08/31/06

Desert rats

Posted by admin

When you initially move into a desert community, nobody really expects you to stay, until you've survived at least one summer.

So the first question you'll be asked at a party is not: "What do you do?"

Or even: "What's your sign?"

Uh-uh. Upon hearing that you're relatively new in town, people will invariably ask: "Have you been through a summer yet?"

And they'll have a certain little gleam in their eyes. They know there's a better-than-even chance you'll turn tail and run, when faced with the

Posted at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/31/06

Whatchawannadothisweekend? (31Aug06)

Posted by admin

Tonight: At 7:30pm, catch the Redlands Symphony (plus a fireworks show) in the season finale of Palm Desert's Summer of Fun Concert/Movie Series at the Civic Center Park Amphitheater, 73510 Fred Waring. When conductor Co Nguyen wields his baton, even the rowdy horn section listens up.

Friday:...

Posted at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/31/06

Horse-drawn carriage, anyone?

Posted by admin

Catch a ride with Palm Springs Carriages during and after the Thursday-night Villagefest celebration! Also, Coulson Carriage Company offers similar services downtown on Friday from 7:30pm to 10, and on weekends between 1-4pm!

Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer, do.
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you.
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford...

08/30/06

Signs of Life: Can't even think straight

Posted by admin

Have you ever read a billboard that left you severely disoriented? The one below had precisely this effect on me. Maybe Palm Springs really is the gayest city in the country, if our valley attracts events like this:



Biggest question mark: would it be worth attending, just to hear what Anne Heche's mother had to say about her daughter's recovery from that high-profile romance with...

Posted at 02:15 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/30/06

Is this your doggie?

Posted by admin

Then go pick her up! Hurry!!

She's been at the Riverside County Department of Animal Services shelter since August 25.

Here are directions to the CV shelter, located in Thousand Palms.

You can also visit the shelter to adopt a pet.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a furry friend?

Posted at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/30/06

Free concert tonight

Posted by admin

The Old Town La Quinta Free Concert Series continues tonight on Main Street - R&B and pop favorites with "Evaro," 7pm-9.

My curiosity got the best of me, and began yammering in my ear: "How old IS Old Town?" If my research is correct, La Quinta's history began in 1926 when Walter Morgan opened the La Quinta Resort & Club, site of the Coachella Valley's first golf course. So Old Town is actually rather... new. No?

Posted at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/29/06

Emmy shivs Ari

Posted by admin

After seeing Jeremy Piven enthusiastically kiss the top of his Emmy during Sunday's telecast, I exclaimed, "Ouch!" When Anikó asked why, I replied, "Because those wingie-things are SHARP." Sure enough...

[From the NY Daily News]

Jeremy Piven proudly suffered a...

08/29/06

School daze

Posted by admin

The kids in Palm Springs went back to school yesterday. In honor of this momentous occasion, here's a quaint old song from 1907:

School Days, School Days

REFRAIN:
School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days
Read-in' and 'rit-in' and 'rith-me-tic
Taught to the tune of a hick-ry stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful barefoot beau
And you wrote on my slate
"I love you so"
When we were a couple of kids

Nothing to do, Nellie darling
Nothing to do, you say?
Let's take a trip on memory's...

Posted at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/29/06

ShortFest: Fat Weasel

Posted by admin

There I am, in the cocktail lounge of the Sweaty Palms Motel, knocking back my 5th or 8th Fat Weasel, when a VP of Acquisitions from the Blueberry Pie Channel ("HD pie, 24/7"™) comes rolling in. He's been locked in a cubicle all day, watching tapes and DVDs of short films, and he's starved for human contact.

So Mr. Piehole straddles the stool next to me and begins yammering about the lack of decent Pie cinema: "Where are the flaky crust auteurs?...

Posted at 08:12 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/28/06

Do you remember John Dean?

Posted by admin

John was the prosecution's star witness in the Watergate hearings.

He was the first Nixon administration official to accuse the president of direct involvement with the break-ins and the resulting coverup.

