The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 64

DAILY CALENDAR By Kevin Crust Times Staff Writer The inciting incident of Dan Kloresand Ron ping documentary, of Fire: The Emile Griffith an event that shook the boxing world more than 40years ago. On March 24, 1962, at New York Square Garden, Griffith fought Benny Paretfor the third time, the welterweight title having changed hands after both of the previous bouts. Less than two minutes into the 12thround of the nationally televised fight, Griffith unleashed a blistering series of left-right combinations, leaving Paret crumpled in the corner of the ring. trainer, the renowned Gil Clancy, estimates that his fighter landed 17 punches in five seconds. Others present recall Griffith delivering 23 to 25 straight blows before Paret went down.

In his famous essay, Death of Benny (excerpted as voice-over in the film), Norman Mailer compared the barrage to a bat demolishing a The 24-year-old Paret, a Cuban exile, lay in a coma for 10 days at New Roosevelt Hospital before dying. Politicians called for an end to the sport or, at the very least, extreme reforms. TV advertisers pulled their commercials from programs such as Night and boxing disappeared from the networks for a time. The death of an athlete at a major sporting event, witnessed in person by thousands and watched on television by millions more, alone would make for a compelling documentary. Klores and Berger, however, have woven amore complex and telling tale that explores themes beyond the world of sport.

New York in the early 1960s was still a Runyonesque milieu where gamblers and underworld figures mixed with celebrities and politicians ringside. The city was bereft over the loss of the Giants and Dodgers five years earlier (the Mets had not yet played their inaugural game) and boxing was a marquee sport alongside football and basketball. The macho aesthetic was king and boxing was its brutal epitome. a sings James Brown on of soundtrack, and that certainly sums up the New York sporting life of the period. Entering that world was a sensitive young immigrant from the Virgin Islands named Emile Griffith.

With his 44-inch shoulders and 26-inch waist, Griffith was quickly hustled into a boxing ring, leaving behind his previous jobs as a delivery boy and hat designer. As he rose through the ranks of welterweight contenders, there had been whispers in boxing it was an era in which the only publicly acknowledged homosexuals were writers such as Allen Ginsberg and Gore Vidal. Liberace was considered notes historian Neal Gabler. The thought of a gay athlete was inconceivable. At the afternoon weigh-in for the ill-fated fight, Paret taunted Griffith with a derogatory Spanish word for homosexual.

The enraged Griffith had to be restrained by Clancy and wastold to save it for the ring. For the early edition of the New York Times, in boxing writer Howard description of the incident, the word homosexual had been changed to Amid this added subtext, some questioned whether anger fueled the tragedy. Others blamed death on his manager, Manuel Alfaro, for allowing Paret to fight again so soon after a brutal beating at the hands of Gene Fullmer. Alfaro held referee Ruby Goldstein responsible, accusing him of letting the fight go on too long. of aim to resolve these impossibly complex issues, but the film does get avariety of opinions, and in- cludesinsightful interviews with journalists such as Pete Hamill and Jimmy Breslin and other witnesses whovividly set the scene for the fight and its aftermath.

Klores and Berger are also intrigued by the fates of those most affected by the event. Griffith, of course, is the key figure and traces his subsequent career in which he won and lost four more titles and several fortunes. Though he cut a flashy swath through the late and boxing until age 39, dressing nattily and driving pink Cadillacs he was forever haunted by the Paret fight. Through interviews with Griffith, Luis Rodrigo longtime roommate and adopted son), Sadie Griffith (a woman Griffith married for a short time after one date), as well as widow and sonBenny the filmmakers inject genuine emotion into an inherently tough-guy subject without resorting to sentimentality. TELEVISION REVIEW Vivid look back at a 1962 boxing death Where: USA Network When: 9 tonight Ratings: TV-14-V (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 14, with an advisory for violence) Executive producer Lewis Katz.

