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Pimco rehires 2 former executives, shoring up management after turmoil

Written By kolimtiga on Kamis, 30 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

Pacific Investment Management Co. rehired two former executives who had left amid management turmoil earlier this year, a move that bolsters the bond giant's investment bench after the abrupt departure last month of high-profile bond manager Bill Gross.

The investment management giant said it brought back Michael Spence, a Nobel laureate, to his former role as consultant on macroeconomic affairs, and Jeremie Benet as a portfolio manager. Spence and Benet are among 20 senior managers Pimco has added this year.

Spence, a professor at the New York University Stern School of Business, had served as a consultant to Pimco on macroeconomic and global affairs for several years, but left when his contract expired in February.

Benet had worked at Pimco since 2010 but left in February to start a food truck selling croque monsieur sandwiches in Southern California. The business is expected to continue without him.

The return of both men is part of Pimco's campaign to reassure jittery investors after a year of turmoil that began in January with the sudden departure of Mohamed El-Erian, Pimco's chief executive who had been regarded as the successor to Gross as chief investment officer.

Gross, a Wall Street legend who managed Pimco's flagship Total Return Fund, had been at the center of reports of internal clashes with senior managers. He also had come under fire for the under-performance of Total Return, which had trailed benchmarks by significant margins and had seen 16 straight months of outflows as nervous investors sought alternatives.

After Gross' abrupt departure last month to take over a new fund at a smaller rival, Janus Capital Group, Pimco moved quickly to install a new management team, led by Dan Ivascyn as chief investment officer.

Outflows spiked to record levels in the wake of Gross' departure Sept. 26 but, Pimco said, moderated as September came to a close. Fund flow data for Total Return for October is expected to be disclosed publicly next week.

Twitter: @deanstarkman

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Irvine man convicted of killing father to visit Internet girlfriend

A jury on Wednesday convicted an Irvine man of killing his father so he could meet up with his Internet girlfriend in Ohio.

Steven Bruno, 23, a former Corona del Mar High School student, shot his father in the chest and head in August 2012 before fleeing with his car, cash and credit cards.

Officials arrested him a day later in Colorado, the Daily Pilot reported.

Bruno had been headed for Toledo, Ohio, where he planned a rendezvous with a woman he had been communicating with online for months, according to Orange County prosecutors.

After two weeks of testimony and deliberations, jurors convicted Bruno of second-degree murder in the death of Ernest Bruno, 60, with a sentencing enhancement for personal discharge of a firearm causing death.

He faces 40 years to life in prison at his sentencing in December.

Lawyers for the son had argued that the killing wasn't premeditated, that he was afraid of his father and had been contemplating suicide the night of the shooting. Steven Bruno only opened fire when his father came around a corner and charged at him, defense attorney Leonard Matsuk told jurors.

Ernest Bruno had cracked down on his son after he flunked out of a golf management program at Mississippi State University and couldn't get a job back home, his attorneys said.

Ernest Bruno would also leave for days and lock his son out of the Irvine condominium where they lived, forcing Steven to find shelter in the garage, Matsuk said.

However, prosectuor Cynthia Herrera cast Steven Bruno as intent on meeting with his girlfriend, even if that meant killing his father.

"He was spoiled and he wanted his way," Herrera said during opening statements.

Family members found Ernest Bruno's body a day after the killing when they entered the condo and saw a pool of blood, prompting them to call police.

Steven Bruno had dragged the body into an office and locked the door before leaving for Ohio, prosecutors said.

Dobruck writes for Times Community News.

Follow the reporter on Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Irvine man convicted of killing father to visit Internet girlfriend

A jury on Wednesday convicted an Irvine man of killing his father so he could meet up with his Internet girlfriend in Ohio.

Steven Bruno, 23, a former Corona del Mar High School student, shot his father in the chest and head in August 2012 before fleeing with his car, cash and credit cards.

Officials arrested him a day later in Colorado, the Daily Pilot reported.

Bruno had been headed for Toledo, Ohio, where he planned a rendezvous with a woman he had been communicating with online for months, according to Orange County prosecutors.

After two weeks of testimony and deliberations, jurors convicted Bruno of second-degree murder in the death of Ernest Bruno, 60, with a sentencing enhancement for personal discharge of a firearm causing death.

He faces 40 years to life in prison at his sentencing in December.

Lawyers for the son had argued that the killing wasn't premeditated, that he was afraid of his father and had been contemplating suicide the night of the shooting. Steven Bruno only opened fire when his father came around a corner and charged at him, defense attorney Leonard Matsuk told jurors.

Ernest Bruno had cracked down on his son after he flunked out of a golf management program at Mississippi State University and couldn't get a job back home, his attorneys said.

Ernest Bruno would also leave for days and lock his son out of the Irvine condominium where they lived, forcing Steven to find shelter in the garage, Matsuk said.

However, prosectuor Cynthia Herrera cast Steven Bruno as intent on meeting with his girlfriend, even if that meant killing his father.

"He was spoiled and he wanted his way," Herrera said during opening statements.

Family members found Ernest Bruno's body a day after the killing when they entered the condo and saw a pool of blood, prompting them to call police.

Steven Bruno had dragged the body into an office and locked the door before leaving for Ohio, prosecutors said.

Dobruck writes for Times Community News.

Follow the reporter on Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Irvine man convicted of killing father to visit Internet girlfriend

A jury on Wednesday convicted an Irvine man of killing his father so he could meet up with his Internet girlfriend in Ohio.

Steven Bruno, 23, a former Corona del Mar High School student, shot his father in the chest and head in August 2012 before fleeing with his car, cash and credit cards.

Officials arrested him a day later in Colorado, the Daily Pilot reported.

Bruno had been headed for Toledo, Ohio, where he planned a rendezvous with a woman he had been communicating with online for months, according to Orange County prosecutors.

After two weeks of testimony and deliberations, jurors convicted Bruno of second-degree murder in the death of Ernest Bruno, 60, with a sentencing enhancement for personal discharge of a firearm causing death.

He faces 40 years to life in prison at his sentencing in December.

Lawyers for the son had argued that the killing wasn't premeditated, that he was afraid of his father and had been contemplating suicide the night of the shooting. Steven Bruno only opened fire when his father came around a corner and charged at him, defense attorney Leonard Matsuk told jurors.

Ernest Bruno had cracked down on his son after he flunked out of a golf management program at Mississippi State University and couldn't get a job back home, his attorneys said.

Ernest Bruno would also leave for days and lock his son out of the Irvine condominium where they lived, forcing Steven to find shelter in the garage, Matsuk said.

However, prosectuor Cynthia Herrera cast Steven Bruno as intent on meeting with his girlfriend, even if that meant killing his father.

"He was spoiled and he wanted his way," Herrera said during opening statements.

Family members found Ernest Bruno's body a day after the killing when they entered the condo and saw a pool of blood, prompting them to call police.

Steven Bruno had dragged the body into an office and locked the door before leaving for Ohio, prosecutors said.

Dobruck writes for Times Community News.

Follow the reporter on Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pimco rehires 2 former executives, shoring up management after turmoil

Pacific Investment Management Co. rehired two former executives who had left amid management turmoil earlier this year, a move that bolsters the bond giant's investment bench after the abrupt departure last month of high-profile bond manager Bill Gross.

The investment management giant said it brought back Michael Spence, a Nobel laureate, to his former role as consultant on macroeconomic affairs, and Jeremie Benet as a portfolio manager. Spence and Benet are among 20 senior managers Pimco has added this year.

Spence, a professor at the New York University Stern School of Business, had served as a consultant to Pimco on macroeconomic and global affairs for several years, but left when his contract expired in February.

Benet had worked at Pimco since 2010 but left in February to start a food truck selling croque monsieur sandwiches in Southern California. The business is expected to continue without him.

The return of both men is part of Pimco's campaign to reassure jittery investors after a year of turmoil that began in January with the sudden departure of Mohamed El-Erian, Pimco's chief executive who had been regarded as the successor to Gross as chief investment officer.

Gross, a Wall Street legend who managed Pimco's flagship Total Return Fund, had been at the center of reports of internal clashes with senior managers. He also had come under fire for the under-performance of Total Return, which had trailed benchmarks by significant margins and had seen 16 straight months of outflows as nervous investors sought alternatives.

After Gross' abrupt departure last month to take over a new fund at a smaller rival, Janus Capital Group, Pimco moved quickly to install a new management team, led by Dan Ivascyn as chief investment officer.

Outflows spiked to record levels in the wake of Gross' departure Sept. 26 but, Pimco said, moderated as September came to a close. Fund flow data for Total Return for October is expected to be disclosed publicly next week.

Twitter: @deanstarkman

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Robot sales clerk? 'OSHbot' to debut in San Jose

Written By kolimtiga on Rabu, 29 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

Lowe's Companies Inc. thinks it knows how to make your shopping experience easier: robots.

This holiday season, the home improvement company is introducing two robots at a San Jose Orchard Supply Hardware store. The so-called OSHbots will help shoppers find goods and dole out "real-time" information on inventory and promotions, according to Lowe's, which owns Orchard.

Customers can bring in a spare nail, bolt or other item and scan it through the robot's 3D sensing camera. OSHbot will then direct customers to the location where they can find more of that item.

Lowe's said the bots will eventually speak multiple languages and connect to sales staff in other stores.

The roll-out in San Jose is a partnership with Lowe's Innovation Labs and Fellow Robots, a Silicon Valley tech firm. The launch will "study how robotics technology can benefit customers and employees," Lowe's said.

According to the Mooresville, N.C., home improvement giant, the robots will help customers with simple questions and allow human staff to "focus on delivering project expertise."

Lowe's spokeswoman Amanda Manna said the company intends to keep the robots in San Jose for the long term and, depending on how the experience goes, could roll out the technology to other stores.

However, there are no current plans to do so, she said.

Manna said the two San Jose bots will start helping customers in late November or early December.

