There is finally a Zankou Chicken that opened in the LA Basin, aside from the original East Hollywood location at Sunset and Normandie (three other locations are all in the Valley, another is in Anaheim). I have not been in years, but remember it most fondly.



The new space is walking distance from me (yeah!!), on the East side of Sepulveda, just South of Santa Monica Boulevard. Giving them a few more days of operation to "break in" the rotisserie and perfect the Westside version of the garlic sauce before heading over for a taste.

Check out this 360-degree Quicktime panorama of the Ep III line at the Chinese a few days back (click on pic and drag side to side). Please notice the ultra-appropriate LAPD billboard headline and the possibly hot Asian in the brown cords. Two 2X connections - Chinese Theatre and Asian chick, line and billboard.

I wish I would not have to point out the obvious, but some just won't get it on their own.

Also in Thursday's Daily Variety is this story on Wesley Snipes suing New Line for contract violations and owed fees over Blade: Trinity. All normal show biz until this nugget:

"Snipes also claims that in contrast to the first two "Blade" films, in which efforts were made to select a multiracial cast and crew, defendants intentionally hired only white people, leading to feelings of isolation and exclusion."

The article is here (password req). Or search the AP and Reuters wire reports.

According to this Daily Variety article (password req), one of A&E’s telefilms on their 2005-06 development slate is Flight 93:

"Flight 93," from Fox TV Studios and the Gerber Co., will be based on public records and document the final moments leading up to the tragedy. A&E said the movie will serve as a tribute to the heroic actions of the passengers who prevented the hijackers from using their plane as a missile. Nevin Shreiner is writing the teleplay.”

Now, I am no 9-11 expert by any means, and certainly no conspiracy theorist, but what “public records” is A&E talking about? The Flight 93 story was one of the most nauseating of all the post 9-11 “hero” worshipping chronicles. Someone speaking their last goodbyes on cell phones while the plane flies over rural Pennsylvania – let me hear it. And the whole “Lets Roll” thing – absolutely revolting and disgusting. Proof that the “Lets Rollers” “brought down” the plane – none. The book and subsequent tour that the wife of the head “Lets Roller” embarked on to make money either/and/or propagate the “Lets Roll” and other Flight 93 anecdotes (and please come forward and provide proof and facts that they are not anecdotes) – sickening and revolting. I am not sure enough adjectives and quotation marks were used to reveal my true Flight 93 feelings. Would love to hear your opinions on this matter.

I love to quote lyrics at just the appropriate time, and this is no exception:

The Bells Are Ringing by They Might Be Giants:
The bells are ringing
The song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound

Yes, the new Pope has been elected. This will be no news to those reading this later on, but I feel like an AP or Reuters reporter this very moment on a deadline as the new pope is about to appear on the balcony!!! Who will it be? The bells are ringing, the smoke is billowing. Yabba-dabba-do.

• From cnn.com: "Suspense built as the throng waited for the symbolic ringing of bells, at which point the crowd broke into a roar of jubilation."
• The tenth anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing - that is so early morning news.
• OFFICIAL - The mailman from Cheers is the New Pope Benedict XVI.
• ABC commentator: The New Pope looks like an American politician after winning office (this was just after he walked out on the balcony.)
• Now lets just hope that the stock market has an upswing in honor of the New Pope.

This blog has finally been changed over to what I hope is a more pleasant look. I found what I thought was an even better layout and color scheme, but could not get the CSS to mesh into the Blogger template.

I Googled for more templates, and finally found a clean-enough layout. With about three hours worth of modifications, it looks a little better. I will continue to refine the look until I get fairly satisfied. Would like to hear your comments on the colors, fonts, and layout.

This week will be rather busy, yet I still hope to finish the big post I have in draft mode. For the time being, amuse yourselves with Google's new satellite Maps. This site has direct links to some famous locales. Or go to Google Maps and click on “Satellite” in the upper right.

Flickr has a group called Memory Maps, where users use the satellite photo feature to find their hometowns, etc., and create maps, using balloons that pop-up as you scroll over the photos, to point out places where they grew up, went to school, etc.

I started to write a rather lengthy commentary on news of late, but shelved it for mid-day Wednesday due to my poor typing skills, the numerous links I want to embed, and the fact that it is already well after 3 in the morning.

For the time being, amuse yourselves by reading this Wed., April 6, Daily Variety article, which I have copied here, on Star War fans already in line at the Chinese Theatre for the May 19 Revenge of the Sith premiere. I will not give away the real kicker to the story - truly astonishing.

Clicking this post's title will also take you to the article.

The April 4 Hollywood Reporter states:

The Universal Amphitheatre is being rechristened the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk as part of a joint partnership among instrument maker Gibson Guitar Corp., Universal Studios Partnerships and House of Blues Concerts.
(skip)
The 32-year-old, 6,089-seat amphitheater will receive a facelift that will include the installation of a skybox, Gibson-branded signage and lighting, and the installation of an external "Gibson Guitar Garden" for on-site presentations and events.

"There's a whole new light show, and a gigantic guitar sculpture," Juszkiewicz (Gibson chairman and CEO) said. "It's going to jazz up the way the amphitheater looks outside ... It's going to be very iconic."

Awaiting with bated breath a report that the Giant Guitar "Sculpture" fell and took with it scores of society's riffraff that frequent Citywalk.

For those not fortunate enough to catch Michaelbay.blogspot.com while it still existed for all to enjoy, I found what I think is the best post and placed it here. Hilarious reading.