Officials in Los Angeles have ordered all beaches in the county closed over the Independence Day Holiday, in hopes of slowing the accelerating coronavirus pandemic in Southern California. Read the rest
The LA Times has observed that COVID-19 infection rates are falling in wealthier enclaves while gaining traction in poorer communities.
Denser living conditions, higher populations of 'essential' workers, and historic difficulty accessing health care force folks in a position to be infected.
Read the restThe Times compared neighborhoods in which more than 25% of the population was living below the poverty line — defined by the Census Bureau as a family of four making less than $26,000 a year — to those in which the poverty rate was lower than 5%.
The shift shows the surge feared by public health officials did come to pass, but was largely concentrated in the poorest, most crowded neighborhoods — areas with a lot of essential workers, more crowded housing and higher rates of underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
Early in the outbreak, health officials and experts warned that numbers showing higher infection rates on the Westside in predominately white, affluent neighborhoods such as Bel-Air, Beverly Crest and Brentwood were skewed by uneven testing that masked the true spread of COVID-19. Those areas have seen their fortunes improve after months of social distancing and economic disruption.
Nothing more punk than releasing your first album in 35 years — during a global pandemic — by surprise. You can stream X's Alphabetland now in this very post:
“When your heart is broken you think every song is about that. These songs were written in the last 18 months & it blows my mind how timely they are,” explained John Doe. “We all want our family, friends & fans to hear our records as soon as it’s finished. This time we could do that. Thanks to Fat Possum & our audience.”
Today happens to be the 40th anniversary of Los Angeles, the classic debut album from the great California punk band X. And with absolutely no advance warning, X’s reunited original lineup have chosen today to release Alphabetland, their first studio album in 35 years.
This cover art sure does look like the work of Wayne White
images via X Read the rest
Washington Post captured the empty streets of Los Angeles by drone.
As one commenter puts it, "On the bright side, we have lots of new B-roll footage for future apocalypse movies."
screengrab via Washington Post/YouTube Read the rest
Federal officials say a medical screener at Los Angeles International Airport has tested positive for coronavirus. Read the rest
"To the suspect(s) driving around in a Black Lincoln Navigator stolen from the 700 blk of Rosemead Bl just after 8PM today in uninc #Pasadena: Out of all the bad decisions you have made, at least make one good one & bring back the deceased person & casket inside the Navigator," tweeted the LA County Sheriff's department last night.
The suspects have not been identified and are still at large.
To the suspect(s) driving around in a Black Lincoln Navigator stolen from the 700 blk of Rosemead Bl just after 8PM today in uninc #Pasadena:
Out of all the bad decisions you have made, at least make one good one & bring back the deceased person & casket inside the Navigator. pic.twitter.com/Dvo7u94zL1
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) February 27, 2020
Image by Michael Kauer from Pixabay Read the rest
A Korean Air flight attendant has tested positive for coronavirus, and they worked on flights between Seoul and Los Angeles, South Korean media outlets reported on Wednesday afternoon U.S. time. Read the rest
📷 Santa Monica Fire Department, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020: A vehicle that plunged into the sidewalk in Santa Monica, California.
A man was hospitalized after he drove his Jeep off the the 6th floor of a parking garage in Santa Monica, California. Read the rest
The linked article has a fairly long list of places in West Los Angeles that unimmunized area folk might want to review.
Read the restLos Angeles County health officials Wednesday confirmed five new cases of measles and warned of possible exposure at a series of locations over the past week.
According to the county Department of Public Health, the new patients are four county residents who were "exposed to an unimmunized, international visitor who was infectious with measles while in Los Angeles County."
The first amendment is one thing, but I would not piss off an HOA.
A gentleman, who may or may not have a mental illness, posted a number of very offensive signs on his condominium balcony. His HOA asked him to remove said signage and then fined him to no effect. The City of Calabasas apparently got involved, and the hateful symbology has been removed... for now.
ABC7:
Read the restA man who is believed to be the long-time owner of the condo was seen last week yelling and cursing at people from his balcony. No threats were made, according to the sheriff's department, but some neighbors say they feel unsafe and intimidated by the messages.
"I'm horrified, and I'm sad," resident Sheri Polk said. "Sad that people feel this way about Jews, about African Americans."
The city of Calabasas said the material was taken down Friday, the morning after a deadline was issued for the signs' removal. The resident initially refused to remove the posters, according to Calabasas Mayor Alicia Weintraub.
The disgraceful, shady plan to sell control over the .ORG domains to a private equity fund controlled by Republican billionaires is on the ropes, with tens of thousands of people and thousands of .org registrants having signed a petition calling for a halt to the deal. This Friday, we're converging on the ICANN offices in Playa Vista to deliver that petition. I'll be there. Will you? Read the rest
Late last year, the nonprofit Internet Society abruptly announced a deal to sell control over the Public Interest Registry (which manages all .ORG domain registrations) to Ethos, a newly created private equity fund capitalized by three politically connected families of Republican billionaires. Under the deal, ISOC would get $1.135B to spend on various projects, and PIR would have to return a profit to their private equity investors. Read the rest
L.A. City Fire says 2 classes were outside when liquid jet fuel rained down on them from the sky shortly before noon Pacific time. BREAKING NEWS: Delta Airlines flight 89 from Los Angeles to Shanghai was nearing LAX in an emergency landing sequence when it dumped fuel on a school playground, and the kids and teachers who were outside.
• Authorities say 17 children and 9 adults were treated for minor injuries.
• The FAA has declared an emergency.
• Delta says the jet experienced an engine issue requiring return to LAX.
• Plane landed safely after the emergency fuel release to reduce landing weight. Read the rest
A $10 million donation is allowing The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles to make art accessible to everyone. Beginning Saturday, they will offer free general admission going forward, only charging for special exhibitions. The massive financial gift is from Carolyn Clark Powers, MOCA's Board President.
Klaus Biesenbach, MOCA's director since 2018, was quoted in the Los Angeles Times in May (when the program was initially announced), "We are not aiming at having more visitors or larger attendance, but we’re aiming at being more accessible, at having open doors. As a civic institution, we should be like a library, where you can just walk in."
KCRW talked to Lindsay Preston Zappas of Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles magazine who says it will cost MOCA $2 million yearly to operate under the free program and that they will need to secure funding in the future to keep the program going.
MOCA has two locations in Los Angeles, the one on Grand Avenue and the Geffen Contemporary in the Little Tokyo Historic District, and both will have public celebrations this Saturday, January 11, from 12 to 4.
photo by Elon Schoenholz/The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Read the rest
BREAKING: Harvey Weinstein has been charged in Los Angeles with NEW rape and sexual assault charges.
Disgraced movie mogul and accused serial sexual abuser Harvey Weinstein is having an extremely bad day. Read the rest
It's not just the CBC and the Wall Street Journal -- I was delighted to see this morning that Radicalized, my 2019 book of four science fiction novellas made the LA Public Library's list of the top books of 2019! "As always his writing is sharp and clear, covering the absurdities that surround and infiltrate our lives, and predicts new ones waiting for us just around the corner. A compelling, thought provoking, macabre funny read." Read the rest
Finally, a police union has identified a form of misconduct it will not defend: necrophilia. Read the rest
