Meet Sarah Seltzer. She’s one of the great untold stories of the internet — that invention that allows everyone to have a voice whether they make good use of it or not. And, regrettably, she does not. To wit, her
I support the Los Angeles Police Department. I have friends on the job. These men and women protect our city and we owe them a debt of gratitude. So it’s an outrage that the City of Los Angeles uses these
In her recent essay at Slate, (Elizabeth) Curtis Sittenfield asks, “Am I the last person in America who still adores President Obama”? She’ll be happy to know that, no, she isn’t. There are plenty of other people who remain, “unfailingly
Teacher of the Year: The Mystery and Legacy of Edwin Barlow tells the remarkable tale of how a young boy destined for the clergy became a soldier in WWII. After killing numerous German soldiers, he is overcome by these multiple
UPDATED. [Part 2 – an excerpt from Teacher of the Year: The Mystery & Legacy of Edwin Barlow] Edwin and rest of troop B were called before Captain Berlin. It took longer to muster than usual because Patton himself had
Teacher of the Year: The Mystery & Legacy of Edwin Barlow is unlike any memoir you will ever read, because unlike every other memoir, Edwin Barlow’s life was an impenetrable secret that took years to uncover. When Mr. Barlow died,
The hubbub surrounding actor unions and Warner Brothers concerning the hiring of union workers in New Zealand is likely to be resolved with The Hobbit remaining in New Zealand. This only comes after everyone involved in the production were needlessly
The City of Los Angeles is so deep in red ink, they are flagrantly violating state law in an effort to generate revenue, and have been for 12 years. As I reported in an earlier column, officers from the Parking
“Didn’t anybody ever tell you that questions are a danger to you and a burden to others?” – Eugene Krabs to SpongeBob SquarePants Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead There’s been controversy surrounding the authenticity of the documentary film Catfish, from directors
Any American who wants the opportunity for a college education, or a degree that can help provide gainful employment, should be outraged at the Obama Administration’s back-room dealings to kill for-profit schools. Obama supporters themselves should be asking how restricting
Some issues are so simple to understand that, when the mainstream media distorts the truth in service of a hidden agenda, you almost have to laugh as it drives the clown car over the Cliffs of Bias. When the issue
When it comes to the alleged toxicity of perfumes and fragrances, there’s nothing worse than non-scientists eschewing readily-available scientific research in favor of village idiocy found on the internet, publishing their “findings” in a book, and metastasizing their contaminated thinking
***UPDATE: In an effort to give Mr. Ebert a chance to reply to my article, I posted a link to it in the comment section of his blog. To his credit, he published it. Regrettably, his entire reply was, “Yeah,
There are several takeaways from Netflix’s announcement that it will have exclusive streaming rights to movies from Epix, the joint venture between MGM, Lionsgate, and Paramount. While the deal has generated a lot of press, however, I find the impact
As a member of the Writers Guild of America, I stand in solidarity with all union members who seek fair and reasonable wages and benefits. I do not, however, stand in solidarity with the union members who baked Ryan Bueler
Satellite operator DIRECTV pulled off a brilliant move, along with Sony Pictures Television and FX Productions, in renewing Damages for two, 10–episode seasons. The engrossing, critically-acclaimed drama created by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman, was averaging an
The reason we hold truth in such respect is because we have so little opportunity to get familiar with it. – Mark Twain The internet is the worst thing that has ever happened to civil discourse in this country. Before
Terry Gilliam is one of the few true visionaries of modern cinema. The worlds he creates are so completely realized that one cannot help but be swept into his imagination. 25 years ago, I saw Brazil in a Miami theatre
Why is Hollywood moving away from the star-driven vehicle, and more towards the gimmicks of 3-D, IMAX, and animation? The answer is, of course, economic. Since Star Wars appeared in 1977, Hollywood has been primarily driven by two factors: the
When the employees of the Los Angeles Times go home at night, I wonder if they ever think about the travesty that they are contributing to on a daily basis. After all, when writers like David Lazarus and Michael Hiltzik
Joseph Lindsey’s satirical Life to the Right of Hollywood takes us on an uproarious jaunt through the back alleys of the indie-film world to the scuzzy mosh pit of A-list Hollywood. His protagonist, Clinton Feast, is just another unemployed, self-loathing
Artists and audiences seek the truth. Audiences may yearn for “escapist entertainment,” but truth is what they hunger for. Writers may not even realize that they seek truth, but they know when a scene feels “right.” Same thing. Everyone has
The assertion that the Tea Party is “racist” is not only unsupported by facts, it is also an assertion that is impossible to determine. The simple application of reason — a shocking request to make for those too ideologically rigid
Larry Meyers: Frank, what’s the most critical part of the writing process for you? Frank Military: Point of view is everything. Politics, God, religion, love, race, friendship, sports, poker, sex. Larry: That also sounds like an actor talking. When you
There are certain professions that carry an implicit mandate, one that goes beyond performing the required duties of that profession. A social contract exists in these specialized lines of works that requires the performer to place the needs to those
