Skydiver reported near LAX, conjuring memories of ‘jetpack man’ ^20.8%

Los Angeles Times - By Terry Castleman - 6/15/2026, 10:12 PM

Biased Writer Voice 33.8% - Unattributed Quote 20.8% - Appeal to Authority 16.7%

More than five years after a series of mysterious "jetpack man" sightings in the airspace near LAX, another possible airborne human rattled air traffic controllers Sunday. Shortly before landing at LAX around 2:40 p.m. on Sunday, a military transport Gulfstream jet pilot told air traffic controllers that they “just had a potential... more

They fled L.A. for cheaper living in Austin, Nashville and beyond. Did the math work out? ^19.5%

Los Angeles Times - By Terry Castleman - 5/31/2026, 3:14 PM

Appeal to Authority 24.6% - Post Hoc (False Cause) 22.2% - Framing Effect 9.1%

They left by the thousands, giving up life in Los Angeles for new lives in places with cheaper housing and a more affordable way of life. Some were almost evangelistic about how the move to places such as Austin, Dallas and Nashville would improve their lives and benefited their pocketbooks. But it turns out it’s harder than many thought... more

Wind-driven fire triggers evacuations in Simi Valley; at least 1 home burned ^0.5%

Los Angeles Times - By Terry Castleman - 5/18/2026, 6:13 PM

Appeal to Authority 36.1% - Quote-first Misdirection 15.8% - Unattributed Quote 13.2%

A brush fire in Simi Valley moved into a neighborhood and burned at least one home and another structure after igniting Monday morning. The Sandy fire broke out before 11 a.m. and was being driven by the wind. It covered some 720 acres Monday afternoon and triggered evacuation orders for a wide swath of homes in southern Simi Valley,... more

Why L.A. is struggling while San Francisco is beginning to boom again ^37.4%

Los Angeles Times - By Terry Castleman - 5/6/2026, 10:00 AM

The COVID-19 pandemic brought tough times for both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Crime briefly rose. Rising housing prices combined with the opportunity to work remotely led to declines in population. Concerns over blights and quality of life became political issues. But now, there are early signs of a postcrisis divergence in fortunes... more

Warehouse arsonist compared himself to Luigi Mangione, wanted to send a message, prosecutors say ^18.7%

Los Angeles Times - By Joseph Serna, Terry Castleman - 4/10/2026, 4:32 PM

Negativity Bias 41.7% - Biased Writer Voice 18.8% - Appeal to Emotion 16%

The worker who burned down a warehouse full of Kimberly-Clark paper products in Ontario this week railed against corporations and compared himself to Luigi Mangione in messages to coworkers after starting the fire, authorities said at a press conference Friday. Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, is facing both state and federal charges in connection... more

Life after California: People find dramatically lower costs, buy homes, new research shows ^58.5%

Los Angeles Times - By Terry Castleman - 3/31/2026, 10:00 AM

Appeal to Emotion 21.1% - Post Hoc (False Cause) 16% - Hasty Generalization 15.1%

* A new UC Berkeley study found that people of limited income who moved out of California dramatically improved their financial conditions. * A surprising finding from the California Policy Lab: Those leaving the state are increasingly moving out of its wealthiest areas. For decades, it’s been an alluring fantasy of many Californians.... more