Twitter: @khouriandrew

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pyeongchang says it will be ready for 2018 Winter Olympics

Organizers for the 2018 Winter Olympics have broken ground on a $125-million speed-skating rink and say they are on track to complete all six of their new venues by early 2017.

In addition to the facilities under construction, South Korea will make use of four existing and three refurbished sites.

"All our competition venue preparations are in full swing and I am confident that there is good momentum in our progress," Cho Yang-ho, president of the organizing committee, said on Wednesday.

The announcement from Pyeongchang comes a day after other significant developments on the Olympic scene.

Stockholm officials, who withdrew their bid for the 2022 Winter Games earlier this year, said Tuesday they would jump back in the race if given a chance.

Only Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, remain in the running for 2022 after Oslo recently pulled out. Recent proposals that would make the bidding process less formal -- and potentially less expensive -- have impressed the Swedes.

Still, an International Olympic Committee official said it is unlikely that bidding will be re-opened.

At the troubled 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, organizers insisted -- once again -- that they will be ready in time. Officials also said they would welcome Oscar Pistorius to compete if he is declared eligible.

The double-amputee sprinter was recently sentenced to five years in jail for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He could be released in 10 months.

Paralympic and South African officials have said that he will not be eligible for the full duration of his sentence. Brazilian officials offered a different take.

"It's not for us to judge him personally," Mario Andrada, communications director for Rio 2016, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Robot sales clerk? 'OSHbot' to debut in San Jose

Lowe's Companies Inc. thinks it knows how to make your shopping experience easier: robots.

This holiday season, the home improvement company is introducing two robots at a San Jose Orchard Supply Hardware store. The so-called OSHbots will help shoppers find goods and dole out "real-time" information on inventory and promotions, according to Lowe's, which owns Orchard.

Customers can bring in a spare nail, bolt or other item and scan it through the robot's 3D sensing camera. OSHbot will then direct customers to the location where they can find more of that item.

Lowe's said the bots will eventually speak multiple languages and connect to sales staff in other stores.

The roll-out in San Jose is a partnership with Lowe's Innovation Labs and Fellow Robots, a Silicon Valley tech firm. The launch will "study how robotics technology can benefit customers and employees," Lowe's said.

According to the Mooresville, N.C., home improvement giant, the robots will help customers with simple questions and allow human staff to "focus on delivering project expertise."

Lowe's spokeswoman Amanda Manna said the company intends to keep the robots in San Jose for the long term and, depending on how the experience goes, could roll out the technology to other stores.

However, there are no current plans to do so, she said.

Manna said the two San Jose bots will start helping customers in late November or early December.

Twitter: @khouriandrew

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Robot sales clerk? 'OSHbot' to debut in San Jose

Lowe's Companies Inc. thinks it knows how to make your shopping experience easier: robots.

This holiday season, the home improvement company is introducing two robots at a San Jose Orchard Supply Hardware store. The so-called OSHbots will help shoppers find goods and dole out "real-time" information on inventory and promotions, according to Lowe's, which owns Orchard.

Customers can bring in a spare nail, bolt or other item and scan it through the robot's 3D sensing camera. OSHbot will then direct customers to the location where they can find more of that item.

Lowe's said the bots will eventually speak multiple languages and connect to sales staff in other stores.

The roll-out in San Jose is a partnership with Lowe's Innovation Labs and Fellow Robots, a Silicon Valley tech firm. The launch will "study how robotics technology can benefit customers and employees," Lowe's said.

According to the Mooresville, N.C., home improvement giant, the robots will help customers with simple questions and allow human staff to "focus on delivering project expertise."

Lowe's spokeswoman Amanda Manna said the company intends to keep the robots in San Jose for the long term and, depending on how the experience goes, could roll out the technology to other stores.

However, there are no current plans to do so, she said.

Manna said the two San Jose bots will start helping customers in late November or early December.

Twitter: @khouriandrew

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pyeongchang says it will be ready for 2018 Winter Olympics

Organizers for the 2018 Winter Olympics have broken ground on a $125-million speed-skating rink and say they are on track to complete all six of their new venues by early 2017.

In addition to the facilities under construction, South Korea will make use of four existing and three refurbished sites.

"All our competition venue preparations are in full swing and I am confident that there is good momentum in our progress," Cho Yang-ho, president of the organizing committee, said on Wednesday.

The announcement from Pyeongchang comes a day after other significant developments on the Olympic scene.

Stockholm officials, who withdrew their bid for the 2022 Winter Games earlier this year, said Tuesday they would jump back in the race if given a chance.

Only Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, remain in the running for 2022 after Oslo recently pulled out. Recent proposals that would make the bidding process less formal -- and potentially less expensive -- have impressed the Swedes.

Still, an International Olympic Committee official said it is unlikely that bidding will be re-opened.

At the troubled 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, organizers insisted -- once again -- that they will be ready in time. Officials also said they would welcome Oscar Pistorius to compete if he is declared eligible.

The double-amputee sprinter was recently sentenced to five years in jail for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He could be released in 10 months.

Paralympic and South African officials have said that he will not be eligible for the full duration of his sentence. Brazilian officials offered a different take.

"It's not for us to judge him personally," Mario Andrada, communications director for Rio 2016, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fight brewing over Boston Olympic bid

Written By kolimtiga on Selasa, 28 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

A group of civic leaders who want to bring the 2024 Summer Olympics to Boston has unveiled its new website, but apparently the vision does not appeal to everyone in the community.

A day before the Internet debut, a group called No Boston Olympics sent a letter to the U.S. Olympic Committee asking that the Massachusetts capital be withdrawn from a list of finalists that includes Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington.

"Hosting an Olympics is a $10-$20 billion undertaking that threatens the Commonwealth's ability to make much-needed investments in healthcare, education, and core transportation infrastructure that have made the Bay State such an exceptional place to live, work, and play," the group's letter stated.

Boston 2024, led by developer John Fish, has claimed the Games could boost economic growth and be a catalyst for infrastructure improvements.

Government leaders have expressed initial support while planning to explore the matter further.

The USOC is scheduled to decide on submitting an American bid for 2024 -- and potentially select a candidate city -- in the coming weeks.

On the international front, the German Olympic Committee announced on Tuesday that either Berlin or Hamburg will bid for the 2024 Games.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Jerry Leiber's beachfront Craftsman sells in Venice

The oceanfront home in Venice where late rock 'n' roll lyricist Jerry Leiber took out the papers and the trash has sold for $9.8 million.

The Craftsman-style house sits on a corner lot along the sand. The double lot includes a garden and lawn – a noteworthy amenity in the high-density beach city.

A living room with a fireplace and stained glass fixtures, three bedrooms and four bathrooms are within the 4,034 square feet of living space.

The third floor of the home, which was built in 1935, contains a large lounge/office with skylights that opens to a deck.

Leiber, who died in 2011 at 78, partnered with composer Mike Stoller as songwriters and record producers. They worked with Elvis Presley, the Coasters and the Drifters, among others, and won Grammys for "Is That All There Is?" and the "Smokey Joe's Cafe" album.

Among his song titles were "Yakety Yak,"  "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock."

Gregory Bega and Lindsay Rae Galbraith of Sotheby's International Realty were the listing agents.

Twitter: @LATHotProperty

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jerry Leiber's beachfront Craftsman sells in Venice

The oceanfront home in Venice where late rock 'n' roll lyricist Jerry Leiber took out the papers and the trash has sold for $9.8 million.

The Craftsman-style house sits on a corner lot along the sand. The double lot includes a garden and lawn – a noteworthy amenity in the high-density beach city.

A living room with a fireplace and stained glass fixtures, three bedrooms and four bathrooms are within the 4,034 square feet of living space.

The third floor of the home, which was built in 1935, contains a large lounge/office with skylights that opens to a deck.

Leiber, who died in 2011 at 78, partnered with composer Mike Stoller as songwriters and record producers. They worked with Elvis Presley, the Coasters and the Drifters, among others, and won Grammys for "Is That All There Is?" and the "Smokey Joe's Cafe" album.

Among his song titles were "Yakety Yak,"  "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock."

Gregory Bega and Lindsay Rae Galbraith of Sotheby's International Realty were the listing agents.

Twitter: @LATHotProperty

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Juergen Klinsmann a finalist for FIFA World Coach of the Year

Juergen Klinsmann, who led the U.S. national team to the Round of 16 in last summer's World Cup, is one of 10 finalists for FIFA's World Coach of the Year award.

Other candidates for the honor include Klinsmann protege Joachim Loew, who led Germany to the World Cup title last summer; top club coaches Pep Guardiola of Bayern Munich and Jose Mourinho of Chelsea; and Louis van Gaal, who took the Netherlands to a third-place finish in Brazil before taking over English club Manchester United.

The list of 23 candidates for men's Player of the Year is led by multi-time winners Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Lionel Messi of Argentina, but it also includes six members of Loew's World Cup team as well as Brazil's Neymar and Colombia's James Rodriguez.

Surprisingly absent was Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, who led the English Premier League in scoring last season but was suspended from international play after biting an opponent in a World Cup game.

Both lists will be cut to three candidates each on Dec. 1; winners are to be announced at a Jan. 12 gala in Zurich.

Men's World Player of the Year finalists:

Gareth Bale (Wales); Karim Benzema (France); Diego Costa (Spain); Thibaut Courtois (Belgium); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal); Angel Di Maria (Argentina); Mario Goetze (Germany); Eden Hazard (Belgium); Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden); Andres Iniesta (Spain); Toni Kroos (Germany); Philipp Lahm (Germany); Javier Mascherano (Argentina); Lionel Messi (Argentina); Thomas Mueller (Germany); Manuel Neuer (Germany); Neymar (Brazil); Paul Pogba (France); Sergio Ramos (Spain); Arjen Robben (Netherlands); James Rodriguez (Colombia); Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany); Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast).

Men's World Coach of the Year finalists:

Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid); Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus/Italy national team); Pep Guardiola (Spain/Bayern Munich); Juergen Klinsmann (Germany/U.S. national team); Joachim Loew (Germany/Germany national team); Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea); Manuel Pellegrini (Chile/Manchester City); Alejandro Sabella (Argentina/Argentina national team); Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid); Louis van Gaal (Netherlands/Netherlands national team/Manchester United).

