Thanks to BoingBoing for picking up a story about some UCLA police officers who not only Tasered a student who refused to show ID, but threatened to Taser another student who tried to hold one of the officers accountable:

As the student and the officers were struggling, bystanders repeatedly asked the police officers to stop, and at one point officers told the gathered crowd to stand back and threatened to use a Taser on anyone who got too close.

Laila Gordy, a fourth-year economics student who was present in the library during the incident, said police officers threatened to shoot her with a Taser when she asked an officer for his name and his badge number.

Yeah, I just love that we now live in a country where the police feel like they’re allowed to Taser you for not showing your “papers.” I know there was a court case about that topic recently, but I can’t find anything about it. Anybody got a pointer?

UPDATE: Thanks to a comment from Christopher Penn, here’s video of the incident. Does anybody else think that Tasering somebody into standing up is probably not the most effective approach?

A few months ago Will Campbell posted about some of the decorations created by residents of the LA River – that is homeless folks who have taken over islands or riverside alcoves and made them their homes. To the casual observer they seem harmless and is anything like to just be left alone. Well the might be getting evicted. Reader Pieter Kaufman writes in and says:

“Hey guys, since I commute four days a week by bike on the bike path up and down the LA River, and I know this site cares about bikes, the river, the homeless, art, and other related stuff, I figured I’d let you know that the LAPD posted signs up and down the river between Figueroa and Los Feliz, ordering all “lodgers” to vacate and remove all their belongings by today, or face arrest for trespassing. If you haven’t noticed it, there’s a fascinating micro-culture down in the river, with all kinds of odd, quirky artifacts erected I suspect as much for its residents’ pleasure as for passers-by. I don’t know the full story–how many live there by choice, and how many use the islands as a last resort, and I don’t know if the LAPD is cracking down out of fear for their safety before the rains and the river swells and how much of it is just them being fed up, but personally, I’ve not noticed any real signs of trouble and crime, and if the people who live there are okay with it, I’m not sure why they’re being driven out. “

No images of these signs yet, but we’ll be following up on this for sure. One note – the river is County property so more likely it was the LASD than the LAPD, but we’ll confirm in a bit. Lots of Updates in the comments. Thanks!

“Downtown on Ice” reminds me of a slinky drink that has Vodka and lime in it, but it’s actually the name of the ice skating rink that’s set-up for the holiday season downtown at Pershing Square. Starting today, you can get your inner Michelle Kwan on and glide around the ice for a mere six bucks. It’s kind of like the Rockefeller Center with sun. Ahhh LA.

One of my dearest friends Clark, who is more comfortable with skates on than shoes, helps run the place and if you’re really nice (or especially cute!) he’ll give you a twirl around the rink. He’s handsome, big and strong and is known for giving kids (and yes, fetching females) a fun spin so they feel like they can really skate. I love that feeling of zipping along, feeling the breeze on my face and realizing someone else is doing all the work!!!! Anyway, it’s open til’ January 15th from 12pm til 10 pm, and there’s usually free concerts on the weekends. You can go here for more details.

The latest news in the always developing story of the most recent LAPD video is that the suspect/victim/defendant (depending on your viewpoint) William Cardenas was released today after pleading No Contest to resisting or obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor, and sentenced to time served (3 months) and 3 years probation. Of course I’m speculating that this was some kind of plea bargain but it seems convenient that he sat in jail for 3 months and 1 week after the video started showing around the internet he’s free. I’m not criticizing that of course, I think of the city attorney felt that was good enough then so be it, I’m just wondering why it took a national spotlight for the ball to get rolling? I could be crazy but I’m of the opinion that law enforcement and justice should be the same if millions of people are watching or if no one is watching. But then again I’m not a fan of sweeping things under the rug. All that aside, this isn’t over yet. On CBS tonight they had video of Cardenas leaving the jail and a reporter asked him if he would be suing the city and while I don’t remember his exact words it was something along the lines of “yes.”
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Pinkberry may be healthy for you without even having to open. In the wake of all the WeHo controversy over their parking hogging, I’d like to point out that they are doing public services in both Beverly Hills and Pasadena. In Beverly Hills, they replaced a Mrs Field’s cookies; in Pasadena, they replaced a pizza-by-the-slice place.

Of course, this is a controversial change. A co-worker had to go through rehab from his Mrs Field’s addiction. My boyfriend is grumpy that his favorite East Coast style pizza in Pasadena is gone. Not that Pinkberry is directly responsible for either of these, of course – but it’s just a nice coincidence, that the healthy frozen yogurt has replaced higher sugar or higher fat eateries.

By the way, I emailed Pinkberry HQ to ask about when they were opening the Beverly Hills and Pasadena stores, and it won’t be for awhile – sometime in Q1, 2007 was the soonest they’d admit to.

Anyone who is at all versed in the history of skateboarding knows who Craig Stecyk is and if you saw Dogtown And Z-Boys you got just the tip of the iceberg. After the jump is a deleted scene from that documentary that dives a bit deeper into who Craig is and what he really helped create. It’s a rough cut and starts off with some footage that was in the film, but then goes on to form an homage to the DogTown godfather.

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Yet More Controversial Police Footage Unveiled…

But this short film, made in 1961, was “produced with the cooperation of the Inglewood Police Department and the Inglewood Unified School District.” (italics mine) And, well, its been circling the internet for some time, but whats old is new… and all that.

Called “Boys Beware”, it warns young men to beware of pedophiles. Certainly a worthy message for a PSA, except it goes one step further by explaining what to look out for:

VO: One never knows when a homosexual is about. He may appear normal and it may be too late when you discover he is mentally ill.