Directed and produced by Dan Klores and Ron Berger. of Fire: The Emile Griffith CALENDAR E11 LOSANGELESTIMES TELEVISION RADIO REGENCY ACADEMY CINEMAS 1003 E. Colorado MELINDA AND MELINDA 3, 5, 7:15, 9:20 MILLION DOLLAR BABY 3:45, 6:45, 9:20 OFF THE MAP 2:30, 7 THE CHORUS (LES CHORISTES) 5:15, 9:30 HITCH 2:45, 7 STEAMBOY 2:50, 8 BORN INTO BROTHELS (R) 4:45, 9:15 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 3, 9:15 HOTEL RWANDA 6:45 SIDEWAYS (R) 5:20 REGENCY FOOTHILL CINEMA 10 854 E. Alosta Ave. of Alosta Azuza (626)334-6007 THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:05 SAHARA 12:30, 3:30, 7, 9:45 FEVER PITCH 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:40 BEAUTY SHOP 12, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:05 MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS 11:45, 2:15, 4:45, 7:15, 10 GUESS WHO 11:45, 2, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15 ICE PRINCESS (G) 12:30, 2:30, 4:45 THE RING TWO 7:15, 9:45 ROBOTS (PG) 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30 THE PACIFIER (PG) 12:15, 2:30, 5, 7:15, 9:30 SIN CITY (R) 1:15, 4, 7, 10 REGENCY VALLEY PLAZA CINEMAS All Movies $2.00 Before 6P.M.

