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West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 34,399.[7] It is considered one of the most prominent gay villages in the United States.[9]
Most historical writings about West Hollywood begin in the late-18th century with European colonization when the Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrilho arrived offshore and claimed the already inhabited region for Spain. Around 5,000 of the indigenous inhabitants from the Tongva Indian tribe canoed out to greet the ship. The Tongva tribe was a nation of hunter-gatherers known for their reverence of dance and courage. By 1771, these native people had been severely ravaged by the diseases brought in by the Europeans from across wide oceans. The Spanish mission system changed the tribal name to "Gabrielinos", in reference to the Mission de San Gabriel. Early in 1770 Gaspar de Portola's Mexican expeditionary force stopped just south of the Santa Monica Mountains near what would become West Hollywood to draw pitch (brea in Spanish) from tar pits to waterproof their belongings and to say Mass.[10] The Gabrielinos are believed to have burned the pitch for fuel.[11]
By 1780, what became the "Sunset Strip" was the major connecting road for El Pueblo de Los Angeles, and all ranches westward to the Pacific Ocean. This land passed through the hands of various owners during the next one hundred years, and it was called names such as "La Brea" and "Plummer" that are listed in historical records.[10][12] Most of this area was part of the Rancho La Brea, and eventually it came to be owned by the Henry Hancock family.[11]
During the final decade years of the nineteenth century, the first large land development in what would later become West Hollywood—the town of "Sherman"—was established by Moses Sherman and his partners of the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad, an interurban railroad line which later became part of the Pacific Electric Railway system. Sherman became the location of the railroad's main shops, railroad yards, and "car barns". Many working-class employees of the railroad settled in this town.[13] It was during this time that the city began to earn its reputation as a loosely regulated, liquor-friendly (during Prohibition) place for eccentric people wary of government interference. Despite several annexation attempts, the town elected not to become part of the City of Los Angeles.[14] In a controversial decision, in 1925 Sherman adopted "West Hollywood", "…a moniker pioneered earlier in the decade by the West Hollywood Realty Board" as its informal name, though it remained under the governance of Los Angeles County.[14]
For many decades, the area that is now the city of West Hollywood was an unincorporated area in the midst of Los Angeles. Because gambling was illegal in the city of Los Angeles, but still legal in Los Angeles County, the 1920s saw the proliferation of many casinos, night clubs, etc., along Sunset Boulevard (which starts near downtown Los Angeles and runs westward). These businesses were immune from the sometimes heavy-handed law-enforcement of the L.A. Police Department.
Some people connected with movie-making were attracted to this less-restricted area of the County, and a number of architecturally distinctive apartment buildings and hotels were built. Many interior designers, decorators and "to the trade" furnishing showrooms located in West Hollywood date back to the middle of the century.
Eventually, the area and its extravagant nightclubs fell out of favor. However, the Sunset Strip and its restaurants, saloons, and nightclubs continued to be an attraction for out-of-town tourists. During the late 1960s, the Sunset Strip was transformed again during the hippie movement which brought a thriving music publishing industry coupled with the "hippie" culture. Some young people from all over the country flocked to West Hollywood.
The most recent migration to West Hollywood came about after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when thousands of Russian Jews immigrated to the city. A majority of the 5,000 to 6,000 Russian Jews settled in two major immigration waves, 1978–79 and 1988–92.[15] Other than New York, West Hollywood's Russian-speaking community is the most concentrated single Russian-speaking region in United States.[16]
The Gauntlet was a body piercing business founded by Jim Ward in West Hollywood that is considered the first business of its type in the United States[17] and was the beginning of the body piercing industry.[17][18][19] The Gauntlet began in November 1975, with its original location in Ward's West Hollywood home, but on the evening of Friday, November 17, 1978 it celebrated the grand opening of its first commercial location at 8720 Santa Monica Boulevard (also in West Hollywood).La Fontaine Building (apartments) in 1982
In 1984, residents in West Hollywood organized to maintain rent control. When Los Angeles County began planning to discontinue rent controls, West Hollywood was a densely populated area of renters, many of whom would not be able to afford to keep up with the generally rapid raises in rent in the Los Angeles area. A tight coalition of seniors, Jews, gays and renters were greatly assisted by the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES)[20][circular reference]and they swiftly voted to incorporate as the "City of West Hollywood". West Hollywood then immediately adopted one of the strongest rent control laws in the nation.[21]
The city of West Hollywood gave the keys to the city to Stormy Daniels on "Stormy Daniels Day", May 23, 2018.[22]
West Hollywood is bounded by the city of Beverly Hills on the west,[23] and by neighborhoods of the city of Los Angeles: Hollywood Hills on the north,[24] Hollywood on the east,[25] the Fairfax District on the southeast, and Beverly Grove on the southwest.[26] The city's irregular boundary is featured in its logo; it was largely formed from the unincorporated Los Angeles County area which had not become part of the surrounding cities.[27]
West Hollywood benefits from a very dense, compact urban form with small lots, mixed land use, and a walkable street grid. According to Walkscore, a website that ranks cities based on walkability, West Hollywood is the most walkable city in California with a Walkscore of 89.[28] Commercial corridors include the nightlife and dining focused on the Sunset Strip, along Santa Monica Boulevard, and the Avenues of Art and Design along Robertson, Melrose, and Beverly Boulevard.[citation needed]
Residential neighborhoods in West Hollywood include the Norma Triangle, West Hollywood North, West Hollywood West, West Hollywood East, and West Hollywood Heights, all of which are only a few blocks long or wide. Major intersecting streets typically provide amenities within walking distance of adjacent neighborhoods.
West Hollywood has a Subtropical–semi-arid climate with year-round warm weather. The record high temperature of 111 °F was recorded September 26, 1963, while the record low of 24 °F was recorded on January 4, 1949. Snow is rare in West Hollywood, with the last accumulation occurring in 1949. Rainfall is sparse (only 13 inches annually), and falls mainly during the winter months.
|hideClimate data for West Hollywood, California
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|Source: [29]
|Historical population
|2019 (est.)
|U.S. Decennial Census[30]
The 2010 United States Census[31] reported that West Hollywood had a population of 34,399. The population density was 18,225.6 people per square mile (7,036.9/km2). The racial makeup of West Hollywood was 28,979 (84.2%) White (77.9% Non-Hispanic White),[32] 1,115 (3.2%) African American, 103 (0.3%) Native American, 1,874 (5.4%) Asian, 34 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 1,049 (3.0%) from other races, and 1,245 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,613 persons (10.5%).
The census reported that 34,290 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 109 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 22,511 households, out of which 1,141 (5.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,060 (13.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 852 (3.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 431 (1.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,094 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1,321 (5.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 13,434 households (59.7%) were made up of individuals, and 2,606 (11.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.52. There were 4,343 families (19.3% of all households); the average family size was 2.42.
The population was spread out, with 1,578 people (4.6%) under the age of 18, 2,407 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 16,228 people (47.2%) aged 25 to 44, 9,061 people (26.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,125 people (14.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 128.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.9 males.
There were 24,588 housing units at an average density of 13,027.4 per square mile (5,029.9/km2), of which 4,976 (22.1%) were owner-occupied, and 17,535 (77.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 7,874 people (22.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 26,416 people (76.8%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, West Hollywood had a median household income of $52,649, with 15.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[32]
As of the census[33] of 2000, there were 35,716 people, 23,120 households, and 5,202 families residing in the city. The population density was 18,992.7 inhabitants per square mile (7,335.1/km2). There were 24,110 housing units at an average density of 12,821.0 per square mile (4,951.6/km2), making West Hollywood one of the most densely populated cities in the US. The racial makeup of the city was 86.4% White, 6.4% African American, 3.8% Asian, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.8% of the population.
