READING ROOM

betel nut beauty?
Last time I was in Taiwan, driving out from Taipei and into the smaller cities on the island, I couldn't help but notice the preponderance of betel nut stands, most of them staffed by "provocatively" dressed, young women. The LA Times reports on the phenom in today's paper.

The Times also has a profile of Mirai Nagasu, the 14 year old skater from San Gabriel Valley who is set to be the next major U.S. skater. (Begin your Kwan/Yamaguchi comparisons now!)

And in unexpected Southland news, crime in Antelope Valley - which has taken it on the chin during the implosion of the real estate market - is actually down 10%; the lowest rate since 2001. Given the financial hardships in cities like Palmdale and Lancaster, conventional wisdom says the rate should climb but as some have suggested, changes in the crime rate do not always conform to expectation. That said, let's hope this trend continues elsewhere, especially the equally hard-hit Inland Empire.

--O.W.