Americans triumphed at the World Beard and Mustache Championships. It probably helped that they had home court advantage (it took place in Alaska).
Jack Passion, who was profiled by the LA Times earlier this week, retained his title in the full beard category.
Passion has an outrageous red beard but I think David Traver had the most original beard with "a beard shaped and woven into the shape of a snowshoe." Full LAT update with pictures here.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Yoga
Santa Monica is truly the epicenter of yoga. I found out in this NY Times article that the Representative for where I live, Jane Harmon, even attends. Harmon is quite wealthy but she still, apparently attends class with the masses. She even made a joke about torture memos (even funnier given that she was previously the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
Full article here:
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The yogis arrived toting their mats and towels and SIGG water bottles. Some had waited a half hour before being allowed to claim tiny plots of floor just inches from one another. They jostled and chatted while setting up their spaces, some kicking up into handstands to loosen up.....
“Didn’t you see the torture memos this week?” called out Jane Harman, a 63-year-old devoted student in the front row, who also happens to be the United States Representative for the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
The teacher responded, “That’s why I’m doing this.”
Full article here:
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The yogis arrived toting their mats and towels and SIGG water bottles. Some had waited a half hour before being allowed to claim tiny plots of floor just inches from one another. They jostled and chatted while setting up their spaces, some kicking up into handstands to loosen up.....
“Didn’t you see the torture memos this week?” called out Jane Harman, a 63-year-old devoted student in the front row, who also happens to be the United States Representative for the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
The teacher responded, “That’s why I’m doing this.”
Bearded man
I was reminded this morning that there's a contest for everything when I saw the cover of the LA Times. It featured a picture of a bearded redhead, Jack Passion, the defending "full beard: natural" titleholder at the World Beard and Moustache Championships.
He looks a bit like a young Santa Claus if Santa were from Ireland.
He looks a bit like a young Santa Claus if Santa were from Ireland.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Jay and Mavis Leno
The LA Times Magazine had a long Q&A with Jay Leno and his wife Mavis. I liked Jay's solution to finding a wallet in Monte Carlo:
ML: Like I said, it’s the admiration. When Jay and I didn’t have that much money, when we were first married, we went to Monte Carlo because Jay was doing some stuff for—
JL: John Davidson.
ML: Yeah, The John Davidson Show. One night, Jay found a wallet lying on the ground. There was money and a work visa and, without thinking twice, Jay said we had to find this guy. He went back out in the square and just yelled—
JL: "Jean-Paul! Jean-Paul Tourneau!" I kept yelling, and this guy came running over, saying, "I am Jean-Paul!" like in one of those bad movies where the guy steps out of the dark and goes, "I am Jean-Paul—why you call my name?"
ML: That was funny, but the guy was in tears, you know. He was so glad to get it back. That’s Jay.
ML: Like I said, it’s the admiration. When Jay and I didn’t have that much money, when we were first married, we went to Monte Carlo because Jay was doing some stuff for—
JL: John Davidson.
ML: Yeah, The John Davidson Show. One night, Jay found a wallet lying on the ground. There was money and a work visa and, without thinking twice, Jay said we had to find this guy. He went back out in the square and just yelled—
JL: "Jean-Paul! Jean-Paul Tourneau!" I kept yelling, and this guy came running over, saying, "I am Jean-Paul!" like in one of those bad movies where the guy steps out of the dark and goes, "I am Jean-Paul—why you call my name?"
ML: That was funny, but the guy was in tears, you know. He was so glad to get it back. That’s Jay.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Schwarzenegger and Shriver at Palisades Park
The Santa Monica beach and Palisades Park, which overlooks the beach, are great democratizers. They're free, beautiful, and attract a wide demographic -- families, hipsters, buff guys working out on the free equipment, tattooed beach volleyball players, rollerbladers, etc.
Today I saw a guy on a recumbent two wheel bicycle talking on his cell phone on the bike path. Earlier I saw a dad helping his pint-sized son do pull ups as I embarrassed myself by failing to complete even half a pull up. Half an hour later I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver walking along the footpath at Palisades Park, the only visible security a guy tagging along fifteen feet behind looking more like a tourist (in shorts) than a heavy. Maybe it's because Schwarzenegger has lived in LA since emigrating from Austria, but people seemed to be leaving the two alone, even though they are a very recognizable couple even when they're dressing and acting low key, which they were.
Today I saw a guy on a recumbent two wheel bicycle talking on his cell phone on the bike path. Earlier I saw a dad helping his pint-sized son do pull ups as I embarrassed myself by failing to complete even half a pull up. Half an hour later I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver walking along the footpath at Palisades Park, the only visible security a guy tagging along fifteen feet behind looking more like a tourist (in shorts) than a heavy. Maybe it's because Schwarzenegger has lived in LA since emigrating from Austria, but people seemed to be leaving the two alone, even though they are a very recognizable couple even when they're dressing and acting low key, which they were.
Funny personals
These were in the LA Times Magazine a few weeks ago:
SWM cultural imperialist foodie seeks goofy hipster hick to drive to San Gabriel so we can brag about being the only white people at a filthy C-grade restaurant.
(San Gabriel Valley is the place to go for plentiful, authentic Chinese food in LA. You can easily find places where you're the only non-Chinese speaker. It's a joke that contains a grain of truth that the tastiness of the food is inversely proportional to the health grade of the restaurant.)
Another one that gets right to the point:
Young and knocked up. Ex got locked up. Looking to start a family? No cons.
I'm not sure where in LA you can find wild pigs:
M4M 6'5", 30s ripped, seeks male companion for bow hunting and pig roast. You know -- the love only a warrior can share. Amateur butchering skills a plus.
SWM cultural imperialist foodie seeks goofy hipster hick to drive to San Gabriel so we can brag about being the only white people at a filthy C-grade restaurant.
(San Gabriel Valley is the place to go for plentiful, authentic Chinese food in LA. You can easily find places where you're the only non-Chinese speaker. It's a joke that contains a grain of truth that the tastiness of the food is inversely proportional to the health grade of the restaurant.)
Another one that gets right to the point:
Young and knocked up. Ex got locked up. Looking to start a family? No cons.
I'm not sure where in LA you can find wild pigs:
M4M 6'5", 30s ripped, seeks male companion for bow hunting and pig roast. You know -- the love only a warrior can share. Amateur butchering skills a plus.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
California Governor's race
My latest CQ Politics article on the California governor's race went online yesterday.
In a nutshell: Meg Whitman has major cred as a Silicon Valley CEO but her social networking (Twitter and Facebook) pales compared to Gavin Newsom; Newsom made a big splash with his Twitter announcement that he's running for governor but he has made some veiled comments about needing to make history instead of reliving seemingly aimed at former Gov. Jerry Brown, who is running again; there are some other Republicans who could give Whitman some competition; LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa probably will not be announcing that he's going to run via Twitter; if Feinstein gets in the race she becomes the heavy Democratic favorite.
In a nutshell: Meg Whitman has major cred as a Silicon Valley CEO but her social networking (Twitter and Facebook) pales compared to Gavin Newsom; Newsom made a big splash with his Twitter announcement that he's running for governor but he has made some veiled comments about needing to make history instead of reliving seemingly aimed at former Gov. Jerry Brown, who is running again; there are some other Republicans who could give Whitman some competition; LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa probably will not be announcing that he's going to run via Twitter; if Feinstein gets in the race she becomes the heavy Democratic favorite.
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