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Piano and koto meet in 'Strings and Serpents'

"Strings and Serpents," which was presented at REDCAT Sunday evening, combines an intrepid Canadian and French jazz piano duo and an adventurous Japanese koto duo with everyday video animation and exotic Aboriginal myth and maybe a few other things I missed. Cultures combined and cultures collided, but mostly cultures were content to accomodate one another.

A value of art, and the one so overlooked by diplomats, is its ability to serve as a petri dish for cultural experiment, for finding common purpose and what works and what doesn't without anyone getting hurt. No one got hurt by "Strings and Serpents," which was commissioned by CalArts and is currently touring the country.

There was some messing with the piano strings, "preparing" them by putting objects on or between the strings to percussively alter the sound. That became the most useful point of sonic similarity between piano and the plucked koto.

The big picture, though, was ambiguous. Pianists Andy Milne and Benoit Delbecq and koto players Tsugumi Yamamoto and Ai Kajigano were eager to explore intersections between jazz improvisation and traditional Japanese music.

The role of Japanese video artist Saki Murotani, now based in Canada, was to bring in the notion of the rainbow serpent, the enormous Australian Aboriginal deity that created the rivers, oceans and mountains when it tread the empty Earth, and from which also sprung Earth's species.

The musicians worked through a number of numbers, none named or mentioned in a worthless, short program note. Cultures relate best when there is information and knowledge. For this endeavor, it was up to the audience to figure out what was happening.

There were wonderful moments, but they were only moments and mostly they had to do with the instrumental textures. The typical approach began with a rhythmic pattern or an atmospheric sound, well suited to both piano and koto, then added melody or smooth improvisation or lush harmonies.

The West seemed to dominate the East. But if the men at their keyboards had more sway than the ladies at their kotos, the main reason was because the piano is less adaptable. Pitches on the keyboard are fixed, whereas the koto can play in non-Western scales that to us are microtonal.

But the koto players were sly. Sometimes when playing in unison with the pianos, a koto might bend the pitch minutely in such a way as to make the piano seem to be doing so as well.

The real problem, though, was a lack of experimentation. Rather than cultures clashing in an effort to make new discoveries or produce hybrids, the quartet stuck with conventional models. Everything felt on firm ground. Rhythmic groves were insistent. Improvisation was tame. Options remained limited.

But the sound world, itself, proved ear-catching. The pianists were adept at changing the piano preparations on the fly, which I've never seen done so fluidly. Those preparations mean some notes sound normal and others become pitchless pings and thuds. Improvising around them creates harmonic and melodic potholes.

Milne, a fluid improviser, was impressive at skirting interruption. Delbecq, more a master of unusual effects, dove into the emptiness, leaving room for koto sounds to fill in for him. Meanwhile, the koto players pretty much did their thing, vaguely Asian and vaguely not.

The Rainbow Serpent never really reared its imposing head. Murotani's colorful CGI graphics were a New Age-y representation of creation. Earth-like circles exploded into chemical elements, abstract graphics and finally a circular keyboard that became a kind of musical space station in the cosmos.

The challenge of the two duos together, now that they have found a multicultural middle ground in which to work, is to find an avenue for their original voices to sing. At this early stage, the strings still imprison the serpents.

Follow me on Twitter: @markswed

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Scouting director Logan White leaving Dodgers for Padres

Written By kolimtiga on Senin, 27 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

Logan White, the scouting director who drafted Clayton Kershaw and signed Yasiel Puig, is leaving the Dodgers to join the San Diego Padres, according to a person familiar with the situation.

White will be a senior advisor to Padres General Manager A.J. Preller, as well as the director of pro scouting, according to the source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because the move hasn't been formally announced.

White's departure follows that of De Jon Watson, who vacated his position as farm director to be the senior vice president of baseball operations for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

White's and Watson's former positions are vacant. Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations, also plans to hire a general manager. Josh Byrnes, the former general manager of the Padres and Diamondbacks, looks as if he will be added to the front office in some capacity.

White spent 13 seasons with the Dodgers, during which he oversaw the amateur draft.

In addition to Kershaw, he drafted Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon, Russell Martin and James Loney. He also played significant roles in the signings of international players such as Puig, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Hiroki Kuroda.

White was one of the candidates to replace Byrnes as the Padres general manager this year.

White and Preller worked together from 2003-2004, when Preller worked in the Dodgers baseball operations department. White also has a close relationship with Don Welke, the Padres vice president of scouting operations and former Dodgers scout.

Twitter: @dylanohernandez

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Woman killed, four others injured in two Watts shootings

A woman was killed and four others seriously injured in Watts late Sunday in two shootings that occurred within an hour of each other, police said.

The woman, identified as 29-year-old Samika Griggley, was shot in the head about 9:20 p.m. near 114th Street and Croesus Avenue and taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, Los Angeles police Officer Liliana Preciado said.

A man, who was shot in the back, was in stable condition Monday, Preciado said.

Less than an hour earlier, around 8:30 p.m., the first shooting occurred in the 11500 block of Mona Boulevard, where witnesses told police a gunman got out of a gold station wagon, walked up to a man and two women and opened fire.

The 22-year-old man was shot in the face and remains in critical condition, Preciado said. 

The women, ages 22 and 35, also suffered gunshot injuries, but were in stable condition. One was shot in the hand, the other was struck in the torso with bullet fragments, Preciado said.

The gunman in both shootings, described as being in his 20s, was seen exiting a gold vehicle, either a sedan or station wagon.

The latest death is one of 14 homicides reported in Watts in the last 12 months, according to The Times Homicide Report.

For breaking news in Los Angeles and throughout California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA. She can be reached at veronica.rocha@latimes.com.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times

9:23 a.m.: This post was updated with the name of the victim who died.

This post was originally published at 6:59 a.m.


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Scouting director Logan White leaving Dodgers for Padres

Logan White, the scouting director who drafted Clayton Kershaw and signed Yasiel Puig, is leaving the Dodgers to join the San Diego Padres, according to a person familiar with the situation.

White will be a senior advisor to Padres General Manager A.J. Preller, as well as the director of pro scouting, according to the source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because the move hasn't been formally announced.

White's departure follows that of De Jon Watson, who vacated his position as farm director to be the senior vice president of baseball operations for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

White's and Watson's former positions are vacant. Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations, also plans to hire a general manager. Josh Byrnes, the former general manager of the Padres and Diamondbacks, looks as if he will be added to the front office in some capacity.

White spent 13 seasons with the Dodgers, during which he oversaw the amateur draft.

In addition to Kershaw, he drafted Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon, Russell Martin and James Loney. He also played significant roles in the signings of international players such as Puig, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Hiroki Kuroda.

White was one of the candidates to replace Byrnes as the Padres general manager this year.

White and Preller worked together from 2003-2004, when Preller worked in the Dodgers baseball operations department. White also has a close relationship with Don Welke, the Padres vice president of scouting operations and former Dodgers scout.

Twitter: @dylanohernandez

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scouting director Logan White leaving Dodgers for Padres

Logan White, the scouting director who drafted Clayton Kershaw and signed Yasiel Puig, is leaving the Dodgers to join the San Diego Padres, according to a person familiar with the situation.

White will be a senior advisor to Padres General Manager A.J. Preller, as well as the director of pro scouting, according to the source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because the move hasn't been formally announced.

White's departure follows that of De Jon Watson, who vacated his position as farm director to be the senior vice president of baseball operations for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

White's and Watson's former positions are vacant. Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations, also plans to hire a general manager. Josh Byrnes, the former general manager of the Padres and Diamondbacks, looks as if he will be added to the front office in some capacity.

White spent 13 seasons with the Dodgers, during which he oversaw the amateur draft.

In addition to Kershaw, he drafted Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon, Russell Martin and James Loney. He also played significant roles in the signings of international players such as Puig, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Hiroki Kuroda.

White was one of the candidates to replace Byrnes as the Padres general manager this year.

White and Preller worked together from 2003-2004, when Preller worked in the Dodgers baseball operations department. White also has a close relationship with Don Welke, the Padres vice president of scouting operations and former Dodgers scout.

Twitter: @dylanohernandez

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Clippers week in review: A look at the top headlines from last week

The Clippers finished their exhibition season Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. They went 2-6 in preseason play.

Their season opener is Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But before they play the Thunder, starting a stretch of four games in five nights, let's take a look at what happened in Clipperville last week.

Steve Ballmer attended his first home game. The new Clippers' owner sat baseline near his team's bench and cheered his head off. He was so loud that reporters sitting about 20 rows up, near midcourt, reported that they could hear him clapping and screaming. 

One of the best point guards in the NBA praised one of the former greats. Upon hearing that the Lakers' 40-year-old point guard Steve Nash is out for the season because of a back injury, Chris Paul took a moment to say what Nash meant to him.

"When I came into the NBA, he was the guy I was coming after," Paul said. "He was the guy -- I remember the night before I played him the first time, I couldn't sleep because I wanted to play against him so bad."

Clippers' Coach Doc Rivers revealed how Hedo Turkoglu ended up on the team this season -- Rivers gave Turkoglu an ultimatum. "I told him at the end of the year, he's back if he's in shape," Rivers said. The 35-year-old, 14-year NBA veteran has made an impact on and off the court for the Clippers so far this year.

Rivers argued that the preseason should be cut in half. Instead of playing eight games, Rivers thinks the teams should only play four. If the teams could stretch the regular season over another week, he argued, the fans would see better basketball because the players would be less exhausted.

"We have some of these TV games where guys have played five games in eight nights, and they're on the road, and the game looks terrible because they're tired, Rivers said. 

Clippers star power forward Blake Griffin is being investigated by Las Vegas police for allegedly assaulting a man in a nightclub. A spokesman for the Police Department said the man claimed in his report that he and Griffin had an altercation involving a camera at Tao nightclub in the Venetian resort.

