Extra, Extra: Questions and Answers

"Noon-Five," by Tyler S. Andrews via LAist Featured Photos Pool on Flickr.

• Q: How is the San Fernando Valley like 1950's Mississippi? A:Apart from the wide lots, racism is once again rearing its ugly head. Hate crimes have nearly doubled so far this year from the same period last year with Jews and blacks taking the brunt of the attacks.
• Q: When is it time to say goodbye to your dog? A: How about when you spend $20,000 looking for your lost pooch, which one Encino man has spent the last four years three-weeks in his ongoing search for fido.
• Q: When is it going to become easier to hail a taxi in Downtown L.A.? A: Soon, if a Hail-a-Taxi pilot program, previously approved by the city's Taxicab Commissioners, is implemented.
• Q: How do some people adapt to life after war? A: By winning the Mr. California pageant, which a 21-year-old Iraqi war vet from Seal Beach did recently.
• Q: How will Obama do in California during the general election if (and when) he faces McCain in November? A: If a recent LA Times/KTLA poll is any indication, pretty damn well.
• Q: When are politicians just like us? A: When they also face home foreclosures, as is the case with Long Beach Rep. Laura Richardson. She reportedly lost her Sacramento home in a recent foreclosure auction and has defaulted on properties in Long Beach and San Pedro.