http://www.calendarlive.com/books/cl-et-booker11oct11,0,324014.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews
Susan Salter Reynolds October 11, 2005 LONDON
The Man Booker Prize, the world's most prestigious award for new fiction, was awarded here Monday to Irish writer and critic John Banville. In a closed news conference prior to a gala dinner at London's historic Guild Hall, the five Booker judges said their decision to honor Banville's "The Sea" followed "an extraordinarily closely contested last round in which judges felt the level of the short-listed novels was as high as it had every been."
They called Banville's novel "a masterly study of grief, memory and love recollected."The award includes a cash prize, which this year amounts to $91,800. (The other authors on this year's short list were Sebastian Barry, Kazuo Ishiguro, Julian Barnes, Zadie Smith and Ali Smith.)"
It was like a fiercely argued seminar," said John Sutherland, chairman of the judges' committee, which annually awards the prize to the best novel by a Commonwealth or Irish citizen that is published in Britain."It was very civilized, and yet at the same time people had very deeply held views," Sutherland said. "The discussion could have gone on for three days. It was by no means unanimous. But no one would have been mortified if any of the other books won."
So... once again, Julian Barnes was robbed! Well, since "The Sea" is one of the two novels I have not read, I can't say that with real certainty, but as a long time Barnes fan, it's sad to see him strike out a third time for the Booker, particularly since winning it might have helped him become better known in America.
I stumbled across his METROLAND back in the very early 1980's when a Brit I was seeing had brought over a copy from the UK before it was published here and I made the mistake of picking it up at... shall we say... an inopportune... moment when she felt that my attention should have been focused... elsewhere.
And even today, I still had to get someone to ship me his latest novel since it will not be published here until winter or spring, I think.
Final fun fact!
Booker jury head John Sutherland is a huge fan of LA (as well as being a fellow Mike Davis agnostic), and for years taught literature at Cal Tech... of all places... and still teaches there one quarter a year. One of my favorite recent writings by him is on the oh, so California topic - of secret parking spots. Below is the end of a quite elegant essay on the subject:
http://pr.caltech.edu/periodicals/336/articles/Volume%201/05-17-01/parking.html
Faculty and students use Caltech around the clock. I frequently work till 11 p.m. or midnight (strange life forms emerge on the campus, and in Millikan Library, at this witching hour). One of the pleasures of life here is to walk through the cool campus, by the lily ponds, late at night, conscious that one is safe, and that all around people are quietly working, expanding the frontiers of knowledge. But after such a stint, one doesn’t feel like coming in with the lark next morning.
If you do turn up after 9 a.m., chances are you will be met by “Lot Full” signs. It makes people ratty, it makes them late, and it palpably reduces the efficiency of the place.
The Institute should, I think, consider abolishing designated parking privileges after 11 a.m. There are few more vexing experiences than cruising around an otherwise jam-packed lot or structure, with gaping holes that you know will never be filled because the designated parker is either (1) on leave, (2) retired and only comes in once a week for mail, or (3) deceased.
If all the reserved parking spaces turned into pumpkins at 11, it would enable colleagues to move from the street when the 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. grace period elapses.
In the interim, I would suggest some guerilla parking tactics. First, of course, is to talk to your division administrator, find out who is on leave, and snaffle their place (a paint-pot at midnight and some pirate redesignating, for the more adventurous guerilla). Carpooling is never going to work at Caltech, where people have such different modi operandi. But it would be socially responsible for colleagues to inform their division or department when they will not be coming in and when their designated space is up for grabs—to be distributed, perhaps, by divisional lottery or by auction.
There are some frankly antisocial tactics. Come in at 10 a.m., park on the street, then slip into one of the spots that falls vacant at noon, when colleagues drive off to lunch. Of course, when the poor sods come back, they must do the circuit, looking vainly for what is no longer there. I’ve done it, I’m sorry to say. War of all against all.
Oddly, the Caltech community seems averse to parking south of California. When, as increasingly happens, I can find nothing on campus, I go a couple of hundred yards to Holladay Road, and park (appropriately, as I like to think) outside George Ellery Hale’s house. It’s a big, empty San Marino street with, as far as I can see, no restrictions. You can walk, pleasantly, down leafy Lombardy and up Arden, use the Ped Xing, and come up into campus by its nicest entrance, the Bridge colonnade, Throop Site, and Millikan Pond. Don’t tell anyone, though. We don’t want everyone to start going there.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Why Doesn't Mark Swed Have A Column In The LA Times?
http://www.calendarlive.com/music/cl-et-phil8oct08,0,702172.story?track=widget
No writer at the Los Angeles Times expresses more passion and enthusiasm about the subject he covers - in his case, mainly classical music - than Mark Swed. No writer also is any better at conveying that enthusiasm to an audience than he does.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall has proved an inspirer of lasting, invigorating music. Steven Stucky's Second Concerto for Orchestra received a Pulitzer Prize. Steve Reich's "You Are (Variations)" was a Pulitzer finalist and has just been released on a winning Nonesuch disc. Esa-Pekka Salonen's "Wing on Wing" highlights a high-profile Deutsche Grammophon recording. John Adams' "Dharma at Big Sur" has lots more performances lined up and a recording comes out next year.
Magnus Lindberg's "Sculpture," which the Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned (in partnership with the Koussevitzky Music Foundation) and premiered Thursday night, seems just as likely to last.
And...
At the end the organ came rumbling in, lingering "Zarathustra"-like in its low register. Tubas and other brass instruments took positions around the hall. The seats and floors vibrated at frequencies that felt healthful for the body. Many tickets for the Philharmonic in Disney are not cheap, but when you throw in musical shiatsu, you've got a bargain.The orchestral writing is that of a master.
Disney Hall is especially happy with bass notes, and Lindberg gave it its fill. The bouncy fanfare figures are not blatant but more like a filigree. The instrumental texture is often fast-moving and complex. A Sibelius sense of mysterious winds blowing everything around is strong at first.
In the middle, "Sculpture" turns into a miniature concerto for orchestra, focusing on different instrumental sections competing to be the most dazzling. The piece climaxes with rousing Stravinskyan rhythms. The score's 23 minutes fly by. The performance was spectacular.
After reading the above review, you want to hear the music he writes about and it makes you want to be apart of the explosion of contemporary classical music finally freed from academic constraints. It also makes one want to see and hear the LA Philharmonic play while enjoying the visceral pleasures of the interior of Disney Hall.
So imagine if beside his music reviewing job, Swed also had a three times a week column about Los Angeles? A column focused around the overall culture life of our city, along with everything and anything else he has a passion for.
More than anything, the LA Times desperately needs voices that know, understand and care about Los Angeles. The present temporary managers inability to hire anyone to do that, remains a mystery.
No writer at the Los Angeles Times expresses more passion and enthusiasm about the subject he covers - in his case, mainly classical music - than Mark Swed. No writer also is any better at conveying that enthusiasm to an audience than he does.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall has proved an inspirer of lasting, invigorating music. Steven Stucky's Second Concerto for Orchestra received a Pulitzer Prize. Steve Reich's "You Are (Variations)" was a Pulitzer finalist and has just been released on a winning Nonesuch disc. Esa-Pekka Salonen's "Wing on Wing" highlights a high-profile Deutsche Grammophon recording. John Adams' "Dharma at Big Sur" has lots more performances lined up and a recording comes out next year.
Magnus Lindberg's "Sculpture," which the Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned (in partnership with the Koussevitzky Music Foundation) and premiered Thursday night, seems just as likely to last.
And...
At the end the organ came rumbling in, lingering "Zarathustra"-like in its low register. Tubas and other brass instruments took positions around the hall. The seats and floors vibrated at frequencies that felt healthful for the body. Many tickets for the Philharmonic in Disney are not cheap, but when you throw in musical shiatsu, you've got a bargain.The orchestral writing is that of a master.
Disney Hall is especially happy with bass notes, and Lindberg gave it its fill. The bouncy fanfare figures are not blatant but more like a filigree. The instrumental texture is often fast-moving and complex. A Sibelius sense of mysterious winds blowing everything around is strong at first.
In the middle, "Sculpture" turns into a miniature concerto for orchestra, focusing on different instrumental sections competing to be the most dazzling. The piece climaxes with rousing Stravinskyan rhythms. The score's 23 minutes fly by. The performance was spectacular.
After reading the above review, you want to hear the music he writes about and it makes you want to be apart of the explosion of contemporary classical music finally freed from academic constraints. It also makes one want to see and hear the LA Philharmonic play while enjoying the visceral pleasures of the interior of Disney Hall.
So imagine if beside his music reviewing job, Swed also had a three times a week column about Los Angeles? A column focused around the overall culture life of our city, along with everything and anything else he has a passion for.
More than anything, the LA Times desperately needs voices that know, understand and care about Los Angeles. The present temporary managers inability to hire anyone to do that, remains a mystery.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
LA Times Website Still Shuts Down On Weekends!
Went to website to see score on USC game - but no live coverage on the front page. Went to Sports - still no box with live coverage - plus no update on now tied score with supposed roll over Arizona. So now 'watching' game on another newspaper's site while typing on this computer.
Update!
Almost 7:30 - and still nothing on front page of LA Times website. Story on sports page, but you'll never find out about it on the front page.
PS - 42 - 21 USC over Arizona.
Update!
Almost 7:30 - and still nothing on front page of LA Times website. Story on sports page, but you'll never find out about it on the front page.
PS - 42 - 21 USC over Arizona.
Does LA Times Editorial Page Really Rely On Jay Leno's Monologue For Its Facts? Seems So!
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-avocados8oct08,0,4170304.story?coll=la-home-oped
In an otherwise excellent editorial about NAFTA and the benefits of free trade, the LA Times Editorial Page attempts a stab at humor, with the usual disastrous results:
Salsa has replaced ketchup as the nation's favorite condiment; perhaps it's little wonder that guacamole may now be its favorite dip.
Now I just happen to recall when the survey done by the American Condiment Association was released, and I also remember what Jay Leno said that same night; they, alas, were not the same thing. The survey said that ketchup and salsa were tied as America's favorite condiment in a 1,000 person survey:
http://www.dressings-sauces.org/pressroom_revealsaboutyou.html
A new survey commissioned by The Association for Dressings and Sauces reveals some interesting facts about consumers and condiment sauces, including salsa, salad dressing and mayonnaise. In the recent survey of 1,000 Americans completed by Synovate, salsa and ketchup tied for the 'favorite' condiment with mayonnaise, salad dressing and barbecue sauce close behind.
Jay Leno however said - that salsa was now the most popular of the two - and an urban legend was born! There is, however, a lot more to this story. To begin with, it is true that salsa has passed ketchup in sales when it comes to dollars spent
But the much higher cost of salsa compared to ketchup, makes ketchup easily the best selling condiment. In addition, other surveys show that the number of homes that have ketchup in them is between 95% and 97% and the highest percentage of homes that I could find with salsa in them was... 37%, making ketchup the clear winner as 'favorite' condiment in terms of what people actually buy and keep in their homes.
A very minor point in some ways - but of all places where getting at the actual truth, however inconvenient or nuanced it maybe, should be of primary import - the Editorial Page is the number one place in the paper. Alas - it is also the very last place in the LA Times where 'facts' can be trusted.
Myself, I way prefer salsa to boring ketchup - but it's relish that is my favorite.
PS - The LA Times Editorial Page has yet to correct its sugar trade editorial on-line (just in the corrections section) and it has yet to issue any corrections on its almost totally false earthquake/Katrina editorial, among many other still uncorrected errors.
In an otherwise excellent editorial about NAFTA and the benefits of free trade, the LA Times Editorial Page attempts a stab at humor, with the usual disastrous results:
Salsa has replaced ketchup as the nation's favorite condiment; perhaps it's little wonder that guacamole may now be its favorite dip.
Now I just happen to recall when the survey done by the American Condiment Association was released, and I also remember what Jay Leno said that same night; they, alas, were not the same thing. The survey said that ketchup and salsa were tied as America's favorite condiment in a 1,000 person survey:
http://www.dressings-sauces.org/pressroom_revealsaboutyou.html
A new survey commissioned by The Association for Dressings and Sauces reveals some interesting facts about consumers and condiment sauces, including salsa, salad dressing and mayonnaise. In the recent survey of 1,000 Americans completed by Synovate, salsa and ketchup tied for the 'favorite' condiment with mayonnaise, salad dressing and barbecue sauce close behind.
Jay Leno however said - that salsa was now the most popular of the two - and an urban legend was born! There is, however, a lot more to this story. To begin with, it is true that salsa has passed ketchup in sales when it comes to dollars spent
But the much higher cost of salsa compared to ketchup, makes ketchup easily the best selling condiment. In addition, other surveys show that the number of homes that have ketchup in them is between 95% and 97% and the highest percentage of homes that I could find with salsa in them was... 37%, making ketchup the clear winner as 'favorite' condiment in terms of what people actually buy and keep in their homes.
A very minor point in some ways - but of all places where getting at the actual truth, however inconvenient or nuanced it maybe, should be of primary import - the Editorial Page is the number one place in the paper. Alas - it is also the very last place in the LA Times where 'facts' can be trusted.
Myself, I way prefer salsa to boring ketchup - but it's relish that is my favorite.
PS - The LA Times Editorial Page has yet to correct its sugar trade editorial on-line (just in the corrections section) and it has yet to issue any corrections on its almost totally false earthquake/Katrina editorial, among many other still uncorrected errors.
Friday, October 07, 2005
LA Times Starts Series On History Of Los Angeles - And Totally Butchers The Facts!
http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2005-10/19825427.pdf
Proving once and for all that almost no one at the LA Times has any knowledge about Los Angeles - and that any interest in factual accuracy is not even on the radar of anyone in management - they actually have the nerve to start a series to teach us about our own city's history with error... after error... after error...
I'd go into them all right now, but first I want to see if I can figure out anybody can get so many simple basic facts so totally... wrong.
Proving once and for all that almost no one at the LA Times has any knowledge about Los Angeles - and that any interest in factual accuracy is not even on the radar of anyone in management - they actually have the nerve to start a series to teach us about our own city's history with error... after error... after error...
I'd go into them all right now, but first I want to see if I can figure out anybody can get so many simple basic facts so totally... wrong.
Want To Know What's Happening In LA? Read The Washington Post! Or... Almost Any Blog!
http://slate.msn.com/id/2127477/&#library
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/10/threat_to_library_tower_r.html
So... the President announces that one of the terrorist plots thwarted was blowing up the tallest building in downtown LA. Sounds like a no-brainer for a local news story? Right?
Wrong!
As LA Observed and Mickey Kaus and lots of other people have observed... if it happens in LA - it ain't gonna be in the LA Times. And here's.... Mickey!
One major metropolitan newspaper story on the administration's alleged success in foiling Al Qaeda tells us, in its second paragraph, that the reported plots aimed to strike a wide variety of targets, including the Library Tower in Los Angeles, ships in international waters and a tourist site overseas, the White House said last night.
Another major metropolitan newspaper doesn't mention the possible targeting of L.A.'s tallest building. The paper that doesn't bother to mention the gripping Los Angeles angle would be the major newspaper of:
a) Los Angeles
b) Washington, D.C.
And do I have to tell you the correct answer?
Of course not!
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/10/threat_to_library_tower_r.html
So... the President announces that one of the terrorist plots thwarted was blowing up the tallest building in downtown LA. Sounds like a no-brainer for a local news story? Right?
Wrong!
As LA Observed and Mickey Kaus and lots of other people have observed... if it happens in LA - it ain't gonna be in the LA Times. And here's.... Mickey!
One major metropolitan newspaper story on the administration's alleged success in foiling Al Qaeda tells us, in its second paragraph, that the reported plots aimed to strike a wide variety of targets, including the Library Tower in Los Angeles, ships in international waters and a tourist site overseas, the White House said last night.
