Abraham Lustgarten, a top-notch reporter for the public interest site Pro Publica, a couple of years ago wrote the toughest story on fracking ever, in my limited experience. Here's the money quote from that piece from 2012: …in interviews, several key experts acknowledged that the idea that injection [of oilfield wastes in underground wells] isContinue reading “Can Las Vegas grow without limits in a drought?”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
Visiting Larry McMurtry at Booked Up
A few years ago, back in the days when the LATimes had a stand-alone Sunday magazine, Scott Kraft wrote a tremendous story about visiting Larry McMurtry, the writer, author of "The Last Picture Show," "Lonesome Dove," and "Terms of Endearment," among many other great stories, at his bookstore in tiny Archer City Texas. It's called The Loner.
A couple of noteworthy lines:
McMurtry lives in a majestic three-story home a few doors down from the single-story house where he grew up and not far from the high school where he graduated in 1954 among a senior class of 19. He moved back to Archer City, population 1,848, just five years ago.
He keeps mostly to himself, and locals know better than to try to engage him in chitchat. "He's a very conservative-type feller," says Max Wood, the town's 68-year-old mayor. Wood has known McMurtry since high school but doesn't consider himself a close friend. "Larry was always the type of person who was more of a loner."
Here's a picture of McMurtry, from a photo posted in one of his bookstores in Booked Up:
Well, to put it simply, to learn that one of this nation's greatest writers has a bookstore — a monster bookstore — in a famous (from "The Last Picture Show") little town in Texas, and what's more hangs out at his store, and can be talked to — well, I had to visit. So yesterday, after attending a reporting workshop that gave me the chance to visit Dallas, two hours away, I did.
More below…
Blogging the Pope’s Encyclical: Praise Be
Where do we start with a document as vast and thought-through as Pope Francis' "Praise Be?" With listening, I think. Try this, from the Vatican's translation into English, section 11: If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beautyContinue reading “Blogging the Pope’s Encyclical: Praise Be”
The climate “pause” that didn’t refresh: Tom Toles
This month has seen a number of studies showing that the much-discussed "hiatus" or "pause" in global warming reported by the IPCC two years ago was a misreading of the data. In the words of Nature: “The bottom line is that the IPCC reported that the rate of warming was less in the last 15Continue reading “The climate “pause” that didn’t refresh: Tom Toles”
Global warming gas tax fails to outrage Californians
Don't tell anyone, but the California plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is working. So writes business columnist Michael Hiltzik in today's LATimes. He begins by quoting the leading state official on the subject of air pollution. "We think we do have a good story to tell," says Mary D. Nichols, chairwoman of the CaliforniaContinue reading “Global warming gas tax fails to outrage Californians”
Understanding Edward Hopper’s popularity — or trying to
In the New York Review of Books, the late poet Mark Strand ruminates on a great exhibit of Hopper's career, focusing on his remarkably graceful drawings, and the sadness that comes off his work: Recent major exhibitions in London, Paris, Rome, and Madrid testify to the universality of [Hopper's] appeal. It couldn’t be just the way New York looked inContinue reading “Understanding Edward Hopper’s popularity — or trying to”
Enviro lawsuit challenges Ojai water system — for good?
A week or so ago I had the opportunity to write a story about a monster lawsuit filed against the City of Ventura, which allegedly is taking so much water from the Ventura River that it's threatening the endangered steelhead trout. The story for the Ojai Valley News began this way: Last September, an environmentalContinue reading “Enviro lawsuit challenges Ojai water system — for good?”
A book that makes you want to get out and walk
Cheryl Strayed and her journey on the PCT have become so ubiquitous that (I hear) PCT hikers this year refer somewhat contemptuously to "Strayed gear" — all the crap you bring along out of ignorance and discard along the way. A friend turns me on to a very different kind of book about walking, RobertContinue reading “A book that makes you want to get out and walk”
USA: #1 in tax whining (Edward Kleinbard)
Perhaps the wittiest of panelists at yesterday's Ojai Chautauqua on income inequality was Edward Kleinbard, a USC professor of business and law, and author of the new book We Are Better Than This. At one point he put up this chart, in defense of his statement that the USA was "#1 in tax whining." AtContinue reading “USA: #1 in tax whining (Edward Kleinbard)”
Income Inequality in Ojai: June 7th conversation
Don't often succumb to video in this space, but will make an exception for this announcement promoting what I think will be a fascinating discussion tomorrow in Ojai on the subject of income inequality [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMwTLn42-jk%5D Thanks for listening — event info below the fold.
Kit Stolz 