LOS ANGELES

VIEW FROM HERE-Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) is the patron saint of both the Dem and GOP parties. Just as Pavlov taught his dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell, both parties use meaningless memes to elicit reflective responses from their faithful.

THE CITY-“Care first” is not just a mantra but one that requires action. I don't get it. Aren't we getting $50 million from FEMA for her village? 

Up-zoning and densification of single-family neighborhoods could be coming under state-level bills SB 9 and SB 10. 

Planning Watch: In municipal politics it has become harder to distinguish real progressives from fauxgressives (market fundamentalists posing as progressives), especially over the hot button issue of homelessness. 

WATER WATCH-So now you’re double-vaccinated, and have hugged your parents or grandkids following a year and a half home alone.

THE CITY-Tuesday, the LA County Board of Supervisors, which has been working tirelessly to beat back the sense that the public comment can have meaning and be a genuine part of the board's process, heard from just one speaker. 

CLIMATE POLITICS--“Net Zero by 2050” is the rallying cry of scientists and policymakers throughout the world.

POLITICS-Democrats today appear to vote irrationally and contradictory to what they claim to uphold.

VIEW FROM HERE--The human species has the remarkable ability to believe anything no matter how ludicrous. 

THE CITY--The scene was the newest west wing of the Tom Bradley International terminal, the West Gates, and the boys (Mike Bonin and Mayor Eric Garcetti) were introducing facial recognition software. 

ALPERN AT LARGE--In short, there are those who died for us to live, to debate, to do noble things at home, or even to screw up our lives, because we had and have the choices that we all take for granted.

AT LENGTH-Frequent readers of this column will remember Port Executive Director Gene Seroka’s rejection of the neighborhood council proposal to use two port properties, parking lots E and F, to temporarily house the area’s unhoused residents.

CONNECTING CALIFORNIA--Maybe the U.S. Supreme Court should recuse itself from cases involving the Golden State.

GELFAND’S WORLD--There were a couple of breaches of freedom of the press this week. One involved air piracy and the beating of one of the captives.

THE CITY-An interesting question arose at the LA City Council meeting on Tuesday. A member of the public accused Mr. Ridley-Thomas of pimping the African American community. 

PLANNING WATCH-LA’s boosters still control City Hall’s political process, but they have run into a serious barrier:

VOICES-I am writing to express my concerns regarding the participation of Ms. Leonora Camner on the Santa Monica Housing Commission. 

VIEW FROM HERE--The fact that Donald J Trump told more blatant falsehoods than any other US President should not blind us to the fact that lying has become a way of life for both the Right and the Left.

OTHER WORDS-After getting vaccinated, I eagerly returned to some parts of normal life, expecting the essential workers I interacted with would be already vaccinated.

POT POLITICS-The majority of self-identified Republican voters — as do most Americans of all political persuasions — support legalizing marijuana. But you wouldn’t know that by observing the actions of their elected officials. 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING-Trickle-down housing policy, pushed by the real estate industry and politicians, has been a colossal failure.