There were 23,120 households, out of which 5.8% had children under the age of eighteen, 16.4% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 77.5% were non-families. 60.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% included someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.53, and the average family size was 2.50.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 5.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 48.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.4 males. For every 100 females aged eighteen and older, there were 125.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,914, and the median income for a family was $41,463. Males had a median income of $45,598 versus $35,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $38,302. About 7.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
According to a 2013 survey, 39% of the city's population is made up of gay men.[34]
Top employers[edit]
According to the City's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[35] the top employers in the city were:
|No. of employees
|Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
|CityGrid Media / InterActive Corp
|Mondrian Hotel
|City of West Hollywood
|Sunset Marquis Hotel
|Laz Parking
|The London West Hollywood
Further information: Cannabis in California
Under the legalization of the sale and distribution of cannabis, the city plans to issue 40 licenses to either operate a dispensary, consumption lounge or delivery service. Eight licenses are planned in each of the following categories:
- Adult-use retail business licenses
- Consumption lounge (smoking, vaping, edibles) business licenses
- Consumption lounge (edibles only) business licenses
- Medical-use dispensary business licenses
- Business licenses for cannabis delivery services located in West Hollywood[36]
State law does not allow local governments to regulate adults in growing, using or transporting marijuana for personal use but commercial activities, such as growing, testing, and selling cannabis within their jurisdiction may be regulated by each city by licensing none or only some of these activities.[37] West Hollywood's first four dispensaries, Alternative Herbal Health Services, Los Angeles Patients and Caregivers Group, Zen Healing and MedMen WeHo, were granted temporary extensions in June 2019 to operate as retail businesses through the remainder of the year.[38][39]
In July 2019, the West Hollywood Business License Commission approved a cannabis consumption license for Lowell Herb Co. In September 2019, Lowell Farms: A Cannabis Cafe opened with a menu of cannabis for consumption, THC-infused drinks and meals for cannabis-enhanced sense of taste and smell.[40] It is the first cannabis cafe in the United States and will include the expertise of cannabis sommeliers, known as "budtenders" on site.[41][42]
On August 20, 2020, the Original Cannabis Cafe (previously known as The Lowell Cafe in West Hollywood) became America's first restaurant allowed to serve legal marijuana to open in California. It became one of eight establishments granted a cannabis consumption license in West Hollywood. There were reportedly over 300 applicants, and the Original Cannabis Cafe states it was granted the first license.[43]
Arts and culture[edit]
The West Hollywood Halloween Carnival is an event that takes place annually on October 31. The largest Halloween street party in the United States (spanning over 1 mile (1.6 km) of Santa Monica Boulevard from La Cienega Boulevard on the East to Doheny and the Beverly Hills border on the West), the 2007 Carnival was reported to have more than 350,000 people in attendance, with some traveling from other countries specifically for the event.
Christopher Street West is an LGBT pride parade and festival that was first held in June 1970 in Hollywood to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York. After incorporation, the event moved to West Hollywood and is typically held the second weekend in June.
One City One Pride is an LGBT Arts Festival held during the month of June in West Hollywood.[44]
The West Hollywood Book Fair has been held in the fall since 2001. Past participants have included Andrew McCarthy, Deepak Chopra, and Rocco DiSpirito.[45]
The Oscars is a major event in the city with a majority of the large Academy Award party venues being located in the city. Many streets are closed and traffic swells on this day each year.
Frontrunners LGBT Pride Run is a 5 km/10 km run/walk held on the Sunday morning of LGBT Pride.
The City of West Hollywood sponsors an animal walk and pet appreciation days throughout the year, which have in the past featured pet psychics and dog activities. During Halloween the week prior to October 31, animals can participate in a costume contest in West Hollywood Park. West Hollywood is in close proximity to Runyon Canyon Park's hiking trail and dog park in Hollywood.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party has traditionally been held at the Pacific Design Center. It is a multimillion-dollar fundraiser for the foundation.[46]
West Hollywood has many ongoing programs to celebrate the vibrant arts and unique culture of the city. The literary community is acknowledged with the year-round author series WeHo Reads, featuring new and noteworthy authors at the West Hollywood Library with a full day literary event each fall.[47] An annual PowPow is presented by AIDS Project Los Angeles Red Circle Project and the City of West Hollywood. This event, held at Plummer Park promotes HIV awareness and prevention among the Native communities and features dance, music, food, and educational resources.[48]
West Hollywood inaugurated the first City Poet, Steven Reigns, during the regular City Council Meeting regular meeting on October 6, 2014.[49]
LGBT community[edit]
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See also: LGBT culture in Los Angeles
With a population of over one third identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, West Hollywood has become a leader of communities in showcasing how to protect and advocate for equal rights for the LGBT community. With its spirit and vibrant urban setting, West Hollywood has become one of the world's top gay vacation spots for gay and lesbian travelers and is at the center of gay California nightlife, including spas, shopping and dining.[50] A small but energetic city, it contains the greatest concentration of gay-popular hotels, restaurants, shops, and bars in greater Los Angeles. Circus of Books was a bookstore and gay pornography shop that was notable as a gay cruising spot of the late 20th Century.[51] The city also hosts some of the area's largest LGBT events such as the Los Angeles Gay Pride, Outfest, and West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnival.[52] Commonly referred to as 'Gay WeHo', the city's Gay West Hollywood Twitter page quotes "The World's Most Incredible & Magical Gay City with 25 Gay Bars, 26 Gay Shops, and 69 Gay Friendly Restaurants accessible on foot, California.[53]
In keeping with the city's gay community, many resources unknown or uncommon anywhere else have been provided; there is a page on the city's official visitors guide dedicated to 'Host Your Gay Wedding With Us' as the city has long been the originator and groundbreaking in the gay marriage movement.[54] Also, the city hosts expansive historical records of the LGBT community. The June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives is dedicated exclusively to preserving lesbian history and remains the only archive in the western United States to do so. The West Hollywood Library also hosts an extensive collection of LGBT literature and history and includes the Ron Shipton HIV Information Center.[55] According to an LA Times article, an exhibit at the ONE Archives Gallery and Museum is the first museum in Southern California exclusively dedicated to gay history.[56] In 2018 America's first city-wide Bi Pride event was held in West Hollywood.[57]
The city government is headed by a five-member city council, including a mayor and a mayor pro tem who serve one-year terms. The positions of mayor and mayor pro tem are largely-ceremonial positions which rotate between the council members, and both positions are largely not re-elected in concurrent terms, although council members serve multiple non-concurrent terms in both offices. Currently, the five Council Members are Lindsey P. Horvath, John Heilman, John D'Amico, John J. Duran amd Lauren Meister[58].
West Hollywood was the first city in the country to have a city council with a majority of gay members.[59][60] The current Mayor is John Duran after getting elected on March 6, 2001. Council member and law professor John Heilman is the city's longest-serving council member (having served almost continuously since November 1984).[61]
On February 19, 2001, West Hollywood became the second city in the United States (after Boulder, Colorado) to change the term pet "owner" to pet "guardian" in their municipal codes.[62]
With West Hollywood being one of the most prominent gay-friendly cities in the United States, Proposition 8 had a higher rate of rejection than it did in any other city in Los Angeles county: 86% of the city voted against the amendment, which restricted marriage to heterosexual couples.[63]
State and federal representation[edit]
In the California State Legislature, West Hollywood is in the 26th Senate District, represented by Democrat Ben Allen, and in the 50th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Richard Bloom.[64]
In the United States House of Representatives, West Hollywood is in California's 28th congressional district, represented by Democrat Adam Schiff.[65]
Primary and secondary schools[edit]
West Hollywood Elementary School
West Hollywood is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.[66] The area is within Board District 4.[67]
Elementary schools that serve sections of West Hollywood include:
- West Hollywood Elementary School[68][69] K–6
- Rosewood Avenue Elementary School[70] K-6
- Laurel Elementary School[71] K-7
- Melrose Elementary School[72] K-5
- Gardner Street Elementary School[73] K-6
(Some areas jointly zoned to Rosewood and West Hollywood)
Most of West Hollywood is zoned to Bancroft Middle School. Some portions in the south are zoned to John Burroughs Middle School. Students living in the Los Angeles area known as Beverly Hills Post Office, usually attend West Hollywood Elementary but then go to Emerson Middle School.
Private Schools in West Hollywood:
- West Hollywood College Preparatory School (WHCP) K-12[74]
- The Center for Early Education
- Pacific Hills School
All of West Hollywood is zoned to Fairfax High School; some areas are jointly zoned to Fairfax High School and Hollywood High School.
The Center for Early Education and Pacific Hills School are private schools in West Hollywood.
Traffic congestion, public transport and parking are critical issues in the city due to its location between access to areas such as Greater Hollywood to the east and the San Fernando Valley to the north and the area of the Los Angeles West Side, with the Hollywood Hills creating a natural impediment to the north. Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard are critical east-west arteries in the metropolitan area, and Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a popular shortcut through the hills. Nearly 600 employees and 260 buses in the District 7 fleet of the LACMTA are based in a large facility on prime real estate near San Vicente Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard. The Crenshaw/LAX Line extension to the Hollywood/Highland station is likely to pass through, or along, the edge of West Hollywood.[77]
The PickUp[edit]
Main article: The PickUp
In August 2013, the City of West Hollywood launched a free Friday and Saturday night shuttle, the PickUp, connecting the eastern and western parts of the city. The goal of The PickUp is to provide an alternative to the automobile and bring an energetic and playful transit option to one of West Hollywood's busiest nighttime districts.[78] The Public Relations Society of America Los Angeles Chapter (PRSA-LA) has recognized the City of West Hollywood with a PRism Award of Excellence in the category of New Product/Service Launch for the city's kick-off campaign for the PickUp.[79]
The Sunset Trip shuttle service[edit]
In June 2018, the City of West Hollywood launched a new free shuttle service called The Sunset Trip.[80] This service focuses on shuttling riders on Sunset Boulevard, but also crosses the PickUp shuttle route to allow transfers.
