Santa Monica Police Deputy Chief Phillip L. Sanchez pretends to hopscotch during Scott Wasserman's Farewell Party at Virginia Avenue Park on Thursday, February 28, 2008.  According to wikipedia.org, Hopscotch began in ancient Britain during the early Roman Empire. The original hopscotch courts were over 100 feet long and used for military training exercises. Roman foot-soldiers ran the course in full armor and field packs to improve their footwork, much the same way modern football players run through rows of truck tires today. Roman children imitated the soldiers by drawing their own boards and creating a scoring system, and "Hopscotch" spread throughout Europe.

A blackbird sings from a branch along the Third Street Promenade on Tuesday, February 26, 2008. The Blackbird is not migratory but they do move around searching out new and more plentiful sources of food. They are sometimes seen in large flocks with other blackbirds. It is one of those rare species that is able to take advantage of urbanization. They especially like the large expanses of lawn and parking lots. The blackbird is possibly the most numerous N. America land bird. Blackbirds are most often associated with agricultural fields. They can be found in other open areas as well, including parks, campgrounds, parking lots, wetlands, and suburban and urban settings.

A man rollerblades along the bike path holding on to his hat during heavy winds on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

A passer-by admires a Ferrari  at Second Street  on Sunday, February 17, 2008.