The paper moves quickly to squelch offensive language on its web site.

In a startling revelation today, the Los Angeles Times has learned that a wide range of vulgarities are in abundant use on the Internet. LA times officials also acknowledged that filthy words are being used “elsewhere” but had no further comment as to exactly where the foul language has been spotted.

The shocking word usage, or “cussing,” as the Times refers to it, first surfaced in a Dec. 11th column by Matea Gold during last year’s writers strike. In her Show Tracker online column, she quoted a writer for talk show host David Letterman referring to his boss as being “p***** off.”

The Times’ standards and practices department, with the added assistance of their newly formed Taste and Obscenity Security Detail, swung into quick action, neutralizing and eradicating the offensive language from the paper’s hugely successful web site.

According to a source who did not want to be identified discussing the paper’s internal matters for fear of, as he put it, “having my mouth washed out with soap,” writers have been warned to not use the offensive words. A request to the Times from LA Metblogs for a list of the swear words so far has gone unanswered.

I just wanted to make a brief post sending our best wishes to the folks at our sister site New Orleans Metblogs (as well as everyone in that area) who have just been the subject of mandatory evacuations thanks to Hurricane Gustav which is headed their way. Of course, like with Hurricane Katrina a few years ago many people aren’t leaving. There’s very detailed and insightful posts on the site already and I expect more on the days to come. We’re thinking of you all, stay safe!

Photo by Burns! used under Creative Commons

As I write this, three brush fires continue to burn in the northeast corner of Griffith Park. The first was reported by the Los Angeles Fire Department at 2:17pm near the Travel Town area, followed by reports of two additional fires 30 minutes later.

According to ABC7, City Councilman Tom LaBonge has described the fires as “suspicious.”

Additional note from Lindsay Williams-Ross at LAist:

This is the third fire since July 27 to strike the same general area of Griffith Park. The second fire was on August 4 burning approximately 3 acres while the one in July scorched around 25 acres.

Is a serial arsonist at work in Griffith Park?

*Update (6:42pm): In an email, LAFD spokesman Brian Humphreys responded to me:

Barring some formal statement today from our Arson Investigators or our PIO’s (Captain Hogan or Captain Haro), the earlier fires in Griffith Park remain  - as far as our office is concerned [emphasis added] - under investigation.

He adds that LaBonge’s comments “should rightfully be attributed to him as a City elected leader.”

Can’t really tell from the two-megapixelness of my camphone, but there’s smoke climbing up above the Griffith Park ridgeline. Can’t tell if its in those hills or someplace in the valley beyond it (click to get to bigger versions on Flickr).

LA Central Library’s Aloud Lecture Series’ topic tonight is, “Los Angeles Without the Los Angeles Times?”

The knife sharpening discussion will be moderated by Los Angeles mag’s Kit Rachlis and include, among others, Kevin Roderick, Pulitzer-winning former Times staffer Joel Sappell, Villaraigosa’s chief of staff Robin Kramer and a Times editor the LAT site designates as TBD. To be dumped?

The online edition listing mentions “dead tree journalism,” public trust, community responsibility, blahblah and piles on rhetorical questions like: When is a newspaper not like a pair of sneakers?

Keeping the synergy going, Gawker kindly points to Reflections of a Newsosaur’s helpful gesture of doing the math for LAT’s owner, Tribune/Sam Zell:

… The writeoff, which was effective as of the end of June but announced in an earnings release issued today, means the company’s value has dropped $640,518,500 per month on Sam’s watch – or some $20 million per day.

Tonight, 7 PM; Los Angeles Central Library 630 W. 5th St. Downtown LA; free.

This came across my desk:

“The Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2188 and Ladies Auxialiary, are asking for the support of the community to help raise funds for the family of fallen Deputy Juan Escalante. This 27 year old Deputy was killed outside his home in Cypress Park.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles are hosting a PASTA DINNER on Thursday, August 14 from 4pm to 8pm. Donations for the dinner are $10 per plate. The Eagles Hall is located at 1596 Yosemite Drive at Townsend in Eagle Rock, 90041. 323-257-8869

Any type of donation or support for the fundraiser would be greatly appreciated.

All proceeds from this fundraising event will be given to the fund set up for his wife and children.”

Sunset Junction organizers are working on organizing a tribute to the late Isaac Hayes, who passed away Sunday.

He was scheduled to perform at the sprawling two-day street fair on Saturday, August 23rd.

Organizers released a statement to LA Metblogs saying, “At this point we are working on the possibility of his band performing with guest Stax and other artists doing a tribute. Stay tuned.”

Sunset Junction takes place August 23rd and 24th.

Bernice Mac died in a Chicago hospital from complications of pneumonia.  He was only 50 and flying high on a great career. He grew up poor on Chicago’s south side and made a name for himself in stand up comedy, eventually touring with the Original Kings of Comedy.  He was nominated twice for an Emmy, twice for a Golden Globe and won four out of the seven NAACP awards he was nominated for.

Bernie Mac will forever crack me up in Ocean’s 11 in the used car salesman scene.  “Do you moisturize?”

He lived in Chicago but did so much work in Hollywood I couldn’t not post about his his sad passing.

Earlier this morning I posted about a hit and run in Tujunga Village. Comments on that post confirm that this was the intersection near Vitello’s which is known to be extremely dangerous and without a crosswalk, even though residents of the area have been asking for one for quite some time. An anonymous resident just sent in stills from their security cameras which show the people who were hit literally seconds before the accident in hopes they will bring more awareness to the deadly crosswalk.

Another photo from a different camera after the jump.

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In a startling revelation, the Los Angeles Times has learned that the most popular name for Chihuahuas in LA County is Princess. The financially strapped newspaper, which only this week eliminated its book review, Sunday opinion and weekend guide sections from its print edition, revealed  the shocking findings today as it unveiled its new online database for tracking dog names in the county.

“The database offers a fascinating census of the dogs we live with and those we encounter,” says Times Staff writer Carla Hall. “If Shakespeare was wrong and there is something in a name, then ours is a world filled with people’s fantasies about, and hopes for, their dogs.”

LA Times officials estimate that 1,262 Chihuahuas are named Princess, although they admit some tracking errors are possible. They stressed that areas such as Arcadia, Downey, Sierra Madre and La Cañada Flintridge are known for their high Chihuahua concentrations and did not provide official counts.

Calls placed this morning by LA Metblogs to several of the 1,138 Chihuahuas named Chiquita, the second most popular Chihuahua name in the county, were not returned.

Photograph from pedigreedatabase.com