New Democrat Cover-up Has Porn Industry Upset

Above, actress Sunny Leone.

Shifting gears from my usual topics involving rubber monsters, here's one involving another "rubber" (or rather, latex) controversy.

Since the days of yore involving your great-great-granddaddy's buckskin condoms (I jest), condom use has been with us.  Now we have another Democrat "cover-up" to contend with.

Last year, Measure B (put on the ballot by the usual liberal do-gooders) was passed by Los Angeles County voters that requires adult film (i.e., porn) actors to wear condoms when doing sex scenes.

The industry is fighting back, calling this requirement a violation of free expression and that this law is totally unnecessary.  The Democrat-run county will soon be sending out "penis inspectors" to film shoots to make sure the producers are in compliance with this new law so that there's no violation of the "penal code."

My friend from Bakersfield goes deep into this subject on his blog, The Federalist, railing against this latest Big (or Nanny) Government intrusion.

To read the article, go here.

On Footballs & Frisbees At The Beach, Supervisor Antonovich Responds

In response to my post on the $1,000 fine for throwing footballs or Frisbees at L.A. County beaches, Supervisor Mike Antonovich sent me the following email:

Thank you for your e-mail to my office.

Recent media reports on the County’s Beach ordinance were misleading.

The Board of Supervisors actually lifted a 42-year-old ban on football and Frisbee throwing and replaced it with restrictions on crowded beach days when wayward balls or Frisbees could hit other people.

Please see the attached release from the Department of Beaches and Harbors with more information.

If you have further questions, please call my Deputy, Tony Bell or Edel Vizcarra at 213-974-5555.

Sincerely,

MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH
Supervisor, Fifth District

I have to thank Supervisor Mike Antonovich for responding. However, I still question the nessessity for the ordinance. I think it is taking things a little too far. Does the government have be an overprotective nanny for everything?!

Enjoy L.A. County Beaches: Just Don't Throw A Frisbee or Football

The inmates are running the asylum in L.A. County.

From the Los Angeles CBS News affiliate:

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — When you head down to the beach for a little fun this summer, county officials want you to leave the pigskin at home.

The Board of Supervisors this week agreed to raise fines to up to $1,000 for anyone who throws a football or a Frisbee on any beach in Los Angeles County.

In passing the 37-page ordinance on Tuesday, officials sought to outline responsibilities for law enforcement and other public agencies while also providing clarification on beach-goer activities that could potentially disrupt or even injure the public.

The updated rules now prohibit “any person to cast, toss, throw, kick or roll” any object other than a beach ball or volleyball “upon or over any beach” between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

This is just another infringement of our liberties. Who voted for this? I sure hope Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Don Knabe aren't among the ones who did.

Stupidity on parade.

To read the full article, go here.

Joanne Siegel, Widow of Superman Co-Creator, Dies At 93

by Armand Vaquer

Above, a group photo from the Superman Week ceremony with Joanne Siegel and her daughter Laura at far right. Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Sad news today in the world of Superman.

Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and the model for Lois Lane (drawn by Joe Shuster) died today in California at the age of 93.

Daughter Laura Siegel Larson is currently making funeral arrangements.

It was my honor and privilege to meet Mrs. Siegel in July 2001 at the Superman Week ceremony at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. At that ceremony, Mrs. Siegel met actress Noel Neill for the first time. Neill played Lois Lane in to Sam Katzman Columbia serials and replaced Phyllis Coates in the role on the Adventures of Superman television show in 1953.

Mrs. Siegel later joined us for a luncheon at Cafe Pinot following the ceremony.

My condolences to the Siegel family.

40 Years Ago: The San Fernando Earthquake

Above, the damaged interchange of the I-5 and CA-14 freeways.

Forty years ago tomorrow morning, the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake struck Los Angeles County.

The earthquake (also known as the Sylmar Earthquake) hit the San Fernando Valley near Sylmar at 6:00:55 a.m. PST on February 9, 1971, with a magnitude of 6.6. It caused extensive damage throughout Los Angeles County. It damaged the main building of my old elementary school, Woodcrest Elementary in South-Central Los Angeles to the extent that it had to be demolished.

I was in my junior year in high school and living in Hawthorne at the time and I clearly remember the quake. Until the January 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the San Fernando Earthquake was the strongest I ever experienced.

The quake demolished the Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar and badly damaged the Interstate 5 and California 14 freeways. That same freeway interchange was demolished again in 1994 during the Northridge Earthquake. 65 people were killed during the San Fernando Earthquake.