When the existence of secret White House tape recordings was made public, and those tapes were analyzed, Dean's accusations were proved to be true.

Yeah, THAT John Dean.

Anyway, he'll be at Peppertree Bookstore...

Posted at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/28/06

Heave your phone!

Posted by admin

Finland claims to be the home of mobile phones... and Finns have always been very fashion-conscious about their handsets.

In fact, many Europeans wonder why Finns buy brand-new phones when their old ones are still working.

According to this Finnish website, the mobile phone has become an essential part of most Finns' daily lives, but when that phone is most needed, "the battery runs out or your sweetheart doesn't answer or someone doesn't return your call. Hope, anticipation, passion and frustration concentrates on the mobile...

08/28/06

ShortFest: 105°F

Posted by admin

Overheard just before one of Saturday's ShortFest screenings:

"It's too bad you didn't arrive earlier in the week, when it was much cooler. The temperatures only got up to about a hundred and five."

That line, delivered with the utmost seriousness by a Palm Springs resident, got a huge laugh from nearly half the audience.

[

Posted at 08:11 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/25/06

The I Chong

Posted by admin

On February 24, 2003, as the U.S. prepared for war in the Middle East, federal agents arrested more than fifty individuals allegedly involved in businesses that sold drug paraphernalia, such as bongs and pipes.

Tommy Chong, best known for his stoner movies with Cheech Marin, was among those targeted. His home was raided, and the agents seized all the inventory from his business, Chong Glass. Seven months later, Chong received a

Posted at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/25/06

ShortFest: The Falling Man

Posted by admin

Dealing with the subject of the Vietnam War in a cinematic way was nearly taboo, for several years after American involvement ended. By the same token, the events of September 11, 2001 have been largely avoided by filmmakers, until recently.

This is the year the silence ended: in big ways (Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, for example) and in smaller ways (like this morning's ShortFest program After the World...

Posted at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/25/06

Emmys

Posted by admin

NBC will telecast the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at 8pm this Sunday.

Conan O'Brien (also NBC) is the host.

I'm rooting for the Colbert Report, just to see how much irony Conan can muster...

Posted at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/25/06

Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines

Posted by admin

Performing at the festival on Saturday, August 26*: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Daniel Sazer-Krebbers Quartet, Ken Dahleen's Big Band Staff, Peter Pupping Quartet, Pat Rizzo & Patrick Tuzzalino, Rocky Zharp, WEDU, Andy Fraga Jr. Trio, Marcus Burger and the NAJA (North American Jazz Alliance), John Rodby & Talya Ferro & The Marshall Hawkins All-Stars.

Performing Sunday, August 27*: Gerald Albright, Marshall Hawkins & The Seahawk Modern Jazz Orchestra with...

Posted at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/25/06

Yaay! We got 3 awards!!

Posted by admin

Desert Publications Inc. (DPI) Receives 3 Pewter Awards in 2006 Gold Ink Competition

DPI was recognized with three Pewter Awards in the 2006 Gold Ink competition hosted by the North American Publishing Co. and Printing Impressions and Publishing Executive magazines.

DPI was recognized in the Specialty Magazine category for the 2005 Palm Springs Life Annual Desert Living edition and Pebble Beach: The Magazine (2005/2006 edition),...

Posted at 09:35 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/25/06

ShortFest: Opening Night

Posted by admin

Yesterday's Opening Night Gala was packed:


Congresswoman Mary Bono was on hand to kick off this year's ShortFest:


The Danish Poet (a Canadian/

Posted at 08:15 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/24/06

ShortFest: Superman+fiancée flying into town?

Posted by admin

ShortFest begins tonight, and rumor has it that Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) will attend the Saturday evening screening of Denial.

Brandon's Denial costar is

Posted at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/24/06

Whatchawannadothisweekend? (24Aug06)

Posted by admin

Tonight: Catch a free movie (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) at 7pm in Palm Desert's Civic Center Park Amphitheater at 73510 Fred Waring. "Charlie Bucket is a poor little boy who wins every young child's dream when he gets a chance to tour Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory." Don't miss Johnny Depp as Wonka - a performance that's been called "deliciously...

