And within that group of intellectuals, some of ‘em are complaining about it. The Union of Concerned Scientists has a new letter out from a group of 118 economists they roped together. It’s presented with a cover page: “The most expensive thing California can do is nothing.”

From the letter:

The current recession and the very high unemployment rate in California present daunting challenges. Some have argued that these economic conditions warrant suspending the imple- mentation of emission reduction policies. We disagree. Delaying action now and waiting for the future before initiating accelerated action to reduce global warming gases will be more costly than initiating action now. Acting now is more likely to limit further environmental degradation, lower the cost of mitigation, and spur innovation in renewable energy and conservation technologies. Furthermore, policies that reduce global warming pollution are likely to provide immediate benefits to the health and welfare of residents by reducing local pollutants.

Now, of course, they’re assuming that governments are going to get around to it sooner or later, and California will be forced in that instance to mitigate its impacts. Is that an unfair assumption?

Oh, and, from UCSB’s Charles Kolstad:

The risk of significant negative consequences of our current emissions path should be sufficient for us to take meaningful action to cost-effectively moderate our appetite for emitting carbon and to spur innovation into carbon-lean technologies. Starting with automobile pollution control in the 1960s, California has been a leader in managing environmental problems. We are better off for it.

So, in order: doubtful, fearful, intrigued, enthusiastic, sad, snarky.

Netflix reads my very soul

Bonus: did you know this was directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu? He’s a neighbor. In the sense that we live in the same city. He was a neighbor when he lived in Mexico City too, when it comes down to it.

The God of life summons us to life; more, to be lifegivers, especially toward those who lie under the heel of the powers.

And Thomas Merton:

It is true, political problems are not solved by love and mercy. But the world of politics is not the only world, and unless political decisions rest on a foundation of something better and higher than politics, they can never do any real good for men. When a country has to be rebuilt after war, the passions and energies of war are no longer enough. There must be a new force, the power of love, the power of understanding and human compassion, the strength of selflessness and cooperation, and the creative dynamism of the will to live and to build, and the will to forgive. The will for reconciliation.

And Teilhard de Chardin:

Seeing. One could say that the whole of life lies in seeing — if not ultimately, at least essentially. To be more is to be more united — and this sums up and is the very conclusion of the work to follow. But unity grows, and we will affirm this again, only if it is supported by an increase of consciousness, of vision. That is probably why the history of the living world can be reduced to the elaboration of ever more perfect eyes at the heart of a cosmos where it is always possible to discern more. Are not the perfection of an animal and the supremacy of the thinking being measured by the penetration and power of synthesis of their glance? To try to see more and to see better is not, therefore, just a fantasy, curiosity, or a luxury. See or perish. This is the situation imposed on every element of the universe by the mysterious gift of existence. And thus, to a higher degree, this is the human condition.

There’s something very wrong with the Catholic Church right now. But it has given me so much to think about, and today I’m thinking of that.

Apparently Robert Christgau sort of agrees with me. Also apparently they’re making a video, possibly based on a great work of film art. Paging casting!

I am not a Sunset Strip person. I am a Frenchmen street girl; I am an Oak Street girl. I haven’t figured out the equivalent to Le Bon Temps here in LA; somehow I doubt there is one. But, or as Kate Hepburn would say, “Nevertheless:” I love going to The Roxy for this.

It’s fun. I know, from last weekend’s Sunday Styles section, that New York loves its rockin’ wedding band. Because they play songs you’ve heard of. That rock. This is a live mashup, people: they play songs you’ve heard of. That rock. With and against each other. And my hometown pals have a mashup band of their own. But these arrangements are inventive, intelligent, and dare I say, geeky. That vs. The Roxy is a mash-up all by itself.

I got to talk to Brian Yorkey, who co-wrote “Next to Normal” with Tom Kitt, for a while the other day. The local stories focused on an earlier writing relationship he had with Eric Garcetti – something I learned while sitting in the yard belonging to my friend Joy Gorman, another Columbia Varsity Show veteran.

Brian had a lot of interesting things to say both about “Next to Normal” and that didn’t fit into a story. As soon as I can figure out how to post them, I’m going to do that.

People do awful things to each other. But it’s worse in places where everybody is kept in the dark. Information is light. Information, in itself, about anything, is light.

Tom Stoppard