LA by bicycle?

In the seven long years I lived in Los Angeles, I have to admit I never had a bike. It wasn't until I moved to NYC full-time that I discovered the joy and freedom of cycling in the city. This ARTICLE is optimistic about the future of cycling in LA . . . and it almost makes me want to move back to test the theory. Almost.

"Despite its reputation, L.A. is home to a large, diverse, and ever-growing population of cyclists. With pleasant weather year-round, mostly flat terrain, and an easily navigable street grid, L.A. is in many ways suited to cycling."

The canyons, on the other hand, would be a living hell.

It's time for Borough Quiz!! [gong]

Sights, Blights, and Hi-lights from NYC's fantastic five.

Every Monday (or so) I'm posting an off-the-beaten-path image of one of NYC's five fantastic boroughs and you get to guess WHICH IT IS!! This one is from a bike-ride I took yesterday . . . one that took me to FOUR of the FIVE!!

So, without further ado . . .

What's that borough?

Bronx
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island

Answer later in the week!

a little High Priestess of Soul in our hour of need.

Brilliance, thanks for the reminder Kevin . . . visionary, mad woman, deeply missed. I remember her live at the Hollywood Bowl. Enjoy.

Dallas' future looks green (?)

Way to go Dallas! Check out the renderings HERE.

This day in history. . .

More HERE on H.M.

"If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door."

1978. . . SEVENTY-EIGHT!

RE-BURBIA WINNERS. Yes! [fist pump]

The winners of RE-BURBIA have been announced. I honestly don't know when it happened, but HERE they are and they are awesome!

"After a dizzying week of heated debate and lively discussion, Reburbia is very pleased to announce the winners of our month-long competition to redesign the suburbs! The competition called for design solutions that would address the problems that plague present-day suburbia by envisioning different scenarios for the future. Proposals tackled McMansions, big box stores, strip malls, parking lots and more with design fixes ranging from community agriculture and algae-based biofuels to transplanted tract developments and zeppelin-based transit."

I can see why the people's choice winner was so popular, and I love the one that's really just a zoning change.

CitiChix or UrbHen, I suppose.

Taking "buy local" to it's limit, some urban locavores are keeping coops in their city co-ops. HERE are the proud chickens from good.is

Who's got the wheel, here?

A worrisome article from Jon Walker via bluedoglake.

Here we go again. You listening, choir?

HERE's yet another attempt to explain the bigotry and ignorance that is passing for religious freedom . . . I don't know if it's the best article ever written on the topic, but it's clear and bears repeating.

"Here's what's going on here: Religious opponents of gay marriage don't have a good understanding of why a modern state should recognize civil marriage in the first place; they view marriage primarily as a religious tradition that has made their lives satisfying and secure and so they are most comfortable justifying it in terms of what's been -- this is one of the roles of a religious narrative. If they thought honestly and rigorously about the civil, rather than just religious, reasons why the state recognizes marriage today, they'd see that gay unions fit into those reasons in the modern world."

How many times must we lay this out? We can't wait for the lowest common denominator thinkers to catch up. That's why we have elected leaders. Or was.

Over my dead body. Literally.

The Catholic Church has issued an "Ethical and Religious Doctrine" banning the removal of feeding tubes under any condition in every Catholic Hospital, Nursing Home and Hospice. From firedoglake:

"The Bishops’ directive even notes that patient suffering is redemptive and brings the individual closer to Christ."

The kicker is that nothing -- not a signed will, not family, not government can intervene. In many communities, Catholic health services are the ONLY health services. So their religion is determining my rights. Time to stop government funding, if you ask me. Read the whole insane inhumane medieval story HERE.