U.S. House of Representatives

Silver Lake's Gay Rights History...As Told By Puppets

See also: *5 Artsy Things to Do in L.A. This Week *L.A.'s Best Experimental Puppet Theater *Move Over, West Hollywood -- Silver Lake Is the True Gay Mecca *Silver Lake Has Always Been Gay, Readers Say Let's face it, puppets are cool. Automata, the non-profit experimental puppet theater and workshop ... More >>

Marijuana Legalization Across America Possible Under Federal Bill Proposed Today

Marijuana could be legalized across America under a set of bills proposed by two congressman from decidedly liberal states. Yes, these guys -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Rep. Jared Polis of the recreational-legal state of Colorado -- are the Don Quixotes of federal weed policy. But we can d ... More >>

Tony Kushner Explains How He Adapted Lincoln for the Age of Obama

Tony Kushner isn't shy about politics. He's opinionated, and he stirs up controversy. In his own words, he's a "man of the left." His 1992 Tony Award-winning play Angels in America tackled AIDS at the height of its epidemic. In 2005, he co-wrote Steven Spielberg's Munich, which took heat for its po ... More >>

L.A. Artist Installs Paper-Mache Sunbathers on Downtown Dirt Plot, Abandoned Since 2007

Here's one way to comment on long-neglected construction blight: Put some paper-mache on it! Perhaps frustrated, like the rest of us, that it has taken the federal government five years (and counting) to figure out what they're doing with the plot of dirt at 1st and Broadway, an unidentified street ... More >>

Arsenic Found in Organic Brown Rice Syrup Baby Formula

Arsenic is totally bad for you. Even if it doesn't kill you a la the classic "old lace" cocktail, small amounts have been associated with raising the risk for cancer and heart disease. Chronic arsenic ingestion in the young appears to result in dumb children (low IQ and "poor intellectual function") ... More >>

Hollywood Bowl Invites Helicopter Pilots to L.A. Philharmonic Rehearsal, Arranges for Noisy Chopper to Fly Over

Professional Helicopter Pilots AssociationBullseye.​The L.A. County Board of Supervisors picked up the hot-button helicopter noise issue this week, adding their (somewhat meaningless) endorsement to the recently proposed House of Representatives bill that would "force the Federal Aviation Admi ... More >>

Venice Residents Still Fuming Over Santa Monica Airport's Self-Serving Flight Pattern

New York Times, circa 2007Still annoying.​Update: L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl says he has some tricks up his sleeve to possibly take down the airport before 2015. Also, he calls it "a health emergency for the lungs of my people." More drama below. Originally posted October 18 at 12:50 ... More >>

'Rampture' Looms: Three-Month Closure of Wilshire Ramps to 405 Freeway Will Mean 'Carmageddon' for L.A. (Really This Time)

MetroThe Wilshire Boulevard on- and off-ramps to the 405, post-Rampture.​L.A. officials earned the respect and admiration of many far-off governments with the wildly successful PR campaign that was Carmageddon -- so named by crafty L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. And the Supe is back a ... More >>

Return to Sender

What would comprehensive immigration reform look like if the Feds got off their duffs?

Dana Rohrabacher, Freelance Diplomat, To Investigate Obama State Department

Dana Rohrabacher​With Republicans sweeping to power in the House of Representatives, local counter-revolutionary hero Dana Rohrabacher has been put in charge of investigating President Obama's foreign policy. Should be fun.Thanks to Wikileaks, we also learned this week about Rohrabacher's freelanc ... More >>

California Census Data: No Change In House Seats Despite 10 Percent Growth

​Nothing could de-claw this rain cloud over Los Angeles like some fresh census data for the ages! We didn't endure all that door-to-door census heckling for nothing. The numbers are currently being announced -- in the most droning, drawn-out voice possible -- from the 13th floor of the Nationa ... More >>

FAIRY-y Tales

California Election Results: Statewide Democrats Fend Off Republican Wave, Barack Obama Should Study Golden State for 2012

Colin Young-WolffPresident Barack Obama at USC​On a night when the Republican party took over the House of Representatives and made things tight in the U.S. Senate, Democratic President Barack Obama should study what California Democrats did right in their statewide races, fending off possibl ... More >>

David Dreier Wins* California Congressional District 26 In Election 2010, Laughing While Opponent Russell Warner Eats Epic Dustcloud Of Defeat

​We're calling it: David Dreier (R) of the northeastern L.A. suburbs is your next representative for California Congressional District 26. He beat opponent Russell Warner (D) by a landslide. *OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in and the polls haven't closed. But than ... More >>

Buck McKeon Wins* California Congressional District 25 In Election 2010, Obliterating Opponent Jackie Conaway In Gladiator-Style Death Match

​We're calling it: Buck McKeon (R) of Bakersfield is your next representative for California Congressional District 22. He beat opponent Jackie Conaway (D) by a landslide. *OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in and the polls haven't closed. But thanks to sleazy incumb ... More >>

Curren Price Wins* California State Senate District 26 In Election 2010, Dropkicking Opponent Nachum Shifren Into Culver City Gutter

​We're calling it: Curren Price (D) of Culver City is your next representative for California State Senate District 26. He beat opponent Nachum Shifren (R) by a landslide. *OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in and the polls haven't closed. But thanks to sleazy incumb ... More >>

Alex Padilla Wins* California State Senate District 20 In Election 2010, Feeding Opponent Kathleen Evans To Lions Before Cheering Valley Crowds

​We're calling it: Alex Padilla (D) of the San Fernando Valley is your next representative for California State Senate District 20. He beat opponent Kathleen Evans (R) by a landslide. *OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in and the polls haven't closed. But thanks to s ... More >>

Jeff Gorell Wins* California State Assembly District 37 In Election 2010, Beating His Manly Chest To The Tune Of Opponent Ferial Masry's Bitter Tears