Another major metropolitan newspaper doesn't mention the possible targeting of L.A.'s tallest building. The paper that doesn't bother to mention the gripping Los Angeles angle would be the major newspaper of:
a) Los Angeles
b) Washington, D.C.
And do I have to tell you the correct answer?
Of course not!
Thursday, October 06, 2005
LA Times Skid Row Series Keeps Getting Better And Better!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dumping5oct05,0,3581498.story?coll=la-home-local
I've almost been afraid to comment on the latest stories about the 'dumping' of the homeless, criminals, drug addicts and the sick on Skid Row for fear of jinxing the yeoman work being done by Cara Mia DiMassa and Richard Winton.
This series started by saying this 'dumping' had long been an urban legend, one that had never been proven. Those of us who live downtown found that a little... say we say... disingenuous... to be polite about it... even by the never anything less than staggering standards of cluelessness at the LA Times.
But since any reporter just starting on this story would only have the morgue at the Times to check - their complete ignorance of what was happening only steps from the fortress on Spring Street was... totally understandable.
But these two reporters have now shown that the 'dumping' that could never be proven by the LAT in the past is so extensive that at just one - just one - of dozens of service providers in downtown, an almost endless line of police cars from 10 - yes - TEN - different police agencies dropped off over 150 intoxicated homeless at just one agency in the heart of Skid Row in just one month.
And those are just the ones who bothered to sign them in at the agency; it does not cover those who just did a drop and run at their front door, often under the cover of darkness.
Then they also examine the differences between dropping off people at specific service givers qualified to deal with a person's problems, police agencies that just take people to the sidewalk in front of a random service provider, not caring if it is the right agency or not (hey, he's not longer our problem - why worry?) - and those who quietly at night just dump anyone they don't want in their neighborhood - in our neighborhood. And while the LA Times does not cover this - this is often done from unmarked police cars.
And then this article goes even further and examines the many reasons why this process occurs and the different points of view and ... well - that leads us to today's article.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dumping6oct06,0,4040252.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Today's installment - with reporter Cara Mia DiMassa joined by Stuart Pfeifer this time - describes the differing points of view of Chief William Bratton and Sheriff Lee Baca and how Los Angeles - the city of a 1,000 - plans is struggling - yet again - to develop... another plan.
Stay tuned!
I've almost been afraid to comment on the latest stories about the 'dumping' of the homeless, criminals, drug addicts and the sick on Skid Row for fear of jinxing the yeoman work being done by Cara Mia DiMassa and Richard Winton.
This series started by saying this 'dumping' had long been an urban legend, one that had never been proven. Those of us who live downtown found that a little... say we say... disingenuous... to be polite about it... even by the never anything less than staggering standards of cluelessness at the LA Times.
But since any reporter just starting on this story would only have the morgue at the Times to check - their complete ignorance of what was happening only steps from the fortress on Spring Street was... totally understandable.
But these two reporters have now shown that the 'dumping' that could never be proven by the LAT in the past is so extensive that at just one - just one - of dozens of service providers in downtown, an almost endless line of police cars from 10 - yes - TEN - different police agencies dropped off over 150 intoxicated homeless at just one agency in the heart of Skid Row in just one month.
And those are just the ones who bothered to sign them in at the agency; it does not cover those who just did a drop and run at their front door, often under the cover of darkness.
Then they also examine the differences between dropping off people at specific service givers qualified to deal with a person's problems, police agencies that just take people to the sidewalk in front of a random service provider, not caring if it is the right agency or not (hey, he's not longer our problem - why worry?) - and those who quietly at night just dump anyone they don't want in their neighborhood - in our neighborhood. And while the LA Times does not cover this - this is often done from unmarked police cars.
And then this article goes even further and examines the many reasons why this process occurs and the different points of view and ... well - that leads us to today's article.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dumping6oct06,0,4040252.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Today's installment - with reporter Cara Mia DiMassa joined by Stuart Pfeifer this time - describes the differing points of view of Chief William Bratton and Sheriff Lee Baca and how Los Angeles - the city of a 1,000 - plans is struggling - yet again - to develop... another plan.
Stay tuned!
Copy Editors - Or Proof Readers? Some Clarification, Mickey Kaus!
http://slate.msn.com/id/2127477/&#copyeditors
In his post last night, Mickey Kaus criticized former LA Times editor John Carroll for having too many copy editors during his tenure.
My position: A good copy editor will make your copy better--but only on rare occasions will it be enough better to justify the delay and hassle, let alone the copy editor's salary. And good copy editors are hard to find--the best quickly move on to other jobs these days. Those that stay, especially in big organizations like the LAT, are too often repositories of self-justifying pedantry! Usually they just make copy duller.
Agreed - but what Mickey does not address - is who exactly does the fact checking for the LA Times articles - and editorials? Are those the 1,000 editors that Ken Auletta says work at the Times?
If so -- then the LA Times needs to hire at least another 2,000 more since the current 1,000 are - clearly - not enough.
In his post last night, Mickey Kaus criticized former LA Times editor John Carroll for having too many copy editors during his tenure.
My position: A good copy editor will make your copy better--but only on rare occasions will it be enough better to justify the delay and hassle, let alone the copy editor's salary. And good copy editors are hard to find--the best quickly move on to other jobs these days. Those that stay, especially in big organizations like the LAT, are too often repositories of self-justifying pedantry! Usually they just make copy duller.
Agreed - but what Mickey does not address - is who exactly does the fact checking for the LA Times articles - and editorials? Are those the 1,000 editors that Ken Auletta says work at the Times?
If so -- then the LA Times needs to hire at least another 2,000 more since the current 1,000 are - clearly - not enough.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
LA Times Still Conducting Witness Relocation Program For Writers Of Corrected Commentaries!
October 5, 2005
Same-sex marriage: In a commentary Tuesday about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of a bill giving legal protection to same-sex couples, Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) was incorrectly identified as a state senator.
As usual, there is no link to the story, and no clue as to who the commentator is to help readers find the correction. So... what are the odds that it belongs to the most factually challenged columnist in the LA Times - Robert Scheer?
Well... about 100%.
Same-sex marriage: In a commentary Tuesday about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of a bill giving legal protection to same-sex couples, Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) was incorrectly identified as a state senator.
As usual, there is no link to the story, and no clue as to who the commentator is to help readers find the correction. So... what are the odds that it belongs to the most factually challenged columnist in the LA Times - Robert Scheer?
Well... about 100%.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-scheer4oct04,1,7082850.column
And guess what other subterfuge the Times engages in? Instead of acknowledging the error as they do in other people's columns - they this time they made the change WITHOUT acknowledging the error within the article.
I guess at the Los Angeles Times, rules don't apply to everyone.Does The LA Times Have A... Death Wish?
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/10/times_names_a_new_web_gur_1.html
At one precise moment, the LA Times' current problems went from bad - to critical; a damning series of stories that came under so much criticism from so many sources, it permanently alienated a large segment of the community from the newspaper.
Not only did thousands of readers immediately cancel their subscriptions, but ever since then, circulation has plummeted at the LA Times faster than at any other major paper in the country. It is the single blow from which the LAT may never recover.
And that damaging blow was, of course, the last minute 'groping' stories' against Schwarzenegger before the recall election. There was a tidal wave of complaints at how these stories were written and edited to make them anything but impartial. There was also the careful staging of the stories to do the most damage and the blatant placement of any good news for the Schwarzenegger right next to a groping story. This incident lost the LA Times more credibility than any other event of my lifetime; no one on the street cared about Staples - a hell of a lot of people cared about the blatant bias the Times showed during that recall election. And then when it was discovered that the Times coverage was partially done in tandem with the Gray Davis campaign (see link at very bottom) ... that was the final breaking point for many former Times readers.
I should add that my complaints against the Times are its lack of local coverage and its inability to get its fact right. Bias in the newspapers is there, but that is to be expected and I rarely get into that. But this time was different; every single aspect of how the Times covered the groping stories - and the recall - was so... offensive... to anyone who cares about journalistic integrity that for weeks I stopped returning calls from LA Times reporters; I simply could not trust myself to not vent upon innocent victims. Ironically, I later discovered that many reporters at the Times felt the same way I did about how the Times handled that story.
This was also the time the on-line community really started to attack the Times; both because of the way the LAT handled the groping story and how the LA Times kept running their own polls and stories on how Grey Davis was close to keeping his job even though no other polls had anything near the figures that the Times poll managed to concoct.
Luckily, never before - or since - has the Times so debased its standards. So let's move on from the past.
Let the new era begin because as of today - glasnost has begun! The LA Times has finally announced a new web/interactive media Tsar to reach out to the on-line community. And they have brought in a person they claim is uniquely qualified to accomplish both tasks. From the LA Times memo on LAOBSERVED:
... he will oversee editorial content on latimes.com, calendarlive.com, and new interactive initiatives. This new position is designed to better align the newsroom and the web site. (He) will work closely with the newsroom to create new stories and features for the web, and to encourage all departments to regard latimes.com and our other interactive products as vital, though distinctly different, parts of The Times
So... did they hire a long time expert in the on-line field? Someone who understands interactive media enough to prevent another wikitorial fiasco?
No.
Do they hire a young kid with cutting edge experience in this - or any - technology?
No.
How about a blogger with journalistic experience?
No.
Someone who understands on-line interactivity of any kind?
No.
Someone... anyone.... with any kind of track record that will in any way engender trust from those who mistrust Times?
Hell, no.
Instead, the LA Times promotes a very senior editor with zero web experience and zero technological background; an aging baby boomer with no known connections with the on-line world of any kind.
Then it gets better.
He is also the sole credited person who edited those exact stories that damaged the LA Times' reputation and credibility with more readers more than anything else the Times has ever published.
And then Dean Baquet proudly proclaims these are the exact reasons why he hired him for the job. See below from LA OBSERVED:
Joel Sappell has been the deputy editor in Business for entertainment coverage and the editor who oversaw the groping investigation of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. He will now become an assistant managing editor, raising the website's head to masthead status, as well as get the title of Executive Editor, Interactive.
Sappell, 52, has little experience with online news, but Editor Dean Baquet says in a statement that "It has become clear over time that interactive is a different animal, but one that should be guided by the same bedrock principles as the newsroom. It is a testament to the importance of the Web that we are placing one of our most creative and aggressive editors in charge of the editorial part of the site."
Lastly, an overview on the Arnold groping coverage:
http://www.jillstewart.net/php/issues/issue1014.php
At one precise moment, the LA Times' current problems went from bad - to critical; a damning series of stories that came under so much criticism from so many sources, it permanently alienated a large segment of the community from the newspaper.
Not only did thousands of readers immediately cancel their subscriptions, but ever since then, circulation has plummeted at the LA Times faster than at any other major paper in the country. It is the single blow from which the LAT may never recover.
And that damaging blow was, of course, the last minute 'groping' stories' against Schwarzenegger before the recall election. There was a tidal wave of complaints at how these stories were written and edited to make them anything but impartial. There was also the careful staging of the stories to do the most damage and the blatant placement of any good news for the Schwarzenegger right next to a groping story. This incident lost the LA Times more credibility than any other event of my lifetime; no one on the street cared about Staples - a hell of a lot of people cared about the blatant bias the Times showed during that recall election. And then when it was discovered that the Times coverage was partially done in tandem with the Gray Davis campaign (see link at very bottom) ... that was the final breaking point for many former Times readers.
I should add that my complaints against the Times are its lack of local coverage and its inability to get its fact right. Bias in the newspapers is there, but that is to be expected and I rarely get into that. But this time was different; every single aspect of how the Times covered the groping stories - and the recall - was so... offensive... to anyone who cares about journalistic integrity that for weeks I stopped returning calls from LA Times reporters; I simply could not trust myself to not vent upon innocent victims. Ironically, I later discovered that many reporters at the Times felt the same way I did about how the Times handled that story.
This was also the time the on-line community really started to attack the Times; both because of the way the LAT handled the groping story and how the LA Times kept running their own polls and stories on how Grey Davis was close to keeping his job even though no other polls had anything near the figures that the Times poll managed to concoct.
Luckily, never before - or since - has the Times so debased its standards. So let's move on from the past.
Let the new era begin because as of today - glasnost has begun! The LA Times has finally announced a new web/interactive media Tsar to reach out to the on-line community. And they have brought in a person they claim is uniquely qualified to accomplish both tasks. From the LA Times memo on LAOBSERVED:
... he will oversee editorial content on latimes.com, calendarlive.com, and new interactive initiatives. This new position is designed to better align the newsroom and the web site. (He) will work closely with the newsroom to create new stories and features for the web, and to encourage all departments to regard latimes.com and our other interactive products as vital, though distinctly different, parts of The Times
So... did they hire a long time expert in the on-line field? Someone who understands interactive media enough to prevent another wikitorial fiasco?
No.
Do they hire a young kid with cutting edge experience in this - or any - technology?
No.
How about a blogger with journalistic experience?
No.
Someone who understands on-line interactivity of any kind?
No.
Someone... anyone.... with any kind of track record that will in any way engender trust from those who mistrust Times?
Hell, no.
Instead, the LA Times promotes a very senior editor with zero web experience and zero technological background; an aging baby boomer with no known connections with the on-line world of any kind.
Then it gets better.
He is also the sole credited person who edited those exact stories that damaged the LA Times' reputation and credibility with more readers more than anything else the Times has ever published.
And then Dean Baquet proudly proclaims these are the exact reasons why he hired him for the job. See below from LA OBSERVED:
Joel Sappell has been the deputy editor in Business for entertainment coverage and the editor who oversaw the groping investigation of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. He will now become an assistant managing editor, raising the website's head to masthead status, as well as get the title of Executive Editor, Interactive.
Sappell, 52, has little experience with online news, but Editor Dean Baquet says in a statement that "It has become clear over time that interactive is a different animal, but one that should be guided by the same bedrock principles as the newsroom. It is a testament to the importance of the Web that we are placing one of our most creative and aggressive editors in charge of the editorial part of the site."
Lastly, an overview on the Arnold groping coverage:
http://www.jillstewart.net/php/issues/issue1014.php
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Is Commander In Chief - The Worst Written Show In The History Of TV??
Just got in from my city-wide neighborhood council meeting of the night - clicked on the TV and started half-listening to some really bad soap opera with seriously stilted, amazingly wooden dialogue when I realized it was... Commander-In-Chief.
God - this isn't even the quality of a amaterish high school play written by a clueless high school writer.
Two more scenes. Decided it's a subversive comedy. It's supposed to be bad. No other possible explanation.
Just heard worst line of dialogue in the history of TV.
Even worse line of dialogue. Hysterical deafness settling in. There is a God.
Looking for gun to put my TV out of its misery.
Hell... let the TV look out for itself. I'll use it on myself.
UPDATE!
No reviews on second episode that I could find today, but found a few who were willing to say the Commander-in-Chief had no clothes when the pilot aired. From NEWSDAY:
Finally, the best new comedy of the 2005-06 TV season is here with the arrival Tuesday night of ABC's much-touted "Commander in Chief," starring Geena Davis as the vice president who becomes POTUS after the big guy succumbs to an aneurysm. What's that, you say? This is a drama and not a comedy? Oh, dear. In that case, we'll be forced to adjust our original assessment. This is the worst new drama of the 2005-06 season, which - considering the competition - is an outstanding achievement in itself.… There is such a plenitude of ineptitude on display here - acting, writing, direction, music, even makeup (catch those incredible lubricated lips!) - that one struggles to know where to begin. … If viewers generously choose to sidestep the utter implausibility of this premise, they are then treated to the sight of Davis, a gifted comedic actress, displaying what appears to be the only two moves in her dramatic repertoire - raised eyebrows (signifying "surprise") and lowered eyebrows ("resolve"). …
The rest of Verne Gay's NEWSDAY review is at:
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettel4443370sep27,0,5661485.story?coll=ny-television-print
God - this isn't even the quality of a amaterish high school play written by a clueless high school writer.
