris Paulson kicked poor Mexican immigrants out of their Chavez Ravine homes. So what does a baseball team do when it's having an image crisis? Raise ticket prices of course.

Paging the Flight Crew

According to CNS, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa heads to Boston tomorrow, where he is scheduled to attend a conference for new mayors from across the country.

Villaraigosa, who took office July 1, will address other new mayors and students and faculty from John F. Kennedy School's Institute of Politics at Harvard University at 6 p.m. tomorrow, mayoral spokesman Joe Ramallo said.

The mayor is scheduled to leave Los Angeles tomorrow morning and return Thursday morning, Ramallo said.

Villaraigosa's trip to Boston will be paid in full by Harvard University, Ramallo said.

No word on which flight Harvard will be paying for. If you need your flight uniforms, you can check here!

One Bad Story After Another

Besides many of the recent comment threads (here and here) and a string of bad stories (Here's two we have commented on: 1 & 2), Delgadillo has managed to get yet another headline...

City Atty. Allegedly Failed to Act on Rent Law -- Housing agency says many cases expired in prosecutor's possession. Delgadillo aide contends some were resolved and others lacked proof.

Umm, just a thought here, but someone might want to get something positive out in a press cycle before his campaign falls flat...

Broken Pledges

Daniel Guss serves as a guest commentator penning an article entitled "Mayor's broken pledge hurting city's animals" in the Daily News. Here's a key section for those of you who missed it yesterday...

Yet now as mayor, Villaraigosa seems to think that he doesn't need to honor his guarantee to fire Stuckey. Villaraigosa recently told local humane leaders that he had "made a lot of promises" on his campaign and, besides, Citizens for a Humane Los Angeles, which ended up endorsing Republican candidate Walter Moore, "didn't give me their support."

That's not quite true. Plenty of people in that room that day still supported Villaraigosa with both donations and labor, because Hahn was considered Public Enemy No. 1 to the humane community. But what kind of mayor would Villaraigosa be if he didn't stretch the truth a little, right?

The problem is, Villaraigosa has been stretching the truth like Silly Putty, due in part to his blind reliance on Jimmy Blackman, a deputy mayor who has intimated that if you care too much about animals, you are "too close to the situation to help bring about a solution."

Ouch! While I realize I'm setting the dogs loose on myself by including the portion on Jimmy Blackman, he seems to have a habit of getting in a bit over his head. The last thing he should do is get the animal activists targeting him.

Getting back to the article, here is the closing...

Villaraigosa has quickly and clearly showed Angelenos one thing: Just because he says it doesn't mean anyone should believe it. Period.

Very well said.

Press Events For Tuesday

9:00 AM -- LA County Department of Regional Planning public hearings. Hall of Records, 320 W. Temple St. Room 320.

9:30 AM -- LA County Board of Supervisors meeting. Board Hearing Room, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 W. Temple St.

10:00 AM -- LA Unified School District Board of Education closed session meeting. LAUSD headquarters, 333 S. Beaudry Ave. Room 24-173

10:00 AM -- LA City Council meeting. Agenda includes discussion of a motion naming Eric Garcetti as council president effective Jan. 1; certification of the Nov. 8 special election in council districts 10 and 14; City Hall, Council chamber, third floor, 200 N. Spring St.

1:15 PM -- LA City Council's Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1050, 200 N. Spring St.

3:00 PM -- LA City Council's Budget and Finance Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1010, 200 N. Spring St.

From the Daily News -- Neighborhood Meetings (Updated 11/28/05):

Here is a list of upcoming neighborhood council meetings:

Neighborhood Council Valley Village will hold a board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Colfax Elementary School, 11724 Addison St., Valley Village. Call (818) 766-2932.

Canoga Park Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Wednesday at Canoga Park Senior Center, 7326 Jordan Ave., Canoga Park. Call (818) 416-8645.

North Hills East Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the library at Sepulveda Middle School, 15330 Plummer St., North Hills. Call (818) 891-0060.

Reseda Neighborhood Council will hold a board meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Magnolia Science Academy, 18238 Sherman Way, Reseda. Call (818) 832-7540 or see www.resedacouncil.org.

Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council, will hold a board meeting at 6 p.m. and a council meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 in room 131 at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch. Call (818) 831-2330 or see www.prnc.org.

Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Room 1-B at the Marvin Braude Constituents Service Center, 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys. Call (818) 908-1840.

