The Flatted Fifth

Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:59:38 PDT

Felicia Day posted her "Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?" video on You Tube on Monday, Aug. 17, 2009.

Today is Friday, Aug. 21, 2007. Felicia's You Tube video had 1,778,806 views as of 3 PM Pacific Time). That is phenomenal!

To see why, just watch (I recommend Full Screen):

Visit Felicia's web site to learn more about this sexy, imaginative, creative, talented, and beautiful young woman:

http://feliciaday.com/

George Spink
Los Angeles

So Long for Awhile....

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:18:08 PDT

One of the many, many joys of living in Chicago was listening to Chuck Schaden's wonderful radio show, "Those Were the Days" every Saturday afternoon. Chuck began doing this show in 1970.

Anyone who loves old-time radio, as I do, loves Chuck's show. And, thanks to the Internet, old-time radio fans everywhere have been able to listen to Chuck's show beginning on the Tuesday after it aired for the following week by visiting Chuck's online Nostalgia Digest.

Chuck Schaden

A few years ago, I discovered I could hear "Those Were the Days" online. What a treat! I loved the Chicago references. Everyone brought back warm memories to me. And I loved hearing the old radio shows. Born in 1940, I heard so many of them on the radio when I was a boy.

My favorites were Sky King, The Lone Ranger, and Gangbusters. I also liked Your Hit Parade on Saturday nights. I also remember my mother and my aunt Dorothea, who lived with us, listening to the soaps every weekday at noontime. My mother's favorite was The Romance of Helen Trent.

In recent years, Chuck's Those Were the Days has aired on WDCB-FM in Chicago from 1 to 5 PM every Saturday. Now 75, Chuck has decided to retire. After all, 39 years has been a long run!

Chuck has given me his kind permission to feature his last broadcast, which aired on Saturday, June 27th.

The show continues with a new producer and host, Steve Darnall. And it wouldn't surprise me if Chuck returns to host Those Were the Days once in a great while.

George Spink
Moderator - The Flatted Fifth
Los Angeles, California
Email Me

Who Are Our Enemies?

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Sat, 02 May 2009 06:51:51 PDT

I followed a link a friend posted on Twitter. Listen to this Mideast professor. Then think and worry....

George Spink
Los Angeles

Itsy Bitsy Spider

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:47:30 PDT

Bar

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:24:08 PST

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Bar Refaeli

Happy New Year 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:14:21 PST

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

New Year's Eve - 1945

New York, New York - Opus One
by Liza Minnelli with Ralph Burns and His Orchestra
from the soundtrack of "New York, New York" (1977)

Happy New Year to all of the members of George's Blog -- and to everyone who visits us!

George Spink
Los Angeles, California
Email Me

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:09:24 PST

Here's an email I just received from Santa Claus:

I'm glad that those of you in Canada, many parts of the United States, and elsewhere around the world will be enjoying a White Christmas!

For those of you who live in warmer climates, especially south of the equator, don't worry, I'll be stopping by your homes, too!

If you want to keep track of my reindeers and me this year, follow our journey with a little help from the good boys and girls at NASA:

http://www.noradsanta.org/

From Santa Claus, his elves, and his Reindeers (Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donder and Blitzen, and Rudolph) -- and, of course, Mrs. Santa Claus!

Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas

Nine Million Bicycles

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:41:27 PST

Sounds of the Season

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:39:16 PST

Here are three examples of Christmas music that I think you will enjoy.

The first player includes music in the Miller mood mainly by Larry O'Brien and The Glenn Miller Orchestra.

The second player contains various jazz versions of Christmas classics.

The third player contains music by Vince Guaraldi from his album "A Charlie Brown Christmas," songs I know you'll enjoy as you recall some of your favorite Christmas shows featuring Charlie Brown, Lucy, Schroeder, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang.

If you would like to add some CD's with this wonderful music to your own collection, just follow this link:

Christmas albums on Amazon.com

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

George Spink
Moderator - George's Blog
Los Angeles, California
Email Me

Beals vs. Biel

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:04:06 PDT

Two of my favorite actresses have similar names, so perhaps this brief writeup will help me keep them straight.

