There is a permanently red pixel almost centered in my monitor. It's driving me nuts. The worst part is that it's a CRT! CRTs do NOT get dead pixels. Then mine had to go and be different. Tell you what, Mr. Gateway Monitor - if you really want to be different, you can be different. Just keep in mind that I might start being different. With a bat.

http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1148025_9_0_,00.html

Until now, I didn't know that hobbits could sing. Of course, they probably shouldn't be.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/01/11/fetus.carpool.ap/index.html

I don't mind the special parking spots at malls and such, but the carpool lane? No, a fetus is not a separate passenger.

While I had little doubt about how this case was going to be decided, once one judge decides that the fetus counts as a separate passenger, the flood gates open for anti-abortion legislation and lawsuits with this as a precedent. There are some anti-abortion groups that have literally been sending pregnant women to drive in carpool lanes by themselves just so they can try to fight the ensuing ticket and have the fetus declared as a passenger, and by extension a person. Hopefully no judge ever decides to interpret the law in their favor.

Usually there are no parrots in the "courtyard" at my apartment building. Today, however, there is one. I first noticed it around noon while leaving for lunch. It was just sitting on a low concrete ledge, minding its own business. It's wings aren't clipped, and the courtyard doors are kept closed, so it didn't take much imagination to detemine that it flew in.

Matt and I approached it twice, once to take pictures (which will be posted later this evening) and once to feed it Triscuits. The bird definitely appreciated the food, seeing as how it dove for the pieces Matt left as soon as he started walking away. We concluded that the bird is domesticated, and I called animal control since its owner probably wants it back. It took 3 phone systems to find out that LA Animal Control does not deal with birds, unless they are sick or attacking humans. Pets aren't allowed in the building, so I'm not sure what'll happen to the parrot. In the mean time, it's a pretty cool bird to have around.

As of a couple minutes ago, the bird is still on the same ledge, just sitting there in the dark. I left it some more Triscuit pieces, next to a water bowl that someone else left for it. I can't help hoping that it stays around for a few more days, if only for the food.

Those of you who have visited my house may have noticed a gigantic stuffed parrot, which happens to be named Tiki Bird (after the Tiki Room at Disneyland). Since this parrot has almost identical colors, I unofficially named him Tiki.

Apparently I have class tomorrow. MOOP.

Stupid quarters.

In other words, Starbucks was no longer serving espresso. Yes, you read that correctly. A Starbucks in Burbank was covered in signs explaining that they currently didn't have espresso, but you could get your favorite drink made with house blend coffee instead. I predict that Banana Republic will run out of khakis tomorrow.