Two more scenes. Decided it's a subversive comedy. It's supposed to be bad. No other possible explanation.
Just heard worst line of dialogue in the history of TV.
Even worse line of dialogue. Hysterical deafness settling in. There is a God.
Looking for gun to put my TV out of its misery.
Hell... let the TV look out for itself. I'll use it on myself.
UPDATE!
No reviews on second episode that I could find today, but found a few who were willing to say the Commander-in-Chief had no clothes when the pilot aired. From NEWSDAY:
Finally, the best new comedy of the 2005-06 TV season is here with the arrival Tuesday night of ABC's much-touted "Commander in Chief," starring Geena Davis as the vice president who becomes POTUS after the big guy succumbs to an aneurysm. What's that, you say? This is a drama and not a comedy? Oh, dear. In that case, we'll be forced to adjust our original assessment. This is the worst new drama of the 2005-06 season, which - considering the competition - is an outstanding achievement in itself.… There is such a plenitude of ineptitude on display here - acting, writing, direction, music, even makeup (catch those incredible lubricated lips!) - that one struggles to know where to begin. … If viewers generously choose to sidestep the utter implausibility of this premise, they are then treated to the sight of Davis, a gifted comedic actress, displaying what appears to be the only two moves in her dramatic repertoire - raised eyebrows (signifying "surprise") and lowered eyebrows ("resolve"). …
The rest of Verne Gay's NEWSDAY review is at:
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettel4443370sep27,0,5661485.story?coll=ny-television-print
Dreaded LA Times Fish Curse - Strikes Lure Again!
When will the LA Times ever learn? Never, ever publish any fish related story.
Or if they choose to ignore past history - and tempt the fates - at least they should realize they need at least five separate layers of proof readers to go over every fish story they publish.
Or if they choose to ignore past history - and tempt the fates - at least they should realize they need at least five separate layers of proof readers to go over every fish story they publish.
Record fish — An article in last week's section about fishing records said Mark Gasich holds the world record for yellowfin tuna. The 399.6-pound fish he caught is the biggest yellowfin taken on rod and reel, but the International Game Fish Assn. has not officially recognized the catch as a record. The article also referred to Ralph Werking, a holder of fishing records, as Raleigh Werking.
Float tubing — An article last week about float tube fishing incorrectly identified manufacturer Buck's Bags as Buck Bags.
For more on the LAT's sad, sad fish history - and their total befuddlement with... tuna, see the below posts. The stories regarding tuna, bait licking (Yes - bait licking! I mean - could I actually make this stuff up?) and other fish fallacies are towards the bottom of cited corrections:
For more on the LAT's sad, sad fish history - and their total befuddlement with... tuna, see the below posts. The stories regarding tuna, bait licking (Yes - bait licking! I mean - could I actually make this stuff up?) and other fish fallacies are towards the bottom of cited corrections:
Update On New York Times Housing Price Drop Story!
http://www.curbed.com/archives/2005/10/04/bubblewatch_enfin_la_deluge.php
As I suspected, while the constant rise of housing prices should - hopefully - end soon, the large price drop the New York Times reported took place in Manhattan during the last quarter APPEARS to be partially - if not largely - due to a different mix in what sold over the summer:
Luxury market really takes a beating, with prices down 26% ($5.2 million average to $3.8 million average) in last three months. Only four sales above $10 million.
Here is an example where even if sale prices had gone up compared to prior sales of comparable properties, since fewer units at the very high end of the market sold, it would still appear that property values were declining
Record sales of entry-level apartments pushing price averages downward.
OK - so we now have both very few sales at the top of the market and record numbers selling at the bottom of the market in the same quarter, creating a dramatic price drop in sales prices.
But that still does not mean that the prices those units received were any lower than they would have been in the quarter before this one. Therefore, we do not know if there is any real price drop yet.
In other words, the jury is still out on where Manhattan housing prices are heading:
Brokers sound notes of relative optimism, of course, noting summer traditionally (read: from 1958 to 1972) was a slow time for the housing market. Where from here? Let's not forget prices this summer were still a solid 10% above those last summer. If this is the downdraft, let's break out the party hats.
As I suspected, while the constant rise of housing prices should - hopefully - end soon, the large price drop the New York Times reported took place in Manhattan during the last quarter APPEARS to be partially - if not largely - due to a different mix in what sold over the summer:
Luxury market really takes a beating, with prices down 26% ($5.2 million average to $3.8 million average) in last three months. Only four sales above $10 million.
Here is an example where even if sale prices had gone up compared to prior sales of comparable properties, since fewer units at the very high end of the market sold, it would still appear that property values were declining
Record sales of entry-level apartments pushing price averages downward.
OK - so we now have both very few sales at the top of the market and record numbers selling at the bottom of the market in the same quarter, creating a dramatic price drop in sales prices.
But that still does not mean that the prices those units received were any lower than they would have been in the quarter before this one. Therefore, we do not know if there is any real price drop yet.
In other words, the jury is still out on where Manhattan housing prices are heading:
Brokers sound notes of relative optimism, of course, noting summer traditionally (read: from 1958 to 1972) was a slow time for the housing market. Where from here? Let's not forget prices this summer were still a solid 10% above those last summer. If this is the downdraft, let's break out the party hats.
Hollywood's Book City To Close? Or - Will It Move Downtown?
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hollywood4oct04,1,4998152.story?coll=la-headlines-california
First, the bad news:
Lisa RichardsonTimes Staff Writer October 4, 2005
The longest going-out-of-business sale on Hollywood Boulevard is ending. Book City Collectibles, the once-cavernous landmark beloved by neighborhood book junkies and film buffs for 32 years, is finally leaving.
Probably.
When the sign announcing Book City's closure went up in the front window four years ago, area bibliophiles panicked. Ten thousand people signed a petition declaring its importance to the neighborhood. Then, somehow, owner Alan Siegel, 76, never left.
"I'm a guy who's a slow mover," Siegel explained. A slim man in suspenders and a baseball cap, Siegel spoke in front of the store's towering bookshelves still comfortably loaded with 50,000 volumes.
Now the... possible... good news:
With the end in sight, Mitch Siegel said he is eyeing a location downtown, which is having its own residential boom.
Now while I can not say any more at this time, I will tell you that if Book City does move downtown - you will find it out first on... LA Cowboy.
Stay tuned!
First, the bad news:
Lisa RichardsonTimes Staff Writer October 4, 2005
The longest going-out-of-business sale on Hollywood Boulevard is ending. Book City Collectibles, the once-cavernous landmark beloved by neighborhood book junkies and film buffs for 32 years, is finally leaving.
Probably.
When the sign announcing Book City's closure went up in the front window four years ago, area bibliophiles panicked. Ten thousand people signed a petition declaring its importance to the neighborhood. Then, somehow, owner Alan Siegel, 76, never left.
"I'm a guy who's a slow mover," Siegel explained. A slim man in suspenders and a baseball cap, Siegel spoke in front of the store's towering bookshelves still comfortably loaded with 50,000 volumes.
Now the... possible... good news:
With the end in sight, Mitch Siegel said he is eyeing a location downtown, which is having its own residential boom.
Now while I can not say any more at this time, I will tell you that if Book City does move downtown - you will find it out first on... LA Cowboy.
Stay tuned!
Monday, October 03, 2005
Skyrocketing Housing Prices To Slow - Or Even Drop? How WIll Downtown Be Affected?
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/realestate/04reals.html
A New York Times article tomorrow seems to make a fairly good case that the seemingly endless surge in housing prices may at last be coming to a long expected end. But the evidence they cite is still spotty. In only one place do they cite a serious drop in housing prices - New York - and even then it is in just one quarter and could possibly be (partially) due to a different inventory mix in that quarter.
DAVID LEONHARDT and MOTOKO RICH
A real estate slowdown that began in a handful of cities this summer has spread to almost every hot housing market in the country, including New York.
More sellers are putting their homes on the market, houses are selling less quickly and prices are no longer increasing as rapidly as they were in the spring, according to local data and interviews with brokers.
In Manhattan, the average sales price fell almost 13 percent in the third quarter from the second quarter, according to a widely followed report to be released today by Miller Samuel, an appraisal firm, and Prudential Douglas Elliman, a real estate firm. The amount of time it took to sell a home was also up 30.4 percent over the same period.
Mainly, the reported slowing of the market is reflected by increasing inventory and longer sale times. The reporters also mention that credit standards are being tightened - which is long overdue - and that the days of low interest are over. The second part is still questionable though. A few nudges by the Fed and the run up in gas prices and possible shortages in building materials needed for the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast are - so far - short term events; not a systemic change. And an increase in energy conservation, could bring those prices down again.
But as the more recent loans with low teaser rates expire - that will hit a lot of new homeowners, hard.
As for what this means for Los Angeles, in the most expensive areas, prices do seem rather high for lower quality product. But in much of the city, the demand so far exceeds the supply, I do not see a major price break in the next few years, barring, of course, some major external factor. Prices, I suspect, will level off, then decline somewhat, particularly for marginal product, but also at the very top of the market.
And if prices do come down on the new product coming on the market in Downtown LA - that is a good thing. Lower prices will mean more people will be able to buy, and even right now, the supply of buyers exceeds the amount of product that is coming on-line, even at today's prices.
There is one caveat to that scenario, though. Right now there is little street life in the loft districts, and even less night life. The Broadway theaters appear to be on the verge of re-opening, but the question of what programing they will have still remains open.
We also have no great books stores, no vintage clothing stores, no antique stores, no music clubs, no 99 seat theaters, no Indy film houses, no record stores and none of a hundred other ammenties we need to create a true urban core.
Now many, if not most of these things, appear about to happen - posilby as soon as next spring and summer, if everything goes right. But everyone Downtown needs to realize that just as housing was the key to starting the rebirth of Downtown, having the streets of Downtown active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is essential if the housing revival and the overall rebirth of Downtown is going to continue.
A decline in the national hot housing market is inevitable; a decline in the number of units being built in Downtown is not.
A New York Times article tomorrow seems to make a fairly good case that the seemingly endless surge in housing prices may at last be coming to a long expected end. But the evidence they cite is still spotty. In only one place do they cite a serious drop in housing prices - New York - and even then it is in just one quarter and could possibly be (partially) due to a different inventory mix in that quarter.
DAVID LEONHARDT and MOTOKO RICH
A real estate slowdown that began in a handful of cities this summer has spread to almost every hot housing market in the country, including New York.
More sellers are putting their homes on the market, houses are selling less quickly and prices are no longer increasing as rapidly as they were in the spring, according to local data and interviews with brokers.
In Manhattan, the average sales price fell almost 13 percent in the third quarter from the second quarter, according to a widely followed report to be released today by Miller Samuel, an appraisal firm, and Prudential Douglas Elliman, a real estate firm. The amount of time it took to sell a home was also up 30.4 percent over the same period.
Mainly, the reported slowing of the market is reflected by increasing inventory and longer sale times. The reporters also mention that credit standards are being tightened - which is long overdue - and that the days of low interest are over. The second part is still questionable though. A few nudges by the Fed and the run up in gas prices and possible shortages in building materials needed for the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast are - so far - short term events; not a systemic change. And an increase in energy conservation, could bring those prices down again.
But as the more recent loans with low teaser rates expire - that will hit a lot of new homeowners, hard.
As for what this means for Los Angeles, in the most expensive areas, prices do seem rather high for lower quality product. But in much of the city, the demand so far exceeds the supply, I do not see a major price break in the next few years, barring, of course, some major external factor. Prices, I suspect, will level off, then decline somewhat, particularly for marginal product, but also at the very top of the market.
And if prices do come down on the new product coming on the market in Downtown LA - that is a good thing. Lower prices will mean more people will be able to buy, and even right now, the supply of buyers exceeds the amount of product that is coming on-line, even at today's prices.
There is one caveat to that scenario, though. Right now there is little street life in the loft districts, and even less night life. The Broadway theaters appear to be on the verge of re-opening, but the question of what programing they will have still remains open.
We also have no great books stores, no vintage clothing stores, no antique stores, no music clubs, no 99 seat theaters, no Indy film houses, no record stores and none of a hundred other ammenties we need to create a true urban core.
Now many, if not most of these things, appear about to happen - posilby as soon as next spring and summer, if everything goes right. But everyone Downtown needs to realize that just as housing was the key to starting the rebirth of Downtown, having the streets of Downtown active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is essential if the housing revival and the overall rebirth of Downtown is going to continue.
A decline in the national hot housing market is inevitable; a decline in the number of units being built in Downtown is not.
Will The Last Person Out Of The Getty - Please Turn Off The Lights!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-getty3oct03,1,3564228.story?coll=la-headlines-california
First Munitz's - reportedly much resented by the staff - private secretary - long thought to be the heavy-handed second in command at the Getty, resigned - and now Munitz, I mean the Getty (I keep forgetting that the two are not supposed to be the same thing) has had to accept the 'retirement' of his/their long time curator of antiquities, Marion True, just prior to her going on trial for purchasing looted art objects on behalf of the Getty.
Ralph Frammolino and Jason Felch Times Staff Writers October 3, 2005
The curator of antiquities for the J. Paul Getty Museum bought a vacation home in the Greek islands after one of the museum's main suppliers of ancient art introduced her to a lawyer who arranged a nearly $400,000 loan.
The Getty said in a statement Saturday evening that the curator, Marion True, had resigned after museum officials confronted her about the loan, which she obtained in 1995.The statement, released in response to questions from The Times, said the loan breached museum policy, which requires employees to report even the appearance of a conflict of interest."
The Getty has determined through its own investigation that Marion True failed to report certain aspects of her Greek house purchase transaction in violation of Getty policy," the statement said. "In the course of the Getty's discussions with Ms. True on this matter, she chose voluntarily to retire."
OK - but what's the REAL story? Well -
Internal Getty records obtained by The Times show that museum officials knew three years ago about the loan True obtained for the vacation home. The Getty declined comment on the documents. Italian authorities say Interpol in Greece is investigating the loan.
OK - let's get this straight. The LA Times obtained leaked Getty documents about the scandal dating from ... three years ago... and now - shortly after the Times announced they had those documents - Munitz - I mean, the Getty - suddenly 'discovers' there has been an ethics breach at the Getty!
And they are shocked. Shocked!
OK - so what's the real, real story?
Well, if Marion True is convicted she faces serious jail time and considerable fines. And while I assume the Getty will continue to pay her legal expenses - since they are on trial too, what happens if the Italians offer her a deal to save her own skin?
What happens if they ask her to turn on the Getty and tell all she knows about their complicity(if any, of course), in exchange of a light or no sentence at all?
I imagine that might be a hard deal to turn down. Now, of course, with stakes this high, it might make sense for the Getty to cut a deal and take the 'high road' to protect any potentially guilty parties who reside up on the hill or on the board.
But if this does go to trial - it could become the Michael Jackson/OJ Simpson spectacle of the art world.
Lastly, my observation last week that new Getty curator Michael Brand is the only one at the Getty with any real power now seems particularly apt. In fact, the way things are going - he may even end up being the last man standing up there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/arts/design/04gett.html
New York Times also covers story and lays out the timeline. House bought in 1996, Getty found out about conflict on interest in 2002, Marion True asked to resign in... late 2005.
First Munitz's - reportedly much resented by the staff - private secretary - long thought to be the heavy-handed second in command at the Getty, resigned - and now Munitz, I mean the Getty (I keep forgetting that the two are not supposed to be the same thing) has had to accept the 'retirement' of his/their long time curator of antiquities, Marion True, just prior to her going on trial for purchasing looted art objects on behalf of the Getty.
