The LA Times, North Korea, Snark and Precious French Babies

The LA Times is slowly pushing to the right. This is interesting.

Since the Chicago Tribune took over our little hometown paper here in Southern California, things are getting quite gray.

Specifically, the editorials and the slants of many stories seem to be pro-business. For the most part, I am pro-business. I think it is better for people to work than to just sit around all day thinking about ways to clobber a neighbor over the head for their lamb chops. However, I would never be black-and-white minded enough to ever believe that all work is worth doing or even existing in society.

But what scares me more than our newspaper turning away from the good of the common man to the good of the profit seekers, is the situation in North Korea. Can it be that the stubborn posturing of our right wing government is what made that wretched little country give up its nuclear ambitions? Or was it simply something China made happen?

I don’t know. But I am willing to give our bullying government a little credit for this North Korea thing. I mean, it is a pretty great day when some nutty dictator puts down the plutonium in the name of reducing tension. Of course, a deal was struck and everyone has to pay to make this happen. But still, this is a great thing.

I believe in standing firm. I wish we had simply stood firm with Hussein in Iraq. Maybe he would still be dictator today and Iraq would exist as a stable country.

But back to my reading pleasure. The Los Angeles Times blows. It used to be kooky and snarky and funny. And decidedly leftist. It sneered at power. It chided vanity. It loved the cheap bungalows in far flung burbs, the odd Saturday afternoons at flea markets, the tiny movies and funky bands. It did not take itself too seriously yet held onto strong humanist principles---and in turn won mountains of Pulitzer prizes.

Now?

Blech.

I don’t want to dump my local paper. I love reading about local government regulations. I love reading our fluffy calendar section which is nothing more than a peek into the boudoirs of movie stars. And I love the little map on the back page of the California section. If I see nothing but green circles, it means the air quality is fine and I won’t have sinus trouble. If I see yellow circles hovering near downtown, I know I have to be careful.

But frankly, I might just have to bail on that LA fish-wrap and start getting the New York Times. Sure, I can read the New York Times online---but I hate reading newspapers online.

This LA paper has me upset. It’s hard to stomach right-minded people coming into my home every single day.

Speaking of the right, did you know that France passed a law this week that keeps adoption not-an-option for gay couples for the “good of the child”?

Oddly enough, if you are gay and single you can adopt. But not if you are gay and hooked up. Freaky France.