Panorama City Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the second-floor meeting room at the Mission Community Hospital medical building, 14860 Roscoe Blvd., Panorama City. Call (818) 756-9422.

Open Thread for Tuesday

On this day in 1777, San Jose, California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. It is the first civilian settlement, or pueblo, in Alta California.

Gloria Molina Screws Girls School?

Once in a while, one of our readers posts something that is worthy of being an article in it's own right. I don't know who posted this, but its excellent material and worthy of further discussion and investigation. We can not yet vouch for any of the material facts made, but we will look into. Without any further ado...

Mayors,

You missed a good article this weekend on Ramona High School in East L.A. and the fight against MTA. The story in the LA Times highlights the plight of this girls only continuation school against the powerful MTA.

The real story behind this is Gloria Molina's vindictiveness. The original plans for the East L.A. Light Rail extension called for a stop at Lorena and 1st, the location of the El Mercadito, an East L.A. landmark with over 50,000 weekend visitors. The owner of this Mexican Mall supposedly is not an ally of Gloria, although the owner insists he never has had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Molina. But he got some help from Alatorre and Pacheco and in Gloria's eyes he is now the enemy.

She moved the MTA stop from this location, two blocks up to the Ramona School site. Her buddy Frank Villalobos of Barrio Planners got paid twice for drafting the plans for this line - first with the Mercado stop and then the $23 million dollar Ramona Stop addendum. Not bad for a simple trip to Kinko's. Oh and Ron Martinez, Gloria's husband, is on Villalobos' payroll.

Gloria had Sachi Hamai of the Health Department raid El Mercadito 40 times in 2003. Gloria has turned the L.A. County health inspectors into her own little gestapo. This while Community Health Foundation - a $40 million a year community/county clinic operation - was filing for bankruptcy protection. Oh yeah, Ron Martinez was also on this organization's payroll. El Mercado businesses had been able to organize serious opposition to the Ramona Plan - but the MTA board didn't care.

It's all there Mayor Sam, the original plans for this Light Rail extension, the contractors, the donors, Gloria's recent purchase of beach front property in Ventura County and the El Monte apartments, the list goes on and on.

This school needs help, where is Huizar?

Weekend News Wrap Up

While you were off eating turkey, here are some of the stories we covered:

Skid Row Dumping Ground
Pacheco on LAUSD Takeover
LAUSD Prepares for War with Villaraigosa
Pat Morita, 73

Press Events for Monday

8:00 AM - Mayor Villaraigosa will be interviewed live by Doug McIntyre on on KABC Radio AM 790. You may remember the last time that Villaraigosa appered with McIntyre on KABC was during the Mayoral primary and accused McIntyre's assertion of illegal immigration having a role in the gang problem as "inflammatory." Following that, Villaraigosa refused to come back on the program, even though the other Mayoral candidates - including Mayor Hahn during the general election - all continued to appear many times on the program. Check in to see why the Mayor has had a change of heart.

10:00 AM - The Los Angeles City Council's Public Safety Committee will meet. Agenda items will cover Los Angeles Police Department's Inspector General's office staffing and an updated report on consent decree matters. Room 1010, City Hall, 200 N. Spring St.

From the Daily News -- Neighborhood Meetings (Updated 11/21/05):

Here is a list of upcoming neighborhood council meetings:

Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at Van Gogh Elementary School, 17160 Van Gogh St., Granada Hills. Call (818) 360-4346 or see www.ghnnc.org.

Neighborhood Council Valley Village will hold a board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Colfax Elementary School, 11724 Addison St., Valley Village. Call (818) 766-2932.

North Hills East Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the library at Sepulveda Middle School, 15330 Plummer St., North Hills. Call (818) 891-0060.

Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Room 1-B at the Marvin Braude Constituents Service Center, 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys. Call (818) 908-1840.

Panorama City Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the second floor meeting room at the Mission Community Hospital medical building, 14860 Roscoe Blvd., Panorama City. Call (818) 756-9422.

Open Thread for Monday

Today in 1925 - The country music radio program Grand Ole Opry was first broadcast on WSM radio in Nashville, USA.

New Items In Our Gift Shop

If you haven't visted our gift shop lately, we've got some great new items and just in time for Cyber Monday.

Just in time for the holidays is the "Mayor V's Flight Crew" line of products. Relive that famous corporate jet trip with this great items sporting the flight crew logo.

