While I've been dilly-dallying on other projects and trying to get over a nasty cough, LA Observed contributors have been busy. Not Mark Lacter, though — LA Biz Observed is dark this week while Mark goes on a secret mission to the Central Coast.

• TJ Sullivan was one of the bloggers who participated in a live, online discussion of tonight's exchange between the Democratic contenders for president. Republican congressman Tom Tancredo also joined in. Native Intelligence
• Bill Boyarsky, who has observed City Hall as long as anybody, gives his take on what's wrong with neighborhood councils as conceived and executed in Los Angeles. There's also the issue that the vast majority of Angelenos don't care what the councils do or say. Boyarsky
• Watching the season's first episode of "House" last night riled Erika Schickel enough for her to declare "Botox is a blight on our culture. It is destroying faces, personal histories and prime time television. We must stop this silent, disfiguring killer before it robs another actress of her most valuable tool." Native Intelligence
• Also, Erika and her daughter turn down a coveted spot at LACES, the high-end magnet school two blocks from their house. Every L.A. parent playing the magnet game will relate to this post.

• It's been thirty years since the Fonz jumped the shark on skis at Paradise Cove. Veronique de Turenne salutes the moment. Here in Malibu
• Jenny Burman asks why one of her Echo Park neighbors disposed of an American flag in her trash bin — not the blue recycle bin either. Chicken Corner
• In case you didn't notice, more than 158,000 fans attended college football games on the same night in L.A. last weekend. Phil Wallace noticed. SoCal Sports Observed

And finally:

• More email chiding LA Observed from Mike Lacey of Village Voice Media, plus reaction to recent reports on TV news and to Times reporter WIlliam Lobdell's vicarious living features. We Get Email

Sunday in West Hollywood with LAO: Erika Schickel is on a 3:15 pm panel at the WeHo Book Fair called Cracking Up: Women On the Verge of Laughter, with Meghan Daum, Beth Lapides, Cathryn Michon and Hilary Carlip. I'm on an 11 am panel called To Blog or Not to Blog, moderated by Daniel A. Olivas, with Adrienne Crew, Margo Candela and Mark Sarvas. Denise Hamilton will be in Alaska this weekend, but she's got something fun and noirish coming up with Pat Saperstein at Eating L.A.