LOS ANGELES

PLANNING WATCH--Los Angeles, like the rest of the United States, is obsessed by crimes perpetrated by people at the bottom of society. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--A memory: Walking out of a restaurant in the early evening of October 7, 2003, I noticed a long line of people on the other side of the street.

RANTZ & RAVEZ-The long list of associated problems throughout California are related to the actions or inactions of elected and appointed officials of our city and state.

THE CITY-The Board of Supervisors gave Sheriff Alex Villanueva three minutes to speak at Tuesday's board meeting.

COMMUNICATIONS POLITICS--If you live in California and still use legacy Plain Old Telephone Service (“POTS”) from AT&T, you are likely getting ripped-off big time.

GUEST COMMENTARY- The Los Angeles City Council is the highest paid city council in the nation. It has been ever since councilmembers’ salaries were tied to the salaries of Superior Court Judges.  

EASTSIDER-The developer slime on this one seemingly has no end. I have written about it a couple of times before.

VIEW FROM HERE-People do not make decisions based on what is true but based on what makes them feel good.

TRANSIT TALK-Metro is undergoing studies for a mass transit system for the Sepulveda Pass.  

CONNECTING CALIFORNIA--Palm Springs isn’t just a great place to spend a weekend. It’s one of our last and most fervent defenders of what California really is—not what it pretends to be. 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING-Housing Is A Human Right has compared market-rate rent prices to what residents are earning in several California cities and the findings aren’t surprising: the rent is still too damn high.

GELFAND’S WORLD--The Democrats have 48 votes in the senate plus Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.

LOS ANGELES-There is nothing more boring than a budget hearing schedule.

PERSPECTIVE-Basically, Derek Chauvin was convicted of enforcing the status quo. Because his behavior was caught on video — his knee on George Floyd’s neck, oh my God, choking him to death — and looked so disturbing to most of the public, official American “justice” had to take some sort of action. 

VIEW FROM HERE--Generally, litigation is between two parties.  After Jack runs a red light smashing into Bette’s car, Bette sues Jack for damages. 

LEANING RIGHT--Well that didn't take long, did it? Attacking the police, who rescue and protect us every day, including and especially black and Latino Americans who live in neighborhood where crime is at its worst? 

GUEST WORDS--The murders by cop go on - the latest, Lymond Moses, was asleep in his car - prompting furious calls for police reform from many weary of the carnage.

NEW GEOGRAPHY--We are here to guide public opinion, not to discuss it. -- Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, 1804. 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING-Through the update of the Hollywood Community Plan, Los Angeles politicians have the opportunity to require the construction of more affordable housing and to protect residents against gentrification.

IN PERSON--Rachael Rose Luckey is a Transgender Activist and President Emeritus of the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council, running for the LA City Council in District 13.

POLITICS-As the country’s most influential voting powers, black women make up less than 5% of all state legislators,