Public health and safety[edit]
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department operates the West Hollywood Station.[81][82]
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Hollywood-Wilshire Health Center in Hollywood, serving West Hollywood.[83]
Fire protection in West Hollywood is provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. LACoFD operates Station 7, the battalion headquarters, and Station 8, both in West Hollywood, as a part of Battalion 1.[84]
Emergency Medical Services are provided by LACoFD and McCormick Ambulance.
Social services[edit]
West Hollywood, with a gay male population of about 39%,[34] has been disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic which has ravaged its gay male population since the early 1980s. The city funds or subsidizes an array of services for those living with HIV or AIDS. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation parks a Mobile HIV/STD testing van outside of the city's busiest nightclubs on Friday and Saturday nights, and again on Sunday afternoons. This outreach attempts to intervene with those young people most at-risk for HIV infection. Project Angel Food receives city funding to deliver hundreds of fresh lunches and dinners daily which are prepared under the supervision of a registered dietitian who tailors the meals to meet individual client's nutritional needs. AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) is a national leader for AIDS policy and advocacy issues and provides assistance to clients navigating the maze of available public benefits. APLA also provides free dental, psychotherapy and pharmaceutical services. Aid for AIDS provides direct financial support by assisting clients with rent, utility and pharmacy expenses. The city also subsidizes agencies that help clients train for a return to the workforce. The city permits all residents living with HIV/AIDS to have up to two pets in his or her home regardless of a landlord's specifications in the property's lease.
West Hollywood subsidizes programs for its growing population of children through a partnership with the USDA and local schools. "Healthy Start West Hollywood" is a program of the city's Social Services division that introduces pre-Kindergarten through High School age kids to the benefits of good nutrition through such activities as collective vegetable gardens and yoga.
The special needs of senior citizens are addressed through a variety of programs. West Hollywood either funds or subsidizes agencies that offer adult day care, a roommate matching service, and nutritious meals. The West Hollywood Senior Center provides recreational programs, excursions, and socializing as well as counseling and case management.
West Hollywood also seeks to address the health needs of residents who do not have adequate insurance by subsidizing the LA Free Clinic and The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. Residents can access free medical, dental, legal and mental health services between these two sites.
The West Hollywood's Public Safety Division publishes guides on sexual assault prevention, nightclub safety, and how to access rape services.[85]
Public library[edit]
The West Hollywood Library viewed from across the street in front of the Pacific Design Center.
County of Los Angeles Public Library operates the West Hollywood Library at 625 North San Vicente Boulevard.[86]
Until early September 2011, the library was based at 715 North San Vicente Boulevard in a building designed by architect Edward H. Fickett. On September 6, 2011, the City of West Hollywood demolished that building, which aroused controversy among some community members, including the architect's wife.[87][88][89]
The current library building officially opened to the public on October 1, 2011.[90] The building, which was designed by architects Steve Johnson and James Favaro, received a favorable review in the Los Angeles Times that ended by calling it "…a tremendously encouraging achievement".[91] Exterior surfaces of the library building and adjacent parking structure are decorated with murals by Shepard Fairey, Kenny Scharf and Marquis Lewis (aka Retna), and the interior incorporates design work by Fairey and David Wiseman.[92]
Notable people[edit]
The issue of Paparazzi chasing celebrities is raised regularly and the city participates in meetings with other nearby municipalities such as Beverly Hills and Los Angeles to discuss the problem and possible actions to better control the activity. The epicenter of the Thirty Mile Zone lies just blocks to the south of the city, and is the basis for the name of TMZ on TV, a paparazzi footage-based program. TMZ moved their operations from Sunset and Crescent Heights Boulevards to Los Angeles.[93]
On May 28, 2018, Mayor John Duran announced that Stormy Daniels would receive the "Key to the City" alongside her attorney, Michael Avenatti. "In these politically tumultuous times, Stormy Daniels has proven herself to be a profile in courage by speaking truth to power even under threats to her safety and extreme intimidation from the current Administration", said the mayor.[94][95]
Actress Drew Barrymore grew up on Poinsettia Place until the age of 7, when she moved to Sherman Oaks; she moved back to West Hollywood at the age of 14.[96]
Mayors of West Hollywood[edit]
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- Valerie Terrigno (1984–1985)[97]
- John Heilman (1985–1986)[98]
- Stephen Shulte (1986–1987)[99]
- Alan Viterbi (1987–1988)
- Helen Albert (1988–1989)[100]
- Abbe Land (1989–1990)[101]
- John Heilman (1990–1991)
- Paul Koretz (1991–1992)
- Babette Lang (1992–1993)
- Sal Guarriello (1993–1994)
- Abbe Land (1994–1995)
- John Heilman (1995–1996)
- Paul Koretz (1996–1997)
- Sal Guarriello (1997–1998)
- Steve Martin (1998–1999)
- John Heilman (1999–2000)
- Jeff Prang (2000–2001)
- John Heilman (2001–2002)
- Sal Guarriello (2002–2003)
- Jeff Prang (2003–2004)
- John Duran (2004–2005)
- Abbe Land (2005–2006)
- John Heilman (2006–2007)
- John Duran (2007–2008)
- Jeff Prang (2008–2009)
- Abbe Land (2009–2010)
- John Heilman (2010–2011)
- John Duran (2011–2012)
- Jeff Prang (2012–2013)
- Abbe Land (2013–2014)
- John D'Amico (2014–2015)
- Lindsey Horvath (2015–2016)
- Lauren Meister (2016–2017)
- John Heilman (2017–2018)
- John Duran (2018–2019)
- John D'Amico (2019–present)[102][103]
Landmarks and distinctive places[edit]
Alta Loma Road is home to the Sunset Marquis Hotel with its famous 45-person Whisky Bar and NightBird Recording Studios, an underground music production facility. Alta Loma Road was one of the main locations for the film Perfect. Actor Sal Mineo lived on Holloway Drive in the 1970s; he was murdered in his carport just around the corner from Alta Loma.[citation needed]
The western stretch of Melrose Avenue, between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive, is notable for its trendy clothing boutiques, interior design shops, restaurants and antique stores. The west end of Melrose Avenue, near the Pacific Design Center, is especially known for its exclusive furniture.
The area around Fountain Avenue, Harper Avenue and Havenhurst Drive contains a high concentration of landmark 1920s Spanish Revival and Art Deco apartment buildings by such noted architects as Leland Bryant. This historic district has been home to many celebrities and at one time the Sunset Tower at 8358 Sunset Boulevard was home to Frank Sinatra, Errol Flynn, the Gabor sisters, John Wayne and Howard Hughes.Whisky a Go-Go on the Sunset Strip
Notable business and attractions in West Hollywood include:
- The Sunset Strip
- Hotels such as Andaz West Hollywood, Chamberlain West Hollywood Hotel, The Charlie, Mondrian, Montrose West Hollywood and the Standard
- The Pacific Design Center
- Architecture such as The Schindler House by architect Rudolf Schindler
- Buildings such as 9200 Sunset by architect Charles Luckman and the old Coronet Building (Piazza del Sol)
- Music venues such as House of Blues (Closed), Whisky a Go Go, The Troubadour, The Roxy Theatre and Viper Room
- Westlake Recording Studios, where Michael Jackson recorded the albums Thriller and Bad in 1982 and 1987, respectively
- Celebrity hangouts such as Soho House, Formosa Cafe (reopened 2019), Whisky Bar, Rainbow Bar and Grill, Palm Restaurant (now located in Beverly Hills): West Hollywood (not to be confused with the chain by the same name,) Dan Tana's, The Abbey Food & Bar and Villa Nightclub
- Film, television and music production including Samuel Goldwyn Studio (now known as The Lot), home to Oprah Winfrey Network, Funny or Die, and Showtime[104]
- Several parks including historic Plummer Park[105]
- Comedy Store
- Sierra Towers, the tallest residential building in the greater Los Angeles area
- Saint Victor Catholic Church
- West Hollywood Gateway Project, the city's largest shopping center that is home to Los Angeles' largest public art piece using projection technology.
