понедельник, 28 декабря 2009 г.
четверг, 24 декабря 2009 г.
Советы тем, кто едет в Калифорнию
Голливуд, пляжи и винодельни – обязательные пункты программы пребывания туристов в Калифорнии. Впрочем, это далеко не все из того, что можно и нужно посмотреть. Еще есть заброшенные золотые прииски, горнолыжные курорты, парки развлечений и многое-многое другое. Мой друг уже четвертый год живет в этой мексиканской провинции голливуда (гыгы), но до сих пор не может представить себе отпуск в окрестностях только одного из крупных городов. В штате настолько хорошие дороги, относительно недорогие гостиницы и так много мест, которые стоит посетить, что велик соблазн не усидеть на месте.
Предлагаю вам свой путеводитель по Калифорнии. Надеюсь, он будет вам полезен. Если заметите неточности или захотите что-то добавить, пишите, ведь сделать идеальный путеводитель – общая задача всех путешественников.
Общая информация о штате
Калифорния, расположенная на западном побережье Тихого океана, окружена Орегоном на севере, Невадой на востоке и Аризоной с юго-востока. Считается, что название «Калифорния» происходит от испанского «жаркая печь». По другой версии, своим происхождением слово «Калифорния» обязано латинскому словосочетанию «calida fornax», которое можно перевести как «жаркий климат». Согласно третьей, романтической легенде, свое имя Калифорния получила благодаря легендарному острову амазонок под предводительством королевы Калифии.
Уникальный климат, разнообразная природа и километры неосвоенных площадей привлекли сюда первых завоевателей в XVI веке. Португалец Жуан Родригеш Кабрилью совершил тихоокеанскую экспедицию под испанским флагом и стал первым европейцем, высадившимся у берегов Калифорнии. Одна из последних битв с местными племенами индейцев, в которой он получил смертельное ранение, произошла недалеко от современной границы с Мексикой, там, где теперь вырос Сан-Диего.
Современная Калифорния – третий по площади штат США и самый густонаселенный.
Согласно статистике за прошлый год, в штате проживают более 36 миллионов человек. С момента переписи в 2000 году прирост населения составил 8,5%, по большей части за счет иммигрантов. Переселенцы из других стран все еще продолжают прибывать в штат. Тайские, китайские, японские, филиппинские, корейские, армянские и даже русские кварталы здесь не редкость. Влияние различных культур здесь особенно заметно в этнических кварталах в больших городах. В китайском квартале Лос-Анджелеса, например, все вывески будут продублированы иероглифами, то же можно наблюдать в Чайнатауне Сан-Франциско, где даже расписание автобусов на остановке составлено на двух языках.
Виза
Вопреки расхожему мнению получить американскую туристическую визу несложно, хотя для этого и понадобится приложить определенные усилия. Оформляя заявку, максимально подробно спланируйте маршрут и приложите к документам адреса в каждом из пунктов назначения. Список необходимых документов, включая электронную форму для заполнения и довольно подробные инструкции на русском языке, можно найти на сайте посольства США.
После того, как все бумаги собраны, их нужно отправить для рассмотрения службой доставки Pony Express. Через несколько рабочих дней вам сообщат дату и время собеседования. Получите ли вы визу, станет ясно в конце беседы. Тогда же, если решение принято положительное, вам предложат оформить туристическую визу не на год, а на два года. Для этого нужно будет доплатить примерно сотню долларов. Соглашаться или нет – зависит от ваших планов на следующий отпуск. После того, как процедуру снятия отпечатков модернизировали, механизм выдачи повторной визы значительно упростился: возможно, вам даже не придется никуда ехать, и все удастся решить по телефону и по почте.
Билеты и страховка
Наметить маршрут путешествия по штату и забронировать гостиницу вам придется заранее, а вот билеты на самолет покупать до выдачи визы не нужно. О них можно позаботиться, когда виза уже будет у вас на руках.
Если вы вылетаете из Москвы, самый простой способ добраться в Калифорнию – беспересадочный рейс «Аэрофлота» из международного аэропорта «Шереметьево» в главный аэропорт Лос-Анджелеса LAX. Неплохие варианты, но с пересадками предлагают United Airlines (пересадка в Нью-Йорке или в Вашингтоне), American Airlines и British Airways (пересадка в Лондоне) и Delta Air Lines (с пересадками в Париже и Нью-Йорке).
