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This quirky Frogtown sandwich shop, which also happens to serve some of the best soft serve in town, names each of its menu items after NPR hosts. One of the most popular options? The Ira Glass, Wax Paper’s riff on a classic hippie sandwich, named for the legendary host of “This American Life.” Slices of Bub & Grandma’s seeded sourdough wheat bread are swiped with a garlic aioli and then topped with half of an avocado, shredded Tillamook sharp cheddar, cucumber slices, both pickled and raw red onions for extra flavor, and a mountain of alfalfa sprouts. It’s crunchy, fresh and often sells out, so make sure to place your order early. $16.50

My friend Andrea and I had hiked about 3½ miles before we perched ourselves atop boulders near the Brown Mountain Dam waterfall. We eagerly pulled out our sandwiches, jalapeño pimento cheese, and chips and queso we’d carried in our backpacks.

Nearby, a small group of hikers glowered at us, eating jerky and protein bars, commenting on the resplendent meal before us (which we’d purchased from local deli Maciel’s). It seemed they were rethinking their food choices. 💅

I love spending time in nature, regardless of whether I’m lounging on a blanket with a friend at a park or hauling my body up a steep fire road to summit a local peak. But the uniting factor of many of the best experiences I’ve had outdoors is great food.

Below you’ll find three hikes that will lead you to great picnic spots around L.A. You’ll see that I’m defining “picnic spots” as a place that offers enough open space to take a seat, including on park benches, picnic tables and flat ground.

Before we dive in, I’d like to remind you of something I frequently scream on trails: Orange peels are trash! Please don’t leave any food out in nature that you bring with you.

“There is a common misconception that ‘natural trash’ such as orange peels, banana peels, apple cores, and shells from nuts and seeds are OK to leave behind on the trail, in campgrounds, or in other outdoor spaces,” Leave No Trace’s Erin Collier and Brice Esplin wrote in this article. “While these things are natural, they are not natural to the places they are being left. These types of trash attract wildlife to areas with human activity, affecting their health and habits.”

Now that you’ve vowed to pack out what you pack in, let’s dive into this week’s hikes.

1. Gabrielino Trail to Gould Mesa campground

Distance: 3.6 miles out and back
Elevation gained: About 300 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: The first mile of this trail is paved!

The Gabrielino National Recreation Trail is a 28.8-mile long journey from Chantry Flat Recreation Area north of Sierra Madre all the way to Ventura Street & Windsor Avenue trailhead near the Hahamongna Watershed Park in La Cañada Flintridge. It is a multi-use trail for hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders.

The trail has several beautiful sections, including from its western entrance in Hahamongna to the Gould Mesa Trail Camp.

To begin your hike, you’ll park at a large free dirt lot near the backside of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. If hiking in a wheelchair or seeking a paved path, I recommend parking at this smaller paved lot.

You can either take the paved trail or an unofficial dirt trail that follows the Arroyo Seco before leading you to the official trail. Either way, it’s a fairly easy stroll along the Arroyo Seco, shaded by coast live oaks, bay laurels and sycamore trees. After hiking about two miles, you’ll reach the Gould Mesa Trail Camp, where you can set up your picnic at one of the campground’s tables, or nearby along the creek.

And if you’d like to go a bit farther, you can continue onward to the Paul Little Picnic Site or the Brown Mountain Dam waterfall that I mentioned above. Regardless of where you stop, I promise you’ll be treated to a stunning landscape and likely hear the chirp and squawk of scrub jays, California quail and more.

2. Griffith Observatory via Fern Dell/Four Loops (Griffith Park Explorer Segment 6)

Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation gained: 750 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Griffith Park Explorer Segment 4 — Anza, Autry and Main

How often do you act like a tourist in your own city? Well, now’s the time!

The Fern Dell/Four Loops trail is a 4.1-mile figure-eight-shaped looping path through Griffith Park’s southern end. Although it doesn’t officially include a stop at the Griffith Observatory, that’s what I’d recommend, as it is such a serene place to share a meal with family and friends.

To begin, you’ll park in an O-shaped lot north of the Trails Cafe, where you could grab a meal to-go before heading out. You’ll head north from the lot, following the West Trail in a loop back south to the aptly named Loop Trail. After completing the Loop Trail’s loop, you’ll head south before taking the Observatory Trail on your next loop. If following the Griffith Park Explorer map, you’ll want to take note of when to turn to head to the Griffith Observatory.

If the Observatory area is busy, consider going just a little farther north to the Berlin Forest to have your picnic. Just make sure to link back up with the Fern Dell/Four Loops trail so you can not only enjoy the lush greenery in the Fern Dell area, but also make it back to where you parked.

3. Mt. Thom and Tongva Peak via Brand Park

Distance: About 3 miles
Elevation gained: 1,950 feet
Difficulty: Hard
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park loop

If you’ve ever looked out your plane’s window as you flew out of Hollywood Burbank Airport, and thought, “My, that trail looks hard,” you would have been correct.

The trail from Brand Park in Glendale to Mt. Thom is a grueling dirt trail, but its payoff includes stunning views of the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys and San Gabriel Mountains. And along the way, you’ll find benches and other lookout spots that would make for epic picnic spots. (Plus, if you do it, you could brag from your plane window, “I hiked up there and had these great tacos from that very peak!”)

To begin your hike, you’ll park near the Miss American Green Cross statue before heading northeast up the trail. Please note that there isn’t any water access on the trail, and it has limited shade outside of its lookout points with benches, which you’ll reach just under a mile in.

You’ll reach Mt. Thom about half a mile farther, but it will be a steep half mile. Keep going for about three-quarters of a mile, and you will find a quick offshoot that’ll take you to Tongva Peak. This is a fabulous place to relax, take in the views and, most importantly, eat.

If you’d like to skip the steep section, I’d recommend parking near the Sunshine Preserve, a critical wildlife passageway managed by the Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy. From here, you’ll take Sunshine Drive up to Las Flores Motorway, which offers an easier incline to reach Mt. Thom and Tongva Peak.

Either way, you should spot some benches and flat areas to take a seat or lay out a blanket and enjoy the expansive views of Glendale, Burbank and the cities beyond there. I promise: Your meal will taste even better after the climb to Mt. Thom — especially since it won’t be just jerky or a protein bar!

3 things to do

1. Frolic for feathered friends in L.A.
Athletes from beginner to elite have until Friday to sign up for Saturday’s 4 Mile Hill Challenge, a trail run and walk in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. Proceeds from the race benefit the Audubon Center at Debs Park. Race onlookers can partake in bird-themed activities as they cheer on their athletes. Register at 4milehillchallenge.com.

2. Get moving in Montebello
Montebello Outdoor Adventures will host a hiking trip from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Puente Hills Preserve. Guests will meet at the Cathy Hensel Youth Center (236 S. Taylor Ave. in Montebello) before being taken by free transportation on the day trip. Registration is required. Register at montebellorecreation.com via the Trips and Tours page.

3. Foster the forest in Sunland-Tujunga
The Sierra Club Angeles Chapter will host a volunteer workday from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday in Sunland-Tujunga. Volunteers will water and mulch four or more trees, helping them stave off disease or death, especially in hotter months. Participants should bring gloves and sun protection. Tools provided. Location released upon registration. Register at act.sierraclub.org.

The must-read

I continue to be amazed by the ongoing legacy of P-22, L.A.’s dearly departed lion king. On Thursday, the California Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to list six specific mountain lion populations — more than 1,400 pumas — in Southern California and the Central Coast as threatened under state law. “Hemmed in by freeways and housing, cougar clans in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains — both included in the listing — have a 16% to 28% chance of extinction in 50 years if they aren’t able to reach lions to mate with in other areas, providing genetic diversity,” wrote Times staff writer Lila Seidman. It’s hard to imagine this happening without the advocacy for mountain lions stimulated by P-22, whose memorial in 2023 lasted more than three hours and drew thousands of guests.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

Do you have a story of love on the hiking trail? Did someone break up with you atop a mountain? Or perhaps it was a marriage proposal on a peak! On April 3, The Times will host L.A. Affairs Live, a competition show featuring real dating stories from people living in the Greater Los Angeles area. The event is a spin-off of our popular dating and romance column of the same name. Seven to 10 storytellers will be selected to perform 5- to 7-minute relationship stories related to the theme of “Starting Fresh.” A live audience will choose the winner. The winner will get a written version of their story published as an L.A. Affairs column and receive a $400 payment. So, do any of our Wild readers have a lowercase-wild story to tell? Learn more about how to audition here. The deadline to submit is midnight Sunday!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Dominated by anti-crime measures passed by the 1994 Legislature, hundreds of new state laws took effect Sunday. In all, 1,349 laws were signed by Gov. Pete Wilson during the year.

The standout in the crime category, the “three strikes and you’re out” provision, took effect months ago, but now other new laws join the anti-crime arsenal.

Some substantially widen the grounds on which wrongdoers can be convicted. Others, including a tough “one strike” sentencing law for rapists, ensure that they will stay behind bars longer.

Among other new laws, one bans smoking in practically all indoor workplaces. Another lifts a ban that some employers impose against women wearing pants to work. But at schools, students may now be required to wear uniforms.

Here’s a sampling of the state’s new laws. For more information about a particular law, write to the bill’s author at the state Capitol, Sacramento, Calif. 95814. Further information is available to computer users through the Internet; a user’s guide is available from legislators.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES

Violent crimes–The minimum age at which minors charged with serious violent crimes can be tried, convicted and imprisoned as adults drops from 16 to 14. (AB 560 by Sen. Steve Peace, D-Bonita).