Victory at Laurel-N Hollywood1-818-760-1966 THE RING TWO 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:55 DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN 12:30, 5:15, 9:45 ICE PRINCESS (G) 12:15, 2:20, 4:30 BE COOL 7, 9:30 HOSTAGE (R) 4:45, 9:50 HITCH 11:45, 2:15, 7:15 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 4:15 SON OF THE MASK (PG) 12:15, 2:45 CONSTANTINE (R) 5:15, 8:15 ARE WE THERE YET? (PG) 3, 7:45 THE AVIATOR 12:45, 8 REGENCY TEMPLE CITY CINEMAS Rosemead at Las Tunas(626) 309-1333 THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:55 SAHARA 1:15, 4, 7:15, 10 FEVER PITCH 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:05 SIN CITY (R) 1, 3:45, 7, 10 EGYPTIAN THEATRE 6712 Hollywood THE ARTIVIST FILM FESTIVAL (This is not a program of the American Cinematheque) AERO THEATRE 1328 Montana 466-FILM KINGS AND QUEEN (NR) 7:30 FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY VILLAGE 3 3323 S. Hoover(213)748-6321 AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 12:30, 3) 5:30, 8, 10:30 SIN CITY (R) 1:10, 4) 7, 9:50 FEVER PITCH 2, 4:30) 7, 9:30 Friday Saturday Midnight: SERIES 7 HIGHLAND 3 THEATRES 5604 N. Figueroa SIN CITY (R) 1:10, 3:40, 6:15, 8:45 SAHARA 1:15, 3:45, 6:20, 8:50 THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:35, 9:30 All Shows $1.50, on Tuesday $1.00 LA MIRADA DOLLAR MOVIES 7 15296 Rosecrans ARE WE THERE YET? (PG) 12:45, 2:55, 5:15, 7:25, 9:50 NATIONAL TREASURE (PG) 12:40, 4:05, 6:55, 9:40 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 1, 4, 7, 9:45 THE WEDDING DATE 12:55, 2:55, 4:55, 7:05, 9:10 RACING STRIPES (PG) 12:30, 2:45, 5 CURSED 7:15, 9:35 BOOGEYMAN 12:35, 2:50, 5:05, 7:10, 9:30 BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (PG) 12:50, 3, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45 BIANCHI PARAMOUNT STADIUM 11 7770 E. Rosecrans THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 10:40, 11:40, 1:15, 2:15, 3:50, 4:50) 6:25, 7:25, 9, 10 FEVER PITCH 11:30, 2:10, 4:50) 7:30, 10:10 SAHARA 10:40, 1:35, 4:30) 7:25, 10:20 SIN CITY (R) 10:45, 1:45, 4:45) 7:45, 10:45 BEAUTY SHOP 11:30, 2, 4:30) 7, 9:30 GUESS WHO 12, 2:40) 5:20, 8, 10:40 MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS 10:45, 1:35, 4:25) 7:15, 10:05 THE RING TWO 11:30, 2:15) 5, 7:45, 10:30 ROBOTS (PG) 10:15, 12:40, 3:05) 5:30, 7:55, 10:20 THE PACIFIER (PG) 11:45, 2:15, 4:45) 7:15, 9:45 WHITTER VILLAGE STADIUM 8 7038 Greenleaf THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:30 SAHARA 11:50, 2:20, 4:55, 7:30, 10 FEVER PITCH 12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:35 SIN CITY (R) 11:45, 2:20, 4:55, 7:30, 10:05 BEAUTY SHOP 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10 ROBOTS (PG) 12, 2, 4, 6:05, 8:10 THE PACIFIER (PG) 11:50, 1:50, 3:50, 5:50, 7:50, 9:50 MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS 11:50, 2:20, 4:45, 7:05, 9:25 THE RING TWO 10 P.M. SILVER CINEMAS NORWALK 8 13917 Pioneer 804-5615 HIDE AND SEEK (R) 2:50, 5:05, 7:15, 9:20 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 3:50, 9:10 BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (PG) 1:40, 6:30 RACING STRIPES (PG) 1:05, 3:10, 5:15, 7:25, 9:35 CURSED 1:35, 3:25, 5:20, 7:20, 9:15 ARE WE THERE YET? (PG) 1:20, 3:15, 5:10, 7:10, 9:05 NATIONAL TREASURE (PG) 1:10, 3:35, 7, 9:30 BOOGEYMAN 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:35, 9:40 MEET THE FOCKERS 12:45, 5 SON OF THE MASK (PG) 3, 7:30, 9:25 THE MAJESTIC CREST 1262 Westwood THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE (R) 3, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 All Shows $1.50, on Tuesday $1.00 BROOKHURST DOLLAR MOVIES 4 2299 West Ball 778-8804 BOOGEYMAN 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 SON OF THE MASK (PG) 1:05, 3:15, 5:20, 7:25, 9:30 ARE WE THERE YET? (PG) 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 7:10, 9:35 BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (PG) 1:15, 4, 7:15, 9:25 CINEMA CITY THEATRES 5635 La Palma La Palma and Imperial Hwy, Anaheim Hills SAHARA 11:50, 2:20, 4:55, 7:30, 10 THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:30 FEVER PITCH 12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:35 ROBOTS (PG) 12, 2, 4, 6:05, 8:10, 10:10 THE PACIFIER (PG) 11:50, 1:50, 3:50, 5:50, 7:50, 9:50 BEAUTY SHOP 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10 ICE PRINCESS (G) 11:45, 1:45, 3:45, 5:45, 7:45 MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS 12:10, 2:35, 5, 7:30, 9:55 SIN CITY (R) 11:45, 2:20, 4:55, 7:30, 10:05 SMILE 9:35 P.M.