Securitas-L.A. To Lay Off 28 Field Supervisors

Left, a Securitas field supervisor checks on a guard at a county facility.

Securitas security officers who work at Los Angeles County facilities as guards and screeners joined SEIU (Service Employees International Union) last year, despite intimidating tactics by the company.

For the past several months, efforts have been made to secure a new contract between Securitas, its employees (through SEIU) and Los Angeles County. Complaints of foot-dragging on the part of Securitas has been leveled against the company by SEIU.

The Los Angeles office of Securitas (located at Wilshire Blvd. and Catalina) is known for its dishonest practices including advertising vacations and other benefits and then claiming to new hires that "there's no vacation pay, it's governed by the contract with L.A. County." They also promise fair hearings on employment disputes and then renege.

Those are some of many reasons Securitas officers joined the union.

Word has reached my desk that Securitas plans to lay off 28 field supervisors this week. I wonder how this will play since the supervisors are all union members. Did Securitas lose its contract with L.A. County?

Officers who may be part of the lay off are concerned that they will get the ax while "pets" of Securitas management will get to keep their jobs. There's been a history of favoritism at Securitas. I'm glad I'm out of that place.

A union meeting is scheduled.

Mitrice Richardson Remains I.D.'d

It was announced today that the remains found in Malibu Canyon are those of Mitrice Richardson, who disappeared after being released by the L.A. County Sheriff last September.

According to the Los Angeles Times:

Richardson was arrested at Geoffrey's restaurant in Malibu after acting bizarrely and saying she was unable to pay her $89 dinner tab. She was released from custody shortly after midnight without her car — which had been impounded — or a cellphone or purse. Investigators believe she was spotted three times in the canyon area in daylight hours that morning. After that, she was never heard from again.

The remains — which include a skull — were found about two and a half miles from the last credible sighting of her on Sept. 17. The discovery casts an ominous shadow over the case of the missing woman.

It appears the L.A. County Sheriff has a lot to answer for in this case. Why was she released without her purse, cellphone or car? The location of the remains were found near an abandonded marijuana grove in a deep ravine. It was in a remote area eight miles from the sheriff's office where she was released. The area where Richardson was found is near Malibu Canyon Road and Piuma Road.

It was also said the remains were found near a dry creek bed. How did she get there? The sheriff's office said there's no indication of foul play at present. They are still investigating.



It will take an independent agency to review the sheriff's handling of this case from the beginning. Should Richardson have been arrested over an unpaid restaurant bill? Why wasn't she given her cell phone or purse at the very least? It is this standard procedure in citizens' arrest cases?

Her mother said that Richardson was afraid of the dark and wild animals. The area is pitch black at night. I drive Malibu Canyon Road every night after work and it is very dark and there are snakes, mountain lions and coyotes in the area. Someone had to have taken her to the location. Was it someone from the sheriff's office?

It may take an FBI investigation of the whole matter to resolve all the questions.

Godzilla Week: 10 Years Ago Next Month

Photo courtesy of the office of Sup. Michael D. Antonovich, L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

Next month will mark ten years (!) since a piece of Godzilla history took place in Los Angeles, California.

In July 2000, G-FEST 2000 took place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with movie screenings taking place at the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd. This convention had the largest guest line-up ever in G-FEST's history.

But days before G-FEST 2000, an event to celebrate the convention as well as the first wide release of a Godzilla movie in fifteen years to U.S. theaters, Godzilla 2000, took place at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting on July 11. It was at that meeting that the Board declared July 10 - 16, 2000 as "Godzilla Week." The declaration was sponsored by L.A. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

That year was the first year I handled publicity duties for G-FEST. The idea for "Godzilla Week" was to garner publicity for the convention as well as for Godzilla 2000, released by Sony/TriStar in August 2000.

Unfortunately, all did not go 100% smoothly for the "Godzilla Week" ceremony. At that time, Masaharu Ina was the general manager of Toho Co., Ltd.'s Los Angeles office in Century City. I had developed a good working relationship with him and when I proposed the ceremony with him, he was enthusiastic. He was instrumental in getting the Toho executives' cooperation in shipping a Godzilla 2000 event suit to Los Angeles for the ceremony. This would have been a great publicity event. G-FAN publisher J. D. Lees flew to L.A. several days early to participate in the ceremony.

However, the fly in the ointment was a lady at Sony/TriStar named Jaime Geller, who decided to take over the planning of this event. Since Sony/TriStar had the theatrical rights to Godzilla 2000, any publicity involving it had to be under their purview, or so she said. I tried to work with her on this, and it seemed that things were going good.