Discrimination issues[edit]
Sometime in the 1940s, a sign appeared over the bar at Barney's Beanery that said "FAGOTS [sic] – STAY OUT." The message so offended locals that Life magazine did an article on opposition to the sign in 1964, which included a photograph of the owner steadfastly holding on to it.[106] The owner died in 1968, and efforts continued to have the sign removed. The Gay Liberation Front organized a zap of the restaurant on February 7, 1970, to push for its removal. The sign disappeared that day.[107] The sign was put up and taken down several times over the next 14 years, but the practice ended in December 1984, days after the city voted itself into existence. The then-mayor, Valerie Terrigno, the entire city council and gay-rights activists marched into Barney's and relieved the wall of the offending sign.[108] It was held by Morris Kight for many years and now rests in the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives.[citation needed]
Jewel-Thais Williams, who owned the bar Jewel's Catch One, originally opened the bar in 1973 because she experienced discrimination in both heterosexual bars and gay bars because she was both black and a woman.[109]
A resident drew national attention during the 2008 presidential campaign by including a Sarah Palin mannequin hung in effigy in a Halloween display. The home's decorations also featured a doll of John McCain surrounded by decorative flames in the chimney. Some residents complained about the display as a hate crime, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department concluded the display did not violate any laws.[110]
In March 2006, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service seized 250 fake denomination notes, each bearing a denomination of $1 billion, from a West Hollywood apartment.[111]
Celebrity controversies[edit]
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Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood
In 1982, John Belushi died of a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood, adjacent to WeHo. On the night of his death, he was visited separately by friends Robin Williams (at the height of his own drug exploits)[112] and Robert De Niro,[113] each of whom left the premises, leaving Belushi in the company of assorted others, including Cathy Smith. This is just one of many notable sordid events at the location. A 1930s movie executive reportedly said, "If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont".
In 1961, comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested on obscenity charges at The Troubadour in then-unincorporated West Hollywood. The arresting officer was a young deputy named Sherman Block, who would later become the sheriff of Los Angeles County.
In 1989, actor Christian Slater was arrested in West Hollywood for leading the police on a drunken car chase that ended when Slater crashed his car into a telephone pole.River Phoenix
Actor River Phoenix died at age 23 of a drug overdose at approximately 1:00 AM on Halloween night in 1993 at the Viper Room, a club that was opened that year and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004.[114]
On January 8, 2006, New Zealand film director Lee Tamahori, dressed as a woman, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover police officer oral sex on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Lodi Place.[115] He was convicted only of criminal trespass, having pleaded no contest in exchange for other charges being dropped.[116]
On November 17, 2006, during a performance at the Laugh Factory, a cell phone video captured Michael Richards[117][118] shouting "Shut up" to a heckler in the audience, followed by repeated shouts of "He's a nigger!" to the rest of the audience[119] (using the word six times altogether), and also making a reference to lynching.[120]
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In 1985, West Hollywood was the first city to create a same-gender domestic partnership registration for its residents, as well as to offer same-gender domestic partner benefits for city employees. West Hollywood's comprehensive Domestic Partnership Ordinance[121] allows those couples that are prohibited from marrying (same-sex) and those who can marry but choose not to (heterosexual), to register their union with the city. These unions are treated on an equal basis with legal marriages with respect to city-level benefits and services. In California as a whole, same-sex couples may enter domestic partnerships which offer them all of the state rights of marriage.[122]
West Hollywood has inclusionary zoning laws governing development. The city established the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 1986[123] requiring developers to either provide affordable housing in new projects or pay a fee in-lieu to the city which it directs towards other affordable housing projects.[citation needed]West Hollywood City Hall on Santa Monica Boulevard
In 1993 the West Hollywood City Council voted for West Hollywood to become the first official pro-choice city in America.[124]
In 2006, the City Council passed a medicinal marijuana resolution, by a vote of 4–0, making it the first city in Southern California to adopt a lowest law enforcement priority law for cannabis offenses. The resolution stated "it is not the policy of the City or its law enforcement agency to target possession of small amounts of cannabis and the consumption of non-medical cannabis in private by adults".[125][126][127]
West Hollywood adopted one of the nation's first mandatory green building ordinances on October 1, 2007.[128]
The city designed a law that pets are to be called "companions" and their owners "guardians" and was the first city in the country to outlaw the de-clawing of cats.[129] In 2011, West Hollywood became the first city in the United States to ban the sale of clothing with real animal fur; the ban took effect on September 21, 2013.[130][131] In May 2014, the ordinance was upheld by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, after a local business had challenged the prohibition as unconstitutional.[132][133][134]
Legislation prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation is widely recognized as the toughest in the nation.[citation needed] The city is one of 92 jurisdictions in the country where it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression.[135]
City legislation bans the sale of handguns, prohibits smoking in public places, and restricts the city from doing business directly or indirectly (via vendors) with any country known to violate human rights. The city has banned the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.[136]


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I searched and searched for this yarn. A very sweet friend answered my call and a wonderful customer chose it for her DD. I am very pleased with how this set ended up. The buttons were done custom by Tessa Ann at The Button Shop on Etsy.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
First Love Set
Posted by Aimee at 11:34 PM 0 comments
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There are several ways to purchase Universal Life Insurance in Virginia. You can buy it over the Internet at literally hundreds of different web sites. You can call an 800 number and buy it over the phone directly from an Universal Life insurance company. You can call an insurance agent. In some cases, you can buy it at your bank or credit union. The choices are many and the challenge to purchase the Best Universal Life Insurance to meet your needs is difficult.
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text: It's no secret that these hard times have been even harder for the Black community.Approximately 35 percent of African Americans had no measurable assets in 2009, and 24 percent of these same households had only a motor vehicle. Dennis Kimbro, observing how the weight of the continuing housing and credit crises disproportionately impacts the African-American community, takes a sharp look at a carefully cultivated group of individuals who've scaled the heights of success and how others can emulate them. Based on a seven year study of 1,000 of the wealthiest African Americans, The Wealth Choice offers a trove of sound and surprising advice about climbing the economic ladder, even when the odds seem stacked against you. Readers will learn about how business leaders, entrepreneurs, and celebrities like Bob Johnson, Spike Lee, L. A. Reid, Herman Cain, T. D. Jakes and Tyrese Gibson found their paths to wealth; what they did or didn't learn about money early on; what they had to sacrifice to get to the top; and the role of discipline in managing their success. Through these stories, which include men and women at every stage of life and in every industry, Dennis Kimbro shows readers how to: - Develop a wealth-generating mindset and habits - Commit to lifelong learning - Craft goals that match your passion


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DIGITS: To track hand movement, Digits uses an infrared (IR) camera, laser, LED and an inertial measurement unit. The laser projects an IR line across the inside of the hand. The laser projects an IR line across the inside of the hand, intersecting the fingers and thumb as they bend inwards and marking the distance.
Microsoft's Kinect technology lets gamers kick a virtual soccer ball or ride a digital skateboard using natural movements rather than a controller. Yet it can detect and interpret only full-body motion—it is relatively clueless about interpreting the movements of smaller body parts such as fingers. Now Microsoft researchers are developing a wrist-worn sensor to control video games—along with mobile phones, tablets, computers and TVs—with a flick of the wrist or snap of the fingers.
Like Spider-Man's web shooters, the aptly named Digits straps to the inside of the wrist. To track hand movement, it uses an infrared (IR) camera, laser, light-emitting diode (LED) and an inertial measurement unit. The laser projects an IR line across the inside of the hand, intersecting the fingers and thumb as they bend inwards and marking the distance. As the hand closes, the laser intersects the fingers nearer to the palm and records those measurements as well.
By triangulating the positions of the camera, laser and different points on the hand that the laser hits, the device can reconstruct a virtual hand that mimics movement of the hand wearing the Digits device, to within 0.1 millimeter. This virtual hand would appear onscreen when the wearer is using it with a mobile phone or some other device (see video below, courtesy of Microsoft Research).
A Digits wearer could control different features on mobile devices—for instance, switching mp3 files by mimicking the turning of a dial, adjusting volume by moving a hand up or down to manipulate an invisible slider, or answering phone calls via a thumbs-up gesture—without even removing those devices from a pocket or handbag.
The researchers' goal is to reach a level of fidelity that captures the full dexterity of the human hand, enabling fine-grained interactions with electrical devices down to the individual finger, says David Kim, a researcher in Microsoft Research's Sensors and Devices Group.* Kim, also a member of the Digital Interaction Group at Newcastle University's Culture Lab, and several colleagues presented the Digits research last week at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
"This is body-worn and could be taken anywhere," Kim says. "So you could be interacting in your physical world—working, cooking or reading—and then spontaneously interact with virtual content whenever you want to."
The researchers began working on Digits in January, building a working version by the following month that could perform the basic functions and a more complete model in April. They attribute their ability to turn out a prototype so quickly to their experience working on other natural user interface projects including KinectFusion and Holodesk.
Although the prototype is too big and bulky to wear all the time, the researchers say it is possible to shrink Digits to watch size. The main challenge to miniaturizing the 125-gram device to the size of a wristwatch is using smaller components—the Web camera housing, the laser and the LED. The researchers made the housing for the latest prototype using a 3-D printer, which means creating a new one could be done quickly and cheaply. Miniaturizing the other components would depend on finding a smaller laser and LED out on the market. The researchers are also considering the possibility of a pop-up version of the device that rests flat on the wrist when not in use. This would likely require the development of more customized components.