"I trust Blake 100%," Rivers said. "He's a great kid. We'll figure it out and get through it."

A survey of NBA general manager's survey was released, and the Clippers came in tied with the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder as the third most likely team to win the NBA championship this season. The Clippers received 11.5% of the votes for third place, trailing only San Antonio (46.2%) and Cleveland (15.4%).

The Clippers' rebounding woes continued. Despite having DeAndre Jordan, who was the top rebounder in the league last season, the Clippers are still a subpar rebounding team. They were outrebounded in each of their preseason games. Rivers said the team will focus on rebounding during practices this week. "Bill Russell isn't going to walk through the door," he said. 

Small forward Matt Barnes is in a shooting slump. He entered Friday's game against Portland shooting three for 36 this preseason. Against the Trail Blazers, he was three for eight from the field, including missing both of his two three-point attempts.

When asked how he would deal with Barnes, Rivers said, "Some guys come in your office and you have a talk with them, and some guys it's like a pitcher that's having a no-hitter. You stay away from them. With Matt, it's probably somewhere in the middle of those two."

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Big Brothers Big Sisters gala nets Katherine Heigl

Written By kolimtiga on Minggu, 26 Oktober 2014 | 23.51

The event: The "Big Bash" at the Beverly Hilton, benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, turned out to be so inspiring that Katherine Heigl volunteered on the spot to mentor a teen speaker.

And no wonder the young woman found herself an instant supporter -- she had talked onstage at the event Friday of her desire to learn five languages, become the future head the FBI and one day donate "thousands and thousands" to the program. "That girl was pretty phenomenal, wasn't she?" said Heigl, still bubbling with enthusiasm at the event's conclusion. "It didn't take much. She was so incredibly funny and charming, and I'm now doing a show ["State of Affairs"] about the CIA, so I just thought I have to mentor her. …  I want to help make her director of the CIA."

The tributes: Before the evening ended, the organization named William H. Ahmanson its Walt Disney Man of the Year; gave Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment, the Sherry Lansing Award; and honored the Hollywood Reporter -- represented by Janice Min, Lynne Segall and Stephen Galloway -- with the Trailblazer Award. Presenters included Roy P. Disney (Walt Disney's great-nephew); philanthropist Brindell Gottlieb; Disney/ABC TV president and Disney Media Network co-chair Anne Sweeney; and Salke's "little sister" Paola.

The scene: Against a backdrop of a city skyline on a star-filled night, the gala's emcee, actor/producer Sean Hayes, glided onto the stage to the tune of "Climb Every Mountain," a recurring theme. Magnolia Memoir performed, as did the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Vocal Jazz Ensemble, the latter delivering three melodious a capella tunes.

"Big brothers" and their "littles" spoke of the positive outcomes of their one-on-one relationships.  Video presentations featured comments about the cause from Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sofia Vergara, Minnie Driver, Matthew Morrison, Darren Criss, Lea Michele, Alyson Hannigan, Ellie Kemper, Andrew Rannells and more.

The crowd: Actors joined entertainment execs and other supporters, including Alfre Woodard, Adam Kaufman, Cliff Chamberlain and Sheila Vand of "State of Affairs," Pam Dawber and Mark Harmon, Anne Heche and James Tupper, Sarah Purcell, Fred Willard, Kate Linder, Doris Roberts, Jo Anne Worley, Sherry Lansing, NBC Entertainment chair Robert Greenblatt, 20th Century Fox Television chair Dana Walden, Paramount's worldwide distribution and marketing president Megan Colligan, "Grimm" executive producer David Greenwalt, Big Brothers Big Sisters president and CEO Tiffany Siart. Guild president Mary Willard. Dawber and Kim Vamos co-chaired the event.

The young beneficiaries of Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship who attended the event received a round of applause at Hayes' suggestion. "You applaud them out of respect and honor," he said. "I applaud them out of fear, because I'm sure they'll be my boss someday."

Quote of note: "We all know how important it is to have people you can count on in life" said Salke, after naming her own mentors. "They guide us in good times and bad, and when we lose our way they are there for us. … We all need those people -- every one of us in the room -- to thrive."

For the latest in party news, follow Ellen Olivier on Twitter @SocietyNewsLA

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Big Brothers Big Sisters gala nets Katherine Heigl

The event: The "Big Bash" at the Beverly Hilton, benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, turned out to be so inspiring that Katherine Heigl volunteered on the spot to mentor a teen speaker.

And no wonder the young woman found herself an instant supporter -- she had talked onstage at the event Friday of her desire to learn five languages, become the future head the FBI and one day donate "thousands and thousands" to the program. "That girl was pretty phenomenal, wasn't she?" said Heigl, still bubbling with enthusiasm at the event's conclusion. "It didn't take much. She was so incredibly funny and charming, and I'm now doing a show ["State of Affairs"] about the CIA, so I just thought I have to mentor her. …  I want to help make her director of the CIA."

The tributes: Before the evening ended, the organization named William H. Ahmanson its Walt Disney Man of the Year; gave Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment, the Sherry Lansing Award; and honored the Hollywood Reporter -- represented by Janice Min, Lynne Segall and Stephen Galloway -- with the Trailblazer Award. Presenters included Roy P. Disney (Walt Disney's great-nephew); philanthropist Brindell Gottlieb; Disney/ABC TV president and Disney Media Network co-chair Anne Sweeney; and Salke's "little sister" Paola.

The scene: Against a backdrop of a city skyline on a star-filled night, the gala's emcee, actor/producer Sean Hayes, glided onto the stage to the tune of "Climb Every Mountain," a recurring theme. Magnolia Memoir performed, as did the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Vocal Jazz Ensemble, the latter delivering three melodious a capella tunes.

"Big brothers" and their "littles" spoke of the positive outcomes of their one-on-one relationships.  Video presentations featured comments about the cause from Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sofia Vergara, Minnie Driver, Matthew Morrison, Darren Criss, Lea Michele, Alyson Hannigan, Ellie Kemper, Andrew Rannells and more.

The crowd: Actors joined entertainment execs and other supporters, including Alfre Woodard, Adam Kaufman, Cliff Chamberlain and Sheila Vand of "State of Affairs," Pam Dawber and Mark Harmon, Anne Heche and James Tupper, Sarah Purcell, Fred Willard, Kate Linder, Doris Roberts, Jo Anne Worley, Sherry Lansing, NBC Entertainment chair Robert Greenblatt, 20th Century Fox Television chair Dana Walden, Paramount's worldwide distribution and marketing president Megan Colligan, "Grimm" executive producer David Greenwalt, Big Brothers Big Sisters president and CEO Tiffany Siart. Guild president Mary Willard. Dawber and Kim Vamos co-chaired the event.

The young beneficiaries of Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship who attended the event received a round of applause at Hayes' suggestion. "You applaud them out of respect and honor," he said. "I applaud them out of fear, because I'm sure they'll be my boss someday."

Quote of note: "We all know how important it is to have people you can count on in life" said Salke, after naming her own mentors. "They guide us in good times and bad, and when we lose our way they are there for us. … We all need those people -- every one of us in the room -- to thrive."

For the latest in party news, follow Ellen Olivier on Twitter @SocietyNewsLA

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Frequent travelers give TSA low marks despite PreCheck expansion

The Transportation Security Administration is falling flat in its efforts to win the hearts of frequent fliers.

Nearly 86% of frequent fliers surveyed said the agency is doing a "poor" or a "fair" job. And that's after the expansion of a popular program to speed frequent fliers through airport checkpoints.

The survey of more than 2,700 travelers by the online Frequent Business Traveler magazine is bad news for the TSA, which recently expanded its expedited "PreCheck" program to 121 airports in the U.S. to cut the hassle of screening.

Under PreCheck, travelers who have submitted background information to the TSA can zip through a special screening line without removing their shoes, belts or coats and without taking their laptop computers out of their carry-on bags. The cost to apply is $85.

TSA officials say they expect satisfaction levels among frequent travelers to grow as the PreCheck program expands. Last month TSA chief John Pistole announced that the agency plans to solicit bids from private companies to help screen more travelers to take part in PreCheck.

The program already screens nearly a third of the 1.8 million travelers who fly on commercial planes each day. Of the 2,200 TSA screening lines in the country, 400 are for PreCheck.

"We are encouraged by the positive feedback we continue to receive about TSA PreCheck, the opportunities to expand it and the enhancements to aviation security across the country," TSA spokesman Ross Feinstein said.

The news was not all bad for the TSA.

The survey found that nearly 41% of those questioned said the agency is doing a "fair" job. Plus, among travelers who have used PreCheck, 70% said they are either satisfied, somewhat satisfied, very satisfied or extremely satisfied with the program. Only 8.3% said they were not satisfied.

Still, critics of the program say frequent travelers are frustrated with PreCheck because even if they pass a government background check, they are not guaranteed access to the PreCheck lines every time. Plus, TSA agents often direct fliers who have not been cleared by the government to use the PreCheck lanes when the regular screening lines get long.

"So, you can pay for it and you still may not get it," said Joe Brancatelli, a business travel expert who writes an online column on the subject.

To read more about travel, tourism and the airline industry, follow me on Twitter at @hugomartin.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Frequent travelers give TSA low marks despite PreCheck expansion

The Transportation Security Administration is falling flat in its efforts to win the hearts of frequent fliers.

Nearly 86% of frequent fliers surveyed said the agency is doing a "poor" or a "fair" job. And that's after the expansion of a popular program to speed frequent fliers through airport checkpoints.

The survey of more than 2,700 travelers by the online Frequent Business Traveler magazine is bad news for the TSA, which recently expanded its expedited "PreCheck" program to 121 airports in the U.S. to cut the hassle of screening.

Under PreCheck, travelers who have submitted background information to the TSA can zip through a special screening line without removing their shoes, belts or coats and without taking their laptop computers out of their carry-on bags. The cost to apply is $85.

TSA officials say they expect satisfaction levels among frequent travelers to grow as the PreCheck program expands. Last month TSA chief John Pistole announced that the agency plans to solicit bids from private companies to help screen more travelers to take part in PreCheck.