08/24/06

No, Pluto-Charon is a double zero

Posted by admin

...in answer to yesterday's question: Is Pluto-Charon a double planet?

Unfortunately the Pluto-haters at

Posted at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/23/06

Is Pluto-Charon a double planet?

Posted by admin

If tomorrow's vote goes well, there may be something new under the sun.

Or over the sun.

Or somewhere around the sun. Don't confuse me.

From the International Astronomical Union site:

Q: Why is Pluto-Charon a "double planet" and not a "planet with a satellite"?
A: Both Pluto and Charon each are large enough (massive enough) to be spherical. Both bodies independently satisfy the definition of "planet." The reason they are called a "double planet" is that their common centre of gravity is a...

Posted at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/23/06

Signs of Life: Summer/Winter

Posted by admin

I recently noticed this car-dealership billboard out on Ramon Road, and my first impression was that a mistake had been made. Then I thought about our summers and winters, and realized how clever the ad really was:

Posted at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/23/06

Road Kill Kings

Posted by admin

Saturday night at 7pm, Road Kill Kings will perform at Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown:

"Road Kill Kings were formed out of a mutual love of traditional country, rockabilly, and bluegrass music with a dash of rock n' roll thrown in for drinkability. RKK infuses traditional bluegrass and country into a potently contagious style of roadhouse music that is sure to...

08/22/06

Tibetan Bowl Concert

Posted by admin

...tonight from 7pm-9 at the Healing Arts Center of Palm Desert. Enjoy a shamanic journey with 40 Tibetan Bowls from the Himalayas. They "calm the mind and energize the body."

Or you can get an introduction to meditation from 7pm-9 at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert - along with a talk, "What Causes Happiness?" Hosted by the Dharmachakra Buddhist Center.

And, just in case you were wondering:

Yes, Palm Desert is the healing arts capital...

Posted at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/22/06

New KCET program guide

Posted by admin

KCET Desert Cities (launched earlier this summer on cable channel 218) announces a partnership with Palm Springs Life, beginning in October 2006, when the first monthly KCET Desert Cities program guide will appear exclusively in the desert's most widely-read magazine.

Just six short weeks from now, each issue of Palm Springs Life will contain a four-page section with...

Posted at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/22/06

Signs of Life: ShortFest

Posted by admin

The Opening Night Gala for the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films & Film Market ("ShortFest") will take place on Thursday at 6:30pm. Have you seen their cool posters, scattered around the village?



[more signs]

Posted at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/21/06

Cab Drivers Appreciation Day

Posted by admin

What are your favorite lines from the Taxi sitcom (1978-1983)? Send 'em in and/or read mine, at the bottom of this posting...

Tomorrow, from 12:45pm to 2:45, the Coachella Valley Taxi Owners Association (CVTOA) and Palm Springs Life celebrate Cab Drivers Appreciation Day in the Airport Transportation Building at Palm Springs International...

Posted at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/21/06

Desert flora: agave

Posted by admin

There are a lot of agave plants out here in the desert.

Some of 'em grow wild.

Some don't. [Click thumbnail image to enlarge.]

I think this one is an Adam's needle.

But it might be a Spanish bayonet.

Or even a Spanish dagger.

If you know what kind...

Posted at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/21/06

Wine Night

Posted by admin

...is tonight, at Vino 100 in Cathedral City. 5:30pm-8.

The tasting is free.

Meet the owner and winemaker of Sogno Winery, and nibble on cheese from the Mad French Lady.

Or nibble on the Mad French Lady, if she doesn't get too mad...

Posted at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/18/06

PSP: planespotting

Posted by admin

In August 2001, the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission accepted a design concept for the median landscaping on Ramon Road and Gene Autry Trail, directly under the primary final-approach glideslope into the airport. Created by landscape architect

Posted at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/18/06

PS Citizen's Police Academy

Posted by admin

...here: "Attendees are invited to experience simulated live-fire exercises at the Police Range, learn weaponless defense and handcuffing, and participate in a ride-along with a police officer on patrol."