Also, the researchers have to expand the scope of hand movements that Digits can capture. "Right now we can't cover the entire range of movement," Kim acknowledges. "If you straighten your fingers and stretch them too far backward the laser would not illuminate your fingertips, which means the infrared camera would not be able to see them. One work-around for this would be to have a second set of components on the back of the wrist to cover the whole range of finger movement." In the prototype, one finger also can occlude other fingers, blocking the view for the laser and camera, says Otmar Hilliges, also a researcher in Microsoft Research's Sensors and Devices Group.*
It is also unclear whether Digits functions properly in direct sunlight, or if sunlight would interfere with the IR laser—Microsoft has yet to test this scenario. Given how often smart phones and other gadgets are used in the light of day and the technology's other limitations, it may be a while before hand signals are the de facto move for controlling wireless gadgets.
*Editor's Note (10/16/12): Researchers David Kim and Otmar Hilliges are currently part of Microsoft Research's Interactive 3D Technologies Group, which spun out of Microsoft Research's Sensors and Devices earlier this year to focus on various forms of 3-D interaction based on novel hardware and algorithms.


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McQueen Bullitt A4 Mounted Photo
Size approx: Mounted 25x35cm Inner photo 20x30cm
Our customers can have confidence that we consider your payment security as a high priority. Our methods of payment are most major debit and credit cards using Checkout provided by Paypal.
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Subject to stock availability and clearance of payment. Your order will be sent out in 1 working day. No orders are dispatched on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. If there is to be any additional delay we will of course, notify you of this.
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Disney Interactive Studios, a division of Disney Interactive Media Group, announced a potpourri of new video games at this year's E3 Expo in Los Angeles, Calif.
Titles at Disney's E3 booth include TRON: Evolution, Disney Epic Mickey, Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned, and Disney Guilty Party, among others. New video games based off of the Kingdom Hearts, Club Penguin, Toy Story 3, Pixar's Cars, Disney Fairies, Disney Channel, and Disney Sing It! franchises will also make appearances.
For a full list of announced games, along with descriptions, click here.


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In the past year, Aereo has fought legal battles in three different states with broadcasters looking to get the streaming TV service kicked off the air, if you catch my drift.
Tomorrow, the case goes to the main stage before the Supreme Court, where lawyers from both sides will make oral arguments.
The case is highly complex, with broadcasters alleging that Aereo has no right to stream its copyrighted content, and Aereo arguing that the consumer has control over the content and its recording, and that Aereo simply provides the antenna from a remote location.
Many legal precedents go into the case, including the Sony Betamax ruling, which gave consumers the right to record broadcast television to a VCR. A more recent Cablevision precedent also comes into play, that said consumers who legally acquire copyrighted content have the right to stream and record it as they choose, whether the content itself is stored in the box in their living room or in the cloud.
Then there's the potential effects on cloud storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive.
With so many moving parts, we thought it was smart to sit down with Chet Kanojia, Aereo CEO, and have him explain the terms of the case in his own words.
If you'd like to get a closer look into Aereo's technology, check out our rooftop tour of their Boston facility. Tomorrow, we'll be covering the court case closely so be sure to stay tuned.


text: Story problems are a set of sentences that give you the information to a problem that you need to solve. With a story problem, it is your job to figure out whether you will use addition or subtraction to solve the problem. Read More...Create and Print your own Math Worksheets


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Simultaneously adapting Julia Child's autobiography My Life In France and Julie Powell's blog-turned-memoir Julie & Julia, Nora Ephron's Julie & Julia is two movies in one. That's one more movie than it needs to be. One portrays Child's self-discovery through cooking. The other focuses on Powell's attempt to spend a year preparing all the recipes in Child's co-authored 1961 breakthrough Mastering The Art Of French Cooking, a cookbook that made classic French dishes accessible to "the servantless American cook." The first is a charming story of a woman finding a calling in a time and place when women weren't generally thought to need callings. The second is an accidental dissection of Internet-enabled 21st-century narcissism rendered in broad strokes and easy punchlines.
Meryl Streep thoughtfully plays Child as a passionate woman with an easy laugh and an outsized personality to match her looming frame. Following her diplomat husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) on assignment to Paris, Child struggles to find an outlet for the passion not directed toward her loving marriage. She soon follows her palate to Le Cordon Bleu, where she struggles to overcome the perception that she's merely dabbling. Ephron tells Child's story with a lot of love and little urgency, letting small developments in the long creation of Art Of French Cooking set the pace as Streep and Tucci create an enviable vision of domestic compatibility.
Her story alternates, Godfather Part II style, with a depiction of Powell's blog project, begun as an attempt to find a creative outlet beyond her job at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in the days after 9/11. Discovering that her innate charm has limits, Amy Adams plays Powell as a monstrously self-absorbed woman who—even overlooking the ruins of the World Trade Center—sees her friends' professional success as a cosmic slight against her. Once the blog becomes her focus, she taps away happily—accompanied by You've Got Mail-style voiceover—as the Internet starts to pay attention to her quirks. She isn't the sort of woman who grew up wanting to be Julia Child. She's the sort who grew up wanting to be a Nora Ephron heroine, and Ephron's attempts to rhyme the two stories only makes one look shallow by comparison.


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Love him or hate him, Ashton Kutcher has helped keep Two and a Half Men going strong and has ensured it will be around for a 10th season. Many know him for his movie roles but he clearly honed his comedy talents on That '70s Show.
Revolving around teens and adults living in Wisconsin during the 1970s, the sitcom ran for eight seasons and 200 episodes on FOX. Kutcher left the show after seven seasons but returned five episodes in the show's final year, including the series finale. Topher Grace also left after seven seasons but made a guest appearance in the final episode. Castmembers that stayed the whole time include Mila Kunis, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon, Wilmer Valderrama, Debra Jo Rupp, and Kurtwood Smith.
The first two seasons of That '70s Show have been re-released on DVD. They include all 51 episodes as well as featurettes, webisodes, and more. You can purchase the sets or you can try to win copies here. To enter, you need to merely post a comment below. You can enter once per day.
If you'd like an additional chance to win, leave a comment on our Facebook page under the wall post about the contest. You can enter once per day.
You can also follow us on Twitter and tweet @tvseriesfinale Hope I win #that70sshow on DVD! http://ow.ly/8bbqX. You can enter once per day.
If you don't have Facebook or Twitter accounts, you can email us as another way to enter.
Guidelines: This giveaway is open to participants with a United States mailing address only. (International readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.) Many may enter but one person will win. You must be 18 and older to enter and no purchase is necessary. Contest ends January 8, 2012.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Anita who won this DVD set in our contest. Thanks to everyone who played and we've got more contests coming!


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December 25, 1930~ March 10, 2010
John P "Jack" Redd passed away peacefully March 10, 2010 of natural causes.
He was born in Mt. Pleasant, UT on December 25, 1930. He was placed in a Children's Service Society orphanage, with a brother and sister, early in life.
After living with several foster families, he was adopted as an early teenager and raised as their own by Leland W. Redd and Alice Vera Hunter Redd of Blanding, UT.
He and his sweetheart, Erma Helquist Redd, have been married for 60 years. They are still in love.
He was a loving father. He is loved by his children and their spouses, J. Michael and Kathy Redd, David K. and Patti Redd, Linda and Terry Roundy, Lowry W. and Kim Redd, Audree and Chris Jones and Kristin and Don Rasmussen. He and Erma have 29 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren.
Jack is also survived by his brothers William (Bill) Redd (Virginia) and Mark Redd (VeraLee), sister-in-law Kathleen Redd (Wayne), his sisters Elizabeth Coleman (Tom) and Shirley Kovacs, sister-in-law Ronnie Burns (Dick), his half sisters Virginia Fox ( Jim) and Grace Jensen and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Wayne Redd and Richard ("Dick") Burns.
Jack was a dedicated community servant. He served in the Utah House of Representative for 10 years, was president of the Bountiful Jr. Chamber of Commerce, served on the Utah State School Board, was the recipient of the Boy Scout's Silver Beaver award and contributed in many ways to a wide variety of state, community and service organizations.
He was a successful businessman. He graduated from the University of Utah in chemical engineering and worked for several oil refiners before starting his own consulting engineering firm.
He was an active leader in a number of engineering societies and was elected Utah Engineer of the Year by the Utah Engineering Council.
Above all, he was a disciple of Christ. An active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served as the first Bishop of the Val Verda 4th Ward, and served honorable missions with his sweet wife in the Knoxville Tennessee Mission and the Brazil Curitiba Mission.
Jack overcame many obstacles in life to have a strong and abiding belief in the mission and service of Christ. Jack was loved and respected by all who knew him. He will be sorely missed.