​We're calling it: Jeff Gorell (R) of Ventura is your next representative for California State Assembly District 37. He beat opponent Ferial Masry (D) by a landslide. *OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in and the polls haven't closed. But thanks to sleazy incumbent f ... More >>

Barbara Boxer vs. Carly Fiorina Election Results: California U.S. Senate Race Side-Steps Anti-Incumbent Anger, Exit Polling Predicts Democrat Boxer Wins

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer​Update, 10:13 p.m.: The New York Times is projecting that the Democratic Party will retain control of the U.S. Senate, but lose the House of Representatives. Update, 11:37 p.m.: Republican Carly Fiorina refuses to concede during a speech, saying, "This is going to ... More >>

Cameron Smyth Wins* California State Assembly District 38 In Election 2010, His Triumphant Warcry Shattering The Very Soul Of Opponent Diana Shaw

​We're calling it: Cameron Smith (R) of Santa Clarita is your next representative for California State Assembly District 38. He beat opponent Diana Shaw (D) by a landslide. *OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in and the polls haven't closed. But thanks to sleazy incum ... More >>

Kevin De Leon, Edward Hernandez Win* California State Senate Districts 22, 24 In Election 2010, Wishing They Had Opponents To Conquer

Edward Hernandez​We're calling it: Kevin De Leon (D) of South Pasadena and Edward Hernandez (D) of L.A. proper are your next representatives for California State Senate Districts 22 and 24, respectively. Both ran unopposed. *OK, so you can't exactly win a race in which no one else running.

Surprise: Rest Of The Shoo-Ins Win* California State Senate, Assembly And Congressional Districts In Election 2010, Banding Together For Mass Extermination Of Opponents

In a startling upset, Gerrymandering Congressman Howard Berman wins again​*OK, so we fibbed in the headline. The final results aren't in. But -- thanks to sleazy incumbent fixing of elections in California by the Berman brothers -- the new crop of California Senators, Assemblymen and Congressm ... More >>

"The Negro's experiences as a sharecropper in the South were not very rewarding" & other thoughts from 1966's The First Book of American Negroes

​Each Monday, your Crap Archivist brings you the finest in forgotten and bewildering crap culled from basements, thrift stores, estate sales and flea markets around Los Angeles. The First Book of American Negroes Author: Margaret Y. Young Date: 1966 Publisher: Franklin Watts, Inc., New Yo ... More >>

Desmond Tutu Criticizes President Barack Obama's AIDS Strategy

Rev. Desmond Tutu​AIDS Healthcare Foundation president Michael Weinstein isn't the only person slamming President Barack Obama's AIDS strategy, which L.A. Weekly reported last week. Now Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu has spoken out. "I appreciate that tough financial times require the ... More >>

Froot Loops, Other Kellogg Cereals Recalled

Flickr/ZanastardustConsumers have complained of a waxy, metallic or soapy odor and taste. ​ Do not open that box of Apple Jacks. According to a report Friday in the Christian Science Monitor, Kellogg Co. is recalling the apple-cinnamon-flavored cereal along with Fruit Loops, Corn Pops and Hone ... More >>

American Craft Beer Week: Declare Your Parabola Independence

drinkwiththewench.comBehold: Craft Beer​ Welcome to American Craft Beer Week, the "We Are The World" of good beer. Today through Sunday, we have an official excuse to celebrate this country's sudsy best by indulging in craft beer specials around town, signing the Declaration of Beer Independe ... More >>

Stage Raw: LAPD in Bolivia

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSTHIS WEEK'S STAGE FEATURE ON THE L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDSLOS ANGELES POVERTY DEPARTMENT IN BOLIVIA​The homeless advocacy theater troupe, Los Angeles Poverty Department, has been touring Bolivia for two months with a stage production of Agentes y A ... More >>

County, State, Stuck With More Of The Bill To Jail Illegal Immigrants

The County Inmate Reception Center.​The federal government, she is a fickle lover. And even in this time of stimulus, Los Angeles County is getting stuck with more of the bill to jail illegal immigrants who have been arrested locally. KPCC (89.3 FM) reports that the county will see $3 million ... More >>

Mayor V. Bows To The Westside As He Dedicates Eastside Rail

Eastside son Antonio Villaraigosa beamed Saturday as he helped to dedicate the Metro Gold Line extension train that runs from downtown to East Los Angeles. Free rides are being offered Sunday to celebrate the opening and to lure the bus-riding masses. And while a vast majority of county transit user ... More >>

Movie Reviews: Encounters at the End of the World, Finding Amanda, Wanted

Also, The Unknown Woman, Expired and more

Film Reviews

Incuding Salaam-e-Ishq, Epic Movie, and Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?

Immigration Rites

Requiem for a movement. The real aliens are in Congress

The Big Takeover

Scandalous! A Year of Republican Treachery

The Accidental Hero

PiolÍn

Scandalous! A Year of Republican Treachery

A Long, Final Act

Solving Smog

Our suggestions for ways out of this mess

6 Reasons Why November 2 Wasn't a Total Gay Political Nightmare

Gay Marriage Squabble

Why California’s Supreme Court ruling was a lost battle, not a lost war

Waiting for Karen

George’s pals are doing him wrong, but can Hughes save him?

Ecology of Fire

Why the empire wanted to burn so badly

Dodge City

Unanswered questions about the Oklahoma bombing

The Terror Watch

A chronology of events leading up to 9/11

The Dark Ages

Sculpture garden honors the Hollywood 10

And the Winner Is -- HUAC

Elia Kazan will have the statue, but the victory belongs to the blacklist

Statement of Elia Kazan

Before The House Committee on Un-American Acitivities

Unforgiving

Abraham Polonsky's remembrance of things past