Ralph Frammolino and Jason Felch Times Staff Writers October 3, 2005
The curator of antiquities for the J. Paul Getty Museum bought a vacation home in the Greek islands after one of the museum's main suppliers of ancient art introduced her to a lawyer who arranged a nearly $400,000 loan.
The Getty said in a statement Saturday evening that the curator, Marion True, had resigned after museum officials confronted her about the loan, which she obtained in 1995.The statement, released in response to questions from The Times, said the loan breached museum policy, which requires employees to report even the appearance of a conflict of interest."
The Getty has determined through its own investigation that Marion True failed to report certain aspects of her Greek house purchase transaction in violation of Getty policy," the statement said. "In the course of the Getty's discussions with Ms. True on this matter, she chose voluntarily to retire."
OK - but what's the REAL story? Well -
Internal Getty records obtained by The Times show that museum officials knew three years ago about the loan True obtained for the vacation home. The Getty declined comment on the documents. Italian authorities say Interpol in Greece is investigating the loan.
OK - let's get this straight. The LA Times obtained leaked Getty documents about the scandal dating from ... three years ago... and now - shortly after the Times announced they had those documents - Munitz - I mean, the Getty - suddenly 'discovers' there has been an ethics breach at the Getty!
And they are shocked. Shocked!
OK - so what's the real, real story?
Well, if Marion True is convicted she faces serious jail time and considerable fines. And while I assume the Getty will continue to pay her legal expenses - since they are on trial too, what happens if the Italians offer her a deal to save her own skin?
What happens if they ask her to turn on the Getty and tell all she knows about their complicity(if any, of course), in exchange of a light or no sentence at all?
I imagine that might be a hard deal to turn down. Now, of course, with stakes this high, it might make sense for the Getty to cut a deal and take the 'high road' to protect any potentially guilty parties who reside up on the hill or on the board.
But if this does go to trial - it could become the Michael Jackson/OJ Simpson spectacle of the art world.
Lastly, my observation last week that new Getty curator Michael Brand is the only one at the Getty with any real power now seems particularly apt. In fact, the way things are going - he may even end up being the last man standing up there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/arts/design/04gett.html
New York Times also covers story and lays out the timeline. House bought in 1996, Getty found out about conflict on interest in 2002, Marion True asked to resign in... late 2005.
On Mondays - Even The Gods Have Feet Of Clay! Plus Feet Of Clay Update!!
http://www2.dailynews.com/rickorlov/ci_3081299
Two of the brightest people I know today committed a hideous libel against my beloved Owens Valley today. One of them said it - and the other one (Rick Orlov of the Daily News)reported it:
One of the classic films about Los Angeles, "Chinatown," is about to become an educational tool.
The union representing some 10,000 city workers, Service Employees International Union Local 347, is putting together a forum Oct. 20 at its headquarters to open a discussion about the city's history and future.
The one thing that union business manager Julie Butcher promises is that there will be no sheep brought in to protest the city's taking of water from Northern California.
Northern California???
Excuse me.
There are many geographic areas of California you can use in describing Inyo County and the Owens Valley. There is locally used term - Eastern California, there is also the very apt phrase, Central California and should there only be a choice between Northern and Southern California, it would be Southern California. But in all the years I spent up there - not once did I ever hear it referred to as... Northern California.
Luckily I will be speaking before that film and will be able to correct this character assassination of the Owens Valley's good name.
UPDATE!
In response to the question in the comments section about the source of the phrase "Even Gods have feet of clay...:
"FEET OF CLAY -- a vulnerability; a failing or weakness. The image is from the Book of Daniel (2:31-40) (in the Bible) in which King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that Daniel describes and then interprets: 'Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image.This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass. His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.' The whole image then broke, and the pieces were carried away in the wind. Daniel's interpretation was that Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold, a king of kings, but that after him would come a series of weaker kingdoms that would finally break up, like the image with feet of clay, and be replaced by the kingdom of God." From the "The Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Ballantine Books, New York, 1985).
Two of the brightest people I know today committed a hideous libel against my beloved Owens Valley today. One of them said it - and the other one (Rick Orlov of the Daily News)reported it:
One of the classic films about Los Angeles, "Chinatown," is about to become an educational tool.
The union representing some 10,000 city workers, Service Employees International Union Local 347, is putting together a forum Oct. 20 at its headquarters to open a discussion about the city's history and future.
The one thing that union business manager Julie Butcher promises is that there will be no sheep brought in to protest the city's taking of water from Northern California.
Northern California???
Excuse me.
There are many geographic areas of California you can use in describing Inyo County and the Owens Valley. There is locally used term - Eastern California, there is also the very apt phrase, Central California and should there only be a choice between Northern and Southern California, it would be Southern California. But in all the years I spent up there - not once did I ever hear it referred to as... Northern California.
Luckily I will be speaking before that film and will be able to correct this character assassination of the Owens Valley's good name.
UPDATE!
In response to the question in the comments section about the source of the phrase "Even Gods have feet of clay...:
"FEET OF CLAY -- a vulnerability; a failing or weakness. The image is from the Book of Daniel (2:31-40) (in the Bible) in which King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that Daniel describes and then interprets: 'Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image.This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass. His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.' The whole image then broke, and the pieces were carried away in the wind. Daniel's interpretation was that Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold, a king of kings, but that after him would come a series of weaker kingdoms that would finally break up, like the image with feet of clay, and be replaced by the kingdom of God." From the "The Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Ballantine Books, New York, 1985).
Sunday, October 02, 2005
It's Official! LA Cowboy Loves Christopher Hawthorne!!
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-ca-schools2oct02,0,2716060.story?track=widget
After getting better and better with each article, Los Angeles Times architecture critic, recent arrival Christopher Hawthorne, has now flung off the water wings, jumped into the deep end and is now breast stroking across our city.
In today's Calendar article on what the Los Angeles School District has done right on school design in the past - and is now increasingly doing wrong for the future - he not only nails the subject, but the piece is also chock-full of inside baseball details about the what and the why of what is happening. He even has real life sources who are telling him what is really going on in this city.
I'll have much more later - but for now - just read what he has to say.
After getting better and better with each article, Los Angeles Times architecture critic, recent arrival Christopher Hawthorne, has now flung off the water wings, jumped into the deep end and is now breast stroking across our city.
In today's Calendar article on what the Los Angeles School District has done right on school design in the past - and is now increasingly doing wrong for the future - he not only nails the subject, but the piece is also chock-full of inside baseball details about the what and the why of what is happening. He even has real life sources who are telling him what is really going on in this city.
I'll have much more later - but for now - just read what he has to say.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
How To Win Free Food At Downtown's Pete's Cafe!
http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-wk-mixer29sep29,0,1403003.story?coll=cl-calendar
As a public service, I feel compelled to enlighten those who live in the pro bono world any tips I can find about... free food!
Katie Love - Special to LA Times
A friend told me once that if you fold your business card in half and place it carefully in the fishbowl of free lunch contenders, you'll double your chances. A wise man, my friend, for now I am sitting at Pete's enjoying my free blue cheese fries and salad. I have won something. Thanks, Pete. Eight years ago, having relocated to Los Angeles from San Francisco, I took one look at downtown and didn't return for several years. They call this "downtown"?
Please. It's not a downtown until there are people lingering after work at their local pub, half on/half off a barstool, complaining about their boss. So really, since it opened in late 2002, Pete's has saved this city, with its flair for the perfect martini and noble high ceilings to contain all that office gossip. It is hard to speak at all, however, while partaking of the macaroni and cheese, which will swear you off the boxed version. For cleansing your palate, there are homemade sorbets — but do protect yourself against incoming spoons.
There is more... but the important part, of course, is in the first paragraph. Pete's Cafe. 4th and Main. Folded business card in glass bowl. Free Food.
As a public service, I feel compelled to enlighten those who live in the pro bono world any tips I can find about... free food!
Katie Love - Special to LA Times
A friend told me once that if you fold your business card in half and place it carefully in the fishbowl of free lunch contenders, you'll double your chances. A wise man, my friend, for now I am sitting at Pete's enjoying my free blue cheese fries and salad. I have won something. Thanks, Pete. Eight years ago, having relocated to Los Angeles from San Francisco, I took one look at downtown and didn't return for several years. They call this "downtown"?
Please. It's not a downtown until there are people lingering after work at their local pub, half on/half off a barstool, complaining about their boss. So really, since it opened in late 2002, Pete's has saved this city, with its flair for the perfect martini and noble high ceilings to contain all that office gossip. It is hard to speak at all, however, while partaking of the macaroni and cheese, which will swear you off the boxed version. For cleansing your palate, there are homemade sorbets — but do protect yourself against incoming spoons.
There is more... but the important part, of course, is in the first paragraph. Pete's Cafe. 4th and Main. Folded business card in glass bowl. Free Food.
Friday, September 30, 2005
LA Times Downtown Weather Report Du Jour!
On the opening webpage page it says - 80 degrees predicted for my area, but when I click inside, it say 91 degrees predicted - with a current temperature of 89 degrees.
And I have re-entered both my Times profile and my weather profile with EXACTLY the same information, just in case that had been the problem.
Will send another e-mail to Times to see if they can figure out what is going on with their weather site. At least I got the 'floating' Alaska airlines ad fixed.
And I have re-entered both my Times profile and my weather profile with EXACTLY the same information, just in case that had been the problem.
Will send another e-mail to Times to see if they can figure out what is going on with their weather site. At least I got the 'floating' Alaska airlines ad fixed.
You'll Never Guess Who Is Buying Full Page Ads In The LA Times Now!
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/09/times_smooches_the_weinst.html
It's... the LA Times advertising staff!
Yes!
Ad revenues have dropped so much that the LA Times advertising staff now has to sell ads... to each other! Now I had missed this as I only read the LAT on-line (unless I pick up a copy at my gym or on the subway), so I found this on LAOSERVED:
Times smooches the Weinsteins
Since I'm back for a few minutes, what's with the house ad on pg. E-20 of today's L.A. Times Calendar section? It's a full-page kiss to Harvey and Bob Weinstein on the launch of their new post-Miramax venture, from the Times itself—complete with poor grammar. It reads: "The Los Angeles Times Motion Picture Advertising Team Congratulates The Weinstein Company on their [sic] new endeavor." Then a list of seventeen upcoming Weinstein films follows. Editorial staffers in Calendar are not too happy, and wonder if the Times plans to start congratulating in print all potential advertisers.
There is more at the end of the linked story, but after the Staples fiasco showed the dangers of mixing news and advertising... one can only wonder - what... were... they... thinking.
Kevin also mentions there was a big marketing/advertising shake-up at the LAT and he wonders if it was the new team or the old team.
I wonder... is this now the... fired team?
It's... the LA Times advertising staff!
Yes!
Ad revenues have dropped so much that the LA Times advertising staff now has to sell ads... to each other! Now I had missed this as I only read the LAT on-line (unless I pick up a copy at my gym or on the subway), so I found this on LAOSERVED:
Times smooches the Weinsteins
Since I'm back for a few minutes, what's with the house ad on pg. E-20 of today's L.A. Times Calendar section? It's a full-page kiss to Harvey and Bob Weinstein on the launch of their new post-Miramax venture, from the Times itself—complete with poor grammar. It reads: "The Los Angeles Times Motion Picture Advertising Team Congratulates The Weinstein Company on their [sic] new endeavor." Then a list of seventeen upcoming Weinstein films follows. Editorial staffers in Calendar are not too happy, and wonder if the Times plans to start congratulating in print all potential advertisers.
There is more at the end of the linked story, but after the Staples fiasco showed the dangers of mixing news and advertising... one can only wonder - what... were... they... thinking.
Kevin also mentions there was a big marketing/advertising shake-up at the LAT and he wonders if it was the new team or the old team.
I wonder... is this now the... fired team?
Morgan Stanley Raises Possibility Of Takeover Of Tribune Company!
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=89828
Rommenesko links to a NPR broadcast with the following quote:
Doug Arthur, Morgan Stanley media analyst: "If they don't show better [stock price] numbers, the company could get taken out by somebody. And then there could be a lot of carnage."
LA needs two or three or four people who have said they want to buy the Times to form a syndicate to purchase the Tribune Company. They can then keep the whole operation - or just the LA Times and other properties they want, and sell off the rest. One advantage of the last course is that individual properties will usually sell for more separately than if they are bundled together.
Additionally, buying the papers as a group removes the risk that the paper would be perceived as a vehicle for any one person's viewpoint. Then the company can go public again and the original investors can retain control of a working majority of the voting stock. But they can also get back much of their invested capital between the proceeds of asset sale and the public offering.
Lastly, once the Tribune knows they are in danger of being taken over - the endangered corporate heads might be willing to throw the LA Times overboard for a very attractive price to save the rest of the ship.
So what do you say... David Geffen, Eli Broad, Haim Saban, Rick Caruso, Michael Milken, Richard Riordan, and Ron Burkel?
Rommenesko links to a NPR broadcast with the following quote:
Doug Arthur, Morgan Stanley media analyst: "If they don't show better [stock price] numbers, the company could get taken out by somebody. And then there could be a lot of carnage."
LA needs two or three or four people who have said they want to buy the Times to form a syndicate to purchase the Tribune Company. They can then keep the whole operation - or just the LA Times and other properties they want, and sell off the rest. One advantage of the last course is that individual properties will usually sell for more separately than if they are bundled together.
Additionally, buying the papers as a group removes the risk that the paper would be perceived as a vehicle for any one person's viewpoint. Then the company can go public again and the original investors can retain control of a working majority of the voting stock. But they can also get back much of their invested capital between the proceeds of asset sale and the public offering.
Lastly, once the Tribune knows they are in danger of being taken over - the endangered corporate heads might be willing to throw the LA Times overboard for a very attractive price to save the rest of the ship.
So what do you say... David Geffen, Eli Broad, Haim Saban, Rick Caruso, Michael Milken, Richard Riordan, and Ron Burkel?
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Major African Art Collection Owned By LA Based Disney Donated To - East Coast Museum!
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/30/arts/design/30smit.html?pagewanted=all
The long history of major local art collections being sold off rather than given to local museums - or, worse yet, given away to East Coast museums, hit a new low today. The Walt Disney corporation just gave away a 525 piece African art collection valued between 20 and 50 million and not one local museum is getting even a single piece of it:
ELIZABETH OLSON - New York Times
The long history of major local art collections being sold off rather than given to local museums - or, worse yet, given away to East Coast museums, hit a new low today. The Walt Disney corporation just gave away a 525 piece African art collection valued between 20 and 50 million and not one local museum is getting even a single piece of it:
ELIZABETH OLSON - New York Times
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 - In a move that will expand a strapped museum's resources, the Walt Disney Company donated a 525-piece collection of mainly West African traditional art on Thursday to the Smithsonian Institution, with the works to go to its National Museum of African Art.
And...
Mr. Eisner said that the art, known as the Walt Disney-Tishman Collection, had helped inspire staff members who worked on the movie "The Lion King" and that some objects had been lent intermittently over the past two decades.
Disney had originally planned to display the collection in one of its own sites but never followed through, he said, adding, "We just didn't put our arms around it."
As calls for loans and gifts from the collection persisted - including an appeal from France's president, Jacques Chirac, who secured a loan for the Louvre, and from the Smithsonian's secretary, Lawrence M. Small - Mr. Eisner said he felt pressed to make a decision about it.
So we have a collection so important that the president of France was begging for it... So why is no LA museum even mentioned as being a contender for the gift? Why would a publicly owned, locally based corporation snub it's own home and give the art to a city with far greater art collections than our city will ever have? What possibly could have made Eisner to snub Los Angeles and donate the art to a city in which Disney has virtually no offices or employees, which is usually the determining factor in such corporate gifts?