You can visit the shop at www.cafepress.com/mayorsamsplace.

Skid Row Dumping Ground

In recent weeks, we've heard reports that a number of suburban law enforcement agencies have been dumping homeless people in Downtown LA's Skid Row.

Now a few local hospitals are admitting they've done the same. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles and Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center are among those who report that they have in the past dropped off homeless patients in the area.

LAPD officers have reported witnessing at least four different Los Angeles suburban police agencies dumping homeless in the area bound by Main, Alameda, Third and Seventh Streets. The agencies deny this and state they have policies in place to prohibit the practice.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has ordered an inquiry into the practice and laws may be enacted, or sanctions sough against the cities and agencies who dump homeless.

Over a year ago, we reported on efforts by Santa Clarita to ship their homeless to the San Fernando Valley. The plan was later shot down by a Los Angeles County commission.

There are many reasons for homelessness and no one answer to deal with the problem. However, a significant portion of the homeless population is mentally ill. It was Ronald Reagan, while Governor of California, who shut down most of the mental hospitals in California, leading to the surge of homeless in the Golden State.

If we could open up facilities for the mentally ill homeless it would solve a lot of the problem. There may be costs to do so, but it could eliminate other costs borne by public agencies in dealing with the homeless.

Pacheco on LAUSD Takeover

Weighing in on the battle over LAUSD's takeover and image problem is one Nick Pacheco. Yes, the same Nick Pacheco that lost to Jose Huizar in CD 14. While I disagree with his view of how to fix the schools, I find his rationale and advice for the LAUSD school board a must read for all the politicos who follow this story.

(Click the images below to enlarge.)

The full text can be found at MS2

Happy Reading!

Open Thread for the Weekend

November 26th, 1922: Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon become the first people to enter the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamun in over 3000 years.

November 27th, 1973: The United States Senate votes 92 to 3 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States (on December 6, the House confirmed him 387 to 35).

350,000!

The Sister City hits 350,000 hits today! Thanks to all our readers, friends, dum dums and cutters and pasters for your support and participation.

LAUSD Prepares for War with Villaraigosa

The Daily News says that the Los Angeles Unified School District is prepared to launch a major public relations offensive to teach the public how wonderful they really area, despite notions to the contrary.

This follows recent moves by Mayor Villaraigosa to notch up the anti-LAUSD rhetoric and begin in earnest his plans to take over the school board. You may remember this was an issue in the mayoral campaign, not only for Villaraigosa, but for fellow candidate Bob Hertzberg.

"One of the things we hired Roy Romer for was his political and communication acumen, and he needs to come up with that."
Board Member David Tokofsky

Underneath it all lies the private seething and anger of the school board that Superintendent Roy Romer and his staff have failed to counter Villaraigosa's attack. Board member David Tokofsky told the Daily News, "One of the things we hired Roy Romer for was his political and communication acumen, and he needs to come up with that." board member David Tokofsky said.

The board and District are attributing their dreadful to a less than adequate public relations staff, and are quick to point out statistics showing other districts and government agencies with larger staffs. Its interesting that they have that information, but can't find where missing money is.

The best quote came from Hertzberg who told the Daily News that the District should worry less about improving its image and more about improving schools. "The best thing in public policy is just do the work," he said. "Their image problem is not an image problem, it's a competency problem."

Get ready for some fun!

Also at Martini Republic

Pat Morita, 73

Pat Morita, best known for his performance as a hamburger stand owner on Happy Days and as the instructor/guru to two generations of "Karate Kids" has died at the age of 73.

Morita, born and raised in Northern California, was held in an interment camp as a youth during World War II, later went on to careers in the restaurant business and aerospace. He entered show business in the 30s, appearing in numerous television shows and sitcoms. In addition to his role on Happy Days as Arnold, Morita had a lesser known recurring role on that oh so LA-centric of sitcoms, Sanford and Son, as "Ah Chew" an Asian neighbor of Redd Foxx's Fred Sanford character.

Morita, whose given first name was Noriyuki, died Thursday of natural causes at his Las Vegas home. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters from a previous marriage.

Open Thread for Friday

Today is Friday, Nov. 25, the 329th day of 2005. There are 36 days left in the year.

Five years ago today: Hundreds of military veterans and retirees, angered by the rejection of overseas absentee ballots in Florida, held a noisy demonstration in Pensacola, one of several rallies Republicans and Democrats staged across Florida.