The next 13-week course starts on Tuesday, September 5 at 6pm.

Related: Neighborhood Crime Stats.

Posted at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/18/06

Lipizzaner Stallions

Posted by admin

The "World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions will be performing at 2:30pm and 7:30pm today, in the Palm Springs Convention Center.

This exciting show includes many of the traditional movements and exercises presented at the Spanish Riding School of...

Posted at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/17/06

BonoRoth: you can't tell the players without a scorecard

Posted by admin

CA-45 Democratic Congressional candidate David Roth (no, not Diamond Dave) has (1) a blog, (2) a MySpace group, and (3) a

Posted at 02:10 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/17/06

Whatchawannadothisweekend? (17Aug06)

Posted by admin

Tonight: Catch a free concert (String Planet, with percussionist Christo Pellanis) at 7:30pm in Palm Desert's Civic Center Park Amphitheater at 73510 Fred Waring. An amplified string instrument called The Stick is wielded by group member Larry Tuttle, who often plays "two ideas at once." Awesome. I...

08/17/06

McGraw-Hill

Posted by admin

...booksellers or performers?

[Hubby/wife country crooners Tim McGraw and Faith Hill appear in concert at L.A.'s Staples Center tonight thru Saturday.]

Posted at 08:08 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/16/06

Ceres makes a comeback!

Posted by admin

For now.

Or maybe not.

The asteroid Ceres (currently being considered for a bump up to "planet" status) was discovered in 1801, assigned a planetary symbol, and remained listed as a planet in astronomy books for about half a century, until other asteroids were discovered.

But now, the International Astronomical...

Posted at 02:50 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/16/06

The prom queen won

Posted by admin

The new Miss Teen USA (crowned last night, here in Palm Springs) is Katie Blair, from Billings, Montana.

Some of her prizes include a scholarship to New York School of Film and Television, and a year of living at Trump Tower.

Katie was voted the 2006 prom queen and "Most likely to star in a sitcom" by her fellow students at Billings West High.

Posted at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/16/06

Old Town La Quinta Free Concert Series

Posted by admin

...continues tonight on Main Street with the Pop, Rock and Latin Dance sounds of Sherry & Jimmy Evaro.

According to Sherry's MySpace profile, she makes "the best Salsa."

I demand proof. With lotsa chips. ;-)

Posted at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/15/06

Miss Teen USA crowned tonight

Posted by admin

A few minutes ago, I got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Miss Teen USA set at the Convention Center (thanks Sunny!), just a few blocks away from our offices. On the surface, things are pretty quiet right now, but there's a certain...electricity... in the air:

[Click any of the thumbnail photos for a larger version.]
This is what the contestants will see from the top of the stairs:

Posted at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/15/06

PSP: terminal velocity

Posted by admin

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) has a fascinating history, I must say. And it looks pretty darn cool these days, thanks mainly to Donald...

Posted at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/15/06

Pluto, we hardly knew ye

Posted by admin

"Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto."

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

Schoolchildren have been forced to chant the 9-planet mantra since Pluto was discovered in 1930.

But now we have Xena, and all sorts of other pretenders to the Planetary Throne.

The International...

Posted at 08:02 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/14/06

Newest YouTube celeb: 79 years old

Posted by admin

YouTube's demographic tends to skew young... much younger than its latest star, Peter.

In his first YouTube video, Peter says, "It's a fascinating place to go to see all the wonderful videos that you young people have produced, so I thought I would have a go at doing one myself."

A septuagenarian British pensioner, Peter describes himself as a widower, living alone.

He claims the YouTube experience has been one of the...

Posted at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/14/06

Top Docs

Posted by admin

During a gala bash held last Thursday night, the Coachella Valley's top doctors were fêted at Ruth's Chris in Palm Desert:


Palm Springs Life Editor in Chief Steven R. Biller congratulates the doctors:

Posted at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/14/06

Miss Teen USA in PS

Posted by admin

Tomorrow night at 8pm, NBC will broadcast the Miss Teen USA pageant from our own Palm Springs Convention Center!