Parole hearings–An inmate serving time for murder is permitted to seek parole before the Board of Prison Terms only once every five years instead of once every two years. (SB 826 by Sen. Bill Leonard, R-Big Bear Lake).

Work-time credits–Violent felons can reduce their prison sentences with work-time credits by only 15%, no longer by as much as 50%. (AB 2716 by Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Sylmar).

Gun sales to minors–Prison sentences are increased for people convicted of the illegal sale or transfer of handguns to minors. (AB 2470 by Assemblyman Richard K. Rainey, R-Walnut Creek).

Ammunition sales–It is now a crime to sell ammunition to anyone under age 18. (AB 2449 by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert, D-Coronado).

Looting penalties–Judges can require community service in addition to jail time for people convicted of looting during a state of emergency such as the riots that erupted after the Rodney G. King beating trial. (AB 2965 by Assemblywoman Martha M. Escutia, D-Huntington Park).

ATM robberies–Robbing a customer at an automated teller machine becomes a specific crime, subject to penalties of three, four or six years in state prison. (SB 2908 by Sen. Tom Hayden, D-Santa Monica).

Church services–The penalty is doubled from six months to one year in jail for those convicted of disrupting religious services or preventing people from attending them. (AB 3103 by Assemblyman Gil Ferguson, R-Newport Beach).

Criminal profits–Any income derived by criminals convicted of serious crimes from books, movies or similar works resulting from their notoriety will be placed into a trust fund for the benefit of the victims of their crimes. (SB 1330 by Sen. Charles M. Calderon, D-Whittier).

911 calls–It is a crime to repeatedly harass 911 telephone operators and block legitimate emergency calls from getting through. (AB 2741 by Assemblyman Sal Cannella, D-Ceres).

Prisoner rights–Prison officials can require inmates to bathe and get haircuts, prohibit receipt of pornographic magazines and racist hate literature, and charge them a $3 fee for filing civil lawsuits. (SB 1260 by Sen. Robert B. Presley, D-Riverside).

Child abuse–A prison sentence of 15 years to life is established for those convicted of abusing a child under the age of 8 and causing the child’s death. (AB 27X by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

SEX CRIMES

Rape sentences–Perpetrators of aggravated rape or child molestation, such as those who kidnap their victims, face prison terms of 25 years to life upon a single conviction. The sentence is 15 years to life for first-time sex offenses in less violent circumstances. The law took effect Nov. 30. (SB 26X by Sen. Marian Bergeson, R-Newport Beach).

Sex offender information–The state Department of Justice will maintain a 900 toll number that people can call to find out if someone who is a registered sex offender is living in their neighborhood. (AB 2500 by Assemblywoman Barbara Alby, R-Fair Oaks).

Registration list–The list of crimes for which sex offenders must register with local law enforcement authorities after their release is expanded. (AB 1211 by Assemblyman Richard K. Rainey, R-Walnut Creek).

Sex offenders–Parents who are registered sex offenders are prohibited from assuming custody of their children and barred from making unsupervised visits. (SB 25X by Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer, D-Hayward).

HIV–Victims of sex offenders are guaranteed the right to request and obtain the result of HIV testing of their attackers. (AB 2815 by Assemblywoman Paula L. Boland, R-Granada Hills).

Child molesters–A special unit is added to the state Department of Justice to investigate child molestation complaints. (AB 3273 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Garden Grove).

Custody restrictions–Convicted child molesters are prohibited from getting custody of children conceived through their illicit conduct. (AB 1082 by Assemblyman Dean Andal, R-Stockton).

Job restrictions–Convicted child molesters or registered mentally disordered sex offenders cannot become state-licensed social workers, educational psychologists or counselors for families or children. (AB 2956 by Assemblywoman Valerie Brown, D-Sonoma).

Sex offenders–Registered sex offenders are prohibited from serving as classroom or play yard volunteers in the public schools. (AB 3458 by Assemblyman Trice Harvey, R-Bakersfield).

Sexual assault–A woman’s request that an attacker use a condom or other birth control device does not constitute consent to sexual assault. (SB 1351 by Sen. Milton Marks, D-San Francisco).

Palm prints–Registered sex offenders are required to submit full palm prints to law enforcement authorities in addition to blood and saliva samples before their release from prison. (AB 151X by Assemblyman Sal Cannella, D-Ceres).

Rape definition–The legal definition of rape is expanded to include situations in which women are unable to resist because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (AB 85X by Assemblywoman Diane Martinez, D-Monterey Park).

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Catching killers–The governor can offer a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person who kills a police officer acting in the line of duty. (SB 435X by Sen. Robert G. Beverly, R-Long Beach).

Firearms records–Gun dealers are required to make their sales records available to law enforcement officials, and the Department of Justice is required to computerize its handgun records. (SB 1308 by Sen. Steve Peace, D-Bonita).

Inspector general–An inspector general’s office is created within the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency to conduct internal audits and investigations. (SB 1462 by Sen. Ken Maddy, R-Fresno).

Stalking crimes–It will become easier to prosecute state inmates who continue to harass their victims from inside prison. (AB 3730 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Garden Grove).

Inmate movies–Wardens can prohibit sexually explicit or extremely violent movies from being shown to state prison or Youth Authority inmates. (AB 1685 by Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta).

Jailhouse sex–It is a misdemeanor for law enforcement personnel to engage in sexual relations with inmates. (AB 1568 by Assemblywoman Hilda Solis, D-El Monte).

GRAFFITI

Graffiti materials–It is a misdemeanor to possess an aerosol paint can, felt tip pen or other marking device with the intent to write graffiti or commit public vandalism. (SB 583 by Sen. John R. Lewis, R-Orange).

Graffiti cleanup–Parents of minors convicted of graffiti crimes are required to spend at least 12 hours helping their children clean up the mess. (AB 2595 by Assemblyman Tom Connolly, D-Lemon Grove).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Bodily harm–The maximum prison sentence for domestic violence convictions is increased to five years and the maximum fine is increased to $10,000. (SB 739 by Sen. Marian Bergeson, R-Newport Beach).

Firearms possession–Anyone subject to a domestic violence restraining order is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm while the order is in effect. (SB 1278 by Sen. Gary K. Hart, D-Santa Barbara).

Visitation rights–A father’s right to visit his children can be restricted in court cases in which a battered woman has obtained a domestic violence restraining order. (AB 356 by Assemblywoman Margaret Snyder, D-Modesto).

Restraining orders–A statewide registry of people under domestic violence restraining orders is established for use by law enforcement officials. (AB 3034 by Assemblywoman Hilda Solis, D-El Monte).

LEGAL SYSTEM

O.J. Simpson case–Witnesses and jurors in high-profile criminal cases such as the O.J. Simpson trial are prohibited from selling their stories to tabloid newspapers or television shows before or during the trial. (AB 501 by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, D-San Francisco).

Attorney conduct–The State Bar is to draft rules of conduct to restrict trial attorneys from making out-of-court public comments that could prejudice potential jurors. (SB 254 by Sen. Quentin L. Kopp, I-San Francisco).

900 numbers–Courts are authorized to establish 900 telephone numbers to provide callers with recorded information regarding scheduled trial dates and traffic court sessions. (AB 1800 by Sen. Tom Campbell, R-Stanford).

Attorney advertising–Attorneys are prohibited from engaging in television or radio advertising of their services that is misleading to the public. (AB 3659 by Assemblyman Paul Horcher, R-Diamond Bar).

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Juvenile decoys–Law enforcement officials are allowed to use people under age 21 as decoys to apprehend merchants who illegally sell beer, wine or liquor to minors. (AB 3805 by Assemblyman Bernie Richter, R-Chico).

Liquor stores–Licensing of new liquor stores is restricted in high-crime neighborhoods already saturated with liquor stores and bars. (AB 2897 by Assemblyman Louis Caldera, D-Los Angeles).

Beer and wine licenses–A three-year moratorium is imposed on the issuance of new beer and wine licenses in some cities in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties, depending on the ratio of population to the number of existing licenses. Fines and penalties are increased for existing liquor store operators who break the law by selling to obviously intoxicated people or to minors. (AB 463 by Assemblyman Curtis Tucker Jr., D-Inglewood).

Nude juice bars–Cities and counties are empowered to regulate so-called nude juice bars that currently sidestep local laws regulating nude entertainment by not serving alcoholic drinks. (SB 1863 by Sen. Tim Leslie, R-Carnelian Bay).

DRUGS

Trucker drug tests–Intrastate truck drivers will be subject to random drug testing just as interstate truck drivers are under existing federal law. (SB 2034 by Sen. Ruben S. Ayala, D-Chino).

Drug sales–Prison penalties are increased for those convicted of selling illegal drugs on the grounds of public parks or public beaches, including adjacent parking lots and sidewalks. (AB 2638 by Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman, D-Brentwood).

Driver’s licenses–A six-month driver’s license suspension is authorized for those convicted of any drug offense, even if it is unrelated to operation of a motor vehicle. This measure took effect Dec. 1. (AB 79X by Assemblyman Robert Frazee, R-Carlsbad).

Seized assets–The state will continue to seize property and money from convicted drug dealers, using those assets for law enforcement purposes, with new safeguards added to protect innocent people from losing their assets. (AB 114 by Assemblyman John Burton, D-San Francisco).

WOMEN

Dress codes–Employers may not stop women from wearing slacks to work in place of dresses or skirts. (SB 1288 by Sen. Charles M. Calderon, D-Whittier).