The program already screens nearly a third of the 1.8 million travelers who fly on commercial planes each day. Of the 2,200 TSA screening lines in the country, 400 are for PreCheck.

"We are encouraged by the positive feedback we continue to receive about TSA PreCheck, the opportunities to expand it and the enhancements to aviation security across the country," TSA spokesman Ross Feinstein said.

The news was not all bad for the TSA.

The survey found that nearly 41% of those questioned said the agency is doing a "fair" job. Plus, among travelers who have used PreCheck, 70% said they are either satisfied, somewhat satisfied, very satisfied or extremely satisfied with the program. Only 8.3% said they were not satisfied.

Still, critics of the program say frequent travelers are frustrated with PreCheck because even if they pass a government background check, they are not guaranteed access to the PreCheck lines every time. Plus, TSA agents often direct fliers who have not been cleared by the government to use the PreCheck lanes when the regular screening lines get long.

"So, you can pay for it and you still may not get it," said Joe Brancatelli, a business travel expert who writes an online column on the subject.

To read more about travel, tourism and the airline industry, follow me on Twitter at @hugomartin.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Big Brothers Big Sisters gala nets Katherine Heigl

The event: The "Big Bash" at the Beverly Hilton, benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, turned out to be so inspiring that Katherine Heigl volunteered on the spot to mentor a teen speaker.

And no wonder the young woman found herself an instant supporter -- she had talked onstage at the event Friday of her desire to learn five languages, become the future head the FBI and one day donate "thousands and thousands" to the program. "That girl was pretty phenomenal, wasn't she?" said Heigl, still bubbling with enthusiasm at the event's conclusion. "It didn't take much. She was so incredibly funny and charming, and I'm now doing a show ["State of Affairs"] about the CIA, so I just thought I have to mentor her. …  I want to help make her director of the CIA."

The tributes: Before the evening ended, the organization named William H. Ahmanson its Walt Disney Man of the Year; gave Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment, the Sherry Lansing Award; and honored the Hollywood Reporter -- represented by Janice Min, Lynne Segall and Stephen Galloway -- with the Trailblazer Award. Presenters included Roy P. Disney (Walt Disney's great-nephew); philanthropist Brindell Gottlieb; Disney/ABC TV president and Disney Media Network co-chair Anne Sweeney; and Salke's "little sister" Paola.

The scene: Against a backdrop of a city skyline on a star-filled night, the gala's emcee, actor/producer Sean Hayes, glided onto the stage to the tune of "Climb Every Mountain," a recurring theme. Magnolia Memoir performed, as did the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Vocal Jazz Ensemble, the latter delivering three melodious a capella tunes.

"Big brothers" and their "littles" spoke of the positive outcomes of their one-on-one relationships.  Video presentations featured comments about the cause from Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sofia Vergara, Minnie Driver, Matthew Morrison, Darren Criss, Lea Michele, Alyson Hannigan, Ellie Kemper, Andrew Rannells and more.

The crowd: Actors joined entertainment execs and other supporters, including Alfre Woodard, Adam Kaufman, Cliff Chamberlain and Sheila Vand of "State of Affairs," Pam Dawber and Mark Harmon, Anne Heche and James Tupper, Sarah Purcell, Fred Willard, Kate Linder, Doris Roberts, Jo Anne Worley, Sherry Lansing, NBC Entertainment chair Robert Greenblatt, 20th Century Fox Television chair Dana Walden, Paramount's worldwide distribution and marketing president Megan Colligan, "Grimm" executive producer David Greenwalt, Big Brothers Big Sisters president and CEO Tiffany Siart. Guild president Mary Willard. Dawber and Kim Vamos co-chaired the event.

The young beneficiaries of Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship who attended the event received a round of applause at Hayes' suggestion. "You applaud them out of respect and honor," he said. "I applaud them out of fear, because I'm sure they'll be my boss someday."

Quote of note: "We all know how important it is to have people you can count on in life" said Salke, after naming her own mentors. "They guide us in good times and bad, and when we lose our way they are there for us. … We all need those people -- every one of us in the room -- to thrive."

For the latest in party news, follow Ellen Olivier on Twitter @SocietyNewsLA

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scouting report: Uni garlic bread, lobster rolls at Playa Provisions' Dockside

Written By kolimtiga on Sabtu, 25 Oktober 2014 | 23.51

Chef: "Top Chef" runner-up Brooke Williamson and her husband and partner Nick Roberts. The two also own Hudson House and the Tripel. 

Concept: Four different concepts in one space, just off the water in Playa del Rey. In the front you can pick up sandwiches and salads at the King Beach before you hit the sand. Small Batch is an ice cream counter with house-made ice cream flavors and Dockside is a sit-down restaurant with a seafood-centric menu. At Grain, the bar, there are more than 50 whiskeys and bourbons including a house barrel-aged whiskey. 

What dish represents the restaurant and why? The lobster roll. Williamson and Roberts' version of the classic comes on a buttered, toasted roll stuffed with chunks of lobster in a light dressing, diced celery, crunchy crushed potato chips and pickled mustard seeds. It's an elevated classic that's fun, not stuffy. There's also salt cod clam chowder in a bread bowl, albacore and rock shrimp ceviche with fresh coconut, passion fruit and salmon roe and grilled whole Maine lobster with drawn butter and umami buttered corn. 

Runners-up? The uni ciabatta and the Hula Pie. The ciabatta comes toasted and topped with melted uni garlic butter. It's like warm, crisp garlic bread with just a hint of briny sea urchin. And for dessert, the Hula Pie features the restaurant's house coconut ice cream on a thin layer of chocolate cookie crust. It's topped with lime zest, a rum caramel sauce and chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. 

Who's at the next table? Two older men sipping red wine, glancing over to include themselves in your conversation, a couple of young co-eds at the bar sipping Manhattans, and a man walking through the restaurant holding a fluffy white dog in his arms. 

What are you drinking? A glass of 2013 Listel "Grain de Gris" rose. 

Uh-oh: With limited street parking, you'll most likely need to valet. But it's only $2.

Info: 119 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey, (310) 683-5019, playaprovisions.com. 

I'm buying the first round. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris_ 

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Little Big Town revisits the song doctor on 'Pain Killer'

"They say you are who you hang with," Kimberly Schlapman declares on the new album by Little Big Town, and for this coed country group, that's turned out to be a boon.

Once viewed as a kind of lower-wattage version of Lady Antebellum – strummy acoustic guitars, steady soft-rock tempos, creamy male-female vocal harmonies – Little Big Town seemed on the verge of fading to bland two years ago before it hired Jay Joyce, a producer known for his work with rock acts like Cage the Elephant, to oversee its fifth studio album, "Tornado."

Yet Joyce ended up remaking the foursome's sound, going fuzzier and funkier, and in the process he boosted its commercial appeal: "Pontoon," the irresistible "Tornado" single about a laid-back boat ride, topped Billboard's country chart and won a Grammy Award. Hanging with Joyce gave Little Big Town fresh purpose.

Wisely, Schlapman and her bandmates retained the producer for "Pain Killer," and this time he pushed them even further. "Good People," about the importance of the company you keep, rides a fat synth-bass groove, while "Turn the Lights On" mutates from twangy prog-disco to blistering hard rock; "Save Your Sin" is more raucous still, with sheet-metal guitars out of Nine Inch Nails.

Then there's "Stay All Night," a swaggering party tune that feels like a sequel to "Cold One" from the latest album by one of Joyce's other clients, Eric Church.

As freaky as the production gets, Little Big Town's crystalline vocals (and sturdy structures by Nashville's craftiest songwriters) keep the music approachable, even tidy; it's always heading toward a catchy chorus.

And amid all the texture and flash, the singers pause for a pair of stripped-down acoustic ditties: "Silver and Gold" and "Live Forever," about a union "strong enough to stand in the stormy weather." That's a kind of durability Little Big Town knows firsthand.

------------------

Little Big Town

"Pain Killer"

(Capitol Nashville)

3 stars out of 4

Twitter: @mikaelwood

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Little Big Town revisits the song doctor on 'Pain Killer'

"They say you are who you hang with," Kimberly Schlapman declares on the new album by Little Big Town, and for this coed country group, that's turned out to be a boon.

Once viewed as a kind of lower-wattage version of Lady Antebellum – strummy acoustic guitars, steady soft-rock tempos, creamy male-female vocal harmonies – Little Big Town seemed on the verge of fading to bland two years ago before it hired Jay Joyce, a producer known for his work with rock acts like Cage the Elephant, to oversee its fifth studio album, "Tornado."

Yet Joyce ended up remaking the foursome's sound, going fuzzier and funkier, and in the process he boosted its commercial appeal: "Pontoon," the irresistible "Tornado" single about a laid-back boat ride, topped Billboard's country chart and won a Grammy Award. Hanging with Joyce gave Little Big Town fresh purpose.

Wisely, Schlapman and her bandmates retained the producer for "Pain Killer," and this time he pushed them even further. "Good People," about the importance of the company you keep, rides a fat synth-bass groove, while "Turn the Lights On" mutates from twangy prog-disco to blistering hard rock; "Save Your Sin" is more raucous still, with sheet-metal guitars out of Nine Inch Nails.

Then there's "Stay All Night," a swaggering party tune that feels like a sequel to "Cold One" from the latest album by one of Joyce's other clients, Eric Church.

As freaky as the production gets, Little Big Town's crystalline vocals (and sturdy structures by Nashville's craftiest songwriters) keep the music approachable, even tidy; it's always heading toward a catchy chorus.

And amid all the texture and flash, the singers pause for a pair of stripped-down acoustic ditties: "Silver and Gold" and "Live Forever," about a union "strong enough to stand in the stormy weather." That's a kind of durability Little Big Town knows firsthand.