They are Jeniffer Beals and Jessica Beil:


Jennifer Beals	Jessica Biel

The first films I saw of Jennifer Beals were "My Bodyguard" (1980), parts of which were filmed near my home, Kennelly Square, in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, and "Flashdance" (1983), which made her a superstar. A Chicago native, Beals graduated from Frances W. Parker, a private school about a mile north of Kennelly Square, and then received a B.A. in American Literature at Yale University in 1987.

In recent years, Beals has starred on Showtime's "The L-Word." She has now made about 50 movies. Wow!

Jessica Biel, younger than Beals, also has appeared in a number of films, and recently in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" (2007) and "Next" (2007). She was born in Ely, Minnesota and has lived in Texas, Connecticut, and Woodstock, Illinois before finally settling in Boulder, Colorado, which she calls home.

Biel was educated by a private tutor on set of "7th Heaven," but attended mainstream school for her last year of high school. She graduated from the exclusive Lycée Français de Los Angeles in Los Angeles. In fall 2000, she enrolled at Tufts University in Massachusetts, took classes there for three semesters, but left to return to work on "7th Heaven" full-time. She has said that she would like to return to college someday and complete her degree.

SNL: Biden vs, Palin

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:11:09 PDT

Sarah Palin on SNL

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:32:29 PDT

TCM's Big Band Month

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:00:42 PDT

I hope you joined big band fans everywhere, including yours truly, in watching "Big Bands in the Movies" on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on Wednesday nights in July. What an incredible selection of big band films!

Personally, I enjoyed them all, even a couple that weren't so hot, like "The Gene Krupa Story" with Sal Mineo terribly miscast as the legendary drummer. Even the Krupa story had a few good moments, especially the end. No, I'm not being sarcastic. The last number showed Tommy Dorsey's orchestra with both its regular drummer, played by Shelly Manne, and Gene Krupa, played by Mineo, both playing with the band. Mineo went through his wimpy moves, but Shelly Manne -- what a drummer!

There is one scene in "The Benny Goodman Story" I always enjoy seeing -- when the band plays "Sing, Sing, Sing" in Carnegie Hall on January 16, 1938. This is an electrifying moment in big band history, and the movie captures it beautifully.

Let's listen to Benny talk about it:

Incredible!

George Spink
The Flatted Fifth

TCM Begins Big Band Month Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:18:06 PDT

Just a reminder: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) begins its Wednesday series of big band movies and shorts tonight -- 5PM Pacific, 8 PM Eastern.

The films and shorts will be shown every Wednesday in July. Each night, they will run for nearly 12 hours! Get your VHS or DVD recorder ready!

Visit the TCM web site for more info:

http://www.tcm.com/index.jsp

Here is tonight's schedule (all times Eastern):

8:00 PM - Hollywood Hotel (1937)
A small-town boy wins a Hollywood talent contest. Cast: Dick Powell,
Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane. Dir: Busby Berkeley. BW-110 mins, TV-G, CC

10:00 PM - Las Vegas Nights (1941)
A vaudeville act tries to turn a broken-down house into a posh
nightclub. Cast: Constance Moore, Bert Wheeler, Phil Regan. Dir: Ralph
Murphy. BW-87 mins

11:45 PM - Reveille With Beverly (1943)
A tap-dancing lady disc jockey finds herself torn between a wealthy
man and his former chauffeur. Cast: Ann Miller, William Wright, Dick
Purcell. Dir: Charles Barton. BW-78 mins, TV-G

1:07 AM - Short Film: Somewhat Secret (1939) - BW-21 mins

1:30 AM - Dancing Co-Ed (1939)
A college girl fights to survive in academia and show business. Cast:
Lana Turner, Richard Carlson, Artie Shaw. Dir: S. Sylvan Simon. BW-84
mins, TV-G, CC