About a week or so before the scheduled event, a meeting was to take place at L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich's office with Geller, Mr. Ina and Antonovich's staff to plan how the appearance of Godzilla at the meeting would happen. Mr. Ina and I arrived at the same time and Mr. Ina had a somber look on his face. He said that when the crate containing the Godzilla event suit was opened at Sony, they looked at it and decided that it detracted "from the grandeur of Godzilla" and nixed the suit's appearance. Although shocked, we decided to go ahead with the ceremony anyway, with "rumble and roar" Godzilla toys representing The King. Each county supervisor received one from Toho.

While the ceremony went fine, the cancellation of the Godzilla event suit killed our chances for media coverage. When word reached fandom about Sony killing the appearance of the event suit, the "fit hit the shan." Many even called Sony's offices to raise hell with them. The fans were steamed (to put it mildly)!

Along with Ina and Lees, others participating in the ceremony were Toho Sales Manager Tetsushi Sudo, Richard Pusateri, Mrs. Mike Antonovich and their son, and me. Many fans showed up to attend the ceremony. A scroll was presented to Mr. Ina.

Above, the G-FAN article on the ceremony along with a photograph of the scroll.

After the ceremony, several of us gathered in Little Tokyo for Japanese lunch at Weller Court.

It is hard to believe that this event took place ten years ago next month. We had to wait four years later to see an authentic Toho Godzilla event suit at a ceremony.

Antonovich Calls Proposed Arizona Boycott "Stupid"

Above, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich called the proposed boycott of the state of Arizona over its new immigration enforcement law "stupid."

The proposal by Supervisor Gloria Molina is a typical knee-jerk reaction by liberals. They've thrown up phoney issues such as "profiling" and "free speech violations." The law does nothing of the kind.

Molina's proposal would "ban most county travel to Arizona and cut off future business with the state."

Antonovich stated in his press release, "As elected officials, we take an oath to uphold the federal and state constitutions. To boycott a state for enforcing our federal laws is in direct violation of that oath. The propaganda by both the media and others is intentionally misleading because Arizona's law mirrors federal law."

Antonovich added, "This knee jerk reaction to support law breakers at the expense of law-abiding legal immigrants and other residents is irresponsible. A divestment and a boycott is a disingenuous show of perceived political correctness that will only backfire and will shoot us in the heart -- not in the foot."

The Arizona immigration law goes into effect in July. It encourages police to check the immigration status of people that are detained or arrested.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors is dominated by liberals with only Don Knabe as the only other conservative on the Board with Antonovich.

L.A. COUNTY HALL OF JUSTICE TO BE DEMOLISHED?

Above, the Hall of Justice sits next to the uncompleted Hollywood Freeway in the late 1940s.

L.A. COUNTY HALL OF JUSTICE TO BE DEMOLISHED?

by Armand Vaquer

The Los Angeles County Hall of Justice, an ornate building that has been sitting vacant in Downtown Los Angeles for fifteen years, is allegedly to be demolished.

The building once housed the county courts, jail, district attorney, sheriff's office and county coroner. Many celebrities were autopsied there including Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and George Reeves. Charles Manson and his family of killers were housed there while on trial.

Tonight, workers with the Asplund company, contractors for the L.A. Department of Water and Power, told a co-worker and I that they were cutting off electricity to the L.A. County Hall of Justice in preparation for the building to be demolished by explosives. They did not specify when this is to take place.

This is contrary to recent reports that the Board of Supervisors ordered a study on restoring the building.

No lights were on inside the building, although we can hear the buzz from a generator somewhere.

The Hall of Justice was built in 1925 and it has sat unoccupied for earthquake retrofitting since the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. The interior is completely gutted and it has been slated to become the headquarters of the Los Angeles County Sheriff.

Millions have been spent so far on the building, so it seems peculiar that it would be set for demolition after these expenditures.

According a December 1 motion by the Board of Supervisors, the building is structurally sound. It was said that current lower construction costs could also reduce the price of the restoration project by about 20% or more. Also, low financing rates and available federal funds could make the project feasible, according to a Board spokesman.

The Chief Executive Officer of L.A. County is to report back to the Board within 45 days on the cost of the project along with a cost-comparison to detail the savings of transferring departments back to the building.

Further investigation will be conducted. Someone is either misinformed or maybe a decision has already been reached by the Board.