------------------

Little Big Town

"Pain Killer"

(Capitol Nashville)

3 stars out of 4

Twitter: @mikaelwood

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Little Big Town revisits the song doctor on 'Pain Killer'

"They say you are who you hang with," Kimberly Schlapman declares on the new album by Little Big Town, and for this coed country group, that's turned out to be a boon.

Once viewed as a kind of lower-wattage version of Lady Antebellum – strummy acoustic guitars, steady soft-rock tempos, creamy male-female vocal harmonies – Little Big Town seemed on the verge of fading to bland two years ago before it hired Jay Joyce, a producer known for his work with rock acts like Cage the Elephant, to oversee its fifth studio album, "Tornado."

Yet Joyce ended up remaking the foursome's sound, going fuzzier and funkier, and in the process he boosted its commercial appeal: "Pontoon," the irresistible "Tornado" single about a laid-back boat ride, topped Billboard's country chart and won a Grammy Award. Hanging with Joyce gave Little Big Town fresh purpose.

Wisely, Schlapman and her bandmates retained the producer for "Pain Killer," and this time he pushed them even further. "Good People," about the importance of the company you keep, rides a fat synth-bass groove, while "Turn the Lights On" mutates from twangy prog-disco to blistering hard rock; "Save Your Sin" is more raucous still, with sheet-metal guitars out of Nine Inch Nails.

Then there's "Stay All Night," a swaggering party tune that feels like a sequel to "Cold One" from the latest album by one of Joyce's other clients, Eric Church.

As freaky as the production gets, Little Big Town's crystalline vocals (and sturdy structures by Nashville's craftiest songwriters) keep the music approachable, even tidy; it's always heading toward a catchy chorus.

And amid all the texture and flash, the singers pause for a pair of stripped-down acoustic ditties: "Silver and Gold" and "Live Forever," about a union "strong enough to stand in the stormy weather." That's a kind of durability Little Big Town knows firsthand.

------------------

Little Big Town

"Pain Killer"

(Capitol Nashville)

3 stars out of 4

Twitter: @mikaelwood

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Classic Hollywood: Honoring Jay Ward of Bullwinkle and Rocky fame

In fall 1961, TV animation pioneer Jay Ward was awaiting NBC's prime-time launch of "The Bullwinkle Show" — his clever, satirical series that appealed to children and adult sensibilities.

The series revolving around the naive but resourceful squirrel Rocky and the sweet but clueless moose Bullwinkle had premiered two years earlier on ABC as "Rocky and His Friends." But the comedy had languished in a late-afternoon time slot after "American Bandstand."

Ward had not been happy with how ABC promoted his show — rather, how ABC had not promoted his show — and he wasn't about to let history repeat. So he and publicist Howard Brandy came up with a stunt: the Bullwinkle Block Party, held outside Ward's offices on Sunset Boulevard.

Ward got permission to close down all but one lane of Sunset. (One sign posted for motorists read: "Don't complain or we'll block this lane too.") He spread the word by inviting the press, said animation historian Darrell Van Citters, author of the new book "The Art of Jay Ward Productions." Los Angeles County Sheriff Peter Pitchess emceed the event, and Ward had sex symbol Jayne Mansfield drop by as a special guest.

According to TV Guide, some "5,000 milling, screaming, caterwauling" partygoers turned out.

Dressed as Napoleon, Ward capped the festivities with the unveiling of a 16-foot revolving fiberglass statue of Bullwinkle in a bathing suit, holding Rocky up high in his left hand — a parody of the old Las Vegas Stardust hotel billboard across from Ward's offices by the Chateau Marmont.

"Their icon was a showgirl in a bathing suit who rotated 360 degrees on the billboard," said daughter Tiffany Ward, head of Jay Ward Productions since his death in 1989. "She had her hand up, and in her hand was a mirrored ball."

Moose and squirrel were removed from Sunset Boulevard last year and restored by artist Ric Scozzari for DreamWorks Animation. The sculpture is now the centerpiece of "The Jay Ward Legacy Exhibit," running at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills through the end of the year.

It was all about the funny for Ward, whose comedic sensibilities changed television animation. Ward realized that "it had to be a certain kind of funny," Van Citters said. "They called it 'Jay-rated.' It had to be acceptable for kids but still funny for adults."

The show's dialogue is as sharp and as funny now as it was more than five decades ago:

Rocky: "Bullwinkle, it says here that for you to inherit the fortune, you have to spend the weekend in the ancestral home Abominable Manor."

Bullwinkle: "That's no problem. I've been living in an abominable manner all my life."

Ward surrounded himself with the best talent. Bill Scott, the voice of Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right and Mr. Peabody, was hired to write the pilot. "Then he did more and more," Van Citters said. "He became his business partner, producer and head writer."

Ward hired top directors and animators, many of whom had worked at United Productions of America (better known as UPA, the studio behind "Mr. Magoo"), and writers including a young Allan Burns ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show") and Chris Hayward ("Get Smart"). Besides Scott and June Foray (the voice of Rocky), the series featured such veterans as Edward Everett Horton, Hans Conried, William Conrad, Paul Frees (Boris Badenov) and Daws Butler (perhaps best known as the voice of Yogi Bear).

The Paley exhibition features about 60 pieces of rare artwork, sculpture and memorabilia from Jay Ward Productions. That covers not only Rocky and Bullwinkle but also Boris and Natasha, the bumbling spies whose dastardly deeds were thwarted by moose and squirrel, as well as "Peabody's Improbable History," "Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties," "Fractured Fairy Tales" and "Aesop & Son."

Among the highlights are original model sheets (character studies) for Rocky and Bullwinkle, model sheets and drawings for DreamWorks' 2014 film "Mr. Peabody & Sherman," character designs from "Aesop & Son" and "Fractured Fairy Tales" and even a gooney bird statue, also restored by Scozzari, which sat atop the old Dudley Do-Right Emporium on Sunset Boulevard.

Follow me on Twitter @mymackie

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wine review: 2012 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir

Written By kolimtiga on Kamis, 23 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

A glorious full-bodied, velvety Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley that tastes of Santa Rosa plums, sweet spices and a smidgen of earth. Just smell the bouquet: It tells you volumes about the wine. The 2012 is a big Pinot, 14.4% alcohol, but it's so well-integrated into the wine, it doesn't feel out of balance. A beautiful texture and all that bright, juicy fruit only add to its appeal.

Break out a bottle for a roast duck or pan-seared duck breasts, a wintry braised meat dish, or a cheese platter.

Region: Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

Price: From $50 to $55.

Style: Rich and full-bodied.

What it goes with: roast duck, seared duck breasts, braised meats, cheese.

Where to find it: at most fine wine retailers.

irene.virbila@latimes.com

Twitter: @sirenevirbila

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Wine review: 2012 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir

A glorious full-bodied, velvety Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley that tastes of Santa Rosa plums, sweet spices and a smidgen of earth. Just smell the bouquet: It tells you volumes about the wine. The 2012 is a big Pinot, 14.4% alcohol, but it's so well-integrated into the wine, it doesn't feel out of balance. A beautiful texture and all that bright, juicy fruit only add to its appeal.

Break out a bottle for a roast duck or pan-seared duck breasts, a wintry braised meat dish, or a cheese platter.

Region: Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

Price: From $50 to $55.

Style: Rich and full-bodied.

What it goes with: roast duck, seared duck breasts, braised meats, cheese.

Where to find it: at most fine wine retailers.

irene.virbila@latimes.com

Twitter: @sirenevirbila

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wine review: 2012 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir

A glorious full-bodied, velvety Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley that tastes of Santa Rosa plums, sweet spices and a smidgen of earth. Just smell the bouquet: It tells you volumes about the wine. The 2012 is a big Pinot, 14.4% alcohol, but it's so well-integrated into the wine, it doesn't feel out of balance. A beautiful texture and all that bright, juicy fruit only add to its appeal.

Break out a bottle for a roast duck or pan-seared duck breasts, a wintry braised meat dish, or a cheese platter.

Region: Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

Price: From $50 to $55.

Style: Rich and full-bodied.

What it goes with: roast duck, seared duck breasts, braised meats, cheese.

Where to find it: at most fine wine retailers.

irene.virbila@latimes.com

Twitter: @sirenevirbila

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Serena and Venus Williams get apology from Russian tennis official

The Russian tennis official who made derogatory remarks about Serena and Venus Williams, referring them as "brothers," has sent them a personal message.

"He has reached out to apologize to both myself and my sister," Serena Williams told the Associated Press at the WTA Finals in Singapore on Thursday. She added that "it was written. No, I did not speak to him."

Shamil Tarpischev, head of the Russian tennis federation, was appearing on a television talk show when he made his comments, saying the Williams were "scary" to look at.

Tarpischev subsequently apologized in an open letter and said that he was only trying to make a joke.

The WTA Tour fined him $25,000 and suspended him for a year. Tarpischev also has been asked for a full explanation by the International Olympic Committee, of which he is a member.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Serena and Venus Williams get apology from Russian tennis official

The Russian tennis official who made derogatory remarks about Serena and Venus Williams, referring them as "brothers," has sent them a personal message.

"He has reached out to apologize to both myself and my sister," Serena Williams told the Associated Press at the WTA Finals in Singapore on Thursday. She added that "it was written. No, I did not speak to him."

Shamil Tarpischev, head of the Russian tennis federation, was appearing on a television talk show when he made his comments, saying the Williams were "scary" to look at.

Tarpischev subsequently apologized in an open letter and said that he was only trying to make a joke.

The WTA Tour fined him $25,000 and suspended him for a year. Tarpischev also has been asked for a full explanation by the International Olympic Committee, of which he is a member.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Blackwater security guards found guilty in 2007 Baghdad killings

Written By kolimtiga on Rabu, 22 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

A federal jury Wednesday convicted four former Blackwater security guards who had been charged with killing 14 Iraqis in Baghdad seven years ago in a shooting that became a symbol of U.S. treatment of Iraqi civilians.

After nearly 30 days of deliberation, the jury in found Nicholas Slatten guilty of first-degree murder, while three other guards - Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard - were found guilty of voluntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors flew dozens of Iraqi witnesses to Washington to testify about scenes of graphic violence, including the father of a 9-year-old boy who said he watched his son's brains fall out at his feet.

