Jean Arthur

Flashback: Hollywood Valentine

February 14, 2019 by Robert J. Avrech Leave a Comment

Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

February 17, 2017 by Robert J. Avrech 4 Comments

“I didn’t show up at the ceremony to collect any of my first three Oscars. Once I went fishing, another time there was a war on, and on another occasion, I remember, I was suddenly taken drunk.”
—John Ford

Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

September 9, 2016 by Robert J. Avrech 8 Comments

From Katharine Hepburn’s 1981 interview with Barbara Walters: Hepburn: “I have not lived as a woman. I have lived as a man…I’ve just done what I damn well wanted to and I made enough money to support myself. And I ain’t afraid of being alone.” Walters: “Is that why also you wear pants?” Hepburn: “No, I just wore pants because they’re comfortable.” Walters: “Do you ever wear a skirt, by the way?” Hepburn: “I have one.” Walters: “You have one.” Hepburn: “I’ll wear it to your funeral.” — From Katharine Hepburn’s 1981 interview with Barbara Walters:
Hepburn: “I have not lived as a woman. I have lived as a man…I’ve just done what I damn well wanted to and I made enough money to support myself. And I ain’t afraid of being alone.”
Walters: “Is that why also you wear pants?”
Hepburn: “No, I just wore pants because they’re comfortable.”
Walters: “Do you ever wear a skirt, by the way?”
Hepburn: “I have one.”
Walters: “You have one.”
Hepburn: “I’ll wear it to your funeral.”

Girl Without a Gun: Pacifist Stalked, Reality Intrudes

August 3, 2016 by Robert J. Avrech 13 Comments

I am republishing this true life story from 2007 for the same reason I republished Jew Without a Gun, my nightmarish report of being trapped with my family, unarmed and defenseless, in the 1992 L.A. Riots.

This is another cautionary tale—not about the riots—but about one frightened and helpless young woman who was being stalked by an ex-boyfriend. I met her in a gun shop where she, a fragile, naive pacifist reluctantly landed because there was nowhere else to turn. There was no choice for this young woman but seek to arm herself.

Hillary Clinton and the Democrat Party have made it clear that they want to repeal the Second Amendment. They seek to disarm law-abiding American citizens, not, as they claim, to reduce crime, but in order to solidify their power.

Friday Photos: ObamaNet Edition

February 27, 2015 by Robert J. Avrech 8 Comments

The other day Karen and I were walking along La Cienaga Boulevard when we spotted this giant sculptor of Lenin. We could not believe our eyes. Naturally, whoever is responsible for this hunk of junk will claim that this is deconstruction, an ironic comment on postmodern art and politics, yadda, eider. As far as karen and I are concerned, it's an insult to the millions of victims of Communist genocide that was a central foundation of Lenin's pitiless political program. — The other day Karen and I were walking along La Brea Boulevard when we came upon this giant sculpture of Lenin outside a building owned by Ace Gallery. “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head” is by the Chinese artist brothers Gao Zhen and Gao Qiang. I have no doubt the brothers will claim that this is an ironic comment on postmodern art and politics — yadda, yadda. As far as Karen and I are concerned, it’s an insult to the millions of victims of Communist genocide that was engineered by Lenin.

Few noticed that a significant erosion of liberty took place this week in a room in Washington where three Democrat party commissars voted to classify the internet as a public utility.

This means that over the next few years, slowly, almost imperceptibly, the federal government will levy increasingly heavy taxes on the internet. In ways both subtle and flagrant, internet content will be heavily influenced by Washington bureaucrats. Keep in mind that the internet is becoming indistinguishable from TV or even the movie screen. Thus, the greatest tool of propaganda—American movies—will, over the next few years, fall under the shadow of federal regulations.

The internet has been one of the greatest engines of innovation and free market capitalism since the invention of the printing press. The truth is, if the government had controlled the internet from the outset we’d still be using dial-up to get a slow-poke connection.

Of course, the Democrats understand that to control the internet is to control the message, which is what’s needed in order to centralize power. And the postmodern Democrat party is all about the exercise of raw power in order to establish a soft tyranny of the very highly paid whose mission is to redistribute every one else’s wealth and foster the illusion of liberty and equality.

We have gone from ObamaCare to ObamaNet.

And on that cheery note, let’s look at some moments in time that will, hopefully, brighten your weekend.