Hosts: Access Hollywood's Shaun Robinson and MTV's Damien Fahey.

Jessica Bre Powell (Barstow HS '06)...

Posted at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/11/06

Perseid meteors

Posted by admin

The annual Perseid meteor shower (so named because meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus) will peak tonight and tomorrow night, from 8:30-10pm.

This event is also known as "The Burning Tears of St. Lawrence."

Lawrence, a young Christian archdeacon, is said to have been martyred by the Romans in 258 AD on an outdoor gridiron. In the midst of a long night of fiery torture, Lawrence jested with his executioners: "Now you may turn me over, my body is roasted enough on this side."

The...

Posted at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/11/06

Round up the posse

Posted by admin

Sigh. Is vigilantism really making a comeback, just a short drive from here? Excerpts from PrivatePoliceForce.com:

Mexican illegals are stealing from many residents on the Santa Rosa Plateau including La Cresta, Tenaja and the surrounding communities.
[...]
Americans talk about being a Nation of Laws. We’re becoming a nation of law breakers! Shame on America. Shame on George Bush who won’t enforce the law. Shame on the Border Patrol and the Sheriffs Department.
[...]

Posted at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/11/06

News Remix: Beetlemania!

Posted by admin

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) suspects we might need to save the life of a beetle.

No, it's not Ringo or Paul.

It's Casey:

"Currently, the only known population of the Casey's June beetle inhabits about 600 contiguous acres of land in southern Palm Springs, California. One of the areas inhabited by the species is Smoke Tree Ranch, a large residential/commercial property."

Posted at 08:05 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/10/06

Top time-waster = Internet. Duh.

Posted by admin

If you spend less than 1.86 hours in "desk skiving" activities each workday, you're more industrious than the average American worker. So says the research recently conducted by AOL and Salary.com. My favorite quote:

"The biggest distraction for respondents was personal Internet use. 52.0% of the 2,700 people polled cited web surfing as their #1 distraction at work. Socializing with co-workers...

08/10/06

Whatchawannadothisweekend? (10Aug06)

Posted by admin

Tonight: Catch a free movie (Dreamer) at 7pm in Palm Desert's Civic Center Park Amphitheater at 73510 Fred Waring. Based on a true story about a racehorse who made a miraculous comeback after a serious injury. The rugrats will love it.

Friday: The Salsa Summer Splash at Cathedral...

Posted at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/10/06

Polari, the anti-language

Posted by admin

Who used Polari? "Mainly gay men, although also lesbians, female impersonators, theatre people, prostitutes and sea-queens (gay men in the merchant navy). It was not limited to gay men, however. Straight people who were connected to the theatre also used it, and there are numerous cases of gay men teaching it to their straight friends."

For me, the most interesting example was this King James Bible produced by the Manchester (UK) house of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence:

Posted at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/09/06

20-second hug = instant trust?

Posted by admin

Guys: The next time you want a gal to trust you, just hug her. For at least twenty seconds.

Gals: Sorry, this trick doesn't work on guys.

According to a recent article in the SF Chronicle, research shows that the female brain naturally releases a pleasure-boosting hormone after a 20-second hug. The embrace bonds the woman to her hugger and triggers her trust circuits. [Re: Dr. Louann Brizendine's new book,

Posted at 02:23 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/09/06

Sturgeons clearly hate jet skis

Posted by admin

I'm not sure if it's related to the Sturgeon Moon, but AP just posted this story from the Suwannee River in Florida:

"A man riding a personal watercraft was injured after a 4-foot-long sturgeon jumped out of the water and hit him [...] Officials at the time said similar accidents occur once or twice a year on the river and that the fish can jump as high as 8 feet in the air and can weigh up to 200 pounds."

Way down upon de Swanee Ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere's wha de old folks stay.
All...

Posted at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/09/06

William Asher @ 85

Posted by admin

If you look up William Asher at IMDb (the Internet Movie Database), you can't help but be impressed. As B.W. Cook wrote in the 12/99 issue of Palm Springs Life, he's The Man Who Invented the Sitcom.