Today's Birthdays: Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet is 90. Actor Ricardo Montalban is 85. Actress Kathryn Crosby is 72. Actor Matt Clark is 69. Singer Percy Sledge is 65. Actor Tracey Walter is 63. Author, actor and game show host Ben Stein is 61. Singer Bob Lind is 61. Actor John Larroquette is 58. Movie director Jonathan Kaplan is 58. Singer Amy Grant is 45. Rock musician Eric Grossman (K's Choice) is 41. Rock singer Mark Lanegan is 41. Singer Stacy Lattisaw is 39. Rock musician Rodney Sheppard (Sugar Ray) is 39. Rapper-producer Erick Sermon is 37. Actress Jill Hennessy is 36. Actress Christina Applegate is 34.

Black Friday

Most of you don't have to work the Friday after Thanksgiving, so its time for a little shop 'til you drop.

The Friday after Thanksgiving has traditionally been called "Black Friday" because it typically has been the busiest shopping day of the year. However, this year with Christmas Eve falling on a Saturday, Mastercard says the busiest shopping hour of the season will be between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve day.

In recent years, online sales have skyrocketed and are expected to jump 24% this year. The Monday after Thanksgiving has become the busiest online shopping period and has been dubbed "Cyber Monday."

Locally, the Disney Store at the Glendale Galleria will open at 4:00 a.m. Friday and most Wal-Marts and other department stores will open as early as 5:00 a.m. Many of these stores will offer outrageous sales, specials and gifts to shoppers who make the pre-dawn trek.

If you're interested in press conferences on your day off, Jack Kyser of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation will report on the outlook for Southern California holiday shopping, 8:00 a.m. at the Lakewood Center Mall.

No word if Mayor Villaraigosa will be Christmas shopping tomorrow or not.

Ben Franklin & The True Story of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has not always been a but-gusting, stuffing eating soiree of football and food. In the early days, our forefathers sought to appease God and highlight the suffering of early colonial life by fasting and being miserable.

Ben Franklin comes along years later and tells the story of how one farmer stood out from among the orthdoxy of the day and suggested we celebrate the blessings and bounty we have through a joyous feast.

Mrs. Cubbison, the Butterball folks and the planners of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade remain forever grateful.

The Real Story of the First Thanksgiving
By Benjamin Franklin (1785)

“There is a tradition that in the planting of New England, the first settlers met with many difficulties and hardships, as is generally the case when a civiliz’d people attempt to establish themselves in a wilderness country. Being so piously dispos’d, they sought relief from heaven by laying their wants and distresses before the Lord in frequent set days of fasting and prayer. Constant meditation and discourse on these subjects kept their minds gloomy and discontented, and like the children of Israel there were many dispos’d to return to the Egypt which persecution had induc’d them to abandon.

“At length, when it was proposed in the Assembly to proclaim another fast, a farmer of plain sense rose and remark’d that the inconveniences they suffer’d, and concerning which they had so often weary’d heaven with their complaints, were not so great as they might have expected, and were diminishing every day as the colony strengthen’d; that the earth began to reward their labour and furnish liberally for their subsistence; that their seas and rivers were full of fish, the air sweet, the climate healthy, and above all, they were in the full enjoyment of liberty, civil and religious.

“He therefore thought that reflecting and conversing on these subjects would be more comfortable and lead more to make them contented with their situation; and that it would be more becoming the gratitude they ow’d to the divine being, if instead of a fast they should proclaim a thanksgiving. His advice was taken, and from that day to this, they have in every year observ’d circumstances of public felicity sufficient to furnish employment for a Thanksgiving Day, which is therefore constantly ordered and religiously observed.”

---

Ben Franklin wanted the turkey, not the bald eagle to be our national symbol. Read why in Ben's own words at MS2.

Mayor Sam's Thanksgiving Morning Update

Long Beach Director of Public Works Christine F. Anderson has been appointed to an US Army Corps of Engineers panel investigating what wrong with hurricane prevention and protection measures in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Anderson has help goverment posts in Oregon and Colorado before coming to Long Beach.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has a busy day of volunteering this Thanksgiving with stints at the Brotherhood Crusade, the Chinatown Senior Center, the Midnight Mission and the Fred Jordan Mission. Not sure when dinner is served or the menu at Getty House, but if we hear, we'll let you know. In the meantime, here is what President Bush is having for his holiday meal.