Funeral services were held Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the Bountiful Orchard Utah Stake Center. An online guest book can be found at www.russonmortuary.com.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund, Children's Service Society of Utah or Utah Youth Village would be appreciated.
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The Elusive Earl
Brianna Penderley has a knack for getting into precarious situations, especially when it comes to her love for archaeology. In the heart of Naples, her terrible Italian has her accidentally becoming engaged to two men at the same time. Of course, Daniel Wolcott—the Earl of Thornton and the only man ever able to vex her—shows up to rescue her.
Daniel has spent the majority of his life exercising rigid control over his emotions, determined never to become the rake his father was. But when he goes to aid his mentor's danger-prone niece once again, he finds himself struggling to control his attraction to a woman who is his complete opposite.
When their situation goes from bad to worse, Daniel and Brianna find themselves swept up into a perilous adventure, and they must work together to set things right. Now, if they can just avoid killing each other in the process.
Additional information
|.5 kg
Paperback – approx 400 pages


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Big Data Reveals How Cities Beckoned the Brainy for 2,000 Years
Historical figures have moved to cities in the same way for centuries.
How do you keep them down on the farm, once they've seen Paris? You don't, suggests a study of 150,000 historical figures that shows cities have long acted as cultural magnets.
The brainy headed away from the hinterlands in the same migratory patterns centuries ago as they do today, finds a Science journal study released on Thursday. (Read "Population 7 Billion" in National Geographic magazine.)
"We can watch Paris become the cultural center in France before 1500, while in Germany many cities become cultural centers," says study lead author Maximilian Schich of the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson. "And we can ask, why?"
In the past decade, some data scientists have looked to science to understand history, borrowing tools from disciplines such as ecology and statistics to answer questions like when (and how) Rome ceded its throne as Europe's cultural capital to Paris. The new study is part of this trend: It offers an extremely detailed look at the cultural movements of the past 2,000 years, pointing to a new data-driven way to conduct historical research and map the migration of people over time. (Related: "The Human Journey: Migration Routes.")
The study combined three large databases of where historical figures, from antiquarians to artists to athletes, were born and died and includes 153,000 locations, from the French Riviera to Hollywood. It encompasses people who lived from 1069 B.C. to A.D. 2012 (the study analysis, however, started with the first century for better statistical reliability).
The study authors used historical figures for the study, rather than aiming to represent the entire population, "because that is the data we have," Schich says. "The poor are simply not as well recorded."
Still, a large number of people are included in study, and that is not surprising, says social scientist Peter Turchin of the University of Connecticut in Storrs, a pioneer in data-driven historical studies who was not a study author. Until researchers started looking about a decade ago, "we didn't realize how much historical data was out there," he says.
Migration Duration
In addition to finding that many of the same locales that were magnets for migration 2,000 years ago remain hot spots today, the study gives other details of migration patterns, finding the same overall steady movement from the hinterlands to the big city over the centuries.
Interactive: See a population map from 2011.
The distance that people moved over their lifetimes has also changed "very little," the study says, over the past eight centuries. It grew from a typical distance of 133 miles (214 kilometers) in the 14th century to 237 miles (382 kilometers) today, despite the advent of automobiles and airplanes. Schich expected that the opening of the 3,000-mile (4,828-kilometer) trip to the New World after 1492 would stretch the distance much farther.
"People in the past were not so different from us," Schich says, noting the records include accounts of Jesuit priests who traveled to China in the 17th century. "It's very strange to think my odds of moving a long distance are similar," he says, with a laugh.
History Repeats
Turchin says it's important to keep in mind that the study isn't testing a hypothesis—it's merely bringing together data that make observations possible. (Related: "Exploration Timelines.")
"This is a terrific data set, but they are not testing a scientific question here," he cautions. The data don't really tell researchers why Paris waxed while Rome waned, for example.
Schich says the study presents a method of turning demographic data into a broad way of looking at history, scanning the past with numbers in the same way that astronomers roam the stars with telescopes.
When historians see something interesting in the data, he suggests that they can zoom in on it and work to get an explanation of those specific events.
For example, historians might have an explanation for why Hollywood is one of the study's "outliers." The study shows that Tinseltown has ten times as many births as deaths, suggesting that artists have been fleeing the capital of show biz over the past century. Historians might be able to explain whether the film industry's fondness for youthful looks led to the exodus, or may find a better explanation by taking a closer look at the data.
"History still has a lot to tell us," Schich concludes.
Follow Dan Vergano on Twitter.


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Another day, another story about the dangers of being born female. Last night, Australia's ABC network ran a segment about the horrible reality of acid violence in Bangladesh. It is, as our tipster described it, "amazing, terrible, inspiring."
Unsurprisingly, nearly all the victims interviewed for the segment are women. Among the victims, we meet one small boy, whose aunt poured acid down his throat when he was a month old. His mother says her sister was jealous that she did not have a male child of her own. Another child was attacked by her father because she was born a girl. Several years later, her father has been released from prison, and reconciled with her mother. But their child continues to live at the Acid Survivors Foundation because neither parent wants to take home their horribly scarred female child.
Acid attacks are common in Bangladesh, with 179 reported in the past year alone. While most of the attacks are over land and property disputes, many are also targeted over spurned advances. Reporter Sally Sara interviews Fozila, who was attacked by a man that she had refused to marry. Nine years later, Fozila says she is still unable to look herself in the mirror.
Acid has become a weapon of choice for many because it is cheap and readily available. Sulfuric acid is used in the production of jewelry, and it is possible to buy enough acid to ruin a woman's face for 20 Australian cents. Monira Rahman, head of the Acid Survivors Foundation, says that acid violence is so common because "women and girls are so cheap in this society, so they can destroy them, they can just throw them out, they can get them easily. So it doesn't matter to them. And often these young children are just victims of the cruel mentality of the adult man."
The Bangladeshi government is attempting to address the issue by broadcasting PSAs about how to treat a victim of an acid attack (run cold water over their face for at least thirty minutes) and through regulating the sale of acid.
The situation is horrible all around, but there is, as promised, an inspiring part of the story. Sara interviews several victims who have fought to live their lives normally, despite the public scorn heaped upon disfigured women. Fozila has moved out of her rural village and into Dhaka, where she rents an apartment on her own. She recently received her BA and plans to someday get her PhD. "I believe that my beauty is not in my face, my beauty is in my inside," she says. A woman named Hasina has taken a job in the Acid Survivors Foundation legal foundation, whose lawyers helped to convict the man that attacked her. She says she is happy that he is behind bars: "I am free. Whereas you're a prisoner... You will be given your punishment and I am happy."
Hasina is still able to see the beauty in her own face. "People say that my eyes are so beautiful, it's obvious just from one eye," she says. "This eye inspires me to live. It's a very important thing for me. It gives me the light to go on."
A Brave Face [ABC]


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The industrial sectors of pressure equipment and gas appliances are important in terms of EU growth and jobs. Both are also important from the point of view of EU regulation for safety and other standards.
Prospects for the industry remain good but largely depend on the overall economic growth and the level of local investment.
Pressure equipment sector
The industrial sector of pressure equipment concerns a wide range of products, from consumer products like fire extinguishers and pressure cookers to huge and complex industrial installations or boilers in power plants.
Simple pressure vessels and aerosol dispensers are also covered in this sector.
- More on the pressure equipment sector
Gas appliances sector
The Gas appliances sector concerns a wide range of products, concerning mainly common consumer and commercial appliances that burn gaseous fuels.
These are used for cooking, heating, hot water production, refrigeration, lighting and washing, forced draught burners and heating bodies. It also includes related safety, controlling or regulating devices.
The Gas Appliances industry contributes significantly to the performance of the EU economy.
- More on the gas appliances sector
Challenges faced by the sectors
There is a strong demand amongst pressure equipment and gas appliances stakeholders for reinforced market surveillance to protect business against unfair competition. The responsibility for market surveillance lies with EU countries and activity has been very uneven. Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 on accreditation and market surveillance is a first step towards enhancing activities and improving cooperation between national authorities.
Moreover, the pressure equipment and gas appliances manufacturing industry emphasises the need for a stable, predictable, coherent and simpler/smarter regulatory environment.
What the Commission is doing
The European Commission promotes the global and sustainable competitiveness of the sectors within the Pressure Equipment and Gas Industries by assessing the challenges and taking necessary actions.
The Commission also coordinates and monitors the implementation and interpretation of a number of important Directives related to pressure equipment and gas appliances. It also oversees standardisation for these sectors.


text:
Final Step in Lemon Labs Story
Since 2011 we have created a number of mobile products for our clients and for fun. In each and every one, quality of design and code has always been a priority for us.
However, there is a certain limit of what you can do while being in service business. We always had a desire to build a global mobile product and lead its way to the top.
We are happy to announce that in January 2015, Lemon Labs has been acquired by Wahanda, health and beauty marketplace.