Sexual harassment–State law allowing women to sue employers and instructors for sexual harassment is expanded to allow them to sue doctors, lawyers, accountants and other white-collar professionals. (SB 612 by Sen. Tom Hayden, D-Santa Monica).

Abortion protesters–Health care facilities can sue anti-abortion protesters who block access to their premises. (AB 600 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

CHILDREN

Child support–State business and professional licenses held by parents who fail to make court-ordered child support payments can be suspended. (AB 923 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

Juvenile vandalism–The amount of money that parents or guardians may be liable for because of acts of vandalism committed by their minor children is increased from $10,000 to $25,000. (AB 308 by Assemblyman Dean Andal, R-Stockton).

Parental liability–Parents are held responsible for making court-ordered restitution for property damage committed by their children. (AB 1629 by Assemblywoman Betty Karnette, D-Long Beach).

Missing children–Telephone, gas and electric companies are required to quickly provide law enforcement officials with customer information to help find missing or kidnaped children. (AB 2333 by Assemblyman Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside).

Child seat belts–The fine for the first offense of transporting a child age 4 through 12 in a vehicle without using safety belts is increased to $50 from $20, and to $100 from $50 for subsequent offenses. (SB 2004 by Sen. Nicholas C. Petris, D-Oakland).

Bicycle helmets–Bicycle riders under age 18 are required to wear approved safety helmets or face $25 fines. (AB 2268 by Assemblyman Louis Caldera, D-Los Angeles).

Medical expenses–Divorce court judges are required to specify legal responsibilities of each parent regarding the payment of the children’s medical expenses and health insurance. (SB 1807 by Sen. John R. Lewis, R-Orange).

Tobacco sales–Merchants who illegally sell tobacco products to minors face increased fines and penalties, and the state is permitted to use sting operations to catch them in the act. (SB 1927 by Sen. Tom Hayden, D-Santa Monica).

Curfew fines–Parents whose children break local curfew laws are subject to fines of $50 or more. (AB 3797 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Garden Grove).

Adoption consent–The time period is reduced from 120 to 90 days during which a birth mother of an adopted child can change her mind, revoke consent and have the child returned to her. (AB 3336 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

Pornography–It is a misdemeanor to sell pornographic matter in a news rack unless the news rack is supervised by an adult or located in an area that is not frequented by children. (AB 17 by Sen. Steve Peace, D-Bonita).

CHILD CARE

First aid and CPR training–Child day-care home providers must undergo training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help cope with possible injuries to children under their care. (AB 243 by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert, D-Coronado).

Portable classrooms–Administrative procedures are streamlined for school districts to lease surplus portable classrooms for use as private day-care facilities. (AB 3466 by Assemblyman Ted Weggeland, R-Riverside).

Baby cribs–Manufacture and sale of baby cribs that do not comply with federal safety requirements and present an unreasonable risk of injuries to infants is prohibited in California. (AB 3760 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

SCHOOLS

School uniforms–School boards can adopt dress codes requiring students to wear uniforms on campus and stop them from wearing gang-related clothing. (SB 1269 by Sen. Phil Wyman, R-Tehachapi).

Metal detectors–One million dollars is provided to purchase metal detectors for Los Angeles senior and junior high school campuses to catch students who bring guns to school. (AB 777 by Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Sylmar).

Campus firearms–It is a felony to carry a firearm within 1,000 feet of a public or private school campus. (AB 645 by Assemblywoman Doris Allen, R-Cypress).

Hate violence–The State Board of Education is instructed to adopt policies designed to reduce acts of hate violence in kindergarten through high school. (AB 2543 by Assemblywoman Barbara Lee, D-Oakland).

Student harassment–School boards can suspend or expel students who harass, threaten or intimidate other students and create a hostile school environment in grades 4 through 12. (AB 2752 by Assemblywoman Doris Allen, R-Cypress).

Teaching credentials–The state will permanently revoke the teaching credentials of any teacher who is convicted of a felony sex offense or a drug offense involving a minor. (SB 2005 by Sen. Tim Leslie, R-Carnelian Bay).

Volunteer police–Local school boards can create unpaid volunteer police reserve corps to supplement salaried school police forces. (SB 281 by Sen. Ruben S. Ayala, D-Chino).

School leave–Employers must allow parents and grandparents of school-age children up to 40 days off per year, without pay, so they can take part in school activities. (AB 2590 by Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin, D-Fremont).

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

New state university–A portion of the old Ft. Ord Army training base in Monterey County is set aside as the site for a new state university campus. (SB 1425 by Sen. Henry J. Mello, D-Watsonville).

Cross-enrollment–Students enrolled in the community college, state college or University of California systems may take one course each term, if space is available, at a campus in one of the other systems by paying a $10 administrative fee. (SB 1914 by Sen. Lucy Killea, I-San Diego).

DRIVING

Unlicensed drivers–Police can confiscate, in some cases permanently, automobiles driven by unlicensed drivers who have a prior conviction for driving without a license or for driving with a suspended or revoked license. (AB 3148 by Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Sylmar).

Suspended licenses–Penalties are increased for those convicted of driving with a suspended license as a result of a prior drunk driving conviction. (AB 2416 by Assemblywoman Grace F. Napolitano, D-Norwalk).

Driving tests–On a two-year trial basis, private driving schools can give license-qualifying driving tests to 15,000 minor students per year with the Department of Motor Vehicles closely monitoring the program. (SB 1390 by Sen. Charles M. Calderon, D-Whittier).

Automobile theft–A statewide automobile anti-theft prevention and investigation program is established, financed by requiring auto insurance companies to pay a 20-cent fee for each vehicle that they insure. (SB 1723 by Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer, D-Hayward).

Concealed firearms–Judges can suspend or delay issuance of the driver’s licenses of minors convicted of carrying a pistol or other concealable firearm, and order them to complete up to 500 hours of community service. (AB 3499 by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell, D-Carpinteria).

Truancy punishment–The courts can suspend or delay for up to one year the driving privileges of a habitually truant minor. (SB 1728 by Sen. Teresa Hughes, D-Inglewood).

FIRES

Aggravated arson–A mandatory prison term of 10 years to life is prescribed for convicted arsonists who set fires that cause injury, $5 million in property damage or the destruction of five or more homes. (SB 1309 by Sen. William A. Craven, R-Oceanside).

Arson tracking–A statewide computerized arson information system is to be established to help local fire and law enforcement officers track, arrest and prosecute arsonists. (AB 2336 by Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Sylmar).

Arson registration–All people convicted of arson or attempted arson must register with local law enforcement officials upon their release. (AB 8X by Assemblyman Bill Hoge, R-Pasadena).

Re-roofing requirements–Residents of fire-prone regions are required to use fire-retardant materials when they re-roof their homes. (AB 3819 by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, D-San Francisco).

Super Scoopers–On a trial basis, the state will lease two so-called Super Scooper aircraft that can swoop low over bodies of water to pick up water to fight forest fires. (AB 2802 by Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman, D-Brentwood).

POULTRY

California grown–It will be a misdemeanor to say “California grown” on supermarket poultry labels if the birds were not raised in this state. (SB 1412 by Sen. Henry J. Mello, D-Watsonville).

Fresh chickens–Poultry advertised and sold as “fresh” by markets must be just that and not pre-frozen. (SB 1533 by Sen. Dan McCorquodale, D-Modesto).

CONSUMER PROTECTION

Travel agencies–A fund of more than $1.5 million is to be set up from fees paid by travel agencies and tour operators to reimburse customers if the agencies and operators skip town or go bankrupt. (AB 918 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

Price gouging–It becomes a crime for merchants to increase prices for vital goods and services by more than 10% after a natural disaster such as the Northridge earthquake. (AB 36X by Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Sylmar, and AB 57X by Assemblywoman Marguerite Archie-Hudson, D-Los Angeles).

Ticket sales–Ticket brokers who sell tickets to events such as football games and rock concerts must possess the tickets they advertise, or have an option to purchase them, and tell buyers exactly how much they will cost. (AB 3083 by Assemblyman Dede Alpert, D-Coronado).

Towing services–It is a crime for towing service operators to accept kickbacks or gifts in return for taking disabled vehicles to certain auto repair shops. (AB 3017 by Assemblywoman Juanita M. McDonald, D-Carson).

Charitable contributions–Professional fund-raisers hired by charity groups are required to give at least 50% of received donations to the sponsoring group. (AB 3443 by Assemblyman Tom Connolly, D-Lemon Grove).

Charity report–The attorney general’s office is required to publish an annual report on charitable fund-raising activities in the state with copies of the report made available to public libraries. (AB 3778 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Garden Grove).

Cable television–Cable TV customers must be notified in writing that their names and addresses will, if they wish, be deleted from mailing lists that are sold to potential advertisers. (SB 1941 by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal, D-Los Angeles).

HEALTH CARE

Premarital blood tests–Marriage license applicants no longer have to take expensive blood tests to check for syphilis and rubella. (AB 3128 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

Health care–Health insurance plans are required to allow women to name their obstetrician-gynecologists as primary care physicians. (AB 2493 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

Dalkon shields–The statute of limitations is waived for women filing claims for damages alleging that they were injured by Dalkon shield intrauterine birth control devices. (AB 2855 by Assemblywoman Marguerite Archie-Hudson, D-Los Angeles).

Genetic disease–Health care insurers are prohibited from using genetic testing to discriminate against people who carry the gene for a disease but have no symptoms of it. (SB 1146 by Sen. Patrick Johnston, D-Stockton).

