Mapquest with a Twist

Have you all yet discovered the various websites that allow you to view the world from satellite photos? There's LiveSearch.com and Google Earth. You can type in any address and view it in photos from outer space. You can zoom in and get really good close-ups. So, I've looked up all my pertinent addresses. My childhood home. My NY apartment. My LA apartment. Essentially, they are Mapquest with pictures. More reasons to waste time on a computer (besides writing and reading these daily musings).

But, I have heard about a variation on these sites that puts a very, very sinister twist on it all.

Try linking up to MapSexOffenders.com.

I heard about this in another blog and, despite feeling a trifle unclean doing so, I signed into the link. The first thing you see is a picture of a loving family. And then you are told that you should be wary of those around you at all. If you type in a street address, you will receive a map of the surrounding area.......and these red notations of places where known sex offenders reside. I put in my LA address and about two dozen red marks immediately popped up in a five mile radius. Now, when I did so, I had a real fear that one of those red marks would tell me that my former late upstairs neighbor had some previous secret dalliances with Opie. But, good news......Barney had nothing in his pants pocket except that extra bullet.

But imagine my horror when I discovered that one of those red marks was on the next block. When I clicked on it, a name, address, police mug shot, and police record popped up. This gentleman looked like your average typical Best Buy salesman. Except, in lieu of selling LCD TVs, he was sporting a nifty conviction of lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor.


Okay, so, initially, I didn't think this was real. But, today, on my way home from church (a metaphor if I ever wrote one), I noticed that building was having an open house. I stopped the car and very gingerly walked to the intercom directory. Yep, the guy I saw was listed. In the correct apartment number and everything. I did not once consider ringing the bell and running. Who knows what his record shows if there is a website called MassMurderersathome.com.


Why do I think that he has a bowl of Hershey's Kisses right next to his front door?


Only in America can you easily get driving directions to a neighborhood pervert.


Dinner last night: my wine-promoting friend is still in town. Went to Wilson's in Culver City. A restaurant hunkered down in the middle of an art gallery. Sort of a Euro-trash menu and feel. There was reggae music being piped in, but our waiter was some young German from Dusseldorf. I had a steak that came with a nice tomato dipping sauce.