October 10, 2009

"Possibly not since Renaissance Italy has there been such a gathering of creative minds in one locale as there has been in Los Angeles County during the past half century."

"While enriching the community with their presence, they have brought with them the manners and mores of their native lands which in rare instances have been at variance with those of their adoptive land."

Bilge from the probation report for Roman Polanski, written in 1977, when, the NYT writes, the cultural climate was much warmer toward moviemen and their interest in young girls.

50 comments:

ricpic said...

It's been downhill ever since Von Stroheim...or Fatty Arbuckle...one of those two.

rhhardin said...

Los Alamos in the early 1940s had your creative minds.

Anonymous said...

The climate hasn't changed much really. While it starts in Hollywood (Weinstein) in fact, it's expanded to Walt Disney World (Whoppie Goldberg) the New York Times newsroom (Cohen, Applebaum) and extends into the French government, where aide de camp pedophiles write books about how they lust for little slave boys.

These people can't die fast enough. Here's hoping they catch AIDS from Andrew Sullivan.

Fred4Pres said...

Thank you rhhardin. I was going to say they are about 900 miles off (thinking of Los Alamos).

David said...

The Times--like most papers--refers to Polanski coming back to "face a charge," as if his guilt or innocence is still at issue.

But Polanski has already been convicted. He fled after trial.

Further, if this take from a February 9, 2009 New York Post article is correct, he is also a fool both for having fled then and for not returning voluntarily now.

A judge refused to throw out Roman Polanski's 1977 child-sex conviction yesterday - but strongly suggested the self-exiled director might still return to the United States without fear of jail time because of collusion between the original judge and prosecutors.

"There was substantial, it seems to me, misconduct during . . . this case," said Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza, who will consider more arguments and rule definitively on May 7.

For now, Polanski remains a fugitive who would be thrown behind bars if he sets foot on American soil.


But the judge virtually invited Polanski to show up in his Los Angeles courtroom for the next hearing, hinting the director might be cleared.

"He just needs to submit to the jurisdiction of this court," Espinoza told defense lawyers. "If you are anticipating Mr. Polanski's presence on that date, I would need notice to arrange for security."

Polanski's lawyers want to erase his guilty plea in 1977 to having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

The illicit tryst happened after a champagne-fueled photo shoot at the LA home of actor Jack Nicholson.

Polanski fled to France in 1978 after spending 42 days in jail. His then-lawyers believed that would be his full sentence under the plea deal.

But Polanski's current lawyers claim their client fled because back-room dealing involving the now-deceased judge and a prosecutor would have resulted in more prison time.

Anonymous said...

"But Polanski has already been convicted. He fled after trial."

That's certainly true, but there's also now the matter of his escape from justice.

He must be tried separately on that issue and faces, at minimum, a bail jumping rap. He should be in jail a nice long time.

Fred4Pres said...

Now Flordia, Andrew will get testy and cry how Althouse fails to keep commentators in line. So you need to be reprimanded so Ann can avoid Andrew Sullivan's chiding.

J. Cricket said...

You are most impressive when you put your mind to back-pedaling.

Speaking of bilge, some of us still remember your first post about the Polanski arrest.

Pedal faster, Althouse!!

Unknown said...

However, after a period of "enriching" the community with new manners and mores, regular, uncreative and unattractice men start having sex with children, and then it's not so sophisticated any more. It's just ugly.

William said...

Polanski committed a crime. About that there can be no ambiguity. The appropriate measure of this crime is hard to determine in a time warp. When I was young, drinking sugared beverages was considered blameless.

Anonymous said...

"Now Flordia, Andrew will get testy and cry how Althouse fails to keep commentators in line."

Just trying to bump up the page views a bit so Ann doesn't go hungry.

I'm sure Andrew is, as we speak, calling the vagina police to insist that I have my uterus inspected ... or something.

Florida Is Great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykdKw9BaLT8&NR=1

Ed said...

such a gathering of creative minds in one locale

I'm reminded of Caligula musing 'Would that the Roman people had but one neck!'.

The Drill SGT said...

David made the point that I intended. Amazing how the MSM downshifts from the terrible felonies he was charge with (and was clearly guilty of IMHO) and the minor crime he was convicted of, and then assert that he was only "charge of having sex with a 13-year-old girl"

plus as Florida mentions, there is the fleeing justice charges on top.

David said...

Back in 1958 nearly every guy I knew was interested in sex with young teenage girls. Of course we were all 15 years old.

Skipper50 said...

So, "creative minds" and "Hollywood" are synonymous? Coulda fooled me.

XWL said...

Saw Zombieland today, entertaining film, for the most part.

Abigail Breslin does a good job as the younger sister, but not once did I think while watching her performance, 'now there's someone I'd like to drug and sexually abuse in a hot tub' (she's 13 now, probably 12 when the film was shot).

Guess my mind isn't creative enough.

Fred4Pres said...

Florida, thanks for the upper Keys travel video!

blake said...

And yet, it didn't feel very Renaissance-y. Go figger.

Titus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Titus said...

Fellow Republicans, I am going out to dindin tonight with my husband.