Prosecutors said the shootings, in which 37 people were killed or injured, were unprovoked, the result of trigger-happy civilian security guards nervous about intelligence reports that a white Kia carrying a car bomb was circulating in the city looking for a target.

The defense, which put on only four witnesses, said the killings were a tragic mistake that started when unknown Iraqis opened fire on a Blackwater convoy.

The verdict comes at a delicate time for the Obama administration, just as the U.S. is helping the new Iraqi government fight Islamic State militants. It was the insistence by the previous Iraqi government that Americans accused of crimes within the country be tried in Iraqi courts that led Obama to pull U.S. troops out in 2011.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinski now NBC's lead figure-skating broadcasters

Calling them "breakout stars" from the Sochi Winter Games, NBC Sports has promoted Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski to its lead broadcast team for figure skating.

The former Olympians will work with play-by-play announcer Terry Gannon.

"We're excited that viewers will be treated to this team's informative and entertaining commentary for many years to come, all while looking fabulous," said Jim Bell, executive producer of NBC Olympics.

The new team succeeds Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic.

"They set the bar high," Bell said.

Hamilton will remain with NBC as a special contributor and Hammond is scheduled to call track and field at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Weir has remained in the public eye since his skating career ended, appearing on a reality cable show, writing a newspaper column and designing his own fashion line.

"I cannot wait to start a fresh new era of commentary and analysis that will entertain and inform," he said. "I love my sport and I can't wait to go on more Olympic journeys."

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Attorney for Kings' suspended Slava Voynov: 'There's no crime here'

Craig Renetzky, the attorney for Slava Voynov, said there was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges against the Kings defenseman, who was arrested early Monday morning after an alleged domestic violence incident in Redondo Beach.

Renetzky said he interviewed Voynov and the woman whose injuries brought her to the emergency room using a Russian interpreter.

"Based on what she is telling me, there's no crime here," he said in a telephone interview with the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday morning. "There's certainly not enough to bring criminal charges.

"I think if the police understood what happened, based on what I heard, they wouldn't even have made an arrest."

Renetzky's comments about the case were first reported by the Canadian-based Hockey News.

Voynov was arrested and released on $50,000 bail on Monday morning and was suspended by the NHL even before he got out of jail. It is likely the case will be sent to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, according to Redondo Beach police Lt. Joe Hoffman.

Renetzky would not specify the injuries the woman suffered but said they resulted from an accident and that Voynov did not strike her. He noted that the "misunderstanding" with police might have occurred because of language issues.

"She was very clear he did not punch her, he did not hit her in that way," Renetzky said. "It sounds like it was more of a misunderstanding between what actually happened, with the police. I don't think they understand what occurred. We're going to try to present some exonerating evidence hopefully in the next few days.

"I'm hoping the league will reconsider their position also, in light of this."

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Blackwater security guards found guilty in 2007 Baghdad killings

A federal jury Wednesday convicted four former Blackwater security guards who had been charged with killing 14 Iraqis in Baghdad seven years ago in a shooting that became a symbol of U.S. treatment of Iraqi civilians.

After nearly 30 days of deliberation, the jury in found Nicholas Slatten guilty of first-degree murder, while three other guards - Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard - were found guilty of voluntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors flew dozens of Iraqi witnesses to Washington to testify about scenes of graphic violence, including the father of a 9-year-old boy who said he watched his son's brains fall out at his feet.

Prosecutors said the shootings, in which 37 people were killed or injured, were unprovoked, the result of trigger-happy civilian security guards nervous about intelligence reports that a white Kia carrying a car bomb was circulating in the city looking for a target.

The defense, which put on only four witnesses, said the killings were a tragic mistake that started when unknown Iraqis opened fire on a Blackwater convoy.

The verdict comes at a delicate time for the Obama administration, just as the U.S. is helping the new Iraqi government fight Islamic State militants. It was the insistence by the previous Iraqi government that Americans accused of crimes within the country be tried in Iraqi courts that led Obama to pull U.S. troops out in 2011.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinski now NBC's lead figure-skating broadcasters

Calling them "breakout stars" from the Sochi Winter Games, NBC Sports has promoted Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski to its lead broadcast team for figure skating.

The former Olympians will work with play-by-play announcer Terry Gannon.

"We're excited that viewers will be treated to this team's informative and entertaining commentary for many years to come, all while looking fabulous," said Jim Bell, executive producer of NBC Olympics.

The new team succeeds Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic.

"They set the bar high," Bell said.

Hamilton will remain with NBC as a special contributor and Hammond is scheduled to call track and field at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Weir has remained in the public eye since his skating career ended, appearing on a reality cable show, writing a newspaper column and designing his own fashion line.

"I cannot wait to start a fresh new era of commentary and analysis that will entertain and inform," he said. "I love my sport and I can't wait to go on more Olympic journeys."

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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'The Voice' recap: Battles bring future stars, dragon-slappers

Written By kolimtiga on Selasa, 21 Oktober 2014 | 23.50

The third night of battle rounds on "The Voice" brought more happiness and heartbreak for this season's talented batch of singers. There were surprising selections, startling steals and sad so longs. In other words, it was business as usual as herds thinned and the teams began to take more solid shape. 

Here's how it all broke down: 

Damien vs. Kelli Douglas (Team Adam): Adam Levine paired Damien, a TSA worker and LAX shooting-incident survivor, and Douglas, a comely single mom, on the soul classic "Knock on Wood," urging them to have fun with it. "People who enjoy themselves up there" are the ones who have the most success, Levine told them during rehearsal. Guest mentor Stevie Nicks expressed a fervent hope that both singers would stay, but during the battle itself, Damien was far the more comfortable performer. Blake Shelton called him "explosive" and Douglas "smooth," saying it might come down to taste. Pharrell Williams, too, had kind words for both. Gwen Stefani, however, said she'd been distracted by Douglas' "body," and also thought the female contestant had been "overpowered a little bit" by her male rival. Levine's choice seemed clear: Damien, who the coach later said "became immersed in the song and didn't question himself for one second." No one moved to steal Douglas. 

Jessie Pitts vs. Ryan Sill (Team Gwen): Stefani teamed 18-year-old Pitts and 20-year-old Sill on Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love," explaining that both had similar pop-music interests and that their voices, while different, would likely blend well. Pitts, whose "sparkle" Stefani singled out for praise, seemed to have the advantage going in, especially since Stefani and her guest mentor/husband Gavin Rossdale, had advised Sill to work on his "boy-bandish moves" and get more "comfortable in his body." During the battle the singers displayed great chemistry, and the coaches didn't reach consensus on who had won. Shelton said that, while Sill's pitch-perfect voice "just cuts through like a razor," Pitts, with her "unique" tone might have taken it. Williams and Levine thought Sill had won. Stefani, saying both singers had touched her heart and inspired her, ultimately chose Sill. But it all worked out OK for Pitts, anyway: Shelton stole her. "You're so unique," he told her. "I think you can win this...." 

Blessing Offor vs. Katriz Trinidad (Team Pharrell): By assigning Stevie Wonder's "Do I Do" to Offor – 25, from New York City, blind, already accomplished and a four-chair turn – and Trinidad, a San Diego 15-year-old who turned three chairs, Williams seemed to be setting Offor up for the win. The song and Stevie Wonder vibe could not have been more solidly in Offor's wheelhouse. In fact, both singers performed beautifully. Stefani called both "shocking for different reasons." Trinidad, she said, looked like a "porcelain doll" but had a "bold, acrobatic voice," while Offor had a tone that was "so rich and thick and effortless and natural and really incredible." Williams said each had risen to the occasion, but ultimately, and perhaps surprisingly, chose Trinidad, saying she had "a lot of potential." Both Levine – who noted that Trinidad's wife's name, Behati, means "blessing" -- and Stefani moved to steal, but Levine reassured Offor that he knew exactly what to do with his voice, and captured him for his team. 

Ethan Butler vs. Matt McAndrew (Team Adam): These two twentysomething singers brought their own vibe – and guitars -- to Coldplay's "Yellow," and let their voices blend. McAndrew, though, had stood out from the start. Shelton complimented the competitors on getting "lost in the moment," which he noted was hard to do during the battle rounds. "You guys could be a duo," he told them. Williams thought it was an even match, whereas Stefani seemed to be leaning in McAndrew's direction. Levine's choice may have been predetermined. He chose McAndrew, whose talent he later called "ridiculous" and "special." "This guy could be a big deal," he predicted. 

Bree Fondacaro vs. Taylor Brashears (Team Blake): In his one pairing of the night, Shelton pitted smoky-voiced Fondacaro, for whom he had been the only coach to turn, against old-school country singer Brashears, who had turned three chairs during the blinds, assigning them Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good," in hopes that it would let each of the singers show "some attitude." "This could be a showstopper," one of the members of guest mentor band Little Big Town predicted. But it wasn't. It seemed to lack a certain something, but Brashears emerged in better shape. Both Williams and Levine thought the country singer had won, with Stefani abstaining because she hated the fact that they'd changed the song's original melody. "Bree gets lost in herself when she's performing and Taylor gets lost in the song," Shelton said, delivering his verdict. "Because of that, moving forward, the winner of this battle is Taylor." Fondacaro headed hom. 

DaNica Shirey vs. Toia Jones (Team Pharrell): The final battle of the evening featured two big voices giving Beyonce's "Halo" a pretty thorough working over. The rehearsals had elicited tears, hugs, breakthroughs, declarations about new beginnings. The battle itself was pure power. Shelton called it "like a 10 the whole time." "Trying to do a Beyonce song," Levine said, was "literally like trying to slay a dragon. You slayed the dragon and then slapped it in the face to make sure it knew it was dead. That was bonkers. There were two winners up there." There were, in fact. After Williams chose Shirey to move forward on Team Pharrell, both Levine and Stefani moved to steal Jones. She picked Levine, who had pressed his button first and had also, she recalled, pushed it for her during the blinds. 