Paramedic training–A statewide system is established for the examination and licensing of California’s 7,000 paramedics, replacing current local programs that vary from county to county. (AB 3123 by Assemblyman Johan Klehs, D-San Leandro).

Whistle-blowers–Continuing-care facilities are prohibited from terminating a contract with a senior citizen as retaliation for the resident filing a complaint against the care provider. (AB 2847 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

ENVIRONMENT

Offshore oil drilling–New offshore oil and gas drilling is banned in all state coastal waters–those within three miles of California’s 1,100-mile coastline. (AB 2444 by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell, D-Carpinteria).

Mono Lake–A $36-million state fund is established to permit the city of Los Angeles to replace water supplies it gets from Mono Lake, which will soon be cut off. (AB 3096 by Assemblyman Richard Katz, D-Sylmar).

District budget–The South Coast Air Quality Management District must submit its annual budget for suggested changes, and its extended forecasts for review, to the state Air Resources Board, the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Legislature. (AB 1853 by Assemblyman Richard Polanco, D-Los Angeles).

Ride-sharing programs–The air quality district cannot force employers to use cash incentives or disincentives to encourage employee ride-sharing programs. (SB 1134 by Sen. Newton R. Russell, R-Glendale).

ANIMALS AND FISH

Two-rod fishing–Purchase of a $7.50 stamp in addition to a fishing license will allow anglers to use a second rod while fishing in inland lakes and reservoirs. (SB 2115 by Sen. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena).

Bear poaching–Penalties are increased for the illegal sale or possession of bear parts that are highly valued as medicine and aphrodisiacs among some ethnic groups. (SB 1597 by Sen. Milton Marks, D-San Francisco).

Horse tripping–Intentional tripping of running horses, sometimes a feature of Mexican-style rodeos, is prohibited. (AB 49X by Assemblyman John Burton, D-San Francisco).

Meat–Slaughterhouses, stockyards and auction yards are prohibited from buying or selling animals that cannot walk by themselves, to prevent diseased meat from being sold. (SB 692 by Sen. David A. Roberti, D-Van Nuys).

VETERANS

Cabinet status–The state Department of Veterans Affairs is elevated to gubernatorial Cabinet level status and its director must now be a U.S. military veteran. (AB 2597 by Assemblyman Stan Statham, R-Oak Run).

HOUSING

Homeless shelters–National Guard armories can be used as emergency shelters for homeless people in cold and wet weather between Dec. 1 and March 15 until 1997–as a matter of law rather than executive order by the governor. (AB 1808 by Assemblyman Rusty Areias, D-San Jose).

Shelter transportation–Police officers are authorized to take people lacking evidence of any residence to the nearest homeless shelter, if there is space available and the person does not object. (SB 2083 by Sen. Tom Campbell, R-Stanford).

Mobile homes–Mobile home installations are required to meet state earthquake and wind safety requirements so they cannot be knocked or blown off their foundations. (SB 750 by Sen. A. David Roberti, D-Van Nuys).

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

No smoking–With few exceptions, a statewide smoking ban is imposed for restaurants, offices, factories and other enclosed workplaces. (AB 13 by Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman, D-Brentwood).

Workplace violence–Business owners can obtain temporary restraining orders and court injunctions against customers and others who engage in violence or make credible threats of violence against employees. (AB 68X by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert, D-Coronado).

Employer fines–Fines are increased for employers who pay their employees in cash under the table in order to avoid paying state taxes. (SB 1490 by Sen. Patrick Johnston, D-Stockton).

Home addresses–Owners of small at-home businesses who use mail-receiving services are exempted from having to disclose their home addresses so they will be less susceptible to break-ins and stalkers. (AB 171 by Assemblyman Mickey Conroy, R-Orange).

Armed security guards–State officials are charged with developing minimum standards for the selection and training of armed security guards hired to protect private businesses. (AB 1713 by Sen. Gary K. Hart, D-Santa Barbara).

Late payment fees–The cap on late payment fees is increased from $5 to $10 for retail store charge cards and installment contracts. (SB 1583 by Sen. Teresa Hughes, D-Inglewood).

Tourist information–A statewide network of visitor information centers is authorized, to encourage tourism in California to help boost the state’s economy. (SB 1983 by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal, D-Los Angeles).

MISCELLANEOUS

Chavez holiday–March 31, the birth date of the late Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers union, becomes an unpaid state holiday. (SB 1373 by Sen. Art Torres, D-Los Angeles).

Gifts and parties–A state law is repealed that previously let the lieutenant governor, attorney general, controller, treasurer, secretary of state, superintendent of public instruction and chief justice each spend up to $10,000 a year in state funds on gifts and parties. (AB 1921 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier, D-Burlingame).

Political reform–Local elected officials are held to the same restrictions regarding acceptance of speech honorariums and gifts as state elected officials. (AB 1542 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Garden Grove).

Judicial gifts–Limits are imposed on gifts that judges can receive, to be enforced by the Commission on Judicial Performance. (AB 3638 by Assemblyman Burt Margolin, D-Los Angeles).

Attorney lobbyists–Cities and counties can require attorneys who are lobbyists to register and disclose their lobbying activities. (AB 3432 by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell, D-Carpinteria).

Lawsuit damages–It is illegal to use public funds to pay court judgments against elected officials who are sued for unethical or illegal actions. (AB 2467 by Assemblywoman Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey).

Obsolete state laws–Obsolete state laws dating back to Gold Rush days are repealed, relating to such subjects as dueling penalties, “wanted dead or alive” posters and prohibiting horses from mating where they can be seen by the public. (AB 3326 by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell, D-Carpinteria).

South Africa–A ban on the investment of state pension funds in businesses that operate in South Africa is lifted now that apartheid has been abolished in that country. (AB 2448 by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, D-San Francisco).

Voter registration–Access to voter registration records is restricted to prevent stalkers from obtaining home addresses and telephone numbers of potential victims. (SB 1518 by Sen. Milton Marks, D-San Francisco).

Because of his, er, attentions to the various campaigns of Richard M. Nixon, Dick Tuck always was considered a merry prankster of Democratic persuasion. A re-evaluation may be in order. Tuck says he voted not once but twice for President Ronald Reagan.

“I rather like him,” Tuck adds. He says he voted against the Democratic contenders–Jimmy Carter in 1980 and Walter Mondale in 1984–because “I didn’t like them.”

He doesn’t think his votes distressed those on high in the Democratic Party. “Most just didn’t believe it,” he says. But in his opinion, “they don’t recognize the real world when they see it. The Democratic Party has lost touch with Americans.”

Tuck, who resembles a Gaelic Father Christmas without beard and who gives the impression that he sends his clothes to the cleaners for rumpling, has recently embarked upon a new career–but not in the GOP, or even as a free-lance anarchist.

“I’m leaving politics and going into entertainment,” he says. “Maybe I’m not changing–maybe politics is changing. It’s not the entertainment that it once was.”

Specifically, he has written an outline for what he hopes will become a film entitled “Capitol Hill Blues.” It’s about a group of young folks employed as summer interns in Congress. Their goal is to carry on in Washington as they would during Easter vacation in Fort Lauderdale–a bit of drinking, sex and even loose behavior.

“It’s kind of ‘Animal House’ in Washington,” he says, but emphasizes that its tone is somewhat loftier. The interns succumb to idealism in the course of their summer tour.

He nodded when advised that, since he’s serious about his new venture, he should start talking Hollywood, starting with calling his proposal a “project.”

“A project it is,” he says. “I have some money people–is that what you call ‘em?–who are putting together this package. They’re old friends, but they’re in this to make money. They aren’t philanthropists.”

Tuck was in town last month, making the rounds with his outline/project/package. Among those who saw it was Thomas Baer, his attorney when the Watergate Committee sought–but didn’t get–Tuck’s testimony on the political pranks he pulled against Nixon.

“I saw it and he discussed it with me, but I have made no decision yet,” says Baer, now an independent producer at Orion. And, he adds, “Anything he shows me I’ll look at carefully from every aspect, including whether he really owns it.”

(An affectionate jest. But Baer seriously wishes that his friend–regardless of what happens with “Blues”–could find employment of some sort in Hollywood. It would enliven the hamlet no end, he says, and “what he could do boggles the mind.”)

Tuck’s fame as a leg-puller on the Democratic side is chiefly due to his history of capers against Nixon, whose mind first was boggled by Tuck during Nixon’s 1950 Senate race against Rep. Helen Gahagan Douglas–for whom Tuck worked while a student at UC Santa Barbara.

Nixon’s campaigners, unaware of Tuck’s ties to Douglas, asked him to do advance work for a campus visit by Nixon. Tuck happily agreed. He booked a huge hall but only invited a handful of people. It is said that Nixon was so displeased at the tiny turnout that he fired Tuck, who was to continue bedeviling Nixon for years.

The prankster, whose dossier also includes a stint as political affairs editor of National Lampoon magazine, has himself run for public office. Just once, though.

The year was 1966, the office the state Senate district encompassing downtown Los Angeles. His allies put up billboard signs that said: “The job needs Tuck and Tuck needs the job.” For some reason, he did not win.

In a now-classic concession speech, the candidate had this to say: “The people have spoken, the bastards.”

Tuck, 61, concedes that it won’t be easy to persuade the titans of Tinseltown that his proposed film is no prank: “I would have trouble convincing anybody that anything I’ve ever done is serious–except Richard Nixon.”

