Some Peculiarities

Here is a round up of interesting peculiarities about Southern California.

Following up on today's story by Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times, the Times is asking you, have ever received a parking ticket at a broken parking meter from the swift-acting Los Angeles Department of Transportation Parking Enforcement bureau.

Ms. Reston noted in her story that between 10% and 12% of the city's meters are failing at any given time according to a recent study by an outside firm

Amir Sedadi, assistant general manager of the Transportation Department, speaking at a Transportation Committee meeting Wednesday, says broken meters can inexplicably snap back into operation, which could be why some Angelenos have been ticketed.

So, have you been ticketed unfairly?

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The Atlantic, known for thought provoking articles concerning all aspects of foreign affairs, politics, and the economy tackles one issue pressing California, "Chinese and Doughnuts: A California Mystery."

While visiting L.A. a few years ago Atlantic writer Katie Robbins noticed the juxtaposition of American Chinese food and donuts, (and none of Hong Kong's long crispy crullers called you tiao to be found in the donut store).

In her article Ms. Robbins interviews several shop owners and many owners cite economical reasons for operating such food offerings.

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Viewers and observers of local television news are in for no real surprise as according to a new study from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, an average half-hour of Los Angeles local newscasts contains just 22 seconds of local government coverage.

The study found if it bleeds it leads take up most newscasts.

The study found that crime stories averaged two minutes, 50 seconds in a newscast, while sports and weather took up 3:36.

According to the study KCOP, which is owned by News Corp. and produced by KTTV/Fox 11, carries the most crime related stories in their newscast.

The least reporting from the it bleed it leads department, the study found KCBS and KNBC spend the least amount of the time reporting on crime.

As for the most stories on local government affairs and the economy, the study found KCAL spends the most time covering such stories.

Meanwhile the L.A. Times, according to the study, devotes 10% of its front page space to local government and 6% to L.A. business and economy.

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The Sunset-Vine Tower, which has undergone massive renovation since being bought by the CIM Group in 2003, is set to finally reopen.

Located on the southeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood the building has been under construction for most of the past decade and is finally set to open as an upscale residential building featuring three restaurants and a wine bar.

The Sunset-Vine Tower was built in 1963 and is generally believed to be the first skyscraper built after the city of L.A. repealed its 14-story height limit.

Many may remember the building was featured in the epically ridiculous 1974 disaster flick "Earthquake," where Charlton Heston's character worked. In the film the building, aside from having a perfect view of seeing the Capital Records building disintegrate during "The Big One," was nearly destroyed trapping several people, only to be rescued by Heston.

The Sunset-Vine Tower was almost destroyed twice by disaster in real life.

In 2001 a fire in the electric room deemed the building unsafe. (So much to the point where, according to the Times, "the electrical meltdown knocked out the building's fire alarm system, city inspectors and fire officials for months barred workers from entering to remove files, office equipment and personal property.") The building was seemingly abandoned until 2003 when CIM Group began their efforts to sink $70 million in recouping and reviving the building.

Along the way of rehabilitation in 2005 workers were dismantling portions of the rooftop when one of their torches set the building on fire.

Through it all the tower that seem to set as nothing more than a building skeleton for a few years is finally reopening to residential rents between $2,500 and $10,000.

More at the Times.

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Finally, songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman received, what in the Disneyesque world the equivalent of receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, their names permanently painted on a window along Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A Thursday.

While their names may not jump out at you, you will surely recognize their music.

The brothers wrote the quintessential seemingly never-ending tune forever ubiquitous with Disneyland, "It's A Small World."

Along with "It's A Small World" the brothers Sherman wrote the song "The Tiki Tiki Room," along with composing music for the film "Mary Poppins."

Altogether the brothers wrote over 150 songs for Disney.