MetaFilter posts tagged with LATimes

Prescription drug deaths

OmieWise — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 03:39:27 -0800

Dying for Relief, an LA Times investigative series about deaths from prescription drug deaths. Part 1, Nov. 11, 2012

Prescription overdoses kill more people than heroin and cocaine. An L.A. Times review of coroners’ records finds that drugs prescribed by a small number of doctors caused or contributed to a disproportionate number of deaths.

Part 2, Dec. 9, 2012
Part 3, Dec. 20, 2012
Part 4, Dec. 30, 2012

'R is for Rhonda consumed by a fire'

the man of twists and turns — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 03:02:18 -0800

Edward Gorey's gothic tales from the vault: ' Edward Gorey's arch eccentrics are on display in two reissues and a never-before-published story.'

Three Gorey titles have just landed on bookstore shelves. From Pomegranate Press comes "Thoughtful Alphabets: The Just Dessert & the Deadly Blotter" (64 pp., $14.95), previously published only in obscure, limited editions, and "The Osbick Bird" (32 pp., $12.95), a Gorey classic unavailable for four decades, except in poor quality in "Gorey's Amphigorey Too" anthology, but now restored to a clarity so sharp-nibbed it almost hurts the eye. Bloomsbury is also in on the act with "Saint Melissa the Mottled" (48 pp., $12), an unpublished story that Gorey never got around to illustrating, supplemented here with images from the Gorey archive, some never before published.

Columbia University put on a Gorey exhibit last summer, after a large donation by Andrew Alpern. A Treasure Trove of Edward Gorey

Gorey’s work tends to combine whimsically grim storylines with dour yet dancerly protagonists. Whether they are Edwardian ladies, fur-coated gentlemen, ill-fated children, or unusual animals, his characters are almost always on some kind of journey. His stories often unfold in wallpapered rooms, on barren estates, or among statues, beast-shaped topiaries, and urns. “Few seem to return from the borders to which I’ve sent them,” he wrote to Peter Neumeyer, with whom he collaborated on three children’s books in the late 1960s. (Their correspondence has recently been collected in an absorbing, elegantly illustrated book, Floating Worlds.) Perhaps this is what gives Gorey’s work its talismanic power: his books and drawings, which are so often about imagined deaths and disasters, turn into lucky charms for his readers.

LARB, again: "Consider "The Osbick Bird": It's a sweetly melancholy surrealist fable about Edwardian eccentric Emblus Fingby's odd (but fond) friendship with the even odder bird of the title. Gorey, an only child and lifelong solitary, was famously an odd bird himself — tall, long-legged and gawky like the bird in the book, with the luxurious beard of a Victorian literatus and a sense of style that ran to fur coats and tennis shoes." The Osbick Bird, in video (youtube) The Deranged Cousins, video. The Deadly Blotter, video. Flickr album of some of Gorey's illustrations. He also illustrated the cover for Kafka's 'Amerika'. Previously on Metafilter: What if Edward Gorey Illustrated ..., How To Dress Like Edward Gorey, Floating Worlds: Letters Between Gorey and Neumeyer

'At 123,000 square feet, the new Main Library may very well be the largest single floor public library in the nation.'

the man of twists and turns — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:27:55 -0800

The McAllen, TX Public Library won a 'Best-Of-Category' award in Interior Design for its new layout. It's in an abandoned Wal-Mart. The McAllen Public Library is the 'largest single-story library in the country,' and was designed by architecture firm Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle. Facebook Photo Album of the old library location. SmugMug album of opening day in the new location. A timeline with video on construction and development.

The Perversion Files

Ghostride The Whip — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:03:54 -0800

When volunteers and employees were suspected of sexually abusing children, Boy Scout officials often didn't tell police, files from 1970-91 reveal. A Los Angeles Times review of 1,600 confidential files dating from 1970 to 1991 has found that Scouting officials frequently urged admitted offenders to quietly resign — and helped many cover their tracks.