Governor Schwarazenegger is going to take a brief but much needed holiday rest following what has not been a good month for him. He recounts his first Thanksgiving in America in his radio address as well as taking the time to remind us today is Thanksgiving.

Back to Mayor V, don't forget he will be the Grand Marshall of the Hollywood Christmas Parade, this Sunday at 5.

Jessica Simpson and her husband Nick Lachey have seperated for good.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers.

Low-Quality Promise

LA Weekly runs a story in it's newest edition entitled "Low-Quality Promise -- Mayor stretches his word on commission appointment." Here's a key section:

For starters, Baylis has been registered as a lobbyist at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority since at least November 2000, according to MTA officials. Villaraigosa’s first pronouncement on his first day in office was that he would remove lobbyists from city commissions. Although it is not the same as lobbying City Hall, lobbying the MTA hits almost as close to home with Villaraigosa, who appointed a majority of its board and basically controls the place. MTA officials have not responded to two written requests for information about projects Baylis has lobbied.

Ch2M Hill’s lobbying power and its giving spirit in the campaign-finance arena also send a strong message to would-be government reformers. The firm and its lobbyists have contributed more than $70,000 to local officials in the last five years, according to Ethics Commission records. Baylis and his wife have contributed $9,500 to various city officials since 2000, including Villaraigosa. On inauguration day, L.A.’s Best, an after-school program with its corporate office in the mayor’s office, held a charity fund-raiser. Ch2M Hill was among 40 “benefactors,” donating $25,000 to the cause, according to Sharon Yarbrough, the program’s deputy administrator.

Ummm, just guessing here, but looks like this is going to get worse before it gets better... I know I'm piling on here, but here is another funny paragraph...

Julie Butcher, head of SEIU Local 347, serves with Baylis on the commission. She says Baylis is a “mensch.” His company should be open to scrutiny, she says, but points out that he resigned from his commission post after the election, only to be reappointed by Villaraigosa. “It’s a feeble commission,” she says. “Nobody wants it to exist.”

Lot of headaches for such a "rinky-dink" commission

The First Time is Always the Best

For 1st time mayor's choice doesn't get past city council
Daily Breeze
Wed, 23 Nov 2005

Attorney Doug Mirell who helped the ACLU sue the city is one vote shy of approval to city-county homeless panel.

Ahhh. We'll have to note this occasion that the council (well, four of them anyways) actually stood up to the Mayor. The pesky four (Councilmembers Bernard Parks, Greig Smith, Jan Perry and Dennis Zine) who are growing to be quite a thorn in the mayor's side, should be commended. Let's hope they can continue this action when it comes back up today!

***UPDATE***

The City Council delayed until Tuesday reconsideration of the appointment of Douglas Mirell to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The fearless four held strong. No switched votes yet.

Civil Action Press Ponders Civil Action

Normally we would not just lift someone else's post and copy it in it's entirety, but this one is something I think everyone out there should see.

Civil Action Press Ponders Civil Action

A poorly administered city and costly ineffective city services contribute to the underlying costs of every single citizen. It is about time we started holding administrators responsible for their decisions and actions.

Many citizens, business owners, builders, employers, vendors, and employees have become frustrated because it seems this city's managers just don't care about running city services in a manner that best serves the public.

Civil Action Press believes the citizens of Los Angeles could use an advocate for improved city services, accountability, and reform. Too many businesses and employers are leaving Los Angeles.

Consequently, we would like to assess both the need and the possibilities for launching such a service.

If you are a citizen, business owner, vendor, etc., with a complaint, improvement, an issue (especially waste fraud, and/or abuse), or you have suffered retaliation as a result of making a report or complaint about city services,

Or, if you are an attorney wanting to use your talents to bring about city reform and accountability and are not afraid of the City Attorney's Office,

Or, if you are frustrated on one of those neighborhood councils...

Or, if you would like to donate to the cause...

Please email us at civilactionpress@yahoo.com.

This is a call for action. If there is enough of a response we will be considering giving new meaning to Civil Action Press.

Harbor Update

A comment and a story for everyone to read....

Commissioner finds price for a waterfront attraction scary
Daily Breeze
Tue, 22 Nov 2005 1:55 AM PST
Harbor chief thinks $100 million to $150 million for a centerpiece for the Bridge to Breakwater project isn't an affordable proposal.

