By

Dear Mr. Olds, Please re-read my column (“Visiting Buenos Aires,” Jan. 5 edition.) I accurately restated the fears of virtually all the Argentinian businessman I met: they are afraid now-President Trump will act with the casual brutality he displayed during his campaign.  They...

Visiting Buenos Aires I went on a last minute visit to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, because Trump won. Let me explain. My longtime friend and fellow (much more) active Democrat is the current U.S. Ambassador to Argentina, Noah Mamet. Ambassador Mamet had long invited...

Spectacular Creatures in Our Midst As loyal readers of this column know, I am a Laguna Beach waterman.   I venture to my local (secret) cove almost every day the weather allows, kayak, snorkel, hang out with the other locals, and enjoy this wonderland we call home. The best thing...

  Slavery in the Modern World I’ve been reading a lot of ancient and middle-age history lately. I wanted to know how it was to be alive then. What could one expect? Here it is: It was tribal. It was all about your tribe surviving the next onslaught. Those onslaughts never...

Drifting to Dysfunction We all know the national election is a disgrace. In hindsight, I guess it was inevitable and I am hardly the first to state it. Angry talk radio, Fox News, internet hate sites, and ultimately Trump ripping away the gentlemanly façade of the Republican...

Late In the Evening The scene: Art Walk Laguna, August, 2016. My mood: tired and cranky. I had been working on a giant apartment deal and was drained. I wanted only to stay home, stare at TV and go to bed early. But my daughter, Gabby, 23, would not let me. She said I had to go...

My Tribe   I never fit in anywhere. In high school, I was in student politics, “smart” classes, many clubs, and an early surfer. Yet I was not of any of them. I did not feel comfortable around any particular group. I felt alone, isolated.   This is not unusual for a teenager, but...

Considering China We’re afraid of China. It is taking over the world. Trump uses it as a theme. China takes unfair advantage of trade. They cheat. They are more than a billion strong and it is only a matter of time before they overwhelm us.   China’s economic miracle is our...

The Immigrant I continually have promised myself I will not write about frigging D. Trump. Or think about him. I promised myself and I will keep that promise. Instead I want to discuss my friend at the local cove, George. He is about 50, fit, more than well off, and of a humor...

Who Keeps Defiling Sacred Ground? In 2011, Laguna Beach dedicated a 9/11 memorial designed by Laguna’s own Jorg Dubin. The location was near the American flag stand in Heisler Park and more than 2,000 people attended the dedication. Members of the New York City Fire Department...

Biscuit Bomber Bob Mosier I am a regular at a small local cove in north Laguna. At its center is an old house that terraces up the hill where Bob Mosier lives. He is in his 90s now and although he is a widower (married 67 years) and his balance ain’t what it used to be, he is...

The Future Is Now It is 1994. California Republican Gov. Pete Wilson is running for re-election. He is losing. His challenger is Democratic state Treasurer Kathleen Brown. Kathleen is scary smart, beautiful, articulate and more: she is part of the illustrious Brown family...

To: All Members of the Laguna Beach City Council Re: Six-month moratorium on choosing or placing public art Background For some time, activists have complained about the quality of public art in Laguna Beach. It is not worthy of us. It does not belong in Laguna Beach; it belongs...

Making Sense of 2015 I make my living as a real estate developer and have many developer friends, who in OC are overwhelmingly Republican. Let me tell you: they are worried to death. A sea change is happening in America.   You can feel it. Olds truths are melting away.   The...

My Winter Vacation We missed our scheduled flight to Dublin from Heathrow, so had to wait three hours for the next one, all the while suffering from the night before. It was an insane wedding at a mansion venue 90 minutes north of London. My girlfriend Kim Bowen danced until 6:30...