But his movie is the real McCoy, he says, and “if it has any message at all, it is that Washington should not be taken too seriously.” He deplores life as it now exists there, says its current crop of inmates are a pretty drab, humorless lot indeed.

He attributes this to the fact that government now has become a full-time career, that the day of the citizen-participant is no more, that politicians, once ensconced in Washington, rarely leave because they think they are engaged in Serious Business.

He wishes everyone there would heed the advice that a friend of his, former Sen. Clair Engle (D-Calif.), once gave him. “He told me, ‘When you go to Washington, take two clean shirts. When they’re dirty, go home.’

“I think air conditioning ruined Washington,” Tuck mused. “Before it, during those muggy summers, everybody went home.”

LONGMONT, COLO. — Dale Klotz’s business repairing power tools took a nose dive when foreclosure signs sprouted up on lawns across the northern suburbs of Denver here.

He’s looking for a second job, and he wishes he wasn’t saddled with a mortgage. But amid the hard times, he took some satisfaction Tuesday in the House’s vote to turn down President Bush’s $700-billion rescue package for the financial system.

“I don’t think we ought to bail out Wall Street,” Klotz, 45, said as he loaded groceries into his white Ford pickup at a shopping center. “I’m an average American, trying to make a living. I’ve got a home mortgage I’d like to unload, but I make my payments every month.”

Why, he asked, should his tax dollars go to save reckless Wall Street executives?

Sentiments like that fueled this week’s rebellion in the House, where members bucked party leaders and the Bush administration to block approval of the rescue package.

Election-year politics also played a role, analysts say. Klotz’s representative, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.), is locked in a tight reelection battle and said she heeded the views of her constituents in voting against the bailout Monday.

“It’s not a moment at which people can put the national interest ahead of constituent interest,” said Robert Loevy, a political science professor at Colorado College.

According to one count, 30 of the 38 representatives in the most competitive Nov. 4 House races voted against the bill. Americans have bombarded members of Congress with calls and e-mails urging “no” votes, causing some computers on Capitol Hill to crash repeatedly over the last two days.

Organizations such as ACORN, or Assn. of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a national advocacy group for low-wage workers, organized rallies outside Federal Reserve offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other major cities.

“You look at an electoral battleground map and you are looking at Nevada, the foreclosure capital of the country, and Michigan and Ohio and Florida,” said Austin King, director of an ACORN center in New Orleans. “These swing states have tens or hundreds of thousands of foreclosures. Voters there want to see something done that helps them, not just Wall Street.”

On Monday, the opponents got their wish: The House rejected the plan. But stocks cratered, with the Dow Jones industrial average diving 777.68 points — a gut-wrenching experience for almost everyone with stocks, mutual funds or 401(k) retirement funds.

Stocks regained much of their losses Tuesday, but that wasn’t the only twist — as some congressional officials said they detected growing support for some kind of rescue plan.

Rep. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) said she voted against the bailout Monday after her office was swamped over the weekend with more than 1,000 calls on the plan, with just two of those in support.

But Tuesday, after attending a funeral at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, Watson said she was besieged by people demanding to know what she was going to do to get the economy back on track.

“These are teachers, nurses, regular working people, and they’re worried about their 401(k)s, their jobs, the whole economy because they don’t understand how this is all going to work,” Watson said.

Watson’s urban district bears little resemblance to Musgrave’s 4th Congressional District in the eastern part of Colorado, which is dotted with ranches and tiny agricultural settlements.

Most of that district’s population, however, is in the exurbs at the northern edge of the Denver metropolitan area. Some of those cities had the nation’s highest foreclosure rates before last year’s housing bust kicked rates even higher in parts of California and other states.

A former schoolteacher and small-business owner who was first elected to Congress in 2002, Musgrave is a staunch social and fiscal conservative who narrowly won reelection in 2006. She is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbent House members this year.

Floyd Ciruli, a Denver-based pollster, said the district is populated by people inherently unsympathetic to the proposed bailout.

“Fiscal conservatives; small-government, anti-government ideologues,” Ciruli said. Musgrave “has both a good sprinkling of those individuals in her district, and she has a personal philosophy like that.”

Even residents with starkly different politics were unenthusiastic about the bailout.

“If people who were being rescued are like you and me, working hard every day and struggling to make ends meet, that’s one thing,” said Roni Lavine, 61, a Longmont meeting planner with an Obama pin on her purse. “People are really angry that they’re losing their homes and they see these corporate executives walking out with millions of dollars.”

Still, some were unnerved at the package’s failure and eager for some action.

“There’s a perception out there it just relates to a bunch of people in New York, on Wall Street,” said Mike Preigh, a 42-year-old chemist. “But it all flows downhill. . . . Doing nothing is probably worse than doing something that’s not great.”

Musgrave announced her opposition to the bailout on Sept. 23, the day Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson presented the plan to Congress.

Her spokesman, Joe Brettell, said Musgrave was not moved by politics but by the people she represented. “The congresswoman looks at her district first, and she really feels she made the right decision,” he said.

On Tuesday, Musgrave said she was not concerned about the huge stock sell-off that followed Monday’s rejection of the bailout plan.

“We don’t answer to Wall Street,” she said in an interview on “Good Morning America.” “We answer to Main Street. We answer to our constituents.”

Later Tuesday, however, Musgrave was huddled in meetings as negotiators worked to craft revised legislation expected to go to a vote in the Senate tonight and in the House on Thursday. “It is important,” she said in a statement, “for people around the country to know that we are actively working toward a solution to this problem.”

—

nicholas.riccardi@latimes.com

william.heisel@latimes.com

Riccardi reported from Colorado and Heisel from California.

In the last several months, Tim Russert of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” one of TV’s toughest interviewers, struck out with two of his biggest “gets”:

In August, he quizzed Sen. John F. Kerry, “You both were members of Skull and Bones, a secret society at Yale. What does that tell us?”

Kerry: “Not much, because it’s a secret.”

In February, he asked President Bush, “You were both in Skull and Bones, the secret society?”

Bush: “It’s so secret we can’t talk about it.”

Such coyness on the part of grown men! And yet, their recalcitrance does prove one thing: The guys can keep a secret.

But is that good? Secrecy, after all, leads to rumors. And the rumors about Skull and Bones — naked confessions of sexual conquests, grave robbing, free money and, of course, plans for world domination — don’t look good on the presidential resume. Those rumors received a boost when it became apparent that, for the first time in history, two Bonesmen will face off for the presidency in November.

“It’s certainly a coincidence that lends itself to attention,” said the historian Kevin Phillips, whose recent work, “American Dynasty,” explores how the Bushes have benefited from what he calls “crony capitalism.” “Is it nefarious? I guess it’s a little insidious.”

Journalist and author Ron Rosenbaum (Yale ‘68), who wrote the seminal article on Skull and Bones for Esquire in 1977, thinks the Bush-Kerry coincidence should be treated thoughtfully. “Obviously, it’s part of what shaped the character of the two presidential candidates, and yet there’s a lot of overblown conspiracy theory that has outweighed the seriousness.”

Indeed, a serious political discussion might examine the meaning of both presidential candidates maintaining an inherently undemocratic affiliation and refusing to address an important aspect of their university lives. Instead, discussions on the Internet, talk radio and cable TV, generally turn on suspicions that Skull and Bones has attempted to mastermind a “new world order” in which only a handful of wealthy, old-line families control the planet.

“Is this a satanic cult? No. Is this a group that operates as a shadow government? No. Is this a group that has an institutionalized superiority complex? Yes,” said Alexandra Robbins, a 27-year-old journalist and Yale alumna whose book “Secrets of the Tomb” explores the 172-year-old club based on interviews with 100 anonymous Bonesmen. Bones, she said, has “a power agenda” that “prioritizes its own elitism and its own members above other concerns.”

Rosenbaum disputes that there is a specific “power agenda” at work. “I would say the best way of describing it is by analogy to the old boys’ network in England, where graduates of Eton and Oxford and Cambridge form a network of influence and power and share a mind-set. They know each other, they trust each other and they bonded at an early age.”

If nothing else, Skull and Bones has produced some odd bedfellows. “I am a liberal Democratic criminal defense attorney who voted for George Bush, and I will vote for him again,” said Bush’s fellow Bonesman Donald Etra, an Orthodox Jew who lives in L.A. and was appointed by Bush to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Etra, who called himself “a strong Zionist,” said one of his closest Bones friends is a Jordanian-born Muslim. “Most of us,” he said, “put friendship first and politics a far, far second.”

Next month, an eclectic group of 15 juniors will be tapped for Skull and Bones by this year’s seniors. There have never been specific criteria for membership, which in generations past might have included some standard campus types: the editor of the Yale Daily, an outstanding athlete, a son of a Bonesman etc. Women were admitted in 1991, after a rancorous 20-year battle.

Bones members spend each Thursday and Sunday of their senior year in the Tomb, the group’s clubhouse on High Street in the middle of the Yale campus. It is windowless, ersatz Greco-Egyptian temple, readily identified on Yale maps.

“It’s kind of foreboding looking,” said a 48-year-old Toronto writer who sneaked into the Tomb with her boyfriend during spring break 1975. “They made it into this big mystery thing. But it wasn’t. It’s just like a big clubhouse, but it’s not in a tree.” There was a large dining room with a long table, and she recalled a room full of license plates. “They were always ripping things off with ‘322’ on them.”