Regardless of our success as a service company, we truly believe this is the best choice for the whole team at Lemon Labs. It's an opportunity for everyone to grow, both professionally and personally.
We could not have achieved this without everyone we met on the way: friends and families, partners and competitors, and, of course, our clients. Thank you.
This is the final step of Lemon Labs story, and we invite you to explore it all.
Lemon Labs Team


text:
October 02, 2009
Franco in Paris
Most of the tracks on this lp have been digitally released on Sonodisc CD 36553, and two of those tracks have been re-issued on Glenn Music SAKU 007. Personally I can remember feeling very disappointed when I heard the Sonodisc cd, as the wonderfully open sound of the Pathé lp had been dynamically compressed (thus boosting the presence of the music and levelling the depth). In retrospect I can only conclude that the level of compression is rather moderate, and that things have gone from bad to worse - and way beyond - since....
The songs are from a period when both Vicky Longomba and Mulamba Joseph a.k.a. Mujos were still active as singers with the OK Jazz. Backing them on most of these songs is Michel Boyibanda.
A number of these songs seem to carry a political message, "Retroussons Les Manches"("Let's roll up our sleeves") being the most obvious of these. With "Matinda" there is only a slight reference to Patrice Lumumba, and it seems unlikely this has a political intention.
"Colonel Bangala", however, is certainly political, or at least a reference of a more topical nature. Colonel Alphonse Bangala, Governor of Leopoldville, had in May 1966 turned in four ex-ministers, stating they were plotting a coup against Mobutu (who himself had assumed power only six months before). He claimed he had received instructions from Mobutu to pretend to go along with the plot. More details can been found in these two (1, 2) newspaper clippings. It seems safe to assume Franco was singing in praise of the Colonel....
But the song "Course Au Pouvoir"("Race to power") has nothing to do with politics. It is Franco's final retort to Kwamy's repeated attacks, the last of which had been "Faux Millionaire" (with Rochereau's African Fiesta). Kwamy had recruited some of the members of the OK Jazz for his Orchestre Révolution (more about this here, and in a future post), and Franco was getting really fed up with Kwamy. According to Ewens (in his book "Congo Colossus") Franco* replies: "You are running me down everywhere, my brother, but I take it as a joke. You have invaded my private life. What jealousy. It hurts you to hear that Franco has done this or that... You wish Franco's name would disappear for ever. God created Judas, but judas stabbed him in the back" (* although it is actually Vicky who is singing). The duel between Franco and Verckys, that follows these harsh words has become a classic in the extensive repertoire of the OK Jazz, and was repeated in Abidjan, in 1980, with Matalanza playing the part of Verckys.
Pathe STX 229 (new link August 27, 2012)
PS: I will be back with more Franco very soon.
10 comments:
I love this rich history, as much as i love the music
wuod k
- 2 October 2009 at 16:21
- Timothy said...
Thanks for the great music. Now that you've mentioned Verckys, hopefully you'll post something by Orchestre Vévé (1975-1977). I've totally forgotten how "Baluti", "Muana Mburu" and "Kalala" sounded on vinyl. These days we can only get a glimpse of the wonderful past through the distorted "lenses" of cds and mp3. Thanks for sharing gems from your collection.
- 3 October 2009 at 03:47
and another piece about colonel Bangala.
- 3 October 2009 at 06:51
- WrldServ said...
@Anonymous (the last one): I assume you mean http://www.mbokamosika.com/article-36756056.html.
For those who don't understand french: the post reports that to act against the youth gangs of the time (the "Bills" and "Yankees" - see for example this post on the Sea Never Dry blog), the authorities looked at several solutions, one of which was appointing officers and tough men like Manzikala in charge (of the town). The first of these was Colonel Bangala, one of Mobutu's companions in the 'revolution' (coup), who was instructed, as Franco sings in "Colonel Bangala", to fight against juvenile deliquency.
Thanks for this addition!
@Timothy: you seem to have read my mind. I am at this very moment preparing a post with some Vévé's music!
- 3 October 2009 at 07:31
sorry but there's also an error with this one. hosting site opens but the downloader doesn't appear... tried it several times, deleted cookies etc.
would be very glad to get this nice music, lately.
- 30 January 2012 at 13:15
- WrldServ said...
@Anonymous: The link has been replaced.
Thanks for letting me know.
- 30 January 2012 at 14:24
thank you for uploading again!
it's a very nice selection of congolese music you share with us via this blog. i just love songs like mi amor, lisana ebandaki na kin, Franco & OK Jazz EP 78 [Fiesta 51.149] etc etc. (not to speak of the great music from the other countries..)
can't thank you enough!
- 30 January 2012 at 15:12
if it's not too much trouble, this link is again not working.
- 26 August 2012 at 17:02
- WrldServ said...
The link has been restored. Thanks for letting me know!
- 27 August 2012 at 01:56
- Mark said...
and thank you so much for doing that. I have been immersing myself in your blog for about a month now, and rather unapologetically so at that. I am giving myself a mid-level crash course in this continent's many musical movements through your thoughtful comments and uploads. I had an inkling via a slew of John Storm Roberts-curated releases years ago that I would some day venture down this path, and I'm happy you are helping me - unwittingly, perhaps - along. Thank you.
- 27 August 2012 at 18:19


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Governor Jerry Brown yesterday signed historic legislation establishing a state policy that every Californian has a human right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible drinking water.
AB 685, authored by Assemblymember Mike Eng (D-Alhambra), also requires that all relevant state agencies consider the state policy when creating policies and regulations.
By signing this bill into law, California becomes the first state in the nation to declare safe, clean, affordable and accessible water a human right.
"Around 8.5 million people in Californians repeatedly experience excessive levels of toxicity in their drinking water every year," said Assemblymember Eng. "As the representative of a district that sits on an aquifer that is the largest Superfund in the United States, I am very pleased that Governor Brown agreed that safe, clean, affordable and accessible drinking water is a basic human right and is willing to codify it into state policy."
California's failure to provide clean, safe drinking water to its residents captured the attention of the United Nations in a special report released in August 2010. Reporting on her mission to the United States, Catarina de Albuquerque, the U.N. Special Rapportuer on the Human Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation, cited a host of alarming drinking water supply and sanitation conditions in California. (https://blogs.alternet.org/danbacher/2011/08/31/u-n-water-report-focuses-on-california-problems).
The report noted that over 250,000 California residents lack clean groundwater and are forced to purchase bottled water to ensure safe and clean drinking water. With annual median household incomes in some of the most severely contaminated areas reaching only $14,000, some households are devoting approximately 20 per cent of their income to water and sanitation, according to Eng's Office.
Clean water and environmental justice advocates throughout the state applauded Brown's signing of the legislation.
"The basic human right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water became part of state policy yesterday when Governor Brown signed AB 685," said Caleen Sisk, Chief of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe. "Thanks to all who have supported the Winnemem and all the other advocates for clean water in this fight!"
A.B. 685 directs relevant state agencies to advance the implementation of this policy when those agencies make administrative decisions pertinent to the use of water for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes, according to a news release from the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water (ECJW).
"Safe, affordable water is a basic essential of survival," said Alecia Sanchez of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), a member of the Safe Water Alliance that has worked on this issue. "We applaud the Legislature and the Governor for recognizing this and taking the bold action to cement it into law."
For years, grassroots activists, community leaders, faith-based groups, and dedicated environmental justice, public health and environmental organizations, drawn together by a shared commitment to improve access to safe drinking water in our poorest communities, have been advocating at the local, regional, and state level, combating powerful, entrenched interests determined not to change the status quo in California water policy, according to Paola Ramos, EJCW Interim Executive Director.
"It is disgraceful that there are communities in California that have struggled to gain access to safe water for decades," said Maria Herrera of the Community Water Center, a member of the Safe Water Alliance. "What our communities have lacked in influence, we make up in heart. Our impacted communities have been the lodestar of our work. Their voices have carried us all forward."
On August 29, legislators from regions all over the state—from Coachella Valley to San Diego, Fresno to the Central Coast, and San Gabriel to Marin County to Berkeley— stood up to support this bill and through their speeches echoed the voices of communities challenged to ensure safe water.
"Governor Brown also heard our community's voices and now, with his signature of AB 685, state agencies making decisions that impact drinking water will have to consider our voices when setting policy, funding criteria, and regulation," Herrera emphasized. "Today's action will move not just these communities, but all of California, forward to the day where everyone can enjoy something as basic as safe drinking water. We are very grateful to Governor Brown for taking this historic step."
The Safe Water Alliance co-sponsored AB 685. This alliance includes the Alliance for Democracy, Asociacion de Gente Unida por el Agua, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, Clean Water Action, Community Water Center, California Center for Public Health Advocacy, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Food and Water Watch, Policy Link, San Jerardo Cooperative, Inc., Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry Action Network, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Urban Semillas, Winnemem Wintu Tribe and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section.