"Several executives involved in the transaction have either abruptly decided to retire or been sacked."

the man of twists and turns — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:46:09 -0800

Last month, JP Morgan Chase announced it had lost $2 billion dollars in a 'hedging' maneuver. Today, Jamie Dimon, Morgan's chairman and CEO, testified before the Senate banking committee. There, he said that 'trading strategy that led to bank's $2bn loss was "poorly conceived and vetted". Meet the 'London Whale', the trader responsible for the position. Esquire's Politics blog: "Master of the Universe Jamie Dimon went before Congress this morning, tugging his well-compensated forelock and explaining how terribly, terribly sorry he was to have had J.P. Morgan Chase, the death star for which he is currently employed, soak the system for $2 billion in losses through the kind of exotic trading that every Master of the Universe pinky-swore would never, ever, happen again after similar shenanigans nearly ate the world." Naked Capitalism responds: "That is a bald faced admission that the CIO’s mandate had nothing to do with hedging." Dimon previously on Metafilter: The Big Lie goes viral Interchange reform is necessary and it is long overdue.

Attica On The Beach

Chrysostom — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:56:08 -0800

There is a small jail on Santa Catalina Island. And apparently, it pays to be sent there, when you're a pro golfer....

LAT at 130

Horace Rumpole — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:22:32 -0800

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times celebrated the 130th anniversary of its first issue, and marked the occasion with 130 photos from Los Angeles history, as well as a gallery of historic front pages.

Rest in peace, Paul Motian.

Lutoslawski — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:17:24 -0800

Paul Motian (wiki) (myspace) (allaboutjazz), one of the great jazz drummers of our time, is dead at 80. Paul Motian rose to prominence playing with the Bill Evans Trio in the late '50s and early '60s. He played with Paul Bley and then spent many years with Keith Jarret. He went on to form his trio with Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell. Over the years he played with many others including Chris Potter and Jason Moran, Lee Konitz, Tony Malaby and Ben Monder, Geri Allen, Chick Corea and many more. He thought Jimmy Crawford was a motherfucker (in the good way). Chicago Reader, NPR, LA Times announcements. Rest in rhythm, Paul Motian.

"No place affords a more striking conviction of the vanity of human hopes than a public library." ~Samuel Johnson

Fizz — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:12:55 -0800

Is a library without books still a library? Newport Beach library is considering closing its original library and replacing it with a community center that would offer all the same features — except for the books.

Foodgazi

PBR — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:30:33 -0800

A few days ago, Los Angeles Times food critic, S. Irene Virbila, was photographed and kicked out of Jordan Kahn's new Beverly Hills restaurant, Red Medicine. The Yelp Wrath is already in full swing. Short Bios on Kahn, and partner Noah Ellis. More reviews by Virbila, and an interview with previous Los Angeles Times food critic, Ruth Reichl.

Y'know, your normal everyday celebrities and spacecraft landings.

sonika — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:45:01 -0800

Photos from the Los Angeles Times Archives from Shirley Temple to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

A Special Saliva-cleaning Solution

l33tpolicywonk — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:16:35 -0800

Neutered feral cats, scuba dives and nightly repainting: What goes on in Disneyland after dark.

LA Times publishing data on individual teacher performance

Anything — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:59:05 -0800

In coming months, The [Los Angeles] Times will publish a series of articles and a database analyzing individual teachers' effectiveness in the nation's second-largest school district — the first time, experts say, such information has been made public anywhere in the country. This article examines the performance of more than 6,000 third- through fifth-grade teachers for whom reliable data were available. Union leader calls on L.A. teachers to boycott Times Via Marginal Revolution, which comments that:

Unfortunately, we have little idea how to train good teachers.

As at least one commenter on the Marginal Revolution post suggested, perhaps some answers could be found in Doug Lemov's work on propagating effective teaching methods, as discussed previously on Metafilter.

mutuelles des fraudeurs

hat — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:41:59 -0800

Paris Metro's cheaters say solidarity is the ticket. Scofflaws who jump the turnstiles or enter through the exits of the Paris public transit system have formed mutuelles des fraudeurs — insurance funds that pay the fine if they get caught.