-----------------------------------

The Harbor Commission did something really important at its meeting yesterday.

They directed staff ro revise the proposed Environmental Impact Report and leases for the Berth 206-209 propeerty and a new cruise line at the cruise terminal to require that ships calling there use 1.5% sulfur fuel while traveling within the boundaries of the South Coast Air Basin.

While 1.5% fuel - 15,000 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur - is almost 50% cleaner than the 27-28,000 ppm fuel currently in use, it is 1000 times dirtier than the upcoming 15 ppm requirement for California on road diesel fuel. So this is only a waystation on the road to safe air, but it is an important waystation.

If this requirement was implemented throughout the two ports, it would be the one biggest immediate step which could be taken to reduce, or at least slow the rate of increase, of toxic, carcinogenic, diesel pollution.

We have been told, over and over, by the Port staff, the previous Harbor Commission, and the industry, that this cannot be done. Yesterday, the Harbor Commission ordered it to be done as a condition of these new leases.

This is a brave and responsible step. Those who have followed this issue on the Sister City blog know that I have been extremely critical of the ports, and their historically irresponsible neglect of the public health and safety. However, credit where credit is due.

Well done Harbor Commission. We can only hope that this brave initiative spreads throughout both ports, as a condition of any new leases. It would be a good first step in making our Air Basin a safe place to live.
Posted by noel park to at 11/22/2005 11:32:25 AM

Metrolink's Holiday Toy Express

Sadly, there has been little publicity for the Metrolink Toy Train which has been dubbed "450 Tons of Family Fun - the Holiday Toy Express!"

Metrolink's Holiday Toy Express has been delighting audiences for nine years – providing a free, enjoyable, community-based holiday experience across five Southern California counties.
The Holiday Toy Express, a 450-ton Metrolink train decorated with giant glittering ornaments, animated displays, and more than 50,000 twinkling lights, will make four stops in the City of Los Angeles.

Arriving with lights aglow and filling the night with toe-tapping tunes, the Holiday Toy Express offers a free live musical stage show for those at each stop. Following the show, children of all ages have the opportunity to meet Santa and his friends when they alight from the train.

Additionally, the Holiday Toy Express supports Southern California Firefighters' Spark of Love Toy Drive, which collects and distributes toys to needy children.

Audience members are encouraged to share their holiday spirit by bringing a new unwrapped toy or sporting good to donate to this worthy cause.

So come enjoy the Holiday Toy Express, meet the men and women of the LAFD and support the Spark of Love Toy Drive, all at a Metrolink Station near you!

Press Events for Wednesday

5:00 AM -- The Los Angeles Mission will host a Thanksgiving meal for the homeless, co-hosted by Kirk and Anne Douglas. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, Councilman Tom LaBonge, Assemblyman Paul Koretz, Patricia Heaton, Henry Winkler, Jennifer Freeman, Jeremy Renner and Dwayne Boyd are among those expected to volunteer. The mission's Community Clinic will provide foot-washing and exams. Food preparation will begin at 5 a.m.; Fifth Street will close at 6 a.m.; event set-up at 8 a.m.; celebrity arrivals at 10:45 a.m.; meal serving begins at 11 a.m. Los Angeles Mission, 303 E. Fifth St.

10:00 AM -- LA City Council meeting. City Hall, Council Chamber, third floor, 200 N. Spring St.


For additional events on MS2, click here...

From the Daily News -- Neighborhood Meetings (Updated 11/21/05):

Here is a list of upcoming neighborhood council meetings:

Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at Van Gogh Elementary School, 17160 Van Gogh St., Granada Hills. Call (818) 360-4346 or see www.ghnnc.org.

Neighborhood Council Valley Village will hold a board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Colfax Elementary School, 11724 Addison St., Valley Village. Call (818) 766-2932.

North Hills East Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the library at Sepulveda Middle School, 15330 Plummer St., North Hills. Call (818) 891-0060.

Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Room 1-B at the Marvin Braude Constituents Service Center, 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys. Call (818) 908-1840.

Panorama City Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the second floor meeting room at the Mission Community Hospital medical building, 14860 Roscoe Blvd., Panorama City. Call (818) 756-9422.

Open Thread for Wednesday

Happy early Thanksgiving to everyone of you from all of us here at the Sister City. While posting will be light over the holiday weekend, be sure to tune in for any breaking stories we can manage to post between helpings of food and family visits.