We are going to Veggie Planet in Harvard Square. Can I tell you I am sick of tofu croutons and bean sprouts? We can only go to places that have vegetarian food and I am ok with that but sometimes I just want a piece of chicken.

No Mexican, Italian, Seafood, Even No Indian-give me some Tiki Chicken.

But instead are options are Thai, Chinese and Vegetarian.

Oh and Kashi frozen dindin's.

And carrots and grapes and rice cakes and assorted vegetables.

Fuck, this is hard.

And I don't want sex tonight. And I am tired of brown rice with mixed vegies on top.

We have had sex every time we have been together over the past 6 months and tonight I just want to have dindin and go home and relax. But if I say that he will go ballistic.

Relationships are difficult.

I hope Lem is still alive and breathing.

Titus said...

I also don't care for eating foods that have the word "mash" in them.

As in mashed carrots.

Titus said...

Also the word "puree" in food is starting to bug me.

I told him last night I wanted to drug him and force feed him a big juicy flank steak.

David said...

Titus, take him to a fucking steakhouse. He can have the creamed spinach. Without the cream.

Ern said...

Possibly not since Renaissance Italy has there been such a gathering of creative minds in one locale as there has been in Los Angeles County during the past half century.

Sometimes I think that the greatest peril accompanying living in California is the risk of dislocating one's shoulder while vigorously patting onself on the back.

Chennaul said...

Is corned beef on the menu...?

Automatic_Wing said...

Hey Titus, you sound kinda whipped. Man up and assert yourself or this Indian dude will walk all over you.

Trust me, I've been there. Not with dudes, but the principle's still the same, I think.

Shanna said...

Abigail Breslin does a good job as the younger sister, but not once did I think while watching her performance, 'now there's someone I'd like to drug and sexually abuse in a hot tub' (she's 13 now, probably 12 when the film was shot).

Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CthB71GqYa0

MadisonMan said...

Surely there are restaurants in Boston that would serve your hubby a nice vegetarian dinner while you chow down on some well cooked flavorful and sizzling meat.

Anonymous said...

I say Titus goes to Mr. Bartley's for a bacon cheeseburger.

His husband can have the soyburger.

You both could go to Grendel's. You can get anything you want at Grendel's restaurant. Faded and shrunken, tho, just like its past glory.

Then there's Fire & Ice. Find your own damn ingredients and hope they cook it right. They usually do.

Those are some real restaurants in Harvard Sq. where people eat.

G Joubert said...

If I were the prosecutor I'd play rope-a-dope with Polanski and his supposed desire to withdraw his guilty plea. How stupid can you get? Withdraw the guilty plea and the plea agreement is negated, which means Polanski is then looking at the original forcible rape charge, giving the 13 y/o drugs charge, plus the new bail jumping charges. He'll never again see daylight again as a free man.

MadisonMan said...

By the way, Bilge is the perfect word to describe it.

Chip Ahoy said...

Grrrrrrr. Sputter, spit, growl snarl, stutter, fume, arc, crackle, EXPLODE

Blogger's spam-prevention robots have detected that your blog has characteristics of a spam blog. Since you're an actual person reading this, your blog is probably not a spam blog. Automated spam detection is inherently fuzzy, and we sincerely apologize for this false positive.

We received your unlock request on October 10, 2009. On behalf of the robots, we apologize for locking your non-spam blog. Please be patient while we take a look at your blog and verify that it is not spam.

Nonsense. There are no robots, there is programming, and behind the programming there are humans -- humans making decisions about what constitutes good and bad programming. Now give me back my blog or I'll code my own goddamn blog. Sincerely, Chip.

Peter V. Bella said...

Give that freak one year for every year he was on the lam. That would equate to a life sentence. Throw away the key and forget him. No pity. No mercy.

dave in boca said...

I'm sure Andrew is, as we speak, calling the vagina police to insist that I have my uterus inspected ... or something.

Actually, the Hysterical One might well volunteer to be Roman's cellmate to help him through those lonely nights in the LA correctional system. Or perhaps others might offer to take Andrew's place.

reader_iam said...

What the hell, I've got nothing more to lose here, anymore:

These people can't die fast enough. Here's hoping they catch AIDS from Andrew Sullivan.

Disgusting and profoundly stupid choice of expression. You've got the right, indisputably; doesn't make it praise-worthy or worthy of celebration.

***

[To this day, I continue my (little, useless, meaningless) personal boycott of Andrew Sullivan, and of all things The Atlantic (in both forms), with the exception, occasionally of Megan McCardle, primarily in feed (which exception I stated upfront).

It's been more than a year now.]

***

Still. What I said at the start of this comment stands. That is, I stand by it.

Titus said...

OK, fellow republicans I am back from dindin.

It was fine, although too much garlic, yuck. I could smell Border Cafe, yum, Mexican Food, across the street.

We then went to Rock Horror. And they even have some line in from the performers about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Price, and it is very snide. And this is Cambridge. It's called the People's Republic. Cambridge is what Madison thinks it is except everyone lives on top of each other and it is much much more liberal than Madison.

