He Threw Rocks at a Toddler

...and more highlights of the low life, business dealings and policies of Donald Trump At several of his rallies, Donald Trump walks to the side of the stage and, smiling smiling smiling, enfolds the American flag in his arms. Question: Is he embracing the flag in patriotic fervor, or is he humping it in a…

Music’s Exquisite Triggers

Why Do I Like the Music I Like? I asked myself that question recently. My answer was like yours probably: “Duh, who cares, what’s the problem?”  I was sampling cuts on a new album from Lucinda Williams, liking some songs, not others, and wondered: what am I responding to? Are there hidden triggers? Certain families…

A Quantum of Kushner

The Hollywood Pitch Meeting for Jared: The Motion Picture Palms sweating. Heart pounding. Throat dry. It was my first story meeting and it was huge. I was in the room with the big guys: Jack Gnash, the head of production, plus two studio production VPs and two other writers.  Plus-plus, the attached movie star and…

The Lighter Side of Screaming

If you enjoy action and sci-fi movies, you’ve heard it. That high-pitched scream when some poor sap falls, is shot, impaled, bitten. Know what I’m talking about yet? Yes, you do. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas use it all the time. It has a name. It’s the Wilhelm Scream. You can hear it here. The…

Grump of Thrones

I enjoy Game of Thrones, otherwise I wouldn’t bother with this modest little post. As a lifelong fan of fantasy, I admire its adult approach to the genre. I’m not a fanatic, just a fan. I don’t get my knickers in a twist if they kill a cherished character, though the Red Wedding did put…

Books: How Do You Prefer Your Jesus Story: Despairing or Dingbatty?

I recently read two novels, back to back, that deal with the story of Jesus. They were so wildly different in tone and style that I got a bit of New Testament whiplash. Lamb is narrated by Biff, Jesus’ best friend. Biff has the hots for Jesus’ mother, Mary, who’s considered crazy by many others…

Viva La Paloma! My Taste Sensations of 2014

While I’m squeezing grapefruits to make our Palomas, let me tell you about the three great flavor discoveries I had in 2014: a whisky, a Tequila and an IPA, all very pricey and hard to find. Mostly, it is a tale of theft, forgiveness and shameless freeloading. My older boy, who lives in Los Angeles,…

The Covenant of the Ark: Your Questions Answered

Q. My financial success depends directly on fossil fuel production as well as the stability of the markets. I have children, with grandchildren on the way. I experience periodic guilt, knowing that my quarterly reports are flushing their future down the crapper. Can the Covenant help? A. It sure can! By investing in the Covenant…

THUNK! See This Movie! THUNK!

I'm launching this blog with the most trivial annoyance I can think of right now -- that damn slamming sound the movie studios use all the time in movie trailers. Not for art films and chick flicks and some comedies...but for any action, horror, sci-fi and (used ironically) bro-comedies: between every snippet a SLAM like…