Be safe, travel safe, and enjoy the festivities!

Back In Their Pajamas

After a near disaster of a launch, the new bloggy network Open Source Media is back to calling itself Pajamas Media. This follows the fact that there was uh, already a blog and website called Open Source Media.

In other news, Pajamas has named fellow Bear Flagger, Baldilocks, as their "blog wrangler." Is that like herding cats?

Union Wage Updates - Teachers and The Engineers and Architects Assn.

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles school district reached a tentative agreement with the teachers union on a wage increase for teachers, the school district announced today.

Details of the pact are to be released today at a 1:30 p.m. news conference at the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters.

While they can't seem to get their website working, Updated Website -- they do have time for this little action...

L.A., Union at Odds Over Wage Pact
Engineers and Architects Assn. threatens to protest at LAX on Sunday. It seeks a contract similar to one reached with DWP.
By Patrick McGreevy
Times Staff Writer
November 22, 2005

A union representing 8,000 Los Angeles city employees threatened Monday to launch a disruptive Thanksgiving weekend protest at Los Angeles International Airport unless it wins the same lucrative contract that the city awarded to Department of Water and Power workers.

The threat is a direct challenge to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a former union organizer, who chose not to intervene to block the DWP contract, which was negotiated under the previous administration. At the time, however, he warned that the city could not afford to reward other unions with similar contracts.

The Engineers and Architects Assn. delivered the warning of demonstrations and strikes in a letter Monday morning to Villaraigosa, giving the city just 72 hours to respond.

Is it Easier to Ignore People From A Distance

We'll all find out today. The City Council begins a test trial using teleconferencing from Van Nuys City Hall to downtown City Hall for council meeting testimony beginning with today's session.

We all know they love to pay attention during public comment anyways, but this should just add to the fun. Now they don't even have to look them in the eye.

Other Coverage:
Daily News
Martini Republic

Mayor Sam's Morning Update

A city employee has allegedly been fired for blogging. William Campbell who writes the Wildbell blog was let go from his job with the Zoo for telling the story of an altercation with a fellow employee, at least that's the gist I got from the long, rambling post I could not finish. If you have a different take, post it in comments.

Following a bruising battle with the City Ethics Commission, City Councilman Jack Weiss is taking more heat again. An article in the UCLA Daily Bruin, illuminated further by Joe Mailander at Martini Republic, talks about how Wacko Jacko is feted by the society ladies of the 5th CD and UCLA officials for protecting their enclave from foot races for charity and for keeping "those people" out of the district. But local business owners give WJ a failing grade for not supporting their efforts to create a business improvement district in order to bring the Village back from the brink and restore some of its pre-Olympics glory as a LA destination.

We got a note from one of our readers that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was a clue in Sunday's LA Times Crossword. Anyone know anything about this?

Former Mayoral candidate Walter Moore has a "Thanksgiving message" for all of his supporters over at MS2.

And finally, more evidence we made the right move in not taking up the offer to join Pajamas Media / Open Source Media / whatever its called. Blogger Wonkette captures a number of other bloggers takes on what Wonkette calls a "train wreck" that the blogging world is watching very closely. The first faux pas was the PM/OSM/Whatever guys either didn't catch or ignored the prior existence of another blogging Open Source Media (When you get $3.5 million of venture capital for a blog isn't there some level of due diligence that's done? Don't those guys at PM/OSM/Whatever know how to use Google?). Next, they apparently bungled and maybe even changed their story in the mea culpa they posted. Jeff Jarcis of BuzzMachine is wonders if a death pool can be started?

To be fair, its easy for bloggers who are not part of OSM to sit back, take potshots and wait for a train wreck. We were invited to join the venture and after mulling it over decided to pass. It was a gamble, and as we look forward, probably a good one. Most of the folks involved with OSM are trying to accomplish something, but you just have to wonder why more thought wasn't put into it?

Commission Nominees

Mayor Villaraigosa named four appointees to the Board of Civil Service Commissioner, a five-member panel that oversees hiring, firing and promotion policies for the city.