The number 322 is a variation on the year (1832) that the club was founded by William H. Russell, a Yale student who modeled it after one he’d encountered in Germany. At its inception, said Dr. Alan Cross, one of Kerry’s classmates and a third-generation Bonesman, the club was “basically a debating society, where members of the senior class would get together and discuss important topics of the day.” (Bonesmen have a special regard for Demosthenes, the famed Greek orator who died in 322 BC.)

In later generations, the conversations became not just confessional but confrontational in the manner of group therapy, according to some reports. There was always security, said Cross, a professor of social medicine and pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in the knowledge that “what goes on inside, what people reveal about themselves … would stay inside the building.”

Not surprisingly, given Yale’s lofty status in the firmament of American universities, Bonesmen often have occupied positions of power and prestige as adults. Three have become president (both Bushes and William Howard Taft). A partial roster of the famous includes diplomat Averill Harriman, poet Archibald MacLeish, financier Dean Witter Jr., Time magazine founder Henry Luce, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, national security advisor McGeorge Bundy, writers William F. Buckley and Christopher Buckley, former Sen. David Boren and FedEx founder Frederick Smith.

Not every Bonesman has loved the club unconditionally. As an adult, William Sloane Coffin, the Yale chaplain known for his opposition to the Vietnam War, developed a distaste for it. “He thought it was inappropriate,” said Cross. “A snobby thing. We were discouraged from gathering in groups around campus because it would perpetuate the notion that this was an elitist group.”

But of course, it is an elite group. Members can’t apply for membership — they are secretly elected. They have lifelong access to Deer Island, a private 40-acre sanctuary in the St. Lawrence River, which is owned by Skull and Bones’ corporate parent, the Russell Trust Assn. And they are accorded other, less tangible benefits for life, not the least of which are their connections to the well-connected.

The Bush family has a long history with Skull and Bones. George W. Bush’s father tapped him in 1967, as a favor to the seniors who nominated him. The president’s grandfather, Prescott Bush, who was a U.S. senator, supposedly boasted in a journal that he stole the skull of Geronimo in 1918 for display among the many osseous relics in the Tomb, according to Robbins.

The current college generation of Bushes may represent a break in family tradition: Barbara Bush, a Yale senior, reportedly rejected an invitation to join the club.

Kerry, tapped in 1965, has no family history with Bones, although David Thorne, the twin of his first wife, Julia, is a member, as was his current wife’s first father-in-law, John Heinz.

Whether the president and his challenger are influenced by their Skull and Bones associations is, in a general sense, a matter of record. Both men have close friends and political contributors who are Bonesmen. Bush’s early forays into business were helped along by older Bonesmen. Bush has appointed several of his clubmates to government positions, including William H. Donaldson, the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tales from a ‘savage’

The general goings on in the Tomb — particularly of eras past — are not truly secret anymore. This is due, mostly, to the investigative efforts of the two Yalie journalists, Rosenbaum and Robbins.

Robbins was an editorial assistant in the Washington bureau of the New Yorker when she first wrote a story about Skull and Bones for the Atlantic in 2000, which she expanded into a book two years later. Her own membership in a Yale secret society, Scroll and Key, helped open doors. “I got a lot of hang-ups and a lot of gruff voices saying, ‘I’m not talking to you about that!’ ” But when she identified herself as a “savage” — Bones-speak for a member of another secret society — it worked as an entree. (Regular folks are “barbarians.”)

Robbins has revealed that all Bonesmen receive lifelong nicknames, some handed down. (The president’s father, she writes, was “Magog,” a name given to the most sexually experienced Bonesman. George W. never got around to choosing a nickname and was dubbed “Temporary.”)

Like Rosenbaum (who has participated in covert taping operations of Bones rituals with infrared equipment), Robbins has written about the Tomb’s initiation rites. Bonesmen dress up as a variety of characters — “right out of Harry Potter meets Dracula” — and conduct what she has described as “a cross between haunted-house antics and a human pinball game.”

“World domination aside,” she writes in “Secrets of the Tomb,” the most pervasive rumors about Bones are that initiates must masturbate in a coffin while recounting their sexual exploits and that their candor is ultimately rewarded with a no-strings gift of $15,000.”

No Bonesmen interviewed for this article would comment on the nature of the confessional conversations. But Cross and Etra laughed at the idea that there was a monetary gift. “There was no check,” said Cross. Another Bonesman who graduated from Yale in 1975 and lives in Los Angeles, agreed: “That’s ridiculous! I never got any money.”

‘Somewhat laughable’

Despite the fact that the presidential race has kindled interest in Skull and Bones, many believe the club has been in a long decline. Admitting women may have struck a blow for equality, but the Tomb just hasn’t generated much juicy buzz since then.

These days, wrote Franklin Foer in an April 2000 issue of the New Republic, Yale’s secret societies are “high temples of political correctness” where women outnumber men and “conservatives are scarce.”

While Kerry has said that he favored admitting women, the Bush position is not known. However, rumors have it that some older Bonesmen have forsaken the club now that it is coed.

“Once upon a time there was something called the Eastern Establishment, and Skull and Bones was a significant institution feeding into it,” said Jacob Weisberg, 39, editor of the online magazine Slate. “There is the residue of it, but it is not the same kind of network, not the same kind of career path.”

Weisberg should know.

In spring 1986, Weisberg, a Yale student interning at the New Republic, was invited to Kerry’s office. “I was writing about politics, so I thought maybe he was going to give me a scoop or something,” Weisberg said. But when Weisberg showed up, Kerry tapped him for Skull and Bones.

“I said, ‘Sen. Kerry, as a liberal, how do you justify supporting this club that doesn’t admit women?’ ”

Kerry was taken aback. According to Weisberg, Kerry said: “I’ve marched with battered women.”

Weisberg declined the tap and has no regrets.

“The institution is somewhat laughable at this point,” he said. “That we’re having a presidential race with two alumni of this club tells you something, but it tells you more about what’s changed, because it’s inconceivable that in 20 years we’ll have an election where two candidates are from Skull and Bones. This is the last time this could plausibly happen. I think it’s sort of the last gasp.”

In the streets of Cartagena, Colombia, cumbia musicians beat tambora drums and blow into flautas, women in red, yellow and blue ruffled dresses whisk by, and sweating food vendors push carts, their arepas sizzling.

Among the music and striking color of Cartagena, my dad handed me my first arepa. Arepas are the most essential dish of Colombia and neighboring Venezuela, centered around South America’s most treasured crop: corn.

To prepare an arepa, corn kernels are ground into flour or pre-ground corn flour is used (often the iconic yellow bag of Venezuelan brand P.A.N.), and mixed with water and salt. The soft dough is then fried, grilled or baked into a pancake-like shape. The result is delightfully simple yet endlessly customizable.

“My memory of arepas is eating them morning, afternoon and night,” said Yesika Baker, owner of Chamo’s Venezuelan Cuisine in Pasadena. “In Venezuela, the areperas are open 24/7.”

The arepa has deep roots. Before Colombia and Venezuela came to be known as separate territories, they were unified by Indigenous groups with similar culinary traditions. When the Spanish first arrived in South America, Indigenous women were cooking corn cakes similar to the modern arepa, meaning the tradition likely goes back thousands of years, according to University of Venezuela anthropology professor Ocarina Castillo.

Today, the arepa is popular in both countries. In Colombia, an arepa tends to be simple: topped with cheese by street vendors, filled with egg for a tasty breakfast or, most often, served as a side to a hearty meal. Some say the masa of a Colombian arepa tends on the thinner side as well.

“Growing up in Colombia, the arepa is like the Mexican’s tortilla. Everything comes with an arepita,” said Santiago Restrepo, owner of Sus Arepas in East L.A. “Venezuelans, on the other hand, use it like a pita — stuffed. With Venezuelan-style arepas, you can really have fun with the fillings.”

The Venezuelan arepa “rellena” or stuffed style, is one that you’ll see dominate this list, with an experimental appeal that makes them a favorite for Angelenos. One of Venezuela’s most popular arepas is the Reina Pepiada, which translates to “curvy queen” and is typically filled with shredded chicken, avocado, cilantro and mayonnaise. According to Castillo, the name is in honor of a real beauty queen, Susana Duijm, the first Venezuelan to win Miss World in 1955.

In Colombia and Venezuela, it’s common to eat arepas at least once a day, especially at breakfast. But for a dish so essential to millions of people, for a long time, arepas were underrepresented in L.A.’s food scene.

“When I first moved to L.A. [in the ‘80s], you couldn’t find arepas anywhere,” Restrepo said. “Up until 2020, I wouldn’t have considered them a popular dish here. But just in the past few years, they’ve exploded.”

Restrepo credits their meteoric rise to a photogenic appeal. If you’re an avid consumer of food content online, then you’ve likely seen the arepa rellena — after a typical wait time of 20 minutes, they come layered and overflowing with ingredients like shredded beef, stewed beans, melted cheese or plantains.

“A good arepa rellena is all in the fillings,” said Mercedes Rojas, chef of the Arepa Stand, which pops up at local farmers markets on the weekends.

From creative picks stuffed with mango and cheese to a Koreatown-inspired arepa with bulgogi and plenty of traditional options, this guide features nine standouts in L.A.’s growing arepa scene.

Although, for your sake, don’t try to ask which country created the arepa, or who does it best. “It’s a long fight, amiga,” Baker said. “From Venezuela or Colombia, we defend our arepas.”

Nina J. Easton does us a disservice by attempting to relate so closely the ‘60s violence of the Left and the ‘90s violence of the Right (“America, the Enemy,” June 18).