And - if Disney has owned this collection for twenty years - why did Eisner feel so pressured to remove this collection from Los Angeles and give it to Washington D.C. just weeks before he leaves the company forever? Why this sudden urgency?
Well...
So he (Eisner) decided about six weeks ago, he said, to give the collection to the Smithsonian because it was a national institution with a building - the National Museum of African Art - "that could display it right.
So... he liked their building? That is the cause of the 'sense of urgency'? Doesn't he know about the massive LACMA addition that Eli Broad is building? Can it really be that a building is the real reason for Eisner's last minute betrayal?
Well...
His wife, Jane Breckenridge Eisner, who accompanied him for the announcement, is a member of the Smithsonian's board of trustees.
OK. Now we get it. As one of his last acts as head of a publicly owned, locally based corporation - Michael Eisner gives away a major art collection to an East Coast museum his wife... just happens... to be on the board of.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-et-african30sep30,1,4912089.story
LA Times now covers the great art theft:
Christopher Reynolds and Johanna Neuman - LA Times
In a move to close his leadership of Walt Disney Corp. with a philanthropic flourish, Chief Executive Michael Eisner announced Thursday that the company would donate its African art collection, hailed by experts as one of the most important such collections in private hands in the U.S., to the Smithsonian Institution.
In making the gift — 525 objects, spanning five centuries and valued at $20 million to $45 million — Disney turned away suitors including the French government and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and solved a quandary that Eisner said had vexed him for 20 years.
And...
Officials at LACMA acknowledged that they tried to get the gift. "We had been talking to them over the last five years about it," said Nancy Thomas, deputy director of LACMA. "We were really hoping that it would stay in Los Angeles, and we would have been very interested in having it come to LACMA. It's a collection that's been on our radar for a long time."
And...
Though LACMA "actively pursued this and took it as far as we could," Thomas said, the museum's last meeting with Disney officials was more than a year ago. Noting that the Louvre currently has several items on loan from the collection, she said French officials had been hoping to land a donation as well.... It's a big loss for Los Angeles," said Doran H. Ross, a veteran Africanist and director of the Fowler Museum of Cultural History at UCLA from 1996 to 2001. "It's probably the single most important private collection that's been out there….
Now as for why Eisner personally decided to enrich already rich Washington at the expense of art poor Los Angeles by donating a collection paid for by Disney stockholders, Eisner said it was because it is a national museum - and that it charged no admission. As for that other, very minor, reason... the Times tactfully, barely mentioned it:
In choosing a destination for the collection, Eisner had a lot of options and at least one built-in connection. His wife, Jane, has served on the Smithsonian National Board since 1998 and is currently vice chairwoman.
Currently... vice-chair? Gee - wonder why she got that promotion.
So we have Eisner giving away Disney Corporation owned art to an out of area museum, an act that just happens to enhance his wife's social position and Barry Munitz spending Getty Trust money all over the world that just happens to also enhance his social life... and then there's the scandal of a major local art foundation being looted by its 'trustees' that no newspaper will report about now that New Times has been closed.
Welcome to LA!
The 2014 Olympics, The LA River, Our New Mayor, The Neighborhood Councils - And The LA Times!
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-golden29sep29,1,7467878,print.column?coll=la-headlines-business
Civic boosterism... in the LA Times? What will they ever think of next!
MICHAEL HILTZIK / GOLDEN STATE
The list of things that traditionally certify a city as "major league" in sports is short: a big-league baseball or football franchise. But what does it take to be "world class"? There the options boil down to one thing: hosting the Olympics."And I think we have a good chance," Barry Sanders told me. This Barry Sanders (not to be confused with the ex-Detroit Lion running back) is chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, which earlier this month announced that Los Angeles intends to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
And...
Sanders gets to the nub of L.A.'s appeal as an Olympic host: Almost all the necessary venues already exist, down to a velodrome for bicycle racing. Most have been built since 1984. This is a plus because the Games' reputation as a deficit-breeding monster stems from the tendency of host cities to build facilities from scratch.
And...
Moreover, (Saunders) contends that even the experience of bidding for the Games can help forge a community spirit."This town needs a first-tier event to bring people together," he told me. "I do not consider the Olympics a panacea for all problems, but they're a big net plus, and they give us the opportunity to build other plusses upon them."That said, it's worth considering the legacy of the 1984 Games. For a time, L.A. basked in the glory of their success. The Games came off like clockwork and raked in a $232.5-million surplus. Of that, $94 million was donated to the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, which continues to support youth sports programs throughout Southern California.
And...
The run-up to the 1984 Olympics included such long-overdue public improvements as the modernization of LAX. The dithering ever since then over the next round of airport improvements may reflect the absence of a similar event-driven deadline.Would it be terrible if the prospect of another Olympics gave voters and public officials the pretext they needed to get this work done, along with so much else that has been languishing on various public agendas? Who knows - maybe a concerted, communal run at the 2016 Olympics would help turn Los Angeles into the city of the 21st century at last.
About the only major project that would need to be built would be the Olympic Village - and just possibly some rowing facilities. So...what about using the Olympics to help finance revitalizing part of the LA River. We already have a Mayor who can get excited about big projects - and he can also get other people excited about them. We also have at least one writer at the LA Times who thinks this may not be a bad idea. And if the Neighborhood Councils can get involved from the beginning and work together to make certain this would benefit all of the city - we can make this happen.
And one more big idea - we are one of the few major cities never to hold a World's Fair. So imagine a World's Fair that could leave in its wake - several miles of greened LA River right after the Olympic kick off the project?
Well, I can dream, can't I?
Lastly, I wish I could help myself... but... in the above LAT article... pluses... is spelled... as plusses... which is not the most preferred way.
There. I feel a lot better now.
Civic boosterism... in the LA Times? What will they ever think of next!
MICHAEL HILTZIK / GOLDEN STATE
The list of things that traditionally certify a city as "major league" in sports is short: a big-league baseball or football franchise. But what does it take to be "world class"? There the options boil down to one thing: hosting the Olympics."And I think we have a good chance," Barry Sanders told me. This Barry Sanders (not to be confused with the ex-Detroit Lion running back) is chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, which earlier this month announced that Los Angeles intends to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
And...
Sanders gets to the nub of L.A.'s appeal as an Olympic host: Almost all the necessary venues already exist, down to a velodrome for bicycle racing. Most have been built since 1984. This is a plus because the Games' reputation as a deficit-breeding monster stems from the tendency of host cities to build facilities from scratch.
And...
Moreover, (Saunders) contends that even the experience of bidding for the Games can help forge a community spirit."This town needs a first-tier event to bring people together," he told me. "I do not consider the Olympics a panacea for all problems, but they're a big net plus, and they give us the opportunity to build other plusses upon them."That said, it's worth considering the legacy of the 1984 Games. For a time, L.A. basked in the glory of their success. The Games came off like clockwork and raked in a $232.5-million surplus. Of that, $94 million was donated to the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, which continues to support youth sports programs throughout Southern California.
And...
The run-up to the 1984 Olympics included such long-overdue public improvements as the modernization of LAX. The dithering ever since then over the next round of airport improvements may reflect the absence of a similar event-driven deadline.Would it be terrible if the prospect of another Olympics gave voters and public officials the pretext they needed to get this work done, along with so much else that has been languishing on various public agendas? Who knows - maybe a concerted, communal run at the 2016 Olympics would help turn Los Angeles into the city of the 21st century at last.
About the only major project that would need to be built would be the Olympic Village - and just possibly some rowing facilities. So...what about using the Olympics to help finance revitalizing part of the LA River. We already have a Mayor who can get excited about big projects - and he can also get other people excited about them. We also have at least one writer at the LA Times who thinks this may not be a bad idea. And if the Neighborhood Councils can get involved from the beginning and work together to make certain this would benefit all of the city - we can make this happen.
And one more big idea - we are one of the few major cities never to hold a World's Fair. So imagine a World's Fair that could leave in its wake - several miles of greened LA River right after the Olympic kick off the project?
Well, I can dream, can't I?
Lastly, I wish I could help myself... but... in the above LAT article... pluses... is spelled... as plusses... which is not the most preferred way.
There. I feel a lot better now.
What Is It With The LA Times On-Line Weather?
I have 90013 put into my computer as my address (it's where my office is) and yet I often get two different forecasts on different parts of the computer.
For example - this is what I get on the LAT frontpage:
Thu 81 (UPDATE - later it suddenly changes to... 91 degrees)
But when I go to the weather page tonight - this is what I get for the overall area forecast:
Thursday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 70s at the beaches to the lower 90s inland.
For example - this is what I get on the LAT frontpage:
Thu 81 (UPDATE - later it suddenly changes to... 91 degrees)
But when I go to the weather page tonight - this is what I get for the overall area forecast:
Thursday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 70s at the beaches to the lower 90s inland.
And this is what I get for 90013 - which is within coastal plain and not part of the inland or the valley - (and we are usually at least 10 degrees cooler than those areas) on the same page:
Thu 94°
Yup. As hot or hotter than in the Valley.
Except, I then insert do a Valley zip code - and get this:
Thu 97°
Well above the low 90's - and only three degrees hotter than downtown. And it's like this nearly every day and I've e-mailed them about this for ... months. So why can't they fix it?
LA Times (And Daily News) Get Around To Covering Gerry Miller Becoming New CLA!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-council29sep29,1,5308483.story?coll=la-headlines-california
Steve Hymon does a nice wrap-up on the story:
After nearly a year of trying to find a new chief legislative analyst, the Los Angeles City Council offered the job Wednesday to Gerry Miller, who has been filling the role in an interim capacity since December. The council has quarreled for seven weeks over who should get the job, and early in the summer, Miller was told that he was not a finalist.
He appeared to be out of the running until recent days, when he again expressed interest in the job. The council interviewed six candidates in a 10-hour closed meeting Tuesday. In an unusual move, even council staffers were banned from the meeting to keep the proceedings secret word leaked out before Wednesday morning's council meeting that Miller had gotten the job. In an open session, the council approved his selection on a 12-0 vote, with one member absent.
The legislative analyst helps the council craft motions that are legal and financially sensible. Many council members often vote according to the analyst's policy recommendations.
And... the key point...
A committee led by Council President Alex Padilla brought two finalists before the full council in a rancorous closed meeting in early August. But several other council members said they were upset that both were from outside the city. Miller "fought for the job and fought for it well and that made a big impression" with the council, Padilla said.
I do recall vivid accounts of that August meeting. The idea that someone with no knowledge of Los Angeles or the workings of the City of Los Angeles, and no personal relationships with members of the council could walk into that job... well, that is hard to imagine.
My guess is that a majority of the council after seeing outside candidates, realized they needed someone who could walk in and start doing the job - tomorrow. And the fact they had someone who met that qualification whom they already knew and trusted - and who was fully capable of doing the job, just made the decision a lot easier.
UPDATE!
http://www2.dailynews.com/news/ci_3070090
Rick Orlov of the Daily News does his version of the story:
After nearly a yearlong, $40,000 nationwide search, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday selected the official who has been serving as its interim top adviser for the permanent position.
The 12-0 approval of Gerry Miller, 45, of Sherman Oaks as chief legislative analyst followed a 10-hour meeting Tuesday during which six candidates were interviewed and a divided City Council clashed over the role of the office.
"I'm just grateful to get the job and have the confidence of the City Council, " Miller, a 20-year city veteran, said after the vote. "I hope to continue to gain their trust." Tempers grew short during the closed session, several members said, with disputes arising over whether an outsider would bring in new ideas and whether the office would become politicized.
And...
Miller emerged from a total of 25 candidates, some of whom dropped out apparently over concern about the amount of time it was taking for a decision to be made. Miller himself at one point during the process had pulled out of the running, only to recently re-enter the competition.
Miller has worked for the city for more than 20 years, starting in the City Clerk's Office, moving to the City Administrative Office and, for the past seven years, working in the Chief Legislative Analyst's Office.
Steve Hymon does a nice wrap-up on the story:
After nearly a year of trying to find a new chief legislative analyst, the Los Angeles City Council offered the job Wednesday to Gerry Miller, who has been filling the role in an interim capacity since December. The council has quarreled for seven weeks over who should get the job, and early in the summer, Miller was told that he was not a finalist.
He appeared to be out of the running until recent days, when he again expressed interest in the job. The council interviewed six candidates in a 10-hour closed meeting Tuesday. In an unusual move, even council staffers were banned from the meeting to keep the proceedings secret word leaked out before Wednesday morning's council meeting that Miller had gotten the job. In an open session, the council approved his selection on a 12-0 vote, with one member absent.
The legislative analyst helps the council craft motions that are legal and financially sensible. Many council members often vote according to the analyst's policy recommendations.
And... the key point...
A committee led by Council President Alex Padilla brought two finalists before the full council in a rancorous closed meeting in early August. But several other council members said they were upset that both were from outside the city. Miller "fought for the job and fought for it well and that made a big impression" with the council, Padilla said.
I do recall vivid accounts of that August meeting. The idea that someone with no knowledge of Los Angeles or the workings of the City of Los Angeles, and no personal relationships with members of the council could walk into that job... well, that is hard to imagine.
My guess is that a majority of the council after seeing outside candidates, realized they needed someone who could walk in and start doing the job - tomorrow. And the fact they had someone who met that qualification whom they already knew and trusted - and who was fully capable of doing the job, just made the decision a lot easier.
UPDATE!
http://www2.dailynews.com/news/ci_3070090
Rick Orlov of the Daily News does his version of the story:
After nearly a yearlong, $40,000 nationwide search, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday selected the official who has been serving as its interim top adviser for the permanent position.
The 12-0 approval of Gerry Miller, 45, of Sherman Oaks as chief legislative analyst followed a 10-hour meeting Tuesday during which six candidates were interviewed and a divided City Council clashed over the role of the office.
"I'm just grateful to get the job and have the confidence of the City Council, " Miller, a 20-year city veteran, said after the vote. "I hope to continue to gain their trust." Tempers grew short during the closed session, several members said, with disputes arising over whether an outsider would bring in new ideas and whether the office would become politicized.
And...
Miller emerged from a total of 25 candidates, some of whom dropped out apparently over concern about the amount of time it was taking for a decision to be made. Miller himself at one point during the process had pulled out of the running, only to recently re-enter the competition.
Miller has worked for the city for more than 20 years, starting in the City Clerk's Office, moving to the City Administrative Office and, for the past seven years, working in the Chief Legislative Analyst's Office.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
LA Times Gets Facts Wrong In LA Times Editorial In Summary Of LA Times Editorial!
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-a2-correx21.2sep21,1,6005401.story?coll=la-news-a_section
Don't know how I missd this the first time around - it must have been up on the Corrections webpage for only a nano-second:
Roberts editorial — Tuesday's A2 summary of a Times editorial said Democrats should not vote to approve Judge John G. Roberts Jr. It should have said that Democrats should vote to approve Roberts.
Don't know how I missd this the first time around - it must have been up on the Corrections webpage for only a nano-second:
Roberts editorial — Tuesday's A2 summary of a Times editorial said Democrats should not vote to approve Judge John G. Roberts Jr. It should have said that Democrats should vote to approve Roberts.
LA Times (Hell, The Entire Tribune Company!) Now Officially A Blue Light Special!