Yesterday evening, a group of Bill's friends joined him to celebrate his 85th birthday at the Viceroy, right here in Palm Springs. It was a night to remember:

Posted at 08:21 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/08/06

Sturgeon Moon

Posted by admin

According to Native American lore, every full moon has a special name.

The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving a distinctive moniker to each recurring full moon.

Later tonight, the Sturgeon Moon will wax to its peak.

Why did this particular full moon get that name? Because the Great Lakes tribes fished for sturgeon in August.

Oh, shine on, shine on, Sturgeon Moon / Up in the sky
I ain't had no lovin' / Since January, February, June or July.

[with apologies to

Posted at 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/08/06

Jefferson: a state of mind

Posted by admin

"There have been many attempts at forming a new state comprised of northern California and southern Oregon, but none has gained so much attention and retained it as the secession movement of 1941. [...] On December 4, Judge John L. Childs of Crescent City in Del Norte County was elected governor. A torchlight parade complete with horses, marching bands and sign-carrying young people riding in trucks was held in Yreka followed by a ceremonious inauguration held on the courthouse lawn."

Posted at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/08/06

Desert fauna: French-toast lizard

Posted by admin

The endangered Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard (Uma inornata) has several specialized adaptations: elongated scales on its hind feet ("fringes") for added traction in loose sand, a shovel-shaped head and a lower jaw for diving into and moving short distances beneath the sand, elongated scales covering the ears to keep out sand, and a unique structure of internal nostrils that allows breathing below the sand without inhaling sand particles.

Tempers flared during the fight between developers and conservationists to establish the Coachella Valley Preserve, and this lizard was derisively nicknamed the...

Posted at 08:29 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/07/06

Wikipedia: Your truth or mine?

Posted by admin

Found in a recent issue of The New Yorker: Stacy Schiff's Know It All - Can Wikipedia conquer expertise?:

[...] Wikipedia is an online community devoted not to last night's party or to next season's iPod but to a higher good. It is also no more immune to human nature than any other utopian project. Pettiness, idiocy, and vulgarity are regular features of the site. Nothing about high-minded collaboration guarantees accuracy, and open editing invites abuse. Senators and congressmen have been caught tampering with their entries; the entire House of Representatives has been banned from Wikipedia several times. (It is not subtle to change Senator Robert Byrd's age from eighty-eight to a...

08/07/06

Signs of Life: Tenent

Posted by admin

[Sighted near the corner of Alejo and Palm Canyon.]

Note: "Tenent" is an alternative spelling of tenet (a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true). But I don't think this sign is referring to any beliefs, other than the sadly mistaken belief that there's no discernible difference between "tenent" and "tenant."

As you may have guessed by now, misspellings on signs drive me nuts. I've probably screwed...

Posted at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/07/06

Desert flora: Mexican fencepost

Posted by admin

It's not just a name. In Mexico, these cacti (Lemaireocereus marginatus) are actually planted close together and used as fenceposts.

They can grow up to 20 feet tall. [Click thumbnail photo for a larger view.]

Look at those sexy curves. ¡Ay, caramba!

[more flora]

Posted at 08:09 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/04/06

The ultimate power trip

Posted by admin

See where power is born!

Take an eco-adventure tour of the world-famous Palm Springs windmills!

Hear about wind energy, a sustainable renewable energy source!

Travel through a forest of gigantic wind turbines!

Learn why some of the turbine blades are turning, while others are stopped!

The wind rushes through the fabled San Gorgonio Pass while these stupendous blades spin silently overhead, with a rotor sweep half the length of a football field!

Posted at 02:42 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/04/06

Let's NOT save the Salton Sea

Posted by admin

The Salton Sea's annual tilapia die-off is killing millions of fish.

Again.

If cleanup measures are not implemented properly, we may have another bird die-off, too.

