Heffner spends a cool Million on Symbolism...

Weird that it was Hugh Heffner that saved the Hollywood sign, though you would expect him to save the signal that lures many of his models to his doorstep, like a flat, white faced siren. I erroneously assumed that it was already a public landmark, etc. But turns out they had to buy it, and the surrounding countryside. It's bizarre, but typically American to have your most recognisable landmarks privately owned and operated. If they could afford it, someone would probably buy the statue of Liberty and build a housing development there as well. The inevitable decay of a landmark is one of the most interesting things about it. I love those Urban redevelopment plans where an old factory or something is rebuilt into something new and interesting. It's a tragedy that this probably won't happen to a lot of the buildings built today, we just don't know how to build beautiful ruins anymore.