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/09/tribune_stock_tanks.html
While I was over at the Education and Neighborhood Committee Meeting of the City Council - more later on that - the roof fell in over on Spring Street. Well, OK - maybe not exactly the whole roof - but you sure can see sky from parts of the upper floors. Here's Kevin's post:
Tribune execs may have shrugged off the company's bad tax news, but Wall Street did not. Tribune stock fell today to a new four-year low of $34.22 a share, down 4.3% on the day, on huge volume for the Chicago firm. Says Douglas Arthur of Morgan Stanley Equity Research: "Why management did not settle this years ago is anybody's guess. The cost to investors and therefore the company's cost of equity capital from the looming anxiety of this outcome has been incalculable." Merrill Lynch switched to neutral from buy on Tribune stock, and Fitch Ratings put the Tribune's commercial paper on Rating Watch Negative.
So all you guys who have been talking big about buying the LA Times - it's time to stop talking and join together - and buy the whole thing!
While I was over at the Education and Neighborhood Committee Meeting of the City Council - more later on that - the roof fell in over on Spring Street. Well, OK - maybe not exactly the whole roof - but you sure can see sky from parts of the upper floors. Here's Kevin's post:
Tribune execs may have shrugged off the company's bad tax news, but Wall Street did not. Tribune stock fell today to a new four-year low of $34.22 a share, down 4.3% on the day, on huge volume for the Chicago firm. Says Douglas Arthur of Morgan Stanley Equity Research: "Why management did not settle this years ago is anybody's guess. The cost to investors and therefore the company's cost of equity capital from the looming anxiety of this outcome has been incalculable." Merrill Lynch switched to neutral from buy on Tribune stock, and Fitch Ratings put the Tribune's commercial paper on Rating Watch Negative.
So all you guys who have been talking big about buying the LA Times - it's time to stop talking and join together - and buy the whole thing!
Good News For LA! Gerry Miller New CLA!
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/09/council_hires_new_cla.html
Roderick over LAO has the story:
Gerry Miller is the new Chief Legislative Analyst for the City Council. He has been the acting CLA and was previously executive officer in the second-floor suite. Council President Alex Padilla announced the hiring today...
Now when the word was leaked that Gerry was NOT among the finalists, I recall reading he was going to resign as of Friday of that week. To my surprise, though, I then saw him in the Council chamber the following week, but as the place was packed due to the DWP rate increase, I did not get a chance to talk with him.
Now let's hope the City Hall reporters can find out what deals were cut. Tough thing to do on deadline, but here's hoping. Miller replaces Ron Deaton, who bumped over to run the DWP last year.
I imagine Deaton had more than a little to do with this. And with a new Mayor and term limits - there needs to be someone on board with some institutional history. And now with Miller as the council's top guy and CAO Bill Fujioka staying on as the Mayor's top gun - we still have people in place who actually know how things work in this city.
Now if only the same could be said for the Times...
Roderick over LAO has the story:
Gerry Miller is the new Chief Legislative Analyst for the City Council. He has been the acting CLA and was previously executive officer in the second-floor suite. Council President Alex Padilla announced the hiring today...
Now when the word was leaked that Gerry was NOT among the finalists, I recall reading he was going to resign as of Friday of that week. To my surprise, though, I then saw him in the Council chamber the following week, but as the place was packed due to the DWP rate increase, I did not get a chance to talk with him.
Now let's hope the City Hall reporters can find out what deals were cut. Tough thing to do on deadline, but here's hoping. Miller replaces Ron Deaton, who bumped over to run the DWP last year.
I imagine Deaton had more than a little to do with this. And with a new Mayor and term limits - there needs to be someone on board with some institutional history. And now with Miller as the council's top guy and CAO Bill Fujioka staying on as the Mayor's top gun - we still have people in place who actually know how things work in this city.
Now if only the same could be said for the Times...
New Orleans Is Another City The LA Times Seems To Have Problems With!
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-rita28sep28,0,1821544.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Reading the LA Times is a frustrating experience. I always feel I have to double check everything it says to see if it is actually true, or, even if it is not totally false, if it is really the pertinent information. Just skimming the hurricane overview today, a dozen things instantly stuck out to me as being... not quite true....
To just give one glaring example:
New Orleans accounts for about half of Louisiana's tourism--110 million visitors and $5 billion last year.
Other sources quote 10 - and not 110 - million visitors (hey - what's a hundred million or so among friends?) and state that New Orleans gathers around 60% of the state's tourist dollars. The five billion figure, though - may (possibly) be correct! One out of three!
Another example:
Parish: St. Charles/Jefferson/New OrleansIndustries: Manufacturing, fishing, tourism and servicesPopulation*: 987,681Main communities: New Orleans, Hahnville, Gretna and Vieux Carre
To begin with, 'Vieux Carre' is the fancy name for the French Quarter, which is, of course, part of New Orleans. Second, while this list is supposedly of the 'Main communities' and in several of the other parishes in this list, they do cite the larger communities, here, other than New Orleans - they do not list any of the main, or larger, communities.
Instead, this list has the parish seat for St. Charles - Hahnville - which has a staggering 2,792 people, much smaller than the 'main' communities in that parish - and Gretna, the seat of Jefferson Parish, which while larger than Hahnville, is still rather small compared to the other 'main communities' of Jefferson Parish such as the City of Kenner and New Orlean's largest suburb - Metairie - which are the dominant (i.e., main) communities in that parish.
Also, in one part of the longer list, the Times makes a distinction between incorporated and non-incorporated towns, but in other places - they do not chose to make that distinction, leading one to believe that all the other communities cited are incorporated - which they are not.
There is simply nothing resembling consistency in the way this list was put together.
I could go on and on and on, just in this one article. The point is - any reasonably educated person should be able to spot a lot of these things. But no one at the LA Times ever seems to.
Reading the LA Times is a frustrating experience. I always feel I have to double check everything it says to see if it is actually true, or, even if it is not totally false, if it is really the pertinent information. Just skimming the hurricane overview today, a dozen things instantly stuck out to me as being... not quite true....
To just give one glaring example:
New Orleans accounts for about half of Louisiana's tourism--110 million visitors and $5 billion last year.
Other sources quote 10 - and not 110 - million visitors (hey - what's a hundred million or so among friends?) and state that New Orleans gathers around 60% of the state's tourist dollars. The five billion figure, though - may (possibly) be correct! One out of three!
Another example:
Parish: St. Charles/Jefferson/New OrleansIndustries: Manufacturing, fishing, tourism and servicesPopulation*: 987,681Main communities: New Orleans, Hahnville, Gretna and Vieux Carre
To begin with, 'Vieux Carre' is the fancy name for the French Quarter, which is, of course, part of New Orleans. Second, while this list is supposedly of the 'Main communities' and in several of the other parishes in this list, they do cite the larger communities, here, other than New Orleans - they do not list any of the main, or larger, communities.
Instead, this list has the parish seat for St. Charles - Hahnville - which has a staggering 2,792 people, much smaller than the 'main' communities in that parish - and Gretna, the seat of Jefferson Parish, which while larger than Hahnville, is still rather small compared to the other 'main communities' of Jefferson Parish such as the City of Kenner and New Orlean's largest suburb - Metairie - which are the dominant (i.e., main) communities in that parish.
Also, in one part of the longer list, the Times makes a distinction between incorporated and non-incorporated towns, but in other places - they do not chose to make that distinction, leading one to believe that all the other communities cited are incorporated - which they are not.
There is simply nothing resembling consistency in the way this list was put together.
I could go on and on and on, just in this one article. The point is - any reasonably educated person should be able to spot a lot of these things. But no one at the LA Times ever seems to.
LA Times Editorial Page Strikes Again! Can't Tell The Difference Between A Zhou And A Dong!
http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/corrections/
OK. Fun is Fun. But seriously ... somebody... anybody.... needs to proof read the editorials before they get published. It is now clear that whoever writes these things doesn't know his dong from a hole in the ground.
China: An editorial Tuesday on efforts to convince the Chinese to carry out pro-democracy reforms in Hong Kong stated that the city of Canton is now called Guangdong. Its name is Guangzhou.
Once again - the most error-ridden section of the paper - word for word - continues it's losing streak.
And... long after they published a correction about their August sugar prices editorial - where the Times said said that sugar prices had risen in the United States at two to three times the rate they rose in the rest of the world - when they were actually DROPPING in the United States - the Times has still not corrected the on-line editorial!
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/888360521.html?did=888360521&FMT=ABS&FMTS=FT&date=Aug+28%2C+2005&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=A+sugar+imbalance
Subsidies to the sugar industry cost U.S. taxpayers about $1.2 billion annually, and in the last 10 years the price of sugar in the United States has risen at two to three times the rate in the rest of the world, costing U.S. consumers billions more.
The Times has also also yet to correct any of its incorrect facts in the big Katrina/Earthquake editorial - even though two articles in the Times within the week did print the correct facts - and the Op-Ed section still stands by Mike Davis and his claim that housing prices have crashed in San Francisco.
UPDATE!
What if ... all along... the LA Times Ediorial Page has actually been an avante garde... novel?
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/350338p-298851c.html
The terrifyingly productive Howard Kurtz, "Reliable Sources" host for CNN and media maven at The Washington Post, is shopping a nearly finished satirical novel about the newsbiz, titled "Funny Is Money."
And...
He added: "The great advantage of tackling a novel is that you don't have to bother with such annoying procedures as checking your facts."
Explains a lot!
Link courtsey of Romenesko.
OK. Fun is Fun. But seriously ... somebody... anybody.... needs to proof read the editorials before they get published. It is now clear that whoever writes these things doesn't know his dong from a hole in the ground.
China: An editorial Tuesday on efforts to convince the Chinese to carry out pro-democracy reforms in Hong Kong stated that the city of Canton is now called Guangdong. Its name is Guangzhou.
Once again - the most error-ridden section of the paper - word for word - continues it's losing streak.
And... long after they published a correction about their August sugar prices editorial - where the Times said said that sugar prices had risen in the United States at two to three times the rate they rose in the rest of the world - when they were actually DROPPING in the United States - the Times has still not corrected the on-line editorial!
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/888360521.html?did=888360521&FMT=ABS&FMTS=FT&date=Aug+28%2C+2005&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=A+sugar+imbalance
Subsidies to the sugar industry cost U.S. taxpayers about $1.2 billion annually, and in the last 10 years the price of sugar in the United States has risen at two to three times the rate in the rest of the world, costing U.S. consumers billions more.
The Times has also also yet to correct any of its incorrect facts in the big Katrina/Earthquake editorial - even though two articles in the Times within the week did print the correct facts - and the Op-Ed section still stands by Mike Davis and his claim that housing prices have crashed in San Francisco.
UPDATE!
What if ... all along... the LA Times Ediorial Page has actually been an avante garde... novel?
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/350338p-298851c.html
The terrifyingly productive Howard Kurtz, "Reliable Sources" host for CNN and media maven at The Washington Post, is shopping a nearly finished satirical novel about the newsbiz, titled "Funny Is Money."
And...
He added: "The great advantage of tackling a novel is that you don't have to bother with such annoying procedures as checking your facts."
Explains a lot!
Link courtsey of Romenesko.
Ten Billion Dollar Pirate Treasure Found?
http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=250194&rel_no=1&back_url=
Since part of my wonderfully misspent youth was spent looking around the world for lost mines and buried treasure - I found this (editted version of) article kinda cool:
In the 17th century a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, was a castaway on an island 2,000 kilometers to the west of what is now Chile. He was rescued some years later and one day in a pub in Scotland he told his story to Daniel Defoe, who later wrote the famous novel "Robinson Crusoe," based on the sailor's experiences....
Until now, the island was only known because of the Robinson Crusoe story and its delicious lobsters. But in 1995 an American named Bernard Keiser arrived on the island saying he had evidence that a considerable treasure had been hidden there at the beginning of the 18th century by a British captain named George Anson. In those days, British pirates frequently raided Spanish galleons and ports on the South American continent....
A few weeks ago Wagner, a Chilean geological prospecting company that was doing some work in the island, declared it had found by chance the area where the treasure is. It used a highly sophisticated robot invented in Chile that can detect different kinds of underground structures. The treasure is said to consist of 600 barrels of gold and jewels that today would be valued at US$10 billion. According to Chilean laws the amount must be shared in equal parts between the state and the finders. Of the island's 1,500 inhabitants, many do not believe that the treasure has been found.
No digging has been approved yet - so will update.
PS - Site is having technical problems.
Since part of my wonderfully misspent youth was spent looking around the world for lost mines and buried treasure - I found this (editted version of) article kinda cool:
In the 17th century a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, was a castaway on an island 2,000 kilometers to the west of what is now Chile. He was rescued some years later and one day in a pub in Scotland he told his story to Daniel Defoe, who later wrote the famous novel "Robinson Crusoe," based on the sailor's experiences....
Until now, the island was only known because of the Robinson Crusoe story and its delicious lobsters. But in 1995 an American named Bernard Keiser arrived on the island saying he had evidence that a considerable treasure had been hidden there at the beginning of the 18th century by a British captain named George Anson. In those days, British pirates frequently raided Spanish galleons and ports on the South American continent....
A few weeks ago Wagner, a Chilean geological prospecting company that was doing some work in the island, declared it had found by chance the area where the treasure is. It used a highly sophisticated robot invented in Chile that can detect different kinds of underground structures. The treasure is said to consist of 600 barrels of gold and jewels that today would be valued at US$10 billion. According to Chilean laws the amount must be shared in equal parts between the state and the finders. Of the island's 1,500 inhabitants, many do not believe that the treasure has been found.
No digging has been approved yet - so will update.
PS - Site is having technical problems.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
The Cowboy Way(S)!
http://www.latimes.com/travel/outdoors/la-os-horse27sep27,0,2137567.story?track=hpmostemailedlink
In the above story, Jane Smiley recounts her education in educatin' horses:
GETTING a horse to do what a rider wants is at the heart of the human-equine relationship. It is by nature a coercive practice. The real challenge, however, is to tap into the intelligence and strength of the horse without diminishing either. Bits and spurs are two tools of the trade, but they have their limitations. Some horses will either fight the rider or never quite understand what the rider is asking.
And...
The Dorrances came to value the vaquero approach, which is as much a philosophy as a methodology. "Listen to the horse," Tom would famously say. "Try to find out what the horse is trying to tell you."
On the ranch, the brothers needed quiet horses that were cooperative and capable of acting as partners in the endless work of finding, moving, herding, separating and tending to cows, calves and bulls.
The method originated in Tom's detailed observations of how horses in herds interact to establish dominance and exact submission, to form relationships and to communicate to one another what to do and when and how to do it. It makes use of techniques that, to begin with, are easy for horses to understand and perform and that add up to ever more sophisticated communication between horse and rider.
My own experience in educatin' - and gettin' educated - by horses started... under less then ideal conditions. I was given a four year old Morgan stallion that had never been ridden and had rarely even been touched by a man.
Things started badly - and went immediately down hill.
In addition, my best friend's half-brother, Tom, felt my existence on this planet was a personal affront, and he quickly devised a hazing process designed to remedy the unfortunate fact of my existence. Luckily, though, that process also - eventually - created the intensely close bond between me and my horse, Mr. D.
Not long after that, and shortly after me and my horse had proved ourselves to the others, I first saw how Lance, Tom's half-brother, broke a horse.
He walked around a corral with the horse.
Yup! That was it! Lance would just look at the animal, walk around with him for an hour or two, and then the horse would - finally - come up and lay its head on his shoulder. Lance would then stoke its head, get on his back - and ride him bareback with but a hackamore.
My first thought was - if he knew how to do that - why the hell had he watched me being pile driven into the ground of the Owens Valley for two months?
I soon realized, though, I had to undergo a baptism of sorts to be accepted by the others and that it was only after that, that I would be introduced to the mysteries of the man/horse relationship. One of the surprises about the above article, however, was my realizing how many different techniques have been developed over the years to accomplish the same goal, all created by understanding the nature of the horse as a social and herd animal.
