This Psychologist Helps Keep Comedians Laughing

An interesting look into the work of Ildiko Tabori, who serves as the in-house psychologist at a Los Angeles comedy club. The club’s owner hired her after he became alarmed by the number of premature deaths in the comic world.

Published: Aug 28, 2014
Length: 6 minutes (1,500 words)

The Hidden Man

In the fall of 2011, Army Captain Stephen Hill was booed by audience members at a Republican presidential debate for coming forward as a gay soldier and asking the candidates if they would reinstate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The story of what led Hill to that moment:

He learns that Google and YouTube are hosting a nationally televised debate in Orlando, Fla., for the nine Republican presidential candidates. They are accepting questions.

He closes his door. He strips his name and rank from his uniform. He hides his face. He would like to disguise his voice, but he doesn’t have the technology.

I am a gay soldier, and I am currently serving in Iraq, he says to the camera. The repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is going to be taking place in six days. Then it will be legal to say, ‘I’m gay, and I’m here.’ I wanted to know what the rights of gay people will be under a presidency of one of you, and if you’ll try to repeal any progress that’s been made for gay people in the military.

He sends it in and waits.

Published: Dec 29, 2013
Length: 12 minutes (3,195 words)

The Manhunt for Christopher Dorner

On the trail of a disgraced ex-LAPD officer who went on a murder rampage after being fired:

The officers followed Dorner onto Interstate 15, heading north, hanging back a safe distance. They were trying to confirm it was Dorner’s truck.

Five miles along, the patrol car followed Dorner down the Magnolia Avenue offramp to the street. Dorner was waiting at the curb beside his parked truck. He opened fire with his assault rifle, riddling the patrol car with .223-caliber rounds.

The officers ducked. They tried to fire back with their handguns, futilely. Dorner was about 100 feet away, with firepower that vastly overwhelmed them. His rounds pierced the squad car’s windshield, punctured a tire, blew out the radiator. It was immobilized in seconds. One bullet grazed an officer’s head. Dorner sped away down Magnolia.

Published: Dec 15, 2013
Length: 82 minutes (20,731 words)

Surgeon Races to Save a Life in L.A.’s Shooting Season

Inside an operating room at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center during L.A.’s “shooting season”:

“The season of shootings has begun on time. Last year, from July through September, this Torrance hospital treated 107 gunshot victims, the highest number in the county.

“This year, four GSWs — medical shorthand for gunshot wounds — arrived on the first day of summer. One was a suicide and three were assaults. Three died and one would probably be discharged in a few days.

“Now, on June 23, two more have come in, both teenagers, both assaults. They walked through the front door at 2:25 a.m., no EMTs, no police. The hospital staff calls it the homeboy ambulance service: patients brought in with injuries often from gang shootings.”

Published: Aug 18, 2013
Length: 8 minutes (2,119 words)

From Student to Spy, And Back Again

An American community college student who converted to Islam before 9/11 emails the CIA and volunteers himself as a spy:

“At the time of his email, intelligence agencies were eager to exploit an opportunity presented by the capture of John Walker Lindh, a U.S. citizen who had converted to Islam and gone abroad to join the Taliban. Intelligence officials believed other American citizens could pose as converts and infiltrate terrorist networks abroad.

“Jara’s email landed at the right moment. An FBI agent and a CIA officer drove to his home and enlisted the eager 26-year-old as a contract employee.”

Published: Mar 18, 2013
Length: 8 minutes (2,202 words)

A Priest’s Confession, A Man’s Relief

A court orders the release of church files revealing a history of sex abuse by clergy members. The documents back up the allegations of victims, who are finally finding justice:

“In recent years, a key part of clergy abuse cases has involved getting confidential files released. The Catholic Church is a meticulous record-keeper. When a letter accuses a priest of molestation, it’s supposed to go into his file. So are reports from therapists — no matter how graphic.

