Opinion: In today’s pages: L.A. ethics, Japan ties, red carpet rules
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Columnist Joel Stein tricks the paparazzi:
Can just anyone draw the lenses of the paparazzi if they walk down the red carpet slowly with their head held high? I wanted to know. So I persuaded my lovely wife, Cassandra, to walk the carpet at the Pink Party, a huge, star-packed annual fundraiser for breast cancer research that always provides lots of visual fodder for the celeb mags. Cassandra had no interest in doing this, but agreed to participate for the sake of this crucial sociological research. Also, there may have been some talk of needing new shoes. I called Phoebe Price for advice.
Former Tokyo-based correspondent Michael Zielenziger examines why the once so strong U.S.-Japan alliance has frayed. The Center for Responsible Lending’s Paul Leonard tells Schwarzenegger what to do about the subprime problem. And columnist Ronald Brownstein says that Barack Obama bridges the red-blue divide.
The editorial board says the city salary system works, even if elected officials’ raises seem too generous, and says the city’s Ethics Commission needs to stay neutral as it gains two new appointees. Finally, the board praises the Los Angeles Police Department’s about-face on Muslim mapping.
Readers respond to a Column One on bilingual Americans negotiating which language to use when. See why La Quinta’s Marty Schwimmer says, ‘This article feeds on and fosters Americans’ xenophobia.’