There was the method I saw Lance do and which I began to learn how to do (wholly inadequate as I was at it), and then there is the 'horse whisperer' approach I've heard about, but have avoided reading about. I presume, though, it must be quite different as Lance never used his voice at all in the initial taming of the horse; it was all in his walk and in his eyes. And I recently scanned a brief description of using a lead rope, and now this technique described in this article.
And I almost did not read this piece as I am just finishing the main chapters of my memoirs that talk about horses in general (and my later experiences with wild mustangs that finally gave me a real understanding of horses) and my horse in particular and I did not want to influence what I recalled by reading other's people's experiences.
But I am glad I did read this article and as soon as I do finish those chapters, I will plow into other people's experiences and discover how they, too, learned the language of the world of horses.
In the above story, Jane Smiley recounts her education in educatin' horses:
GETTING a horse to do what a rider wants is at the heart of the human-equine relationship. It is by nature a coercive practice. The real challenge, however, is to tap into the intelligence and strength of the horse without diminishing either. Bits and spurs are two tools of the trade, but they have their limitations. Some horses will either fight the rider or never quite understand what the rider is asking.
And...
The Dorrances came to value the vaquero approach, which is as much a philosophy as a methodology. "Listen to the horse," Tom would famously say. "Try to find out what the horse is trying to tell you."
On the ranch, the brothers needed quiet horses that were cooperative and capable of acting as partners in the endless work of finding, moving, herding, separating and tending to cows, calves and bulls.
The method originated in Tom's detailed observations of how horses in herds interact to establish dominance and exact submission, to form relationships and to communicate to one another what to do and when and how to do it. It makes use of techniques that, to begin with, are easy for horses to understand and perform and that add up to ever more sophisticated communication between horse and rider.
My own experience in educatin' - and gettin' educated - by horses started... under less then ideal conditions. I was given a four year old Morgan stallion that had never been ridden and had rarely even been touched by a man.
Things started badly - and went immediately down hill.
In addition, my best friend's half-brother, Tom, felt my existence on this planet was a personal affront, and he quickly devised a hazing process designed to remedy the unfortunate fact of my existence. Luckily, though, that process also - eventually - created the intensely close bond between me and my horse, Mr. D.
Not long after that, and shortly after me and my horse had proved ourselves to the others, I first saw how Lance, Tom's half-brother, broke a horse.
He walked around a corral with the horse.
Yup! That was it! Lance would just look at the animal, walk around with him for an hour or two, and then the horse would - finally - come up and lay its head on his shoulder. Lance would then stoke its head, get on his back - and ride him bareback with but a hackamore.
My first thought was - if he knew how to do that - why the hell had he watched me being pile driven into the ground of the Owens Valley for two months?
I soon realized, though, I had to undergo a baptism of sorts to be accepted by the others and that it was only after that, that I would be introduced to the mysteries of the man/horse relationship. One of the surprises about the above article, however, was my realizing how many different techniques have been developed over the years to accomplish the same goal, all created by understanding the nature of the horse as a social and herd animal.
There was the method I saw Lance do and which I began to learn how to do (wholly inadequate as I was at it), and then there is the 'horse whisperer' approach I've heard about, but have avoided reading about. I presume, though, it must be quite different as Lance never used his voice at all in the initial taming of the horse; it was all in his walk and in his eyes. And I recently scanned a brief description of using a lead rope, and now this technique described in this article.
And I almost did not read this piece as I am just finishing the main chapters of my memoirs that talk about horses in general (and my later experiences with wild mustangs that finally gave me a real understanding of horses) and my horse in particular and I did not want to influence what I recalled by reading other's people's experiences.
But I am glad I did read this article and as soon as I do finish those chapters, I will plow into other people's experiences and discover how they, too, learned the language of the world of horses.
Paging David Geffen, Et Al - Tribune Stock Might Start To Get Real Cheap!
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/09/tribune_to_pay_1_billion.html
LA Observed has the news that the Tribune Companies lost their case - big time - in tax court:
This is a day the Tribune Company hoped would never come—or one of them at least. Call it the revenge of Times Mirror's former bosses. When the Chicago-based Tribune swooped in to buy Times Mirror and the L.A. Times from unsuspecting executives in 2000, it also acquired a potential tax liability dating from an earlier, too-clever TM scheme to dodge the IRS. Well, on Tuesday the U.S. Tax Court sided with the IRS. After interest, Tribune owes—are you sitting down?—a cool billion. Not ephemeral paper assets, but actual money. Tribune will appeal but has decided to go ahead and pay the tax bite to avoid building up more penalties.
Still to come - a decision on if the Tribune will be forced to divest either The LA Times - or KTLA Channel Five:
Tribune's other big gamble, that the U.S. will change the law and let them keep both the Times and KTLA rather than force a sale, still lies a couple of years ahead.
So local billionaries - time to start pooling your funds to buy Tribune Company at the upcoming blue light special sale.
LA Observed has the news that the Tribune Companies lost their case - big time - in tax court:
This is a day the Tribune Company hoped would never come—or one of them at least. Call it the revenge of Times Mirror's former bosses. When the Chicago-based Tribune swooped in to buy Times Mirror and the L.A. Times from unsuspecting executives in 2000, it also acquired a potential tax liability dating from an earlier, too-clever TM scheme to dodge the IRS. Well, on Tuesday the U.S. Tax Court sided with the IRS. After interest, Tribune owes—are you sitting down?—a cool billion. Not ephemeral paper assets, but actual money. Tribune will appeal but has decided to go ahead and pay the tax bite to avoid building up more penalties.
Still to come - a decision on if the Tribune will be forced to divest either The LA Times - or KTLA Channel Five:
Tribune's other big gamble, that the U.S. will change the law and let them keep both the Times and KTLA rather than force a sale, still lies a couple of years ahead.
So local billionaries - time to start pooling your funds to buy Tribune Company at the upcoming blue light special sale.
Monday, September 26, 2005
New York Times Does The Math - And The Numbers Don't Add Up! Someone Must Have Cheated To Pass Their Regent's Exam!
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/health/27canc.html
The premise of the above article is that science can not prove diet has any correlation with cancer rates. The Times does state, though, that a more healthful diet can't hurt when it comes to preventing cancer - and that it will likely help with heart disease. But the paper also firmly states that it can not be proven there is a link between diet and preventing cancer since concrete facts are lacking.
However, the New York Times does state that cancer rates are soaring. And then they quote the following facts and figures to prove that:
That, however, is little consolation to cancer patients and family members who are terrified that cancer might strike them next. And there are more and more. As the population ages, the number of cancer patients is soaring. From 1997 to 2004, the number of Americans with cancer jumped, to 9.6 million from 9.4 million. Cancer strikes one in two men and one in three women in their lifetimes.
There's only one little problem here. The 'soaring' number of patients comes out to a total increase of just a hair over 2.1% over seven years. That comes out to little more than a .3% increase per year.
Pretty pathetic for soaring, I would say.
Even more damning is the inconvenient fact (and, yes, facts are so very often... inconvenient) that during the same seven years, the population of this country was growing at around 1% per year. That would mean the population is growing over 3 times - that's 300% - higher than the rate of cancer increase! That means that cancer rates - as the country ages - are plummeting!
Now I doubt if that is at all true and there has to be some explanation for this. But it sure has nothing to do with the facts presented in the article.
UPDATE!!
Cancer rates are actually DROPPING in this country - and not soaring as the New York Times says tomorrow in what appears to be front page story! As proof --
http://www.nci.nih.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/ReportNation2004release
Annual Report to the Nation Finds Cancer Incidence and Death Rates on the Decline: Survival Rates Show Significant Improvement
The nation's leading cancer organizations report that Americans' risk of getting and dying from cancer continues to decline and survival rates for many cancers continue to improve.
Yup - not only are the numbers of cancer patients not 'soaring' - but the rate at which Americans get cancer in this country is ... actually... dropping.
UPDATE!
NYT corrects misspelled name - but not 'soaring' cancer rates.
An article and a picture caption in Science Times yesterday about scientific doubts on the role of diet in cancer prevention misspelled the given name of a Harvard epidemiologist who discussed the difficulties of correlating dietary habits with cancer rates. He is Dr. Meir Stampfer, not Meier. (Go to Article)
The premise of the above article is that science can not prove diet has any correlation with cancer rates. The Times does state, though, that a more healthful diet can't hurt when it comes to preventing cancer - and that it will likely help with heart disease. But the paper also firmly states that it can not be proven there is a link between diet and preventing cancer since concrete facts are lacking.
However, the New York Times does state that cancer rates are soaring. And then they quote the following facts and figures to prove that:
That, however, is little consolation to cancer patients and family members who are terrified that cancer might strike them next. And there are more and more. As the population ages, the number of cancer patients is soaring. From 1997 to 2004, the number of Americans with cancer jumped, to 9.6 million from 9.4 million. Cancer strikes one in two men and one in three women in their lifetimes.
There's only one little problem here. The 'soaring' number of patients comes out to a total increase of just a hair over 2.1% over seven years. That comes out to little more than a .3% increase per year.
Pretty pathetic for soaring, I would say.
Even more damning is the inconvenient fact (and, yes, facts are so very often... inconvenient) that during the same seven years, the population of this country was growing at around 1% per year. That would mean the population is growing over 3 times - that's 300% - higher than the rate of cancer increase! That means that cancer rates - as the country ages - are plummeting!
Now I doubt if that is at all true and there has to be some explanation for this. But it sure has nothing to do with the facts presented in the article.
UPDATE!!
Cancer rates are actually DROPPING in this country - and not soaring as the New York Times says tomorrow in what appears to be front page story! As proof --
http://www.nci.nih.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/ReportNation2004release
Annual Report to the Nation Finds Cancer Incidence and Death Rates on the Decline: Survival Rates Show Significant Improvement
The nation's leading cancer organizations report that Americans' risk of getting and dying from cancer continues to decline and survival rates for many cancers continue to improve.
Yup - not only are the numbers of cancer patients not 'soaring' - but the rate at which Americans get cancer in this country is ... actually... dropping.
UPDATE!
NYT corrects misspelled name - but not 'soaring' cancer rates.
An article and a picture caption in Science Times yesterday about scientific doubts on the role of diet in cancer prevention misspelled the given name of a Harvard epidemiologist who discussed the difficulties of correlating dietary habits with cancer rates. He is Dr. Meir Stampfer, not Meier. (Go to Article)
Why The Sun May - Finally - Rise Again Over The Getty Museum!
To begin with - for those of you who have joined this soap opera late - if you put 'Munitz' in the above 'search this blog' box, you can access all previous posts on the subject, starting even before the existing scandals were uncovered.
And for those who have been following along, my last two posts have useful background information, along with the September 1st post.
Now as for my optimism that the rein of Getty Trust President Barry Munitz and Getty Board President John Biggs is about to end, there appears - finally - to be a convergence of factors to create the Perfect Storm.
First, there is now well documented (thanks to the LA Times) use of Foundation funds by Munitz for his personal use or for the benefit of Munitz's rich and/or politically connected friends. And both the State of California and even a Federal institution, the U.S. Senate - are now looking into those misdeeds.
Second, the fleeing of staff from the Getty will only continue - I have been told by people up on the Hill - if there is not a clear sign - soon - that Munitz is leaving.
Third, the complete failure of the Getty - with all its vast resources - to build even a second rate painting collection over the years - has alienated members of the art community who might have supported Munitz. But by buying friends and influence all over the world by spending the Getty's money there instead of buying art for Los Angeles, Munitz does not have the supporters he might otherwise have.
Fourth, the failure of the Getty to get a big name - or even a name, period, to take over as director was probably, finally, seen by Munitz as a good thing, even if that was not (as I suspect) his original plan. But having a director with no clout or power, seemingly makes it far easier for Munitz to control him as, again one would think, it would harder for him to control a director who had run either the Whitney Museum or the National Gallery in London.
But our Mr. Brand may yet prove to be Munitz's Achilles Heel. For if things get rough up on the Hill, and they will as the scandals and subpoenas come home to roost, it is one thing for a major museum director to quit in a huff and move on. These things often happen when high powered egos collide. And that director would then assured of getting another high profile job, with all the major positions presently open.
But if a relative unknown - picked from almost complete obscurity - were to announce that things were so bad up on the Hill - that he could no longer in good conscience stay... well, how could Barry ever explain that? How could John Biggs explain that?
Well, they couldn't. And there is no way Munitz could remain in power if that were to happen.
No, Barry Munitz no longer has the power in that relationship, even if neither one of them has yet realized it.
(The other good news is that Brand's reputation appears to be well earned. But more on that later)
Fifth, the LA Times article today (described two posts ago) describes hundreds of pages of internal Getty documents that prove that Munitz knew - in detail - of the potentially illegal activities of the Getty clear back in 2001 (he was hired in January 1998), and that he did nothing to remedy the situation.
Sixth, and most damning of all, Barry Munitz and his co-conspirator, Board Chair John Biggs - kept the existence of those and many other damning documents from the rest of the Board; the very Board that is legally required to supervise the Trust. And the two board members willing to speak out in public are... pissed.
Seriously pissed. From the LAT article quoted on Sept. 1st:
Two other Getty board members, Barbara Fleischman and Ramon Cortines, said they were unaware of the documents, and believed board members should have been briefed about what the internal review found.
Fleischman said she was "flabbergasted" to learn the Getty has documents it has not provided to the Italians."I'm shocked," she said. "My knowledge is that full cooperation has been given to the Italians."
Cortines said, "If there were pictures and if there were damaging documents, as a board member I believe I should have seen that and been informed. There should have been a discussion about how we as a board were going to respond."Stonewalling is not handling an issue," added Cortines, a former superintendent of Los Angeles schools.
And this was before the release of the latest, far more damning, hundreds of pages of lawyer's papers that the LA Times has obtained, that presumably - were never seen by the majorty of the members of the board.
So, as I said on my September 1st, it is one thing to lie to the Police, to the State, to the Federal Government and to random foreign countries - but it is another thing to lie to and create massive legal liabilities for a Board that can hire and fire you.
Now, hopefully, the LA Times Editorial Page will finally demand not just the resignations of Barry Munitz and John Biggs - but also that the entire board be restructured.
And for those who have been following along, my last two posts have useful background information, along with the September 1st post.
Now as for my optimism that the rein of Getty Trust President Barry Munitz and Getty Board President John Biggs is about to end, there appears - finally - to be a convergence of factors to create the Perfect Storm.
First, there is now well documented (thanks to the LA Times) use of Foundation funds by Munitz for his personal use or for the benefit of Munitz's rich and/or politically connected friends. And both the State of California and even a Federal institution, the U.S. Senate - are now looking into those misdeeds.
Second, the fleeing of staff from the Getty will only continue - I have been told by people up on the Hill - if there is not a clear sign - soon - that Munitz is leaving.
Third, the complete failure of the Getty - with all its vast resources - to build even a second rate painting collection over the years - has alienated members of the art community who might have supported Munitz. But by buying friends and influence all over the world by spending the Getty's money there instead of buying art for Los Angeles, Munitz does not have the supporters he might otherwise have.
Fourth, the failure of the Getty to get a big name - or even a name, period, to take over as director was probably, finally, seen by Munitz as a good thing, even if that was not (as I suspect) his original plan. But having a director with no clout or power, seemingly makes it far easier for Munitz to control him as, again one would think, it would harder for him to control a director who had run either the Whitney Museum or the National Gallery in London.
But our Mr. Brand may yet prove to be Munitz's Achilles Heel. For if things get rough up on the Hill, and they will as the scandals and subpoenas come home to roost, it is one thing for a major museum director to quit in a huff and move on. These things often happen when high powered egos collide. And that director would then assured of getting another high profile job, with all the major positions presently open.
But if a relative unknown - picked from almost complete obscurity - were to announce that things were so bad up on the Hill - that he could no longer in good conscience stay... well, how could Barry ever explain that? How could John Biggs explain that?