Background: the Salton Sea is just the latest incarnation of a body of water which has appeared and disappeared repeatedly in the past few millennia:

Posted at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/04/06

Lukewarmth

Posted by admin

Me and the missus like to sit out in our backyard every morning. It's a pleasant way to start the day, eating some Cap'n Crunch and wondering what's going through that hummingbird's tiny brain, when he loudly zooms up to within a few inches of your head and just hangs there in midair. You could try offering him some cereal, but he'd just zoom away. Loudly.

During last month's record-breaking temp...

Posted at 08:09 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/03/06

Signs of Life: Are you turning 78?

Posted by admin

This billboard, sandwiched between the Union Pacific right-of-way and Interstate 10, has prompted some interesting reactions, mostly along the lines of: "I can never guess the age of those [insert name of ethnic group here]. They look so young."



Clicking the photo will reveal that it's a plea for energy conservation (78°F=25°C) from the Imperial Irrigation District, a local water/electric company.

[

Posted at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/03/06

Whatchawannadothisweekend? (3Aug06)

Posted by admin

Tonight: It's another bountiful Thursday evening - you can choose between the Annenberg's free screening of Whisky at 5:30pm, or a free concert at 7:30pm in Palm Desert's Civic Center Park Amphitheater at 73510 Fred Waring. The featured band, Upstream, plays

Posted at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/03/06

Wikiality!

Posted by admin

As we mentioned before, Wikipedia--in spite of its many useful qualities--is sometimes susceptible to vandalism... and Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert recently did an excellent job of satirizing that weakness. [video]

The Onion's earlier take on this subject (Wikipedia Celebrates 750 Years Of American Independence) was quite funny, too.

Posted at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/02/06

Desert fauna: prey for our sins

Posted by admin

Today's factoid: the female praying mantis often bites the head off her male partner during or just after mating.

A male praying mantis took up residence in our front garden. I had no idea why, but he was very cool. When the local newspaper asked folks to send in photos of their favorite pets, I eMailed a snapshot of the mantis, and wrote:

"Our Sparky is the best darn pet in the world. He is...

Posted at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/02/06

Eightysomething bloggers

Posted by admin

I was happy to find out that the AARP Older Bloggers List has been expanded by The Ageless Project, to include a dozen or so bloggers born in the 1920s!

Among the best is Mort Reichek's Octogenarian, the "musings of a retired journalist who recently...

Posted at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/02/06

Steve Maloney - heir extraordinaire

Posted by admin

"Since retiring in the late 1980s, Steve Maloney has spent most of his time making art. Although heir to the fortune of W.E. Upjohn (scion of the pharmaceutical company, now Pfizer), he's hardly a household name. But he's working on it. He has publicists in California and New York City to spread his name as thickly and evenly as the resin and acrylic he uses on his collages and assemblages."

"Slowly, surely, it's...

08/01/06

July temp spike redux

Posted by admin

Reference: July temp spike (The Desert Quidnunc)
Also see: Records melt in scorching July (The Press-Enterprise)



* = I live in Indio.

Hm. If the Governator can offer Tony Blair a neato keen iPod, a

Posted at 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/01/06

Desert fauna: chuckwalla

Posted by admin

The stout-bodied chuckwalla is the second largest lizard in the U.S., surpassed only by the gila monster. A male can weigh up to 2 pounds, and sometimes reaches 18 inches in total length. When disturbed, it crawls into a rock crevice and gulps air, thus wedging itself in a crack and making extraction by predators extremely difficult.

Funny. When I feel threatened, I do exactly the same thing.

How much walla would a chuckwalla chuck, if a chuckwalla could chuck walla?

[more fauna]

Posted at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/01/06

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Posted by admin

The tramway is scheduled for a maintenance closure from September 15 through October 8, so now's the time to take a ride...

A young electrical engineer named Francis F. Crocker first dreamed of constructing a tramway up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon in 1935, but "Crocker's Folly"—as it was soon dubbed by one newspaper woman—was not finished until nearly 30 years later.

Construction financing was eventually raised by the sale of $8.5 million in private revenue bonds, which means that not one cent of public funds has been used for either the construction or operation of the tramway. The bonds were paid off in 1996.

This engineering challenge was soon labeled the "eighth...

Posted at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0