The film uses the story of Jimmy, a young kid who often hitches rides around town, to illustrate its point, as it shows him become friendly with a man who offers him a ride…

VO: What Jimmy didn’t know was that Ralph was sick; a sickness that was not visible like smallpox, but no less dangerous and contagious; a sickness of the mind. You see, Ralph was a homosexual: a person who demands an intimate relationship with members of their own sex.

Oh, how the times have changed. And by that, in the film it shows an Inglewood populated entirely by Caucasians.

Click here to see the video.

(h/t The Wisdom Cube)

Hoping to buy a PS3? There’s a line at the West Hollywood Gateway Best Buy. Tents! These pictures were taken just before noon today, more than 36 hours before the PS3 goes on sale. Best Buy said they wouldn’t allow lines to form until 24 hours ahead of time, but I guess they loosened up a little on that time frame.

I’m pretty happy with my PS2 for now, honestly.

Prior coverage here and here and here and also here.

Just in time for the Holidays! Metroblogging Merch! Sweet! Go spend lots of cash now!

OK, OK, OK, I admit it, I read a lot of Judith Krantz romance novels as a teenager. Most of which were set in L.A. And in one of them, the protangonist refers to palm trees as “those goony looking things”. They are, if you think about it, especially since they’re not even native to Los Angeles. The city had a massive surge of palm tree plantings in the 20s and 30s – especially right before the 1932 Olympics, according to Los Angeles A to Z. And the Times wrote a great article on the history of our imported foliage back in 2004.

But L.A Curbed reports this morning that now, it’s official: the palm trees will be phased out. MSNBC hinted at it a month ago, but CBS2 reports today that the city council will replace the palms with native species. I like this, because to me, the palm trees are part of the L.A. image that’s perceived by most of the world, of a city with no center and no history. Fighting against that image is what blew my mind the first year I lived here, when I found out how much of the city there was that I’d never heard of. Maybe bringing in more native foliage could be a bit of a symbol for reclaimin more of the city’s history, and presenting a new image to the rest of the world – beyond streets lined with mock-Spanish style houses and seventy-odd year old palm trees.

What do you all think of this? Are the palm trees a real symbol of Los Angeles? Is it a shame to lose them? Or would it be better if, over the next decade or two, palm trees disappeared to be replaced with more “real” plants for L.A.?

Something really big is on fire at about the 10 freeway and Normandie. Like, giant cloud of smoke billowing into the sky, big on fire. I can’t seem to find out what went boom. Anyone?

(Aw, the photo makes it look so small. . .)

This straight from the truth is stranger than fiction file:

O.J. Simpson is publishing a book where he apparently describes how he would have killed his ex-wife.

Has Mr Simpson been fantasizing about killing his wife post-mortem this whole time? So obsessed that he had to write a book about it? Out to prove to the world that he is incapable of murder? Is the guilt merely eating him up and he is trying to create another red herring? Or his ego so big that he has to be in the limelight and this is the most sensationalist way to do it?

“O.J. Simpson, in his own words, tells for the first time how he would have committed the murders if he were the one responsible for the crimes,” the network said in a statement. “In the two-part event, Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders he has vehemently denied committing for over a decade.”

If he is denying his involvement in the murder of his ex-wife, then why does he continue to spend so much time and energy on his defense? Shouldn’t he just go crawl out of the spotlight and try to live as normal life as possible? Only he knows his innocence and who gives a shit what the rest of the world thinks. IMHO, writing a book like this, just proves to me that he is guilty.

Next thing you know, G.W. Bush will be publishing a book called “If I stole the election” after we are free of his “leadership” in a couple years. He might want to start working on it now though, before the documents are shredded and the memories are still fresh.

Update: I almost forgot, he’ll be giving an interview on TV the week after Thanksgiving.

[go ahead, you want to click]

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and are a fan of Bettie Page, why not hit the Glamourcon, meet Olivia, and have her sign her new Bettie book for you?

She’ll be there Saturday and Sunday
12 – 5pm
at the LA Radisson Hotel

Tickets are $25 a day, still cameras allowed (but no video).

Agoraphobics and those who wish to save the $25 admission fee can order the book (and the full array of Olivia goodies) right from Olivia’s website.

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Allow me to showcase the fine work above of IAAL‚Ä¢MAF charter member Stephen “The Laminator” Roullier who once again has put his expert skills as a manipulator of heated plastic sheeting to work in the production of the commemorative and collectible spokecards to be presented to the first 40,000 cyclists who arrive ready to ride in the IAAL‚Ä¢MAF’s second invitational tomorrow evening and are prepared to “Take Back The Observatory.”

Shall we gather at the river? Yes we shall at 6:30 p.m. at Bicycle Park (map) for a 7 p.m. departure along this route, which Midnight Ridazz‘ Too Tall Jahmal has enthusiastically deemed “sick” and whose 1,000 feet of elevation gain would no doubt leave IAAL‚Ä¢MAF Co-Founder Sean Bonner really fucking pissed off if he were joining us, which I’m pretty sure he isn’t because he doesn’t feel like killing anybody in anger tomorrow night. Friday maybe, but never on Thugsday.

So be duly re-forewarned: This is a terrifically unique excursion through the backwood heights of Le Parc du Griffith in the chill of the night with but a sliver of waning moon to steer by. Bring lights, locks, layers… and bail money (just in case). Reservations? We don’t need no stinkin’ reservations!

The previous announcement with all the details is here. Flickr photoset from our inauguvitational “Hello Dahlia” ride is here.

When was the last time you even gave the lonely payphone a second thought?

Leave a message, along with a quarter, in the comments below. Calling cards not accepted.

(photo by DeborahK on Flickr)