The Hall of Justice is a great building that deserves to be restored to its original splendor.

Supervisors Bicker Over Guard Back Pay

As much as I am not a fan of L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, I have to agree with him on a matter that came up this week before the Board of Supervisors.

The Los Angeles Times reported:

When a security firm contracting with Los Angeles County went bankrupt earlier this year, hundreds of workers were not paid for their hours guarding county clinics, Sheriff's Department buildings and Fire Department facilities.

On Tuesday, Supervisor Gloria Molina urged county lawyers to find a way to pay them about $200,000 in wages she said they are due, prompting a bitter exchange among her colleagues.

International Services Inc., which placed nearly 800 guards in county facilities, filed for bankruptcy after its president and chief executive, Ousama "Sam" Karawia, 45, was charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, grand theft, making false statements and insurance fraud.

Molina's motion drew fire from Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who said the workers' grievances were with their former employer.

I work for another security company who has a contract with Los Angeles County. When International went belly-up, many of their guards were hired to handle the posts that my company took over with their company's bankruptsy. They continued to work although they weren't being paid, otherwise, they'd lose their County clearances. Those guards worked unpaid from one to two months while with International.

Why am I not a fan of Yaroslavsky?

Yaroslavsky raised my ire several years ago when he introduced a ridiculous county ordinance that banned gun shows on county property. The Great Western Gun Show, a longtime staple in L.A. County, was forced to leave the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds (Fairplex) due to this. They had been a regular show there for years and the L.A. County Sheriff and L.A.P.D. had recruiting booths at the gun show. Apparently, the police had no qualms about the show. But Yaroslavsky and his liberal majority on the Board voted otherwise, despite a good fight that we supporters of the Great Western Gun Show put on with Supervisors Antonovich and Knabe.

In this case, Yaroslavsky is correct. The guards formerly with International has, as their first source of remedy, their employer (via the U.S. Bankruptsy Court). The County contracted with International and paid them for their services. International failed to pay its employees, not the County (i.e., taxpayers). The County should not have to pay twice. While Molina's heart is in the right place, she is wrong in this.

Thank You, Paul Levitz

Above, the gathering for "Superman Week" on July 10, 2001. Paul Levitz is on the far right. Photo courtesy of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

Thank You, Paul Levitz

by Armand Vaquer

In a press release, it was announced that DC Comics President Paul Levitz is stepping down and DC Comics will become DC Entertainment to be run by Diane Nelson, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, and Alan Horn, President & COO, Warner Bros.

Publishers Weekly.com posted in part:

Paul Levitz, who has served as President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will segue from that role to return to his roots as a writer for DC and become a contributing editor and overall consultant to DCE. This transition will take place as expeditiously as possible without disrupting DC’s business operations.

In his new role, Levitz will be called upon for his deep knowledge and more than three-decade history with DC Comics, both as a comic creator and an executive. Besides serving as a writer on a number of DC Comics titles, he will be a contributing editor and consultant to DC Entertainment on projects in various media. Additionally, he will consult as needed on the transition and integration of the DC Comics organization into DC Entertainment and will utilize his unique experience, knowledge and relationships with the comics industry’s creative community to help achieve DC Entertainment’s goal of maximizing the value of DC properties. Further, Levitz will advise DC Entertainment on creative and rights-holder relationships, in particular regarding the legacy relationships that have been a part of DC Comics for decades.

On a more personal note, I met Paul Levitz on July 10, 2001 at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration when we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Adventures of Superman television show starring George Reeves. Along with Levitz, we had actors Jack Larson, Noel Neill, Robert Rockwell and Jeff Corey participate in the celebration. Mrs. Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman creator Jerry Siegel and their daughter Laura and Mrs. Betty Shayne, widow of Bob Shayne, and their daughter Stephanie, also participated.

Following the L.A. County ceremony, led by Supervisor Mike Antonovich, we headed to Cafe Pinot for a luncheon. I was the organizer of the event and luncheon, with a big assist by Jim Nolt, who secured the V.I.P.s.

I was dreading having to collect the luncheon tab from those who attended (plus some extra for the V.I.P.'s lunches), but Paul Levitz, unwittingly and unexpectedly, came to my rescue by picking up the entire tab for the luncheon. He mentioned to Lou Koza that he was grateful that we got Superman on the front page of the Los Angeles Times the day before (actually, it was the Daily News).

This event still is fondly remembered by those who attended. I would like to extend my best wishes to Paul Levitz for further success in his future endeavors and, also, another thank-you for picking up the tab at the luncheon.

