Statue

MEXICO CITY - The leafy green parks of Mexico City's elegant Polanco neighborhood have their politically comforting statues. There's Abraham Lincoln, poised thoughtfully near a shallow pond. Across from him, there's Martin Luther King. And a few blocks away, Mohandas Gandhi. And then there's the newest addition, a real head-scratcher: Heydar Aliyev, the late strongman of Azerbaijan. The presence of Aliyev, in larger-than-life bronze on a well-traveled segment of the city's iconic Reforma Boulevard, has infuriated residents.

Who Could That Be at This Hour? A novel By Lemony Snicket, with illustrations by Seth Little, Brown, 272 pp.; $15.99, for readers 8 and up What is a bombinating beast, and why would anyone make a statue of it, much less steal it, in a city nowhere near an ocean that's nevertheless known as Stain'd by the Sea? These, and other alliterative oddities, are at the center of "Who Could That Be at This Hour?" - a Pink Panther-esque page turner that marks the return of eccentric narrator Lemony Snicket, who was last heard from six years ago with "The End" to his 13-book "A Series of Unfortunate Events.

A day after the Lakers honor him with a statue outside of Staples Center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be the subject of a celebrity roast at the JW Marriott L.A. Live and Ritz-Carlton. Comedian George Lopez will host the event. Magic Johnson will be among one of the guests. And according to the Lakers, various unnamed celebrities and sports icons will also be on hand. Abdul-Jabbar has cemented a reputation as aloof at best and rude at worst. Even though Abdul-Jabbar's statue induction appears to be a no-brainer for the NBA's all-time leading scorer, it remains to be seen what kind of reception he will receive after publicly criticizing the Lakers last year for failing to unveil a statue sooner.

Family lore says that when a young Antonio Aguilar arrived in Los Angeles hoping to make it big, he spent nights sleeping on benches at La Placita Olvera downtown. The Mexican singer and actor, who died in 2007 at the age of 88, went on to make more than 160 records and more than 100 films, building a huge following on both sides of the border. Thousands gathered Sunday to honor Aguilar during celebrations of Mexican Independence Day, when a statue of him was unveiled in a plaza close to the benches where he once slept.

Another birthday, another face-lift. The Statue of Libert y in New York Harbor marks its 126th year with the reopening of the inside of the landmark that's been undergoing a $27-million renovation. Public access to observation levels at the statue's pedestal and crown is set to resume Oct. 28. Tourists will be allowed to enter the monument "on a limited basis while the project moves to completion by the end of the year," David Luchsinger, superintendent of Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island , said in a statement Wednesday.

WASHINGTON-- The District of Columbia is about to get a bit more respect, if not statehood, with Congress poised to approve the placement of a statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a one-time district resident, in the U.S. Capitol. The House on Monday voted to add Douglass to the Capitol's collection of statues, a popular tourist attraction that features likenesses of noteworthy figures from each state. The Senate is expected to give its approval soon. The move would help diversify a collection of more than 180 statues and busts, scattered through the corridors of the Capitol and visitor center, that now includes only two African Americans: the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sojourner Truth.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points in his NBA career -- a big reason why a spot is now reserved for his image in bronze outside Staples Center. On Nov. 16, it will become the sixth artwork in an extremely popular array of sports statuary at the venue. The unveiling announced Thursday by the Los Angeles Lakers, who co-commissioned the piece with Staples Center, means another score for the Rottblatt-Amrany studio of Highwood, Ill., which created the three statues of Lakers greats already on the plaza.

The Lakers plan to unveil a statue of Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar outside Staples Center during the 2012-13 season, The Times has learned. No date for unveiling the statue has been finalized. Abdul-Jabbar, 65, played 14 seasons for the Lakers and retired in 1989. He remains the NBA's all-time leading scorer, won five of his six NBA titles and three of his six league MVP awards with the Lakers, and Abdul-Jabbar's mastery of his famed skyhook helped establish him as one of the best centers of all time.

When he isn't driving speedboats or skipping out on Galaxy games, David Beckham is apparently working hard on his second career as an underwear model. And you know you've made it in the underwear modeling business when 10-foot statues of you in your skivvies go on display in some of the biggest commercial areas of the country. Metallic statues of the British soccer star in his designer underwear have been put on display in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City this week as part of a promotional stunt for Beckham's new line of underwear.