The laissez-faire argument relies on the same tacit appeal to perfection as does communism.
--George Soros

Brainstorms brew in cities

Two enduring characterizations of Los Angeles - that it's unintellectual and star-struck are only partically true. There's no shortage of intellectual events featuring A-list names. But the attendees appear every bit as star-struck for the intellectual heavy-hitters as other crowds do for the movie stars. The only thing wrong with intellectual life in L.A. is that people keep asking if there's intellectual life in L.A. The last remnant of provinciality is asking that question.
· Star-Struck In LA [Los Angeles Times]