Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Wall Worthy

About 95% of the Los Angeles Animation Community gathered today at the headquarters of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in North Hollywood. The occasion was the unveiling of a wall sculpture honoring Joe Barbera and the late Bill Hanna. I took some photos and wrote up a little report, which I've posted over here in the NOTES from me section.

• Posted at 6:51 PM · LINK

The Verdict

Like (I'm guessing) a good many of you, I thought Robert Blake was guilty of murdering his wife...though this is not an opinion I came to by scrupulously examining evidence, hearing all sides and deliberating the matter for more than about ten seconds. I felt he did it the way I feel it will rain this weekend. A lot of folks are saying so...and since a lot of them seem to know more about it than I do, I go with the flow. Even after the verdict, I'm not sure about Blake, nor do I have the interest to study up on it. Maybe he didn't do it or maybe there just wasn't sufficient proof that he did it. Not the same thing.

I did follow the O.J. Simpson case closely enough to have an opinion about which I felt strongly. I think the first jury — the one that acquitted him — had their heads up their judicial posteriors. But about the Blake case, I dunno. I feel like I was lied to by several articles I read. They said not just that he did it but that the evidence was undeniable and overwhelming. Clearly, it was not. He may have murdered his wife but the evidence could not have been as airtight as those articles made it out to be.

The Blake case differs from the O.J. case in a number of ways that may make it possible for him to function in society and — who knows? — even get some acting work again. Blake and his lawyers did not seem arrogant the way Simpson and his Dream Team appeared. There was no Race Card for them to play, nor did they particularly demonize the police. Blake was not turned loose despite a mountain of forensic evidence. Blake's supposed victim did not seem as innocent and mourned as the two people Simpson hacked to death. A lot of those who got mad at the O.J. verdict were mad on behalf of the highly-visible families of the deceased, Fred Goldman especially. There have been no conspicuous mourners of Bonny Lee Bakley. (Her sister phoned in to Court TV after the verdict and seemed mainly distraught that they now will probably not get anything from the civil suit they've filed against Blake.) Most of all, Blake seems rather sad and beaten, almost like he's already paid a fairly stiff penalty for a crime he may or may not have committed. If he's guilty, of course, it's insufficient penalty. But maybe we're so cynical by now about rich 'n' famous murderers getting properly punished that we'll settle for this much.

• Posted at 5:25 PM · LINK

L.A., My Way

I love photos of Los Angeles, especially historic Los Angeles. This site has some great current photos of places that have been around for a long time.

• Posted at 12:29 AM · LINK

March 17, 2005 • Current • March 15, 2005