Средняя стоимость билетов туда-обратно – чуть больше $1000. Замечу, что чем раньше заказывать билет, тем больше можно сэкономить. Кроме того, цена билета зависит и от времени года. В разгар пляжного сезона и во время зимних праздников цены самые высокие и могут увеличиваться вдвое.
Решив вопрос с билетами, стоит подумать и о медицинской страховке:
в путешествии случается всякое, а счета в американских больницах повергнут в шок кого угодно. Даже простая операция по удалению аппендикса без страховки может заметно ударить по бюджету.
Трансфер из аэропорта
Общественный транспорт в Калифорнии развит слабо, так что почти наверняка вам потребуется заранее подумать о трансфере. Автобусы и поезда, как мне кажется, не самый лучший вариант: в незнакомой стране после длительного перелета, да еще и с чемоданами ориентироваться будет непросто. Самый экономичный способ добраться из аэропорта до нужного вам города – заранее зарезервировать поездку на групповом такси, которые здесь называют шаттлами. Известные перевозчики – Supershuttle (www.supershuttle.com) и LAX Airport Shuttle (www.laxairportshuttle.com), но другие компании, логотипы которых вы в изобилии обнаружите в аэропорту, должны быть ничуть не хуже.
В обычный шаттл помещается около семи пассажиров с багажом. Выбрать удобное время трансфера, зарезервировать места и оплатить поездку можно по интернету за несколько дней до отлета. Поездка обычно обходится в сумму до $70 c пассажира. Цена зависит от продолжительности поездки.
Поезда
Путешествия на поезде по Калифорнии сравнительно недороги. Например, поездка от Union Station в Лос-Анджелесе до самого сердца Сан-Франциско, туристического центра Fisherman's Wharf, что на берегу Тихого океана, займет 9 часов 10 минут и обойдется в $54. Часть этого времени уйдет на автобусные перемещения между станциями, которые уже включены в стоимость билета. Путешествие на поезде из Лос-Анджелеса в Сан-Диего займет всего 2 часа 38 минут, и автобус вам уже не понадобится: если будете выезжать в 7 20 утра, к 9 58 окажетесь в центре старой части города. Спланировать маршрут и рассчитать время в пути и стоимость билета можно на сайте компании-перевозчика Amtrak (www.amtrak.com).
Единственный недостаток железнодорожных перевозок в Калифорнии состоит в том, что интервалы между поездами достаточно велики.
Говорят, раньше железнодорожное сообщение было развито гораздо лучше, но с тех пор, как этот вид бизнеса перешел в руки автоконцернов, железные дороги сдали позиции. Кроме того, довольно часто в путешествиях между городами, чтобы добраться от одной станции до другой и продолжить путешествие, нужно пользоваться автобусом, что тоже не ускоряет перемещение из точки «а»в точку «б».
Спланировать маршрут и рассчитать время в пути и стоимость билета можно на сайте компании-перевозчика Amtrak (www.amtrak.com).
Аренда машины
На машине по Калифорнии путешествовать удобнее всего. Это и проще, и бюджетнее, и интереснее. Учитывая, что дожидаться пригородных автобусов и поездов приходится не один десяток минут, а иногда и час-другой, аренда автомобиля, несомненно, предоставит вам дополнительную степень свободы. К тому же виды со знаменитого Первого шоссе (Pacific Coast Highway), которое соединяет север и юг штата, открываются исключительные.
Арендовать автомобиль можно прямо аэропорту, в сетевой конторе вроде Enterprise, Budget или Hertz. Выбрать машину и разместить заказ можно заранее по интернету, а в день прибытия лишь появиться в офисе аренды с распечаткой-подтверждением заказа.
При этом международные права перед поездкой оформлять вовсе не обязательно.
Российские права в подтверждение вашей способности водить у вас, скорее всего, примут. Если не в первой конторе, то во второй точно. Только в аэропорту Лос-Анджелеса LAX таких компаний около десяти. Машина обойдется вам примерно в $150 в неделю (в зависимости от возраста водителя, на которого будет оформлен договор, класса машины и продолжительности аренды). Кроме того, цена аренды будет зависеть и от того, какой тип страховки вы выберете. Дешевле всего воспользоваться кредитной картой Visa: немногие знают, что, расплачиваясь за аренду кредитной картой этой платежной системы, владелец покрывает гражданскую ответственность в случае ДТП. Теоретически вы можете вернуть автомобