Well, it’s lunchtime. Time to take a look at the papers… and make snarky remarks:
- From the “Is It A Promotion or Demotion?” Department: The Los Angeles Times is reporting on the change in status for Stephanie Edwards, a long time television personality here in Southern California. Well known for her local commercials (for “Lucky”, with Alan Hamil) and talkshows, she is best known as co-host with Bob Eubanks of the KTLA telecast of the Rose Parade. She’s been doing this for over 25 years, usually sharing a cozy warm booth. Not this year. This year, she was booted to the stands, while the spare seat in the booth went to Michaela Pereira, a new co-anchor at KTLA. So, while Michaela kept warm, Stephanie was kept out in the rain. But the station claimed this was a “promotion”, as she got to host the pre-parade show, and got more airtime as a result. The other co-hosts tried express their appreciation, but a sense of tension still came through.
Sigh. Folks who have been reading me for a while know I treasure our truly local hosts. I remember when both Tom Snyder and Tom Brokaw were on the local KNBC news, and I remember enjoying Stephanie Edwards for years. I remember them trying to push her out, and how the audience reacted negatively to this. We need to protest this treatment of an LA Treasure.
- From the “Don’t Drink The Water” Department: The Los Angeles Times is also reporting how the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is paying over $88K per year on bottled water, despite spending $1 million in the last two years to assure Los Angeles residents that their tap water is not only safe to drink but also top quality. Of this, over $31K was spent for Sparkletts water. This is happening despite a 1995 directive by former Mayor Richard Riordan that said: “The city’s tap water satisfies most needs, and bottled water should not be provided ordinarily at city expense.” According to DWP officials, the bottled water purchased by the city in the last two years includes water coolers for city offices and small sports bottles for city workers in the field or for the public at special events in hot weather. Note that the DWP spends about $500,000 annually to mail a report on the quality of its water to its customers.
I wonder if anyone at the DWP knows the meaning of irony.
- From the “Wearning Your Beliefs on your Pants” Department: The Daily Breeze is reporting about a Swedish Jeans company that is making a hot product, especially for Christians that probably think the wearers of said product should be going to H-E-Double Hockey Sticks. You see, these aren’t your ordinary jeans, as the company’s logo is a skull with a cross turned upside down on its forehead (photo). The jeans’ makers say it’s more of a joke, but the logo’s designer says that it is an active statement against Christianity, nothing that he has a great dislike for organized religion. Some places are even calling them “The Devil’s Dungarees“.
Hmmmm. I wonder if they make them in relaxed fit for us older folks 🙂