They are:

• Margaret Leal-Sotelo, assistant director of UCLA's Center for Community Partnerships
• Sylvia Drew Ivie, director of the steering committee overseeing the future of Martin Luther King Jr.-Drew Medical Center
• Yolanda Vera, director of LA Health Action
• John Perez, a retired teacher

Antonio Gets Schooled

The Mayor might want to start watching his back when it comes to the ABC's of LAUSD. A few more voices are starting to beat the drums regarding the Mayors on again off again statements re: LAUSD takeover...
Bloomberg
LA Voice
Antonio Watch
LAist

Press Events For Tuesday

8:30 AM -- Palms Residential Care Facility, a neighborhood-based housing and service center that serves the HIV/AIDS community, and Jackson Limousine Service will host an annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway event. Councilman Bernard Parks and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are scheduled to participate at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively. Jackson Limousine parking lot, 3669 W. Slauson Ave.

8:30 AM -- Councilman Tony Cardenas will hand out Thanksgiving food baskets, first to about 600 needy San Fernando Valley families until 10:30 a.m. at his district office, 8135 San Fernando Road, Sun Valley; then from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to another 600 families at the Valley Municipal Building, 14410 Sylvan St., Van Nuys.

8:30AM -- LA City Council's Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1060, 200 N. Spring St.

9:00 AM -- Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer, D-Glendale, will hand out turkeys and trimmings to about 200 families. Locations include: Cristo Rey, 4343 Perlita Ave., Los Feliz at 9 a.m.; Glendale Police Department, 131 N. Isabel St., at 10 a.m. (GPD will begin distributing food at 9:30 a.m.); Burbank Temporary Aid Center, 1104 W. Magnolia Blvd., at 11 a.m.; and Ralphs supermarket, 10900 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, at noon.

9:00 AM -- LA City Council's Information Technology and General Services Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1050, 200 N. Spring St.

9:30 AM -- LA County Board of Supervisors meeting. Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, Board Room, 500 W. Temple St.

9:30 AM -- LA Police Commission meeting. Parker Center, Room 150, 150 N. Los Angeles St.

10:00 AM -- LA City Council meeting. City Hall, Council Chamber, third floor, 200 N. Spring St.

10:00 AM -- LA school board is expected to decide whether to hold a special election or appoint someone to fill the seat being vacated by Jose Huizar, who on Nov. 8 was elected to the Los Angeles City Council. At noon, the board will temporarily recess to closed session for a conference with Superintendent Roy Romer, acting as a labor negotiator, and to discuss Romer's employee evaluation. At 6 p.m., the board will vote on whether to reactivate the Human Relations Education Commission. LAUSD headquarters, Board room, 333 S. Beaudry Ave.

3:00 PM -- LA City Council's Budget and Finance Committee meeting. City Hall, Room 1010, 200 N. Spring St.

5:30 PM -- Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilman TomLaBonge will help kick off the DWP Holiday Light Festival by flipping the switch to light a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree. At 7:30 p.m., another ceremony will be held to light the entire one-mile-long display. Los Angeles Zoo, 5333
Zoo Drive.

6:00 PM -- Para Los Ninos, an agency that assists low-income families and children, will host its annual Thanksgiving celebration for about 500 people. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Cardinal Roger Mahony are expected to help serve meals to 500 children and their families. The mayor is set to arrive and speak to attendees at 7:30 p.m. Cathedral's Conference Center, 555 W. Temple St.

6:30 PM -- Councilman Bernard Parks will give away vouchers for turkeys, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. District 8 Constituent Service Center, 8475 S. Vermont Ave.

6:30 PM -- Sun Valley Area Neighborhood Council, in the assembly room at the Villa Scalabrini Retirement Center, 10631 Vinedale St., Sun Valley. Call (818) 768-8342.


For additional events on MS2, click here...

From the Daily News -- Neighborhood Meetings (Updated 11/21/05):

Here is a list of upcoming neighborhood council meetings:

Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at Van Gogh Elementary School, 17160 Van Gogh St., Granada Hills. Call (818) 360-4346 or see www.ghnnc.org.

Neighborhood Council Valley Village will hold a board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Colfax Elementary School, 11724 Addison St., Valley Village. Call (818) 766-2932.

North Hills East Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the library at Sepulveda Middle School, 15330 Plummer St., North Hills. Call (818) 891-0060.

Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, 7 p.m. Dec. 14 in Room 1-B at the Marvin Braude Constituents Service Center, 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys. Call (818) 908-1840.

Panorama City Neighborhood Council, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the second floor meeting room at the Mission Community Hospital medical building, 14860 Roscoe Blvd., Panorama City. Call (818) 756-9422.