Opponents of the bill included the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 7, Association of California Water Agencies, California Chamber of Commerce, California Farm Bureau Federation, El Dorado Irrigation District, Friant Water Authority, Kern County Water Agency, Stockton East Water District, Valley Ag Water Coalition and Western Growers.
Opponents focused on the requirement that water be "affordable." For example, the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), questioned "to what extent water agencies would be forced to comply with the law." Additionally, some opponents argued that by establishing a potentially enforceable human right to water, this bill has uncertain legal implications that may result in litigation, according to the Senate Analysis.
Last October, Brown signed Assembly Bill 983, the Access to Safe Drinking Water Act, as part of the Human Right to Water bill package backed by a broad coalition of environmental justice advocates. The Governor also signed three other bills in the package: AB 938 by Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez (D-Coachella), AB 1221 by Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) and SB 244 by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis). (https://blogs.alternet.org/danbacher/2011/10/08/brown-signs-bills-supporting-human-right-to-water)
AB 685, the Human Right to Water Measure, was held in the Senate Appropriations Commiteee and never reached Brown's desk in the 2011 Legislative session, but passed through the Legislature this year.
By signing AB 685, Brown made a clear break with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who vetoed the previous Human Right to Water bill, bowing to powerful corporate agribusiness interests.
While clean water advocates applaud Brown's signing of AB 685 and the other bills, Brown has continued and expanded many of the other controversial environmental policies of the Schwarzenegger administration.
Brown has followed in Schwarzenegger's foot steps by fast-tracking the plan to build a peripheral canal or tunnel, forging ahead with the privately funded Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative that creates questionable "marine protected areas," and presiding over record fish kills at the state and federal pumps in the 2011 water year.
The text of the bill is available at: https://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0651-0700/ab_685_bill_20120925_chaptered.pdf
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text:
Over the course of two days in late March, a coalition of U.S. law enforcement groups rounded up more than 40 people accused of supplying the greater Seattle area with illegal weapons and drugs. It was the culmination of nearly a year of painstaking interagency investigative work that traced a smuggling route stretching from Sinaloa, Mexico, through California and Arizona, and into the Pacific Northwest. These were not local gangsters with tenuous ties to the narcos wreaking havoc south of the border. One of the men reportedly confessed to DEA agents that he came to Seattle from Mexico as a 16-year-old. "They brought me here and showed me how to sell drugs," he said.
The bust netted an impressive haul, including 20 pounds of heroin, 30 pounds of methamphetamine, $190,000 in cash, and 31 guns, including 10 assault rifles. One illicit substance was notably absent from the evidence locker: marijuana.
The notion that legalizing marijuana will cripple Mexico's brutal drug cartels has gained steam in recent years, and finally boiled over last month when Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Adults 21 and over in both states will be allowed to possess up to an ounce of processed pot, reversing a prohibition policy that stood for the better part of a century. It's unclear whether the federal government will tolerate the repeal, but if legal pot remains the law of the land, it is widely assumed that Mexican drug cartels will be out several billion dollars in annual revenue.
But talk to entrepreneurs familiar with the existing marijuana industry in Washington and Colorado — and to law enforcement agents who deal with gang crime — and there is reason for skepticism. Not only have the cartels diversified their portfolios (to borrow language applied to other multinational, multibillion dollar operations); the Mexican suppliers have already been edged out of the local markets in the two new green states.
Prior to the election, the Mexican Center for Competitiveness, a respected think tank based in Mexico City, issued a report estimating that legalization in Washington alone could cut the cartels' annual marijuana profits up to $1.37 billion by eliminating the black market for pot. Legalization proponents (and numerous media outlets, including The Atlantic) seized on the figure, trumpeting about the opportunity to hit organized crime in the pocketbook as yet another reason to end America's disastrous war on drugs.
The campaign in Washington featured endorsements by the FBI's former field division chief in Seattle, as well as former U.S. Attorney John McKay, a George W. Bush-appointee who had become an outspoken advocate of drug law reform. Pitching the measure, McKay often invoked beheadings in Mexico and emphasized the negative impact that legal weed might have on the vicious narcos.
"I enforced our marijuana laws," McKay said in a campaign ad. "I've come to believe they don't work. Filling our courts and jails has failed to reduce marijuana use. And drug cartels are pocketing all the profits. It's time for a new approach."
Both Colorado and Washington, however, have booming medical marijuana industries that aid legitimate pain patients in need of extremely potent hybrid strains and also indirectly supply an untold number of connoisseur stoners. Mexican marijuana, typically grown outdoors on large plantations, contains little more than 5 percent THC — the compound responsible for marijuana highs — compared to the 15 percent or more found on the top shelf of a U.S. dispensary. Josh Berman, cofounder of the 4Evergreen Group, an organization that bills itself as Washington's "premier medical cannabis patient network," says the shrink-wrapped Mexican schwag is looked upon with scorn.
"It's such a flooded market they can't sell that Mexican brick weed here," Berman said. "We have more weed being grown here than anywhere else in the world, probably by three-fold. Every gangster I know is already in the soup line because of medical cannabis."
Mexican drug traffickers are undoubtedly active in Washington and Colorado. The latest National Gang Threat Assessment published by the FBI says the Sinaloa Cartel, for instance, has ties to various Sureño factions and the Mara Salvatrucha, street gangs with an established presence in both states. The FBI writes that these groups that "traditionally served as the primary organized retail or mid-level distributor of drugs in most major U.S. cities are now purchasing drugs directly from the cartels, thereby eliminating the mid-level wholesale dealer."
Joe Gagliardi, a gang-unit detective in Seattle's county sheriff's office, says product from local growhouses has largely replaced the once-coveted "BC Bud" imported from neighboring Canada. Gangs, he says, will sometimes trade Washington pot to get discounts on meth shipments that originate in Mexican labs. The detective foresees gangsters buying out weed stores' inventory and selling it in other states, or perhaps using the black market to undercut the heavily regulated legal one, which levies a 25-percent tax at each step of the way from grower to smoker. (The duty adds an estimated $500 million to Washington state coffers every year.)
"I just don't see the legislation of marijuana causing any problems for the criminals," Gagliardi said. "The gangs are still going to grow marijuana and they're still going to sell marijuana, only now it will be legal for them to walk around with an ounce supply individually packaged and not have any repercussions."
The only way cartels will be seriously affected by the new pot laws, according to the Mexican Center for Competitiveness, is if Washington and Colorado's legal weed spreads to parts of the country more reliant on Mexican grass. These states include the more conservative ones that are unlikely to legalize marijuana anytime soon.
The Mexican study borrows heavily from research published in 2010 by the RAND Corporation, which examined the potential fallout of California's failed Proposition 19. Back then, the researchers used statistical analysis to debunk outlandish government claims that cartels earn 60 percent of their drug revenue from marijuana (these figures implied that Americans consume more than 30 million pounds of pot annually, enough for "almost 4.5 joints per day for every past-month user for every day of the year.") According to RAND's conservative estimate, Mexican mafiosos supplied roughly 40-67 percent of the marijuana used in the United States in 2009, good for about $1.5 billion in business.
Beau Kilmer, a RAND senior policy researcher and co-author of the book "Marijuana Legalization," says he wasn't surprised when the best-case-scenario figures from the Mexican study were taken at face value in the days following the election. "These things get picked up and people don't focus on all the assumptions involved," Kilmer says. "You have to assume that the federal government wouldn't intervene. You're assuming other states wouldn't try to stop this, and that Colorado and Washington would just let this happen. Those are three really big assumptions."
As Kilmer notes, the fallout from the recent legalization measures hinges on the response of federal officials. A protracted legal battle that leads to a Supreme Court ruling is within the realm of possibility, as is a certain level of tolerance similar to the stance the DEA now takes with medical marijuana. (In Seattle, DEA spokeswoman Jodie Underwood said unequivocally, "We're going to continue to do business as usual.") President Obama could intervene and push to end prohibition across the entire union, but that seems like the definition of a pipe dream. Obama has said he is open to a "broader debate" on the issue, but always stopped far short of endorsing legalization.
Internationally, a handful of Latin American governments, including Mexico's, are already discussing their own drug policy changes in response to the new laws in Washington and Colorado. A spokesman for incoming Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto told reporters recently, "I think that we have to carry out a review of our joint policies in regard to drug trafficking and security in general."
Perhaps someday, pot-farming campesinos in the Sierra Madre will pay taxes directly to the Mexican government rather than ruthless drug lords. In the meantime, cocaine, heroin, and meth will likely remain illegal, in addition to marijuana in most states. And so long as there's insatiable demand for those lucrative goods among consumers, narcos will continue turning bricks of Acapulco gold into American greenbacks.
This originally appeared on The Atlantic. Also on our sister site:
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