3:00 AM - Best Foot Forward (1943)
A movie star wreaks havoc when she accepts an invitation to a military
academy dance. Cast: Lucille Ball, June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven. Dir:
Edward Buzzell. C-94 mins, TV-G, CC

4:45 AM - Short Film: Headline Bands (1945)
Clips of various orchestras are featured in this Melody Masters Bands
short. Cast: Larry Clinton, Jimmy Dorsey, Vincent Lopez. Dir: Jack
Scholl, Lloyd French, Joseph Henabery, Roy Mack. BW-9 mins

4:55 AM - Short Film: JIMMIE LUNCEFORD AND HIS DANCE ORCHESTRA (1937)
In this short, Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra perform their upbeat
jazz with the help of guest performers. Cast: Jimmie Lunceford, The
Three Brown Jacks. Dir: Joseph Henabery. BW-10 mins

5:10 AM - Short Film: JAMMIN' THE BLUES (1944)
In this short, prominent jazz musicans of the 1940s get together for a
rare filming of a jam session. Cast: Lester Young, Marie Bryant,
George 'Red' Callender. Dir: Gjon Mili. BW-10 mins

5:25 AM - Short Film: FREDDIE RICH AND HIS ORCHESTRA IN "MIRRORS" (1934)
In this short film, Freddie Rich and his orchestra perform popular
songs and accompany guest performers. Cast: Freddie Rich, Vera Van,
The Eton Boys. Dir: Roy Mack. BW-11 mins

5:40 AM - Short Film: LARRY CLINTON AND ORCHESTRA W/ CAROL BRUCE (1938)
In this short, Larry Clinton and his orchestra bring in two guest
performers. Cast: Larry Clinton, Carol Bruce. Dir: Lloyd French. BW-10
mins

Enjoy!

George Spink
Los Angeles, California

A Japanese "We Are the World"

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:14:23 PDT

The New Pledge of Allegiance

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:15:04 PST

This new version of "The Pledge of Allegiance" was supposedly written by a 15-year-old in Arizona, name and town not known.

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen.

Feel free to pass it on to your friends!

Not Bad for a White Bird!

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:47:11 PST

Centrum Silver

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 09:53:44 PST

From my good buddy Mike Willett:

Mike and I graduated from Morton High School in Cicero, Illinois in June 1958. There were about 5,000 students at Morton and 1,200 in our graduating class, one of the largest high schools in the United States. Juniors and seniors went to school in the morning, freshmen and sophomores in the afternoon. I liked the split-shift because it enabled me to work from 1-to-5 PM at the nearby Western Electric plant.

In September 1958, Morton West opened in Berwyn, just west of Cicero. Morton West and Morton East (in Cicero) each had about 2,500 students. Mike and I lived in Berwyn about two blocks from each other.

Mike and some of my other classmates are organizing our 50th Reunion celebration later this year.

George Spink
Los Angeles, California
Email Me

Mensa Invitational

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:08:41 PST

Another friendly pass-along, this one from Sandy....

Here is the Washington Post's Mensa Invitational which once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.

The winners are:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

11. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

12. Karmageddon: It's when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, and then the Earth explodes, and it's a serious bummer.

13. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you

14. Glibido: All talk and no action.

15. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

16. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

17. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

18. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.

And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Eplanade, v. to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n. emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle, n. a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster, n. a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. the belief that, after death, the soul flies up
onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

Just How Many Billion Do You Need?

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:47:56 PST

A recent pass-along making the rounds....

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu, is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?

A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.

B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington , D.C .. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??

Consider all the many taxes we are liable for through a life-time....

Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!'?

And I still have to 'press 1' for English!

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times

What the hell happened?????

George Spink
Los Angeles
Email Me

The Year's Best Headlines

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:11:55 PST

Crack Found on Governor's Daughter

[Imagine that!]

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

[No, really?]

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

[Now that's taking things a bit far!]

Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?

[Not if I wipe thoroughly!]

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

[What a guy!]

Miners Refuse to Work after Death

[No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so!]

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

[See if that works any better than a fair trial!]

