It’s Thursday, it’s a short week, it’s a so-far-ungloomy June, what could be better? How about this: Friday is right around the corner, and we’re back with more ideas for how to make this the very best Los Angeles weekend you’ve ever had. Or at least a really good one. If you’ve got something we should be covering, let us know at la[at]goodinc[dot]com


Walk Culver City’s Unique Brand of Art: For the sixth year, one of L.A.’s most creative communities takes to the streets for Artwalk Culver City. Peek inside dozens of galleries and studios, stop by Graphaids to try your hand at making your own street art and graffiti, or snag a seat on the Father’s Office patio for a craft beer. There will even be walking art: Gary Baseman’s wide-eyed ChouChou characters (above) will be brought to life in a collaboration with the Culver City High School Academy for Visual and Performing Arts that starts at Helms Bakery promptly at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Share Your Bounty in the Valley: The LA Food Swap launched earlier this year as a way for local bakers, growers, and makers to share everything from homemade pesto to hand-picked persimmons in a free, open market environment (you may have seen them as part of the community sharing center at our GOOD LA launch event). Swaps are now happening regularly all over the city, and new communities have planned upcoming events in Pasadena and Santa Monica. This weekend, the San Fernando Valley gets its first swap. RSVP to save a spot for your special spicy pickles. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Ride the Wild Los Angeles River: The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition sponsors its 11th Annual ride with six itineraries that will roll up and down the 50 miles of the Los Angeles River. Take a 15-mile family ride, embark upon a 75-mile journey to Long Beach and back, or go for the full century—that’s 100 miles (which we’re told in this case are fairly flat). Register ahead of time so you can save time on-site, then take advantage of food and live music up and down the river, no matter which way you pedal. Sunday, rides start as early as 7:30 a.m.

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  • Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
    Dogs have impressive observational powers.Photo credit: Canva

    Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.

    “A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”

    His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.

    pregnancy signs, dogs and pregnancy, pitbull behavior, pet intuition, dog overprotection, Reddit stories, viral Reddit, dog instincts, canine emotions, dog owner tips
    Otis knew before they did. Canva

    Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.

    So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”

    The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.

    Any chance your wife is pregnant?

    ZZBC | Reddit

    The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!

    “The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”

    Redditors responded with similar experiences.

    Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.

    realityisworse | Reddit

    So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?

    Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”

    The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.

    This article originally appeared last year.

  • Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.

  • ,

    Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories

    Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.

    While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.

    When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.

    Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.


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