In terms of tragedy, the Oklahoma bombing stands alone, its carnage having exceeded by plenty any other terrorist act in U.S. history. It was designed to kill and maim as many people as possible. The Far Left simply hasn’t operated in that coldblooded a manner. For example, the explosives planted in 1970 in a Wisconsin ROTC building by the ultra-left Weathermen were timed to go off at 4 a.m., when few would be present.

The right-wing militias address no social ills; they tend only to their paranoid fantasies. By contrast, in an earlier day, the Black Panthers swaggered menacingly with weapons bared but also established breakfast programs to feed inner-city children.

The violent Left has taken hostages, blown up buildings, incited riots and, like their right-wing counterparts, imagined a world where government agents were hidden behind every door. But societal benefits like Social Security, equal voting rights and child-labor laws were initially espoused only by the Left, which worked tirelessly to bring these simple manifestations of fairness into mainstream political dialogue.

Conversely, right-wing militias exist only to prepare for, and eventually wage, war. They arm themselves against phantoms, against enemies so ill-defined that they could be pointing a gun at you or me–or anyone at all.

Searching through the rambling, angry diatribe that the militias spew over the airwaves and web sites, one cannot find even a hint of goodwill for humankind, or any sort of notion for a better world, however cocky or deranged. No, the right-wing militias discuss only war: how to plan, train for and eventually execute assaults on people who are different than they are, people whose skin color is different, whose political beliefs differ from those of the militia.

The Left in this country has given us a legacy–a mixed one, to be sure, but a rich history that includes organizing laborers and bread lines as well as violent cell groups. For every rock thrown, there have been hundreds of jobs saved and social benefits secured as a result of left-wing agitation in America. Right-wing militias are simply a powder keg waiting to blow.

Unfortunately, Easton has offered the raucous Right a fig leaf, behind which they can continue their frightening march to battle.

Winston Steward

Los Angeles

*

Easton fails to comprehend that political and moral consciousness undergoes changes during times of massive paradigm shifts. Her article compares and equates very different sets of people and differing sets of paradigms. It reads like one of those “high-concept” duds that the film industry makes because the marketing departments likes the pitch.

“America the Enemy” relies on the repetition of the premise “If ‘A’ existed in the 1960s Left, then ‘B’ exists in the 1990s Right.” It’s as if the force of a grammatical structure conveys meaning, even when the data doesn’t wash. Despite occasional accuracies that either A or B did in fact exist, the common or even causal relationship implied in the “if . . . then” structure usually does not exist.

Someone who experienced either period, or who did the necessary homework on either era, or who could handle Tom Hayden and Richard Flacks as resources rather than as sources of cognitive dissonance would certainly have qualms about getting this piece into print.

Seeing patterns that don’t exist, and linking unconnected things, are signals of the paranoid style in American politics described by historian Richard Hofstadter. Perhaps bad mental processes really are viral. However, a paranoid style in American journalism will not do.

Arthur M. Eisenson

Los Angeles

*

“America The Enemy” was a typical oversimplification of a complex issue. It will probably come as an unpleasant surprise to Easton and many others that the NRA has more than a few members, black and white, who are more truly liberal than those who favor the disarming of ordinary citizens. The NRA is one of the few subjects on which it is possible for Left and Right to agree.

Art Volkman

Inglewood

*

The story comparing the bombers of the ‘60s and ‘90s was terrible.

The cover matched photographs of the Greenwich Village townhouse explosion with Oklahoma City, but in the Greenwich Village case, the only people blown up were the bomb-makers themselves. Inside the magazine, a photograph of Tom Hayden in 1969 was matched with one of Timothy McVeigh–completely outrageous.

Hayden never blew up anybody. What is going on at The Times?

Jon Wiener

Los Angeles

*

Comparing ‘90s militias with ‘60s Marxist radicals was a masterpiece of liberal disinformation.

To accurately frame today’s political reality, one must start with the premise that the ‘60s radicals–in the form of state Sen. Tom Hayden, our hapless boy President Bill Clinton and their ilk–have taken over the government and are aggressively moving to destroy the Constitution, as Clinton’s budgetary, crime and anti-terrorism legislation proves beyond a doubt. Add in 30 years of irresponsible deficit spending by liberals in both major parties and it becomes obvious that the government will very soon be intentionally bankrupt. A general economic collapse and a depression will inevitably follow–all according to plan.

The militias are only reacting to these not-so-veiled attacks on the Constitution and preparing for civil warfare, the only logical upshot to this kind of treachery.

Loyal Americans who form legal militias in support of a limited democratic republic are our future, if this country and the Constitution are to survive into the the millennium.

You aren’t going to be able to hide that fact much longer.

Michael A. Pacer

Glendora

Across East and Southeast Asia, and throughout diaspora communities in Los Angeles, Lunar New Year marks a season of renewal. It’s a time of deep reflection and collective gathering, as homes are refreshed, elders are honored and streets fill with lion and dragon dances.

Food is central to the celebrations, with dishes chosen as much for what they represent — abundance, unity and good fortune in the year ahead — as for how they taste.

This year ushers in the Year of the Horse — and not just any Horse, but the Fire Horse, a particularly dynamic pairing in the lunar calendar. The timing couldn’t be better. The horse is traditionally associated with energy, momentum and reinvention, and when paired with the fire element, which amplifies passion and action, this year speaks to our desire to move, create and reclaim a sense of possibility — even in the wake of devastating wildfires, immigration raids and widespread uncertainty.

While Lunar New Year officially kicks off on Feb. 17, celebrations in Los Angeles will take place all month and into the next, with banquet-style feasts, limited-time collaborations and cultural performances. Whether you’re seeking a symbolic meal or a lively street celebration, here are 25 festive ways to ring in Lunar New Year across L.A.

John Mayer calls it “adult day care”: the historic recording studio behind the arched gates on La Brea Avenue where famous musicians have been keeping themselves — and one another — creatively occupied since the mid-1960s. Known for decades as Henson Studios — and as A&M Studios before that — the 3-acre complex in the heart of Hollywood has played host to the creation of some of music’s most celebrated records, among them Carole King’s “Tapestry,” Joni Mitchell’s “Blue,” Guns N’ Roses’ “Use Your Illusion” and D’Angelo’s “Black Messiah.” Charlie Chaplin, who was born in London, began building the lot in 1917 in a white-and-brown English Tudor style; he went on to direct some of his best-known films, including “Modern Times” and “The Great Dictator,” on the property. In 1966, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss bought the place and made it the base for their A&M Records; they converted two of the lot’s soundstages into high-end recording studios that drew the likes of Sergio Mendes, the Carpenters, Stevie Nicks, U2 and John Lennon.

In 1985, A&M’s parquet-floored Studio A was where Quincy Jones gathered the all-star congregation that recorded “We Are the World” in a marathon overnight session; in 2014, Daft Punk evoked the studios’ wood-paneled splendor in a performance of “Get Lucky” with Stevie Wonder at the 56th Grammy Awards.

Now, with an eye on preserving the spot at a moment of widespread upheaval in the entertainment industry, Mayer and his business partner, the filmmaker McG, have finalized a purchase of the lot, which they bought for $44 million from the family of the late Muppets creator Jim Henson and which they’ve renamed Chaplin Studios in honor of the silent-film giant who broke ground on it more than a century ago.

There are plenty of ways to celebrate Black History Month here in Los Angeles, whether you’re looking to honor jazz innovators like Miles Davis or recognize those who are making history now, including a Black woman-founded grocery store that provides organic vegan produce to South L.A. neighborhoods.

This year marks the centennial celebration of Black history across the United States — though that time frame spans only a fragment of how long African Americans have been contributing to this country.

In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson and the Assn. for the Study of Negro Life and History spearheaded the first celebration of Negro History Week during the second week of February, overlapping with Frederick Douglass’ birthday on Feb. 14 — to encourage the study of African American history. President Gerald Ford officially designated February as Black History Month in 1976, during the U.S. Bicentennial.

The culinary achievements of Black Americans are countless, from the early cooks who codified the foundations of Southern cuisine to activists who launched affordable food hubs in underserved neighborhoods and restaurateurs helming some of the best restaurants in the country.

Here are 15 ways to celebrate Black History Month 2026 deliciously in Los Angeles.

Mayor Karen Bass, delivering the first of two State of the City addresses planned this year, urged Angelenos on Monday to come together ahead of the 2028 Olympics while announcing a push to clean up Los Angeles’ busiest streets in the run-up to the Games.

The mayor spoke at the Expo Center in Exposition Park in front of hundreds of city workers and politicos. A second address is planned for April.

After both the UCLA and USC marching bands played to welcome the mayor, she fittingly homed in on a theme of unity as the region prepares to host the World Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Super Bowl, among other events. But she also said that Angelenos needed to unite in the face of immigration raids, the homelessness crisis and the fires that burned in the city last year.

“Even in this difficult chapter, in our history, great events — moments of unity — are possible. And they are coming,” Bass said.

“As we prepare for … the greatest Olympic and Paralympic Games in history — we will continue to focus on the fundamentals, the things that shape how a city feels to the people who live here and the millions who will visit,” Bass said.

The preparation will include a continued focus on cleaning up encampments through Bass’ signature program, Inside Safe, she said.

Bass also announced a new clean streets initiative dubbed Clean Corridors, which she said would “accelerate beautification” of major thoroughfares throughout the city in advance of the Olympics.

“We will crack down on any illegal dumping, those who cut corners, avoid disposal fees, and leave a mess for workers and neighbors to deal with,” she said.