War Dims Hope for Peace

[I can see where it might have that effect!]

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

[You think?]

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

[Who would have thought!]

Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

[They may be on to something!]

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

[You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?]

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

[he probably IS the battery charge!]

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

[Weren't they fat enough?!]

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

[That's what he gets for eating those beans!]

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

[Taste like chicken?]

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

[Chainsaw Massacre all over again!]

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

[Boy, are they tall!]

And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

You know the drill: FW: FW: FW:

Boogie

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:53:24 PST

God's Great Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:28:21 PST

NEVER HEARD CREATION EXPLAINED THIS WAY BEFORE!!!
One of the many FW: FW: FW: "pass alongs" I receive every week. This one is far better than most. I don't know who wrote it. -- George

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?"

And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs.

Injun Summer 2007

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:32:14 PST

John McCutcheon's Injun Summer first appeared in the Chicago Tribune in 1907, a century ago. It has captured the hearts of generations of readers around the country because the Trib wisely syndicated it. Until recently.

In 2002, the Trib stopped printing "Injun Summer" on the cover of its Sunday magazine supplement. Why? Because the new generation of Tribune editors felt that "Injun Summer" offended Native Americans. Can you believe it!

Now, I was born and raised in Chicago, so quite a few slang expressions came to mind when I first read about this in 2003. I wrote a letter to the Trib complaining about this. To my surprise, I received a reply saying Trib editors felt that "Injun Summer" offended Native Americans.

Give me a break!

Being politically correct is one thing. But being stupid is another.

Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the guiding force behind the Chicago Tribune for the first part of the 20th Century, must have rolled over in his grave at Cantigny! If Colonel McCormick were alive today, he would never have allowed this to happen. Not in a million years! But he had guts, which is a helluva lot more than I can say for the Trib's current editors.

George Spink
Los Angeles
Email Me

Southern California Is Ablaze

noreply@blogger.com (George Spink) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 07:57:56 PDT

I was working on my blogs and web sites this morning, visiting GretaWire and the Fox News web site. When I visited Jamie Colby's blog about 11:45 AM (PDT), I learned for the first time that once again Southern California is ablaze. Adam Housley, a Los Angeles-based Fox News reporter, reported live from Malibu for hours on end and managed to find time to blog about it on his Housley in the House.

Fortunately for me, I live on the westside of Los Angeles about two miles east of Venice Beach and the Pacific Ocean. But I know the entire area very well. I have been to Malibu many times. Each time, I have been amazed that an alternate route to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) has never been built.

In the early 1990s, there was a lot of talk about building an alternate, wider PCH above the ocean along the coastline. That proposal was killed by environmentalists. I guess they feel it is better to let Malibu burn and people die.

On Friday, my roommate and I drove down to Tijuana. As we passed through the San Diego area, I remembered the devastating forest fire that ravaged that area four years ago.

On normal days, a ride along PCH is quite beautiful between 10 AM and 3 PM. Morning and afternoon rush hours often turn PCH into a parking lot.

Despite devastating forest fires in Malibu almost every October, people who can afford it are willing to spend millions of dollars on Malibu homes.

I remember the forest fire that hit Santa Barbara in June 1990. I was visiting my aunt. She lived along San Marcos Pass Road about a quarter of a mile north of Highway 101, at the bottom of the foothills. The forest fire started a couple of miles above where she lived, rushed down, missed the subdivision where my aunt lived, and then leap-frogged across 101 and burned a swath through the Hope Ranch area.

That fire destroyed about 600 homes in Santa Barbara and killed several people. When we heard the fire was racing down the foothills toward my aunt's home, my cousins and I could not persuade her to leave her home. Finally, as the fire came within a couple of blocks of her home, she agreed to go with my cousins and me to her brother's home close to the ocean. The forest fire leapfrogged past her subdivision, sparing its houses, but burning many places nearby.

That experience taught me that forest fires move fast and are deadly. The best thing you can do is get out quickly and head for a safe place.

George Spink
Los Angeles, California
Email Me