LAGUNA HILLS MALL CINEMAS El Toro Road at 5 MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS 1, 3:35, 6:10, 8:40 SAHARA 12:20, 2:55, 5:30, 8:05 BEAUTY SHOP 12:15, 2:25, 4:35, 6:45, 8:50 Times for only 2005 BEAUTY SHOP 12:45 1:15 3:45 4:30 6:55 8:00 9:20 FEVER PITCH 1:20 4:10 7:15 9:50 GUESS WHO 12:55 1:10 3:55 4:20 7:20 7:55 9:55 MILLION DOLLAR BABY 1:35 4:40 7:50 ROBOTS (PG) 1:05 4:05 7:25 9:45 SAHARA 12:50 1:45 3:50 4:35 6:40 8:05 9:35 SIN CITY (R) ID Required 12:45 1:30 3:35 4:45 6:35 7:45 9:25 AMITYVILLE HORROR (R) ID Required 1:00 1:40 3:30 4:00 7:00 7:30 9:30 10:00 RING TWO 1:25 4:15 7:05 9:40 Times Valid For Wednesday, April 20, Only Fun Games (Back by Popular Demand) at the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area in partnership with the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation Now in L.A.! Burbank, 1551 WOlive, (818) 842-2349 Corona, 511 N. Main (909) 278-8078 Fontana, 9714 Sierra Avenue, (909) 428-0212 Fullerton, 1365 Harbor (714) 738-1947 Downey, Stonewood Center, (562) 861-3201 Glendora, 707 WAlosta (626) 335-0576 Hemet, 1456 Florida (909) 925-8585 Huntington Beach, 16929 Beach (714) 843-0745 La Crescenta, 3115-E Foothill (818) 957-1804 Lakewood, 5255 Lakewood (562) 633-9809 Long Ximeno Ave, (562) 597-0033 Receive One Free to the Faire when you spend $50 at any Greater Los Angeles Wherehouse Music Movies Los Angeles, 100 La Cienega (310) 659-0542 Los Angeles, 5309 WCentinela Avenue, (310) 641-7170 Monrovia, 614 WHuntington Drive, (626) 357-8053 Moreno Valley, 23831 Sunnymead (909) 924-7199 Redlands, 500 Orange (909) 335-1650 Riverside, 5981 Van Buren (909) 688-3792 San Fernando, 2040 Glenoaks, (818) 361-6909 Simi Valley, 2888 Cochran, (805) 581-5597 Torrance, 17542 Hawthorne (310) 371-0994 Victorville, 15250 Bear Valley (760) 243-5322 Saturdays Sundays 10am 6pm April 16 thru May 22, 2005 626.969.4750 ext. 238 www.RenFair.com applies to $50 pre-tax purchases on the same receipt. Offer good through April 22, 2005 or while supplies last. Ticket valued at $22.00 Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (April 11-17) as compiled by Nielsen Media Research.