The 46 Dumpling Picture, and other photography from Damon Winter

filthy light thief — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:55:39 -0800

Damon Winter is a photojournalist who has worked for The Dallas Morning News, The Los Angeles Times and now works for The New York Times. His work on a more sports-focused beat in Dallas lead to his update on athletes from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as part of the 2008 Olympics coverage. As a photographer with The New York Times, he won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography, for his first time out on the road, covering campaigns (narrated slideshow, 3min 19sec). Currently, he is sharing his photos and writing from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which are included in NY Times Lens Blog (prev. Lens Blog features: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). If that's a bit heavy, check his photographers journal (narrated slide show, 2min 34sec) and his article on creating double-exposure juxtapositions from days or weeks of shooting large-form film. Extra tidbits: - Pulitzer Prize-winning photography at Newseum - Speculation that inexperience helped Winter win his Pulitzer - a couple tutorials on how to simulate double or multiple exposure shots with photo-editing software

Transgender LA Times sportswriter Mike Penner dead in suspected suicide

Sova — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:19:57 -0800

Mike Penner, sportswriter at the Los Angeles Times, died on Friday in an apparent suicide. Penner was best known for his sports journalism until April 2007, when he publicly announced that he was transsexual and would begin writing as Christine Daniels (previously). He detransitioned in October 2008, returning to work under his original name, but without offering explanation. The story of Mike Penner's transition and detransition provoked comment on the issue of "regret", a topic which can be difficult for the trans community.

"You don't know what to expect, but you know what to expect."

cgc373 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:48:16 -0800

"Ransom kidnapping is a rare crime in America. Most cops go their entire careers without handling one. These days, most kidnappings involve a husband taking a child from an estranged wife. That's how things were in Phoenix until a few years ago." via 2blowhards.com

LA homicide

docgonzo — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:02:56 -0800

The Homicide Report, by Jill Leovy: An L.A. Times blog built on the list of homicide victims reported to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office each week.

Newspaper reporter tells readers not to email him...

Argyle — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:41:18 -0800

Newspaper reporter tells readers not to email him, because "I don't want to talk to you". Nice long rant by frustrated reporter. Sounds like MeFites should drop him a line.

Girls Gone Wild producer is shadowed by a reporter, controversy ensues.

KirkJobSluder — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 13:34:36 -0800

Joe Francis Gone Wild: Claire Hoffman, L.A. Times adult entertainment correspondent, rides along with Girls Gone Wild (Slate, SFW) producer Joe Francis on an expedition to a Chicago nightclub. Hoffman claims that over the course of the night, Francis pinned her against the hood of a car. A woman who agreed to be filmed in the crew's bus claims that Fancis had non-consensual sex with her. Reposted with safer language.

But Main Street's still all cracked and broken... Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!

Afroblanco — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 11:43:02 -0800

Ray Bradbury proposes monorail-bulding in LA.
via

Joel Stein on Videogame Porn

jonson — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 19:13:49 -0800

One week after publicly declaring his lack of support for our troops, LA Times columnist & professional nerd humorist Joel Stein comes out in favor of Grand Theft Auto's Hot Coffee mod, which has recently been the focus of a lawsuit brought by the city of Los Angeles against Rockstar Games, the makers of GTA. "Because if these teen computer geniuses are given the opportunity to unlock a video-game sex scene, then they'll be just one step away from breaking the code that allows them to type dirty words into Google."

Sheikh Khalid Yasin

jenleigh — Tue, 02 Aug 2005 08:20:47 -0800

Sheikh Khalid Yasin grew up as a Christian in the United States but converted to Islam under the influence of Malcolm X. Last week he was interviewed (Video) by Australia's 60 Minutes. Yasin's claims—Muslims should not attend university because it's a "gateway for deviation", homosexuality is punishable by death, and Muslims cannot truly befriend non-Muslims—have caused controversy among LGBT groups & moderate Muslims, yet despite his naysayers, Yasin does not lack for a following in Australia, and is frequently honored as a guest speaker & VIP around the world. The LA Times has more on US-born extremists.

Mouth ajar

Smedleyman — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 01:07:19 -0800

"The Bush administration intervened to argue that their claims should be dismissed" I seriously can't believe it. This is Brechtian. Something has to be missing. This can't be my government.

Mashing the Montego

QuietDesperation — Sat, 11 Dec 2004 23:25:40 -0800

A Senior Moment The sign of a good specialist writer is the ability to amuse those who aren't specialists, or even enthusiasts, of their particular field. Dan Neil of LA Times is probably the most entertaining automotive writing around. Here, regarding the Montego, he asks the Mercury people, "What were you thinking?" (Registration might be necessary). He's also funny when doing positive reviews, as when drooling over the Acura. No particular car lust required.