Well, they couldn't. And there is no way Munitz could remain in power if that were to happen.
No, Barry Munitz no longer has the power in that relationship, even if neither one of them has yet realized it.
(The other good news is that Brand's reputation appears to be well earned. But more on that later)
Fifth, the LA Times article today (described two posts ago) describes hundreds of pages of internal Getty documents that prove that Munitz knew - in detail - of the potentially illegal activities of the Getty clear back in 2001 (he was hired in January 1998), and that he did nothing to remedy the situation.
Sixth, and most damning of all, Barry Munitz and his co-conspirator, Board Chair John Biggs - kept the existence of those and many other damning documents from the rest of the Board; the very Board that is legally required to supervise the Trust. And the two board members willing to speak out in public are... pissed.
Seriously pissed. From the LAT article quoted on Sept. 1st:
Two other Getty board members, Barbara Fleischman and Ramon Cortines, said they were unaware of the documents, and believed board members should have been briefed about what the internal review found.
Fleischman said she was "flabbergasted" to learn the Getty has documents it has not provided to the Italians."I'm shocked," she said. "My knowledge is that full cooperation has been given to the Italians."
Cortines said, "If there were pictures and if there were damaging documents, as a board member I believe I should have seen that and been informed. There should have been a discussion about how we as a board were going to respond."Stonewalling is not handling an issue," added Cortines, a former superintendent of Los Angeles schools.
And this was before the release of the latest, far more damning, hundreds of pages of lawyer's papers that the LA Times has obtained, that presumably - were never seen by the majorty of the members of the board.
So, as I said on my September 1st, it is one thing to lie to the Police, to the State, to the Federal Government and to random foreign countries - but it is another thing to lie to and create massive legal liabilities for a Board that can hire and fire you.
Now, hopefully, the LA Times Editorial Page will finally demand not just the resignations of Barry Munitz and John Biggs - but also that the entire board be restructured.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Background Story On New Director Of Getty Hired Last Month!
Below is a post my Dopamine-deprived fingers could not type last month, but which I am now posting to help illuminate my shortly following post on why the nightmare over at the Getty may... finally... be coming to an end.
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-me-getty16aug16,0,6237692.story?coll=cl-art
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/16/arts/design/16gett.html
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-081505getty_lat,0,7972658.story?track=widget
First, the LA Times...
Suzanne Muchnic
August 16, 2005
The troubled J. Paul Getty Museum's highly publicized search for a leader came to an end Monday with the appointment of Michael Brand, a Harvard-educated Australian who has headed the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond for the last five years.
Brand, 47, will take charge of the Los Angeles museum Dec. 1, succeeding Deborah Gribbon, who resigned in October, citing "critical differences" with Barry Munitz, president and chief executive of the umbrella Getty Trust.
And....
Considered a rising star in the art world and highly regarded among his peers, Brand has compiled an impressive resume but one that might not seem suited to the Getty's needs.
His academic specialty is Indian art, a field that the Getty Museum does not collect. One of his primary achievements at the Virginia museum was having spearheaded a successful capital campaign for expansion, a skill that might not seem to be in great demand at the wealthy California museum but that Munitz has said will be important.
And...
Brand's name emerged amid speculation about possible candidates, including Maxwell Anderson, former director of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, and Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum in London and former director of the National Gallery there.
And now the New York Times...
Mr. Brand, a native of Australia and an expert on Indian art and architecture, inherits a museum with a $5 billion endowment and world-class collections of antiquities, photography and illuminated manuscripts. Many in the art world, however, consider its other artistic holdings, though extensive, to lack a strong aesthetic vision and identity.
In other words, Mr. Brand now has to go out in public with a tin cup to support Barry's lifestyle. And...
In accepting the appointment, Mr. Brand said that he hoped not only to add to the museum's collection but also to make the center more accessible to the public. "I am looking forward to further building the Getty's renowned collection and to further expanding the way we use it as the central part of our mission of outreach and service to our various communities."
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-me-getty16aug16,0,6237692.story?coll=cl-art
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/16/arts/design/16gett.html
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-081505getty_lat,0,7972658.story?track=widget
First, the LA Times...
Suzanne Muchnic
August 16, 2005
The troubled J. Paul Getty Museum's highly publicized search for a leader came to an end Monday with the appointment of Michael Brand, a Harvard-educated Australian who has headed the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond for the last five years.
Brand, 47, will take charge of the Los Angeles museum Dec. 1, succeeding Deborah Gribbon, who resigned in October, citing "critical differences" with Barry Munitz, president and chief executive of the umbrella Getty Trust.
And....
Considered a rising star in the art world and highly regarded among his peers, Brand has compiled an impressive resume but one that might not seem suited to the Getty's needs.
His academic specialty is Indian art, a field that the Getty Museum does not collect. One of his primary achievements at the Virginia museum was having spearheaded a successful capital campaign for expansion, a skill that might not seem to be in great demand at the wealthy California museum but that Munitz has said will be important.
And...
Brand's name emerged amid speculation about possible candidates, including Maxwell Anderson, former director of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, and Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum in London and former director of the National Gallery there.
And now the New York Times...
Mr. Brand, a native of Australia and an expert on Indian art and architecture, inherits a museum with a $5 billion endowment and world-class collections of antiquities, photography and illuminated manuscripts. Many in the art world, however, consider its other artistic holdings, though extensive, to lack a strong aesthetic vision and identity.
Mr. Brand will assume significant fund-raising duties that neither of his predecessors had, Mr. Munitz said. Until recently, the Getty Trust has not had to raise money and has simply bought many of the objects it coveted. But with the trust's investment income shrinking, museum expenses rising and prices of art soaring, the trust and museum have for the first time begun to seek donations of money and art objects, he said.
That task will fall largely to Mr. Brand, Mr. Munitz said.
"The fundamental burden should rest with the museum director supported by trust president, not the other way around," he said.In other words, Mr. Brand now has to go out in public with a tin cup to support Barry's lifestyle. And...
In accepting the appointment, Mr. Brand said that he hoped not only to add to the museum's collection but also to make the center more accessible to the public. "I am looking forward to further building the Getty's renowned collection and to further expanding the way we use it as the central part of our mission of outreach and service to our various communities."
Mr. Munitz said that Mr. Brand was the first choice among four finalists identified by the museum's board and search committee. He declined to name the other candidates but said that none of the serious contenders for the post turned the Getty down.
Mr. Munitz said that Mr. Brand's background made him a good fit for a potential shift in orientation by the museum to the art and cultures of Asia and Latin America.
And... lastly....
"To get our strongest candidate with all of the noise out there tells you something about how our situation is viewed by professionals in the field," Mr. Munitz said. He said that the museum staff received Mr. Brand warmly when he introduced him on Monday morning. "There was a very warm applauding reception," Mr. Munitz said. "Nobody stood up and asked us if we were out of our minds."
Ok - now let's translate these statements into English. The new director of the Getty currently runs a very small regional museum, but he is highly thought of among other museum professionals. Clear enough.
Next, Madman Muntz, pardon me, I mean the esteemed Mr. Munitz, stated that no serious contender for the position had turned down the job.
Excuse me... but exactly why would Munitz say that no 'serious' contender had turned down the job - if no one at all had turned down the position? Why would he not just say that no one - period - had turned down the job?
The only semantical explanation seems to be that they first quietly, unofficially, offered the job to a variety of non-serious candidates (such as people actually qualified for the job, but who knew better than to touch anything associated with Barry Munitz with a ten foot Canaletto, making them 'non-serious' candidates) - all of whom quietly - and 'unofficially' - turned them down - before they... finally... offered the job to Mr. Brand.
Next comes my favorite part. To Mr. Munitz's evident shock - when the staff was introduced to the new boss they will report to - not a single one of the staff asked them if they had lost their minds in hiring him. I mean - what an unimaginable triumph! And then - to Munitz's even further amazement - not even one staff member pulled out a gun - and shot holes in their new boss! Great job, Barry!
Plus let us not forget Munitz's statement that Michael Brand was the strongest of all candidates for the job.
And how can we doubt that?
I mean, on one side they had... the director of a small, obscure, regional museum in Virgina (and a man whose field is not even collected by the Getty) while on the other side - all they had were some pathetic directors who had run backwater museums like the Art Gallery of Ontario - one of the ten largest art museums in North America, the Whitney Museum in New York and, of course, a hopelessly unqualified 'candidate' (if you can even call him... a 'candidate') who ran both the British Museum and the National Gallery in London!
My God - what a fraud to even submit his name! Shame! Shame!
Yup - we got the strongest candidate, all right!
Getty Dealings In Looted Antiquities Exposed in LA Times!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-getty25sep25,0,7970230,full.story?coll=la-home-headlines
By Jason Felch and Ralph Frammolino, Times Staff Writers
There are several stories contained in today's Los Angeles Times nine page (internet format) expose of the Getty's history of buying suspect antiquities. Alas, only one of them is good.
To begin with, while I am always there at the drop of a Stetson - black, felt and low crowned, of course - to point out the LA Times seemingly hourly transgressions, I take far greater pleasure in talking about the good LA Times; the version of the Times that miraculously appears - seemingly deus ex machina - whenever the paper fields its deep bench of writing, investigative and, yes, even editorial, talent against a story that actually affects the citizen of... Los Angeles.
Still, even though this latest series of revelations will undoubtedly spell the end of Barry Munitz's misadventure at the Getty Trust (the only good news in this sordid affair), this is a tragic day for those of us who care about LA and its cultural resources. It now increasingly appears that the Getty has - long before the advent of Barry Munitz, buying from dealers of questionable reputations and acquiring massive numbers of art works that do not meet the Getty's publicly stated and ever increasingly stringent guidelines to a far greater degree than had ever been previously suspected
This is a black eye for both the museum and our city.
In response to the Italian investigation, Getty lawyers combed through the museum's files and questioned staff members over several months in 2001, trying to assess the legal exposure of the world's richest art institution.The Times recently obtained hundreds of pages of Getty records, some of them related to the museum's internal review.
Those documents show that Getty officials had information as early as 1985 that three of their principal suppliers were selling objects that probably had been looted and that the museum continued to buy from them anyway.
In correspondence with the Getty, the dealers made frank, almost casual references to ancient sites from which artifacts had been excavated, apparently in violation of Italian law, the records show. The Getty's outside attorney considered the letters "troublesome" and advised the museum not to turn them over to Italian authorities.
That last sentence alludes to how during the Munitz reign, not only was evidence hidden from authorities but also from the majority of the board members. More on that latter.
The penultimate tragedy for Los Angeles, though, is that the Getty will now likely have to forfeit most, if not all of these works - along with the considerable money it paid for them. This will obviously leave considerable holes in the collection at new Getty Villa in Malibu scheduled to open in early 2006 since a clear majority of the pieces self- identified by the Getty as masterpieces, have been purchased from questionable dealers.
Although Italy is seeking the return of 42 objects, the Getty's lawyers did their own assessment and determined that the museum had purchased 82 artworks from dealers and galleries under investigation by the Italians.
They include 54 of the 104 ancient artworks that the Getty has identified as masterpieces.
And...
Records show the Getty bought the statue in 1988 for $18 million, a sum not previously disclosed. It was the most the museum had ever paid for an antiquity.
And...
A 1985 memo shows that Getty officials learned from dealer Giacomo Medici that three objects the museum was acquiring had been taken from ruins near Naples decades after Italian law made it illegal. The Getty completed the $10.2-million acquisition anyway.
Seemingly, the costs of the potentially forfeitable 54 masterpieces could easily - even in 1980's and 1990's dollars - go well over a hundred million dollars.
I could also now detail a very long list of all that could have been legally bought at auction in the Old Master Painting market during those same years, but that sad history is simply too depressing to even think about, much less recount.
Lastly, as for what this all means for the future of HRH Barry - has my new Porsche been detailed yet? - Munitz, the increasingly catatonic Getty Board, the fledging Director of the J. Paul Getty Museum - Dr. Michael Brand - and the Getty Trust? - more on that latter today.
By Jason Felch and Ralph Frammolino, Times Staff Writers
There are several stories contained in today's Los Angeles Times nine page (internet format) expose of the Getty's history of buying suspect antiquities. Alas, only one of them is good.
To begin with, while I am always there at the drop of a Stetson - black, felt and low crowned, of course - to point out the LA Times seemingly hourly transgressions, I take far greater pleasure in talking about the good LA Times; the version of the Times that miraculously appears - seemingly deus ex machina - whenever the paper fields its deep bench of writing, investigative and, yes, even editorial, talent against a story that actually affects the citizen of... Los Angeles.
Still, even though this latest series of revelations will undoubtedly spell the end of Barry Munitz's misadventure at the Getty Trust (the only good news in this sordid affair), this is a tragic day for those of us who care about LA and its cultural resources. It now increasingly appears that the Getty has - long before the advent of Barry Munitz, buying from dealers of questionable reputations and acquiring massive numbers of art works that do not meet the Getty's publicly stated and ever increasingly stringent guidelines to a far greater degree than had ever been previously suspected
This is a black eye for both the museum and our city.
In response to the Italian investigation, Getty lawyers combed through the museum's files and questioned staff members over several months in 2001, trying to assess the legal exposure of the world's richest art institution.The Times recently obtained hundreds of pages of Getty records, some of them related to the museum's internal review.
Those documents show that Getty officials had information as early as 1985 that three of their principal suppliers were selling objects that probably had been looted and that the museum continued to buy from them anyway.
In correspondence with the Getty, the dealers made frank, almost casual references to ancient sites from which artifacts had been excavated, apparently in violation of Italian law, the records show. The Getty's outside attorney considered the letters "troublesome" and advised the museum not to turn them over to Italian authorities.
That last sentence alludes to how during the Munitz reign, not only was evidence hidden from authorities but also from the majority of the board members. More on that latter.
The penultimate tragedy for Los Angeles, though, is that the Getty will now likely have to forfeit most, if not all of these works - along with the considerable money it paid for them. This will obviously leave considerable holes in the collection at new Getty Villa in Malibu scheduled to open in early 2006 since a clear majority of the pieces self- identified by the Getty as masterpieces, have been purchased from questionable dealers.
Although Italy is seeking the return of 42 objects, the Getty's lawyers did their own assessment and determined that the museum had purchased 82 artworks from dealers and galleries under investigation by the Italians.
They include 54 of the 104 ancient artworks that the Getty has identified as masterpieces.
And...
The Italian legal offensive poses a threat to one of the Getty's most important collections as the museum prepares to reopen the Getty Villa in Malibu as a showcase for antiquities after a six-year, $275-million renovation.
Compounding this disaster is the realization that if those same sums had been legally spent purchasing Old Master Paintings (still reasonably priced compared to Impressionists), enough masterpieces could have been purchased to have dramatically increased the quality of the Getty Museum's still spotty art collection.Records show the Getty bought the statue in 1988 for $18 million, a sum not previously disclosed. It was the most the museum had ever paid for an antiquity.
And...
A 1985 memo shows that Getty officials learned from dealer Giacomo Medici that three objects the museum was acquiring had been taken from ruins near Naples decades after Italian law made it illegal. The Getty completed the $10.2-million acquisition anyway.
Seemingly, the costs of the potentially forfeitable 54 masterpieces could easily - even in 1980's and 1990's dollars - go well over a hundred million dollars.
I could also now detail a very long list of all that could have been legally bought at auction in the Old Master Painting market during those same years, but that sad history is simply too depressing to even think about, much less recount.
Lastly, as for what this all means for the future of HRH Barry - has my new Porsche been detailed yet? - Munitz, the increasingly catatonic Getty Board, the fledging Director of the J. Paul Getty Museum - Dr. Michael Brand - and the Getty Trust? - more on that latter today.
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