They are based on the average number of people who watched a program from start to finish. Nielsen estimates there are 277.93 million potential viewers in the U.S. age 2 and older. Viewership is listed in millions. Program Network View- ersProgram Network Viewers 1 CSI CBS27.54 2 American Idol 3 Desperate HousewivesABC25.27 4 American Idol 5 CSI: MiamiCBS20.67 --------------------------------------------6 Survivor: PalauCBS20.37 7 Without a TraceCBS19.98 8 AnatomyABC19.18 9 HouseFOX17.83 10 Law OrderNBC16.85 --------------------------------------------11 Two and a Half MenCBS16.36 12 Everybody Loves Raymond CBS15.96 13 RevelationsNBC15.59 14 NCISCBS13.89 15 Cold CaseCBS13.47 --------------------------------------------16 Law Order: Trial By Jury NBC13.19 17 Amazing Race: 7CBS12.97 18 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ABC12.66 19 Apprentice 3NBC12.56 20 60 MinutesCBS12.17 --------------------------------------------21 24FOX11.64 22 Law Order: SVUNBC11.58 23 Judging AmyCBS11.17 24 CSI: NYCBS11.00 25 Dateline: NBC --------------------------------------------26 Numb3rsCBS10.54 27 LostABC10.38 28 ERNBC10.06 29 Law Order: Criminal Intent NBC9.90 30 Law Order --------------------------------------------31 JAGCBS9.25 32 Fear FactorNBC9.16 Crimetime SaturdayCBS9.16 34 Still Standing CBS8.66 35 Listen UpCBS8.65 --------------------------------------------36 According to JimABC8.59 37 Third WatchNBC8.53 38 The SimpsonsFOX8.31 39 StackedFOX8.30 40 Blind JusticeABC8.14 --------------------------------------------41 USA 42 Say a RodneyABC8.05 44 Nanny 911FOX8.03 45 Dateline: NBC --------------------------------------------46 AliasABC7.74 47 King of QueensCBS7.67 48 48 Hours MysteryCBS7.52 49 Funniest Home Videos ABC7.45 50 The BachelorABC7.39 --------------------------------------------51 Yes, DearCBS7.27 52 Joan of ArcadiaCBS7.23 53 Most WantedFOX7.12 54 55 Price Is RightCBS7.09 --------------------------------------------56 SupernannyABC7.08 57 Revelations 58 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: They Do That? ABC6.56 59 Simple Life 3FOX6.45 60 Cops (8:30 p.m.)FOX6.40 --------------------------------------------61 The O.C.FOX6.39 62 60 Minutes WednesdayCBS6.14 63 EyesABC6.07 64 Arrested DevelopmentFOX5.99 65 JoeyNBC5.91 --------------------------------------------66 Law Order: SVU 67 The Simpsons (9 p.m.)FOX5.79 68 My Wife and KidsABC5.72 69 George LopezABC5.59 70 Next Top Model 4 UPN5.49 --------------------------------------------71 CopsFOX5.44 72 Scrubs (9 p.m.)NBC5.38 73 ContenderNBC5.37 74 8 Simple RulesABC5.26 OfficeNBC5.26 --------------------------------------------76 Primetime LiveABC5.24 77 WWE 78 Wonderful World of Disney ABC5.13 79 Hope FaithABC5.01 80 8 Simple Rules (8:30 p.m.) ABC4.98 --------------------------------------------81 Reba (9 p.m.)WB4.71 82 Less Than PerfectABC4.70 83 84 OfficeNBC4.58 85 Malcolm in the MiddleFOX4.43 --------------------------------------------86 Tru CallingFOX4.26 87 Stacked 88 King of the HillFOX4.20 89 90 Jake in Progress (8:30 p.m.) ABC4.00 --------------------------------------------91 Extreme MakeoverABC3.99 92 Jake in ProgressABC3.86 93 SmallvilleWB3.85 94 Kids 2: Island of Lost ABC3.74 Living With FranWB3.74 --------------------------------------------96 Charmed (8 p.m.)WB3.47 97 Blue Collar TV (8:30 p.m.) WB3.33 98 Will GraceNBC3.21 Blue Collar TVWB3.21 100 Gilmore GirlsWB3.17 --------------------------------------------101 Scrubs (8:30 p.m.)NBC3.12 102 Collar TV: Boyz in the WB3.01 103 SummerlandWB2.99 104 LAXNBC2.76 105 GirlfriendsUPN2.75 --------------------------------------------106 CutsUPN2.68 107 One on OneUPN2.67 108 Steve Big TimeWB2.59 109 EnterpriseUPN2.56 110 One Tree HillWB2.54 --------------------------------------------111 Half and HalfUPN2.44 112 Reba (8:30 p.m.)WB2.37 113 Kevin HillUPN2.32 114 Veronica MarsUPN2.30 115 What I Like About YouWB2.02 --------------------------------------------116 EveUPN1.98 117 All of UsUPN1.95 118 Charmed (7 p.m.)WB1.85 119 Next Top Model (Fri.) UPN1.55 120 Jack BobbyWB1.54 Network averages Here is the number of viewers (in millions) that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season.

Network Last week Season to date CBS12.2112.84 FOX9.679.93 NBC8.669.91 ABC7.9610.16 UPN3.183.35 WB2.903.32 Prime-Time TV Rankings From Associated Press a revelation: NBC found something to compete against spiritual miniseries reached 15.6 million viewers for its debut last week, positive ratings news for a network that needs it. It was the most-watched NBC show airing opposite the Wednesday edition of since a National Basketball Assn.finals game in 2002, according to Nielsen Media Research figures released Tuesday. CBS scored another easy victory as the most popular network in prime time last week. Crime Scene Investiga- was the most-watched program. Emmy-winning comedy ended its season last week with an episode seen by only 6 million people.