The announcement comes just months after the head of the city’s Bureau of Sanitation left her post.

The mayor also focused on the Trump administration’s continued immigration raids that have led to protests in downtown Los Angeles and across the country. She spoke about the shooting in Los Angeles of Keith Porter by federal agents.

“Staying silent or minimizing what is happening is not an option. This administration does not care about safety. They don’t care about order. And they most certainly do not care about the law,” she said.

The mayor also spoke about the Palisades fire, saying she and Councilmember Traci Park would head to Sacramento next week to call for more investment in the rebuild of the Palisades. Already, 400 homes are under construction in the Palisades and hundreds more are approved and ready to be built, she said.

“We are not just rebuilding — we are rebuilding smarter, faster, and safer,” she said. “Families are returning home.”

The announcement came after a week in which President Trump criticized the city’s rebuild for going too slowly, and said he would preempt the city’s ability to issue permits for people rebuilding after the Palisades fire.

The president announced in an executive order that victims of the fire using federal aid money could self-certify to federal authorities that they have complied with local health and safety standards.

The mayor decided to deliver two States of the City this year. Traditionally, she and other mayors have made a single speech in April before releasing the proposed annual budget for the new fiscal year.

The mayor said the first of the two speeches would serve as a countdown to the 2026 World Cup, which will feature eight matches at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium.

Her second State of the City is likely to focus more on the city’s budget issues.

Last year, the mayor and City Council had to close a $1-billion budget shortfall. During her State of the City in 2025, the mayor announced likely layoffs to city workers in order to produce a balanced budget.

The city ultimately avoided making any layoffs through other cuts and agreements with city unions. But the city is likely to face another tough budget year in the upcoming fiscal year.

BRITISH superstar Harry Styles is heading to Hollywood.

On Sunday night the As It Was singer returned to the Grammys to present Album of the Year – keeping a low profile by skipping the red carpet and ceremony.

And now The Sun can reveal Harry Styles, 31, is on the brink of announcing a huge residency in California as part of his upcoming Together, Together tour.

Sources have confirmed that Harry has committed to a run of shows in Los Angeles in Spring 2027.

He is currently weighing up which venue to call home after being met with two huge offers.

The management team of The Intuit Dome and The Kia Forum both have sent him big money deals.

The Sun understands a staggering 30 dates are on the table to match his upcoming run of shows in New York.

He will play 30 nights at the iconic Madison Square from August 26 – he only announced US shows. 

Harry played a 15 night run at The Forum in late 2022 and early 2023 with Love On Tour.

Meanwhile, The Intuit, home to the LA Clippers, is the most technologically advanced LA gig spot with lights in seats and a cutting edge audio system. 

A source said: “Harry is heading to Hollywood.

“He is definitely playing LA on this tour. He has mind set on a residency in early 2027.

“The question is which venue would work for him.  He has been offered The Forum and The Intuit Dome and it’s his choice which he prefers.

“The Forum gigs were some of his most free, fun and exhilarating shows on his last tour. 

“He was relaxed throughout the run and really touched by how the fans reacted to him.

“A 20 to 30 night run would be an instant sell out. He could probably play double that amount.

“Interestingly the team which booked these venues are the same people because both have the same ownership.”

The insider added: “The LA leg will be announced as part of an expansion of his tour.”

Last week Harry announced his Together, Together Tour – which included six nights at Wembley Stadium supported by Shania Twain.

The Sun were the first to reveal how that number was set to double to 12 shows.

It means he now holds the title of the act who has played the venue the most times on a single tour.

Coldplay previously held the record with ten nights at the North London venue as part of their Music of the Sphere’s Tour.

Josef Centeno, who once dominated the corner of 4th and Main streets in downtown L.A. with his “Centenoplex” of restaurants, all centered around cozy Bäco Mercat, closed his Tex-Mex-ish restaurant Bar Amá in December to open Le Dräq, which brings the most popular dishes from the two restaurants onto one menu, including cheesy bäco bread, a mushroom coca made with vegan dough and green chicken enchiladas. Expect the menu to rotate often but to consistently feature eight dishes from Bäco Mercat, eight from Bar Amá and eight from Takoria, a new market-driven concept. The house burger is a standout, with pillowy milk bread from Centeno’s Orsa & Winston restaurant next door, a thick beef patty, Havarti cheese, and iceberg lettuce and raw red onion for crunch.

SAY THIS MUCH for President Bush: He is not deaf to the inner whispers of his intuition.

“I know there’s no evidence that shows the death penalty has a deterrent effect,” he reportedly said as Texas governor, “but I just feel in my gut it must be true.”

Six years and two wars into his presidency, the president still relies on his gut instincts. His recent fly-in to Baghdad was, he explained to U.S. troops, “to look Prime Minister [Nouri] Maliki in the eyes — to determine whether or not he is as dedicated to a free Iraq as you are.” The president’s snap assessment? “I believe he is.” He told Larry King in an interview last month: “If you make decisions based upon what you believe in your heart of hearts, you stay resolved.”

In flying by the seat of his pants, Bush has much company.

“Buried deep within each and every one of us, there is an instinctive, heart-felt awareness that provides — if we allow it to — the most reliable guide,” offered Prince Charles, whose decisions also have been relentlessly second-guessed for much of his adult life.

For those disposed to follow their inner guide, today’s pop psychology offers books on “intuitive healing,” “intuitive learning,” “intuitive managing,” “intuitive trading” and much more.

So, when hiring and firing, fearing and risking, investing and gambling, should we follow Bush’s example and tune down that analytical, linear, left-brained mind? Should we stop obsessing over logic and data and trust the force within?

Today’s psychological science documents a vast intuitive mind. More than we realize, our thinking, memory and attitudes operate on two levels — conscious and unconscious — with the larger part operating automatically. We know more than we know we know.

Studies show that as we gain expertise, even reasoned judgments can become automatic. Rather than wend their way through a decision tree, experienced car mechanics and physicians will often, after a quick listen and look, diagnose problems. Chess masters intuitively know the right move. And Japanese chicken sexers use complex pattern recognition to separate newborn pullets and cockerels with near perfect accuracy.

Moreover, we’re all experts when it comes to reading people’s emotions. Psychologists Nalini Ambady and Robert Rosenthal report that after viewing mere “thin slices” of college professors’ teaching — three two-second clips — observers’ ratings of them correlate well with students’ end-of-semester ratings. To gain a sense of someone’s energy and warmth, six seconds will often do.

So, is our president smart to harness the powers of his intuition? Or should he, and we, be subjecting our hunches to scrutiny?

Intuition is important, but we often underestimate its perils. My geographical intuition tells me that Reno is east of Los Angeles and that Rome is south of New York. But I am wrong. “The first principle,” said Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, “is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.” In hundreds of experiments, people have greatly overestimated their eyewitness recollections, their interviewee assessments and their stock-picking talents. It’s humbling to realize how often we misjudge and mispredict reality and then display “belief perseverance” when facing disconfirming information.

We fear things that claim lives in bunches. Smoking kills 400,000 Americans a year, and carbon dioxide looks to be the biggest weapon of mass destruction, but terrorists frighten us more. We are told, but are unmoved by, statistics showing that the most dangerous part of air travel is the drive to the airport.

Intuition — automatic, effortless, unreasoned thinking — guides our lives. But intuition also errs, and false intuitions may go before a fall.

After meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bush felt that he had him sized up. “I looked the man in the eye,” Bush said. “I was able to get a sense of his soul.” But the president has since expressed frustration at Putin’s democracy-suffocating record. Bush also told Bob Woodward that intuition was a key to his decision to launch the Iraq war: “I’m a gut player. I rely on my instincts.” Bush still insists that he made the right decision, but most Americans now disagree.

The president, like all of us, should check his intuitions against the facts. He can welcome the creative whispers of the unseen mind, but only as the beginning of inquiry. Smart thinking often begins with hunches but continues as one examines assumptions, evaluates evidence, invites critique and tests conclusions. As Proverbs says: “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.”

Eclectic and cozy define the spirit of this North Hollywood coffee shop owned by Jennifer Jackson and Libby Ward. The name (and whale logo) is a playful twist on corporate giant Starbucks (with “Starbuck” being a character in “Moby Dick”), and the satire extends to the names of the drink sizes: guppy (small), trout (medium) and whaley (large).

Inside, the whimsical nautical vibe continues in the front room with a floor mural, resembling the deep blue sea and various colorful sea creatures, done by local illustrator Tak Sparks.

Three back rooms with bold colored walls — green, blue, yellow and orange — feel like living rooms with wooden stools, desks, chairs and tables, area rugs, upholstered armchairs and worn leather seats. Out back, a shaded patio strung with Edison bulbs extends the seating.

The walls recently featured art by local comic artist/illustrator Josh Maikis, as well as art by two of the shop’s employees’ parents, J.H. Smith’s ink and intaglio prints and Carolyn Root’s wildlife paintings.

In the front space, bags of free coffee grounds are available for customers to take home for composting. There’s also a propagation station where you can leave or take plant clippings.

Beyond seasonal drinks and espresso-based drinks, try unusual signature offerings like the Shiny Squirrel, a blended espresso with caramel, whipped cream, white and dark chocolate, and sprinkles on top. Or, if coffee isn’t your thing, there are smoothies, hot chocolate and Italian sodas, and a wide array of teas. Jackson is also an herbalist and makes some of them, including Good Night Moon and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, with her own herbs.

Here, the coffee doesn’t stop at the beverages. Even a caprese sandwich has coffee in the balsamic vinegar.