That leaves Stefani as the only coach left with an option to steal heading into the final battle rounds tonight.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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Criminal probe ordered in Russian crash that killed Total CEO

Russian investigators have opened a criminal probe into the fiery crash that killed Total SA chief executive Christophe de Margerie and the three French crewmen piloting his private jet out of a Moscow airport, officials announced on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee said it was apparent that "criminal negligence" caused the crash of the French-made Dassault Falcon 50 as it attempted to take off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport just before midnight on Monday.

The jet, on which de Margerie was the only passenger, struck a snowplow as it lifted off, causing it to burst into flames and crash, killing all four on board, Russian news agencies reported.

The snowplow driver, who was uninjured, was found to be drunk at the time of the accident and has been taken into custody, Tatyana Morozova of the Investigative Committee told journalists in Moscow.

Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said it was clear the accident was the result of "criminal negligence."

"It is already obvious that the cause of the events was not at all a horrific, tragic confluence of circumstances," Markin said, accusing airport managers of casting the crash as the result of bad weather or pilot error.  

Russia Today television quoted Markin as saying that "there is a possibility that a number of airport staff will be suspended from carrying out their duties pending criminal investigation."

Air traffic control directives were also being reviewed because an intern was in charge of coordinating taxiing at the time of the French jet disaster, the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing an unidentified Vnukovo airport official.

De Margerie, 63, was a critic of Western sanctions imposed against Russia for its role in separatist violence in eastern Ukraine that has taken more than 3,700 lives over the past six months. The French oil company executive lambasted the cutoff of Moscow trade and financial institutions as a blow to the global economy, not just Russia's.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent condolences to French President Francois Hollande on the death of a businessman with whom he had close and cordial relations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Putin praised the Total CEO for being behind "the many major joint projects that have laid the basis for the fruitful cooperation between Russia and France in the energy sphere for many years."

De Margerie had worked for Total for 40 years, joining the company during the 1974 oil embargo that put the future of the company in doubt, he recalled in a 2007 interview with Le Monde.

Total Secretary-General Jean-Jacques Guilbaud said the company's board would meet soon to consider a successor to De Margerie. The company called for a minute of silence in tribute to the late CEO at 2 p.m. Paris time at its offices worldwide, Guilbaud said.

Follow @cjwilliamslat for the latest international news 24/7

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times

9:23 a.m.: This story was updated with a Los Angeles Times staff report on the launch of a criminal probe in Russia.

This story was originally published at 5:16 a.m.


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Criminal probe ordered in Russian crash that killed Total CEO

Russian investigators have opened a criminal probe into the fiery crash that killed Total SA chief executive Christophe de Margerie and the three French crewmen piloting his private jet out of a Moscow airport, officials announced on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee said it was apparent that "criminal negligence" caused the crash of the French-made Dassault Falcon 50 as it attempted to take off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport just before midnight on Monday.

The jet, on which de Margerie was the only passenger, struck a snowplow as it lifted off, causing it to burst into flames and crash, killing all four on board, Russian news agencies reported.

The snowplow driver, who was uninjured, was found to be drunk at the time of the accident and has been taken into custody, Tatyana Morozova of the Investigative Committee told journalists in Moscow.

Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said it was clear the accident was the result of "criminal negligence."

"It is already obvious that the cause of the events was not at all a horrific, tragic confluence of circumstances," Markin said, accusing airport managers of casting the crash as the result of bad weather or pilot error.  

Russia Today television quoted Markin as saying that "there is a possibility that a number of airport staff will be suspended from carrying out their duties pending criminal investigation."

Air traffic control directives were also being reviewed because an intern was in charge of coordinating taxiing at the time of the French jet disaster, the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing an unidentified Vnukovo airport official.

De Margerie, 63, was a critic of Western sanctions imposed against Russia for its role in separatist violence in eastern Ukraine that has taken more than 3,700 lives over the past six months. The French oil company executive lambasted the cutoff of Moscow trade and financial institutions as a blow to the global economy, not just Russia's.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent condolences to French President Francois Hollande on the death of a businessman with whom he had close and cordial relations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Putin praised the Total CEO for being behind "the many major joint projects that have laid the basis for the fruitful cooperation between Russia and France in the energy sphere for many years."

De Margerie had worked for Total for 40 years, joining the company during the 1974 oil embargo that put the future of the company in doubt, he recalled in a 2007 interview with Le Monde.

Total Secretary-General Jean-Jacques Guilbaud said the company's board would meet soon to consider a successor to De Margerie. The company called for a minute of silence in tribute to the late CEO at 2 p.m. Paris time at its offices worldwide, Guilbaud said.

Follow @cjwilliamslat for the latest international news 24/7

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times

9:23 a.m.: This story was updated with a Los Angeles Times staff report on the launch of a criminal probe in Russia.

This story was originally published at 5:16 a.m.


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'The Voice' recap: Battles bring future stars, dragon-slappers

The third night of battle rounds on "The Voice" brought more happiness and heartbreak for this season's talented batch of singers. There were surprising selections, startling steals and sad so longs. In other words, it was business as usual as herds thinned and the teams began to take more solid shape. 

Here's how it all broke down: 

Damien vs. Kelli Douglas (Team Adam): Adam Levine paired Damien, a TSA worker and LAX shooting-incident survivor, and Douglas, a comely single mom, on the soul classic "Knock on Wood," urging them to have fun with it. "People who enjoy themselves up there" are the ones who have the most success, Levine told them during rehearsal. Guest mentor Stevie Nicks expressed a fervent hope that both singers would stay, but during the battle itself, Damien was far the more comfortable performer. Blake Shelton called him "explosive" and Douglas "smooth," saying it might come down to taste. Pharrell Williams, too, had kind words for both. Gwen Stefani, however, said she'd been distracted by Douglas' "body," and also thought the female contestant had been "overpowered a little bit" by her male rival. Levine's choice seemed clear: Damien, who the coach later said "became immersed in the song and didn't question himself for one second." No one moved to steal Douglas. 

Jessie Pitts vs. Ryan Sill (Team Gwen): Stefani teamed 18-year-old Pitts and 20-year-old Sill on Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love," explaining that both had similar pop-music interests and that their voices, while different, would likely blend well. Pitts, whose "sparkle" Stefani singled out for praise, seemed to have the advantage going in, especially since Stefani and her guest mentor/husband Gavin Rossdale, had advised Sill to work on his "boy-bandish moves" and get more "comfortable in his body." During the battle the singers displayed great chemistry, and the coaches didn't reach consensus on who had won. Shelton said that, while Sill's pitch-perfect voice "just cuts through like a razor," Pitts, with her "unique" tone might have taken it. Williams and Levine thought Sill had won. Stefani, saying both singers had touched her heart and inspired her, ultimately chose Sill. But it all worked out OK for Pitts, anyway: Shelton stole her. "You're so unique," he told her. "I think you can win this...." 

Blessing Offor vs. Katriz Trinidad (Team Pharrell): By assigning Stevie Wonder's "Do I Do" to Offor – 25, from New York City, blind, already accomplished and a four-chair turn – and Trinidad, a San Diego 15-year-old who turned three chairs, Williams seemed to be setting Offor up for the win. The song and Stevie Wonder vibe could not have been more solidly in Offor's wheelhouse. In fact, both singers performed beautifully. Stefani called both "shocking for different reasons." Trinidad, she said, looked like a "porcelain doll" but had a "bold, acrobatic voice," while Offor had a tone that was "so rich and thick and effortless and natural and really incredible." Williams said each had risen to the occasion, but ultimately, and perhaps surprisingly, chose Trinidad, saying she had "a lot of potential." Both Levine – who noted that Trinidad's wife's name, Behati, means "blessing" -- and Stefani moved to steal, but Levine reassured Offor that he knew exactly what to do with his voice, and captured him for his team. 

Ethan Butler vs. Matt McAndrew (Team Adam): These two twentysomething singers brought their own vibe – and guitars -- to Coldplay's "Yellow," and let their voices blend. McAndrew, though, had stood out from the start. Shelton complimented the competitors on getting "lost in the moment," which he noted was hard to do during the battle rounds. "You guys could be a duo," he told them. Williams thought it was an even match, whereas Stefani seemed to be leaning in McAndrew's direction. Levine's choice may have been predetermined. He chose McAndrew, whose talent he later called "ridiculous" and "special." "This guy could be a big deal," he predicted. 

Bree Fondacaro vs. Taylor Brashears (Team Blake): In his one pairing of the night, Shelton pitted smoky-voiced Fondacaro, for whom he had been the only coach to turn, against old-school country singer Brashears, who had turned three chairs during the blinds, assigning them Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good," in hopes that it would let each of the singers show "some attitude." "This could be a showstopper," one of the members of guest mentor band Little Big Town predicted. But it wasn't. It seemed to lack a certain something, but Brashears emerged in better shape. Both Williams and Levine thought the country singer had won, with Stefani abstaining because she hated the fact that they'd changed the song's original melody. "Bree gets lost in herself when she's performing and Taylor gets lost in the song," Shelton said, delivering his verdict. "Because of that, moving forward, the winner of this battle is Taylor." Fondacaro headed hom. 

DaNica Shirey vs. Toia Jones (Team Pharrell): The final battle of the evening featured two big voices giving Beyonce's "Halo" a pretty thorough working over. The rehearsals had elicited tears, hugs, breakthroughs, declarations about new beginnings. The battle itself was pure power. Shelton called it "like a 10 the whole time." "Trying to do a Beyonce song," Levine said, was "literally like trying to slay a dragon. You slayed the dragon and then slapped it in the face to make sure it knew it was dead. That was bonkers. There were two winners up there." There were, in fact. After Williams chose Shirey to move forward on Team Pharrell, both Levine and Stefani moved to steal Jones. She picked Levine, who had pressed his button first and had also, she recalled, pushed it for her during the blinds. 

That leaves Stefani as the only coach left with an option to steal heading into the final battle rounds tonight.

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times
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