The sitcom has garnered critical raves, but those ratings put it at risk of not returning. Despite the continuing domination of and its Sunday night lineup, ABC slipped to fourth place. The lackluster showings of new series and in provenot everything ABC programmers touch turns to gold. won the evening news ratings race. NBC puts a dent in By Robert Lloyd Times Staff Writer Despite its cheery yellow borders and air of family fun and wide-eyed wonder, National Geographic magazine is a sobering read nowadays, unflinching in its coverage of a world in crisis, detailed in full-color spreads of endangered species and despoiled landscapes.

To be sure, it also continues to run stories about pirate treasure and exotic lands, but I have learned, if I am in a sensitive mood, to approach it with caution. As much is true of Strange Days on Planet beginning tonight on PBS a valuable series, but tough sledding, despiteits visual style and odd rays of hope. Its subject is ecological balance, fine-tuned across millenniums and upset by accelerating change in a shrinking world, pumped full of synthetic compounds whose effects are as poorly understood as their immediate usefulness is obvious. no more important or critical subject, this being the subject that contains all other subjects. Time, in this matter, does not grow any less of the essence.

The four episodes deal in turn with alien species (plants and animals living where they belong), global warming, the consequences of the elimination of large predators, and the poi- soning of the water supply. Their common theme is that all these damaging events are being helped along, if not entirely driven by, homo supposedly sapiens. expand, nature says one of the many scientist-heroes. obvious endpoint of that is a world without every voice of doom, someone else will tell you that the planet is doing pretty well, thank says narrator-host Edward Norton, though nothing that follows particularly supports the latter assertion. It may be to acknowledge a range of opinion, but here it has a hollow ring of preemptory appeasement.

The narration is careful to say that the havoc wreaked upon the natural world has been done with best and that realizing that turned up the global this confusing Norton says, one thing is certain these are strange days on Planet This strangeness includes South Formosan subterranean termites chewing up New Orleans; leopard frogs, a successful breed for 200 million years, turning hermaphroditic; cancerous Beluga whales, some full of toxins that they technically qualify as hazardous and rising rates of asthma in Trinidad correlating to African dust storms, driven west by changing wind patterns over the North Atlantic, the result of the warming of the Indian Ocean. The series is all about connections of warmer Arctic temperatures increasing the mosquito popula- tion, which drives the caribou into the hills where food is scarce (result: fewer caribou). It links the loss of certain forests in Yellowstone to the expulsion of the gray wolf (whose removal emboldened foraging elk); increasing rates of malaria along the Ugandan shoreline of Lake Victoria to the importation of Brazilian water hyacinths; and soil erosion in Hawaii to the Mexican miconia, escaped from private yards into the jungle. The series is lighted and shot like a movie, possibly because people seem to be more receptive to what looks like fiction than to simple fact. There are special effects and split screens, pixilation and dramatic re-creation.

Each episode opens like a disaster movie, with helicopter flyovers, tracking shots and action music to create a sense of excitement and dread. Norton narrates from a variety of Southern California locations, though we find him mostly on a featureless suburban cul-de-sac, selected perhaps to represent the ceaseless fall of open land to development. Shots of Norton looking pensive come across as staged, an pose. Real scientists are made to look glossily unreal. Happily, as they represent the best hope for the rest of us, they are quite actual.

Here is Tyrone Hayes of UC Berkeley, with his long earring and a ponytail, listening to the frogs; and James Ogwang, clearing the Ugandan shoreline with carefully vetted weevils; and Doug Smith, putting wolves back into Yellowstone. One thing leads to another: The wolves keep the elk on the run, and the forests have begun to return. Where: KCET When: 9 tonight Ratings: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children) Edward Norton Executive producers Mark Shelley and Nancy Burnett. Strange Days on Planet Sea Studios Foundation PBS TERMINATOR: Scientist Claudia Riegel tries to control the South Formosan termites that are undermining New Orleans. TELEVISION REVIEW The precarious nature of things Ecological imbalance is the theme of a series that, while valuable, is a tad out of whack itself..