UPDATE:

I emailed a link to the blog to Paul Levitz and received this response:

More than welcome, sir — it was a lovely day.

Inside The Hall of Justice

Above, the dark catacombs of the L.A. County Hall of Justice basement.

Inside The Hall of Justice

Text and photos by Armand Vaquer

Years ago, before the Los Angeles County Coroner was relocated to its present facility on north Mission Road (hence the name of the show Chuck Harter appeared in on a George Reeves segment), the Coroner's facilities were located in the basement of the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles.

Due to the 1993 Northridge Earthquake, the Hall of Justice was closed down for retrofitting. It has been a slow process and it has pretty much stopped due to funding issues. Eventually, it is said, the building (built in 1925) will house the headquarters of the Los Angeles County Sheriff. Why let a good building go to waste?

As the building's interior has been gutted, and the county doesn't seem to have the money to fund the retrofit project to completion, the company I work for has been contracted to secure the location. This week, I went down to the basement of the Hall of Justice, with camera in hand, after hearing that the autopsy tables were still inside. Unfortunately, they weren't. But it is interesting to go into the basement to see where the Coroner conducted the autopsies of such celebrities as George Reeves, Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy and others.

The way the interior looks now, it reminded me of either Castle Dracula or Carfax Abbey in the 1931 Dracula. The only thing missing was a coffin with the Dracula Crest on the lid. The only lighting in the basement was from my flashlight and the flash of my camera. It was almost pitch black in the basement. Pretty spooky! And I've heard stories of hauntings at the building.

Above, the basement of the Hall of Justice. Could this slab be where an autopsy table was mounted?

Above, another slab. Was an autopsy table here?

Above, crates of marble slabs and bricks are sitting in the basement, waiting to be installed in the Hall of Justice when the retrofit project is completed.

Jackson Death Ruled "Homicide"

Above, the Los Angeles County Coroner's facilities on North Mission Road.

An official with the Los Angeles County Coroner's office told the Associated Press that the coroner's finding of the cause of Michael Jackson's death is homicide.

Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson's death, the official said.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a cardiologist from Las Vegas, who became Jackson's person physician only weeks before his death, may be charged with manslaughter.

I knew something was up today, as I was driving to one of my company's accounts, when I saw many television trucks parked outside of the Los Angeles County Coroner's facilities on North Mission Road in Los Angeles. Some were still there an hour ago when I passed by it again (below).



It appears that LaToya Jackson was right!

Has Mike Antonovich Turned Squishy Liberal?

Last night, while checking on our weapons screeners posted at the Los Angeles County Juvenile Hall, I bought myself a Snickers candy bar from the vending machine in the screening room. It looks like those days of being able to buy a Coke or a Snickers bar there (and other County facilities) are numbered.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting

L.A. County puts vending machines on a diet

Supervisors approve bill requiring that food and drinks sold in most L.A. County facilities match the stricter nutritional standards imposed on California schools.

By Mary MacVean
August 19, 2009

If it's a soda you crave after a sweaty basketball game on an L.A. County court, or a candy bar you hunger for while waiting at a county office, you're money's going to be no good in the vending machines.

Taking a cue from standards adopted for California schools, the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to require that all food and drinks in the vending machines in most L.A. County facilities -- including offices, parks and recreation centers, and medical facilities -- meet state nutrition guidelines.

People can expect to see the changes in 400 to 500 machines over the next six months or so, said Yolanda Vera, health deputy for Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who introduced the policy along with Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

"It is essentially eliminating bad choices and causing people to take advantage of good choices," Ridley-Thomas said after the vote.

Most people who frequent County facilities are adults and are mature enough to decide for themselves whether a food product is good for them or not. They don't need a "nanny government" to tell them. That's the difference between allowing such at County facilities and California schools.

Has my old friend Mike Antonovich turned into a squishy liberal member of the "food police?"

UPDATE: A couple of hours ago, I received a call from Tony Bell, who is Supervisor Antonovich's press aide. He said that he (or they) were Googling and spotted the headline of this blog post (I did send a link to the blog post to their office). So he decided to call me and read me the riot act!

Not really.

Actually, it was a nice conversation with a lot of laughs. It seems that Supervisor Antonovich is a real "health food nut" and not some "squishy liberal." That was the motivating factor for his support for this new county action, and not from a "we know better than you" attitude. It was Tony's view that maybe they ought to do away with all vending machines altogether and just let people use the drinking fountains.