Of course he wanted to do it but I was like no it's 2:30 and I am exhausted. He was pissed but he can get over it.

Joan said...

These people can't die fast enough. Here's hoping they catch AIDS from Andrew Sullivan.

I don't like how "these people" behave, either, but this sentiment goes way too far.

I always wonder when I come across a piece of hyperbole like that, do you say things like that in real life? My 12-year-old son has Asperger's Syndrome and he has said some cringe-worthy things (the one about how stupid it is for people in wheel chairs to board planes before everyone else springs to mind), but even he doesn't wish death by incurable, sexually transmitted diseases on people.

Wouldn't you be embarrassed if people from your real life read a comment like that and knew that you wrote it?

I just don't understand how people can write things like that. Then again, my comments are linked to my account which are about a hair's breadth away from my full name. The Internet is forever and search engines keep getting better and better. It pays to watch what you say because you never know when an intemperate comment might come back to haunt you.

Joan said...

Chip: sorry to hear about your blog. How absurd that it should be classified as spam! Hope they get it back online soon.

Anonymous said...

"... Do you say these things in real life ... My 12-year-old son has Asperger's Syndrome ..."

You betcha I do sweetheart.

If Roman Polanski, or one of these other pedophiles, raped your kid with Arsparger's Syndrome, wouldn't you want them to die slow painful deaths? Wouldn't you want to do the deed yourself?

I hope I get within punching range of one of these Polanski supporters one day.

Anonymous said...

"It pays to watch what you say because you never know when an intemperate comment might come back to haunt you."

Intemperent? Hoping pedophiles get what they have coming is intemperent?

I don't know what neighborhood you live in, but in my part of town, comments like these are quite common and I would be proud to have them associated with myself now or in the future.

I'll say it again: I hope I get within range of one of these Polanski kiddie raper supporters. It'll be nothing but knuckle sandwich on the menu.

Anonymous said...

In the real Renaissance Italy there was undoubtedly some official toady making equally convincing excuses for the Borgias.

Bissage said...

"Possibly not since Renaissance Italy has there been such a gathering of creative minds in one locale as there has been in Los Angeles County during the past half century."

That’s not true.

What about the White House and all those times when Thomas Jefferson dined alone?

KCFleming said...

This would all go away if 13 year old hussies would just stop seducing powerful 42 year old filmmakers.

Muslims sure figured out how to deal with wicked womenly wiles.

Anonymous said...

the manners and mores of their native lands which in rare instances have been at variance with those of their adoptive land

Because it's always been OK to give booze and drugs to a 13-yr-old and then rape her in France and Poland. I mean "have sex" with her.

bearbee said...

@reader_iam

re: Disgusting and profoundly stupid choice of expression...

Agree.

bearbee said...

re:""Possibly not since Renaissance Italy has there been such a gathering of creative minds....

Embarrassing.

Joan said...

If Roman Polanski, or one of these other pedophiles, raped your kid with Arsparger's Syndrome, wouldn't you want them to die slow painful deaths?

"Arspargers"? Was that some kind of joke? Lame.

Wanting someone to die a slow, painful death and committing the sentiment to writing in a permanent, easily accessible manner are two entirely different things. I stand by my assertion that you should watch what you type.

From Inwood said...

Never before has there been such a herd of independent creative minds in one locale as there has been in Los Angeles County during the past half century (apologies to someone).

Wait I’ve got it.

Last night the 1930s I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang was the “Essentials” movie of the week. Watched it again after about 40 years. Poor Paul Muni. Bad GA prison system. OK.

All the Polanski European (as well as some American) apologists for Polanski (or the escaped criminal du jour like Ira Einhorn) picture current AmeriKKKan prisons like the GA chain gang or Abu Ghraib. And Hollywood is now doing a virtual 21st Century I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang. Soon to be a major movie staring Brad Pitt? Jude Law?

And the sob sisters on social justice committees who somehow find all prisoners have become Renaissance men listening to Beethoven or reading Shakespeare (when they aren’t reborn Christians praying for forgiveness, that is) have it easy here.

Now we have a guy who was a Renaissance man before he did the crime & started to do the time!

PS If this miscreant was a fugitive from, say, a Vehicular Homicide conviction re a 13 year old, would we be having this discussion?

Peter V. Bella said...

"PS If this miscreant was a fugitive from, say, a Vehicular Homicide conviction re a 13 year old, would we be having this discussion?"


Uh, ahem, er, eh, ah- remember a young lass by the name of Mary Jo Kopechne? We recently buried the murdering- vehicular homicide- SOB who killed her. The coward ran away and let daddy's money take care of it. He did not even get a traffic ticket.

The anal sphincter was buried with full honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Our so called leaders gave speeches about his greatness- calling him a lion. He was given everything but deification- that is reserved for the O.(I am no longer sure if its Oprah or Obama).

Remember that guy's name? Ted Kennedy.

Sheesh. Polanski will get the Nobel Peace Prize next. If they don't give it to that drunken pervert Kennedy posthumously.

Hucbald said...

As a descendant of Lorenzo "Il Magnifico" Medici - no, I'm not kidding - I take offense.