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LAlawMedMBA
M.S., Psychology, CSULA, 12/99
J.D., University of WASHINGTON, 12/84
M.D.-PhD. (Biology), University of ILLINOIS. National Boards in Medicine, 6/82
M.B.A., CALIFORNIA STATE University (CSULA), 6/88
M.A., Sociology, University of ILLINOIS, 6/77
Accounting Certificate, CALIFORNIA BUSINESS COLLEGE, 6/76
B.A., Sociology, NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS University, 8/73
Diploma in Arts, Amundsen-Mayfair College, 8/72
Certificate, Computer Programming & Operations, CONTROL DATA INSTITUTE, 2/90
EXPERIENCE
Abused Parents Alliance, General Counsel, 7/00-Present (Pro Bono)
MedicoLegal Advocates, Attorney & President, 6/00-Present
Peter Gordon & Associates, Associate Attorney, 4/95-6/99
Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center, Consultant, Cardiology, 4/91-7/91
IntelligenceWare, Systems Analyst, 4/90-9/90
(Designed artificial intelligence, neural network, expert system, relational database, statistical software)
Rand Corporation, Fellow, Behavioral Sciences, 9/88-6/89
(Medical Outcomes Study, Health Care Financing Administration)
San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center, Managing Auditor, 2/87-11/87
(Managed 9-figure medical budget)
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Doubt (2004)
Legally Incoherent
College faculty should never have affairs or sex with students at their schools-especially if the relationship involves anything that might affect the student's grades or academic progress. Whenever such activity occurs, the faculty member should be terminated from employment. In this case, the teacher played a mentor-like role in supervising his student's projects. Consequently, he had overwhelming power over his student. Because his career and familial relationships were jeopardized, the veracity of his testimony should have been thoroughly challenged, and he should have been ferociously cross-examined. Instead, the television audience is not even permitted to know the outcome of the trial.
Social Nightmare (2013)
Worst Movie I've Seen in Years
This film could have tackled a contemporary issue: The problems of hacked internet accounts and social media. Instead, the most innocent and least likely suspect erupted as the villain--a patently ridiculous ploy used by an utterly incompetent mystery writer. The only clue was the use of psychopharmaceuticals, which are known to be laden with side effects and to vegetate minds. Another horrendous failing was that individuals who appeared to be the culprits, some of whom were admitted to top Ivy League schools, proved instead to be moronic, as did school administrators. Rather than believing that an AP student, elected class president, was innocent, and that she was the victim of hacking, everyone unanimously despised, distrusted, and humiliated her, including her closest friend. Such a social scenario might happen if everyone were developmentally handicapped, but not in any real-world setting.
Faithless (2009)
Very Disappointing version on the Playboy Channel
I tried to watch this flick with my fast forward key, but could not find a single scene involving Kelli McCarty where she does anything more than expose her bosom. She seems to be involved in nary one erotic tryst, although there is a fair amount of hard core action, albeit heterosexual only. Apparently, since I saw the cut provided by the Playboy Channel, the salacious stuff may have been bowdlerized, since the other reviewer described two scenes with the former Miss USA, one in which she is raped. Perhaps my least favorite male porn star, Steven St. Croix, is in the cast, further degrading this 1:10 version. I didn't see Herschel Savage, one of my favorite male performers, who is listed as a player. At least the setting was nice, apparently somewhere in the Bahamas, and I always enjoy works by director Paul Thomas.
The Addams Family: The Addams Family Goes to School (1964)
Pilot Episode of Unique Sit-Com
Sam Hilliard, a truant officer, visits the Addams home because neither Wednesday nor Pugsley have ever attended school. Miss Comstock, the school principal, sympathizes with the Addams, deriding Hilliard. She sends Hilliard back to the Addams household for another round of consternation and astonishment. Pugnacious Puggsley and winsome Wednesday go to school, but are disconcerted by the Grimms' fairy tales read in class, which suggest that dragons are killed. The Addams Family is a refreshingly funny combination of a lugubrious setting with bizarre characters. Thing, a disembodied hand, is shown snatching letters from the mailman directly through the mailbox at the front gate. Later, Thing answers the telephone and hands the receiver to Morticia, a stately yet sultry matron who would be a fitting funeral director. A resounding gong summons Lurch, the towering servant with the sententious, basso profundo voice, who startles Hilliard at each of his appearances. Cousin Itt is a ball of fur with no recognizable face who speaks rapidly but unintelligibly. Eccentric Grandmama chides masochistic Uncle Fester for not cheating at cards. Gomez, the suave manager of the mansion, purveys black arts and unveils torture devices with relish and aplomb. The mordancy of transforming gloomy subjects into humor is a very successful formula.
The Californians (2005)
Politically Inspired Environmental Romance
If John Muir were alive today, he might make a movie like The Californians. Gavin Ransom (Noah Wyle), an avaricious real estate developer and land exploiter has a twin sister, Olive Ransom (Illeana Douglas) who is a passionate environmentalist and vegan. Their diametrical philosophies illuminate the intricacies of hypocrisy. Olive discovers a mellifluous vocalist, Zoe Tripp (Kate Mara), whose pro-ecology ballads are reminiscent of Joan Baez. Soon Zoe is offered a recording contract, which excludes her guitarist-accompanist father, Elton Tripp (Keith Carradine), and the lyrical import of her songs is threatened by commercialism, as many species are threatened by builders and human population growth. A romance develops between Gavin and Zoe, despite Olive's opposition, as Gavin loses his way on the road to quick riches, and finds other values aside from money.
The Boyhood of John Muir (1998)
Illuminative Observations on John Muir's Development as an Inventor & Seeker of the Wild
John Muir is the signal figure of environmentalism--arguably more important politically to wilderness protection than anyone, including Teddy Roosevelt. The Sierra Club, which he founded, may also be the most important organization supporting environmentalism, mountaineering, rock & snow climbing, and general outdoor activities in wildlands.
The Boyhood of John Muir examines the incidents and experiences in Muir's early life that led to his evolution as the great extoller and defender of the wild, its pristine landscapes, and the flora and fauna.
The film begins with Muir's immigration from Scotland to upstate Wisconsin with his father and sister. His mother and a younger brother stayed behind for a few years, until the immigrants were well-ensconced in America.
Muir's preacher-father, Daniel, might be characterized as an autocratic slave-driver, forcing his children to work all day, beginning at dawn, allowing them very little time for education, and no time at all for school.
Nevertheless, Muir is brilliant, and fashions many ingenious inventions. He finally manages to escape the clutches of his father to attend the Wisconsin State Fair at Madison, vowing never to return to the farm. There he is discovered by a factory owner, who quickly appoints him foreman because of his labor-saving innovativeness. Unfortunately, Muir is nearly blinded while working on a machine.
Muir regards the injury as a message from God to discontinue industrial pursuits, and embark on a thousand-mile trek to the Gulf of Mexico in order to delight in the bounties of nature. From there he eventually traveled to the Sierra Nevadas, where his career as a naturalist and explorer began.
Superior movie with superb acting. Highly recommended to anyone concerned about our environment.