This all rings depressingly true. Turns out I was wrong about no politician being willing to promote increased tax subsidies to Hollywood -- although due to be termed out, Newsom took a stand -- but while he can lead the Democratic legislature to water, it's unclear that he'll be able to make them drink. God knows how the Republicans in the legislature will react, other than to begin plotting their next campaign commercials lambasting giving more taxpayer dollars to Hollywood. I don't think Newsom would dare extend those subsidies to actor's salaries, though -- that would be a political bridge too far.
I don't put much hope in the Feds getting involved no matter who wins the White House next week. tRump seems to hate Hollywood (except for Scorbo, James Woods, and Roseanne, none of whom are real players at this point), and if Kamala takes the Oval Office, I expect she'll be busy putting out other fires for a while.
And speaking of fires ... yeah, I've been there. Had twenty minutes to pack up and run from my shack in the woods in the early stages of the Mount Vision Fire back in '95. Taking that last look around before jumping in the car and hightailing toward safety has a way of reestablishing one's priorities. But I too lucked out: the efforts of firefighters and a propitious wind shift as the flames were 50 feet from my place saved it, after which the fire drove all the way to the beach several miles away.
As the saying goes, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good...
This all rings depressingly true. Turns out I was wrong about no politician being willing to promote increased tax subsidies to Hollywood -- although due to be termed out, Newsom took a stand -- but while he can lead the Democratic legislature to water, it's unclear that he'll be able to make them drink. God knows how the Republicans in the legislature will react, other than to begin plotting their next campaign commercials lambasting giving more taxpayer dollars to Hollywood. I don't think Newsom would dare extend those subsidies to actor's salaries, though -- that would be a political bridge too far.
I don't put much hope in the Feds getting involved no matter who wins the White House next week. tRump seems to hate Hollywood (except for Scorbo, James Woods, and Roseanne, none of whom are real players at this point), and if Kamala takes the Oval Office, I expect she'll be busy putting out other fires for a while.
And speaking of fires ... yeah, I've been there. Had twenty minutes to pack up and run from my shack in the woods in the early stages of the Mount Vision Fire back in '95. Taking that last look around before jumping in the car and hightailing toward safety has a way of reestablishing one's priorities. But I too lucked out: the efforts of firefighters and a propitious wind shift as the flames were 50 feet from my place saved it, after which the fire drove all the way to the beach several miles away.
As the saying goes, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good...