Editorials, letters to the editor, and other community opinions about Santa Monica.
In the story of Pinocchio, written in the 1880s as a children’s serial by Italian author, Carlo Collodi, a wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy learns, over time, the meaning of honesty, bravery, and selflessness. Because of…
This piece first appeared in The Healthy City Local website by Frank Gruber and is syndicated here with the author’s permission. If you have been reading me since I started writing my column in the Lookout News 26 years ago,…
Like every magician you’ve ever seen, the current white house squatter is a master of distraction, more accurately, in magic, called misdirection, or audience management, in which the audience’s gaze is manipulated in order to divert attention away from a secret…
The following is a submission from Santa Monica Forward. Santa Monica Forward Opposes Airport Housing Initiative Santa Monica Forward has long championed building more housing at all income levels to address the city’s acute housing shortage; it is a bedrock…
Last week, the preeminent French newspaper, Le Figaro, revealed the results of a study conducted by Professor Frederique Sandretto, an expert in American Culture at the Parisian University, Sciences Po. Based on a careful evaluation of the wording of the last…
A few recurring themes converged this week when the dress-up Attorney General Barbie Doll yelled and deflected her way through a five hour Congressional hearing, setting a new record for embarrassing behavior by a federal appointee, which was, already, a…
In early 2026, California’s plan to explore replacing its long-standing gas tax with a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee ignited a firestorm of public debate and online outrage. Headlines and social media feeds on the conservative right lit up with…
In the 60s, from Dylan and Baez to Country Joe and the Fish, from “I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag” to “Fortunate Son” to “Blowin’ In The Wind” to (fill in your favorite), our protest, our rage, our…
We often use the term “pathological” to describe a person who lies so consistently, they seem unable to stop. When the condition goes further, however, and the speaker appears to believe his own fabrications, the condition is described as “mythomania” or “pseudologia…
The following was submitted by Mayor Caroline Torosis. Santa Monica, CA — Mayor Caroline Torosis, Councilmember Dan Hall, and Councilmember Ellis Raskin today introduced a sweeping cost-of-living agenda focused on reducing everyday expenses, protecting workers and renters, and ensuring Santa…
In a posthumous collection of essays, letters and notes by F. Scott Fitzgerald, titled The Crack-Up, his friend, Edmund Wilson, pulled together the author’s writings about his mental and physical breakdown in the 1930s. Fitzgerald wrote of his struggles with disillusionment and…
This article first appeared at Streetsblog California. Bob Mittelstaedt is a retired lawyer, avid e-biker, and co-founder of E-Bike Access which is dedicated to expanding access for legal e-bikes and combatting illegal e-motos. He consults with state and local governments,…
Santa Monica has a new legal option to enforce red lights and stop signs. It is an option I think our community needs to make our streets safer for everyone. Street racing and reckless driving impact our community daily, often…
In 2024, the Santa Monica City Council faced a tough decision. The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organizing committee (LA28) presented the city with a proposal to host the beach volleyball competition in a temporary mini-stadium built near the Pier. The…
There have been various attempts, in the last three or four decades, to push the idea that lack of experience is some kind of qualifier for government service, positing that “fresh ideas” are needed. Just bring a fresh perspective to…