“The documents have repeatedly backed up the allegations of victims whom the church initially tarred as liars. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange made public 10,000 pages. The L.A. archdiocese is expected to release its own trove in the coming weeks.”

Published: Jan 15, 2013
Length: 7 minutes (1,988 words)

A Father’s Long Battle For His Daughters

A deported father fights for custody of his daughters:

“The girls ended up with their maternal grandmother, who was destitute and suffered from memory lapses, so social workers took them away. They joined the thousands of children nationwide who are under custody of child protection agencies after their parents have been placed in deportation proceedings or deported. An estimated 5,000 such children are in foster care, about 1,000 of them in Los Angeles County, according to juvenile court attorneys and the Applied Research Center, a nonprofit racial justice think tank.

“Many follow their deported mothers and fathers, if the parents can convince U.S. agencies that they can provide a stable life in their home countries. In such cases, social workers from Los Angeles escort the children to parents at joyous airport reunions, usually in Mexico and El Salvador.

“But sometimes parents fail. Their children either languish in foster care or they’re adopted by American couples. Some never see their biological parents again.”

Published: Dec 2, 2012
Length: 8 minutes (2,043 words)

Standing Up: Davien’s Story

A young man becomes paralyzed in a shooting near his church, and struggles with identifying the shooter, whom he recognizes as a former classmate (link includes both parts one and two):

“Surgeons had labored for five hours to patch his left lung, remove his left kidney and his spleen. They could do nothing to repair his L1 vertebra. His legs were paralyzed.

“A nurse brought pad and pen. Davien wanted to tell his family about the shooting. He had recognized the shooter, but he was too scared to write down a name.

“Instead, he scribbled: ‘I forgive them.’

“Days later, Sheriff’s Det. Scott Schulze showed up at Davien’s bedside with a series of mug shots.

“Davien spotted the shooter immediately. Jimmy Santana had taken gym classes with him in middle school and later joined a Latino gang, Monrovia Nuevo Varrio, or MNV.

“The detective asked Davien if the shooter was among the photos.

“Davien feared what could happen if he snitched. He also believed as a Christian that it was wrong to lie.”

Published: Nov 18, 2012
Length: 18 minutes (4,660 words)

I Sing the Body Electric

Japanese-pop star Hatsune Miku has millions of YouTube hits, sells tickets to her concerts at $76 a pop and has adoring fans from all around the world. She’s also not human:

“Created by Crypton Future Media, Miku is the most popular avatar created to sell Vocaloid 2, the singing synthesizer application originally developed by Yamaha. In Japan, it is common to create a character associated with software, and at first glance, Miku may seem like little more than an animated mascot, not unlike the Pillsbury Doughboy or the Snuggle fabric softener bear. But Miku inspires an unparalleled creativity.

“Instead of passively worshipping her, fans have mobilized into an interactive artistic community. Using Vocaloid 2, they write melodies and lyrics, sharing their songs on YouTube or the Japanese equivalent, niconico (“smilesmile”). Since Miku’s ‘birth’ in August 2007, amateurs have used her likeness in hundreds of thousands of songs, illustrations, videos, games, animations—and one rather creepy, dead-looking Miku robot. She’s a cosplay (costume role play) favorite at anime conventions and elsewhere.”

Published: Jun 1, 2012
Length: 8 minutes (2,158 words)

The Frequent Fliers Who Flew Too Much

American Airlines once sold a lifetime pass for unlimited first-class travel. They soon regretted it:

“In September 2007, a pricing analyst reviewing international routes focused the airline’s attention on how much the AAirpass program was costing, company emails show.

“‘We pay the taxes,’ a revenue management executive wrote in a subsequent email. ‘We award AAdvantage miles, and we lose the seat every time they fly.’

“Cade was assigned to find out whether any AAirpass holders were violating the rules, starting with those who flew the most.

“She pulled years of flight records for Rothstein and Vroom and calculated that each was costing American more than $1 million a year.”

Published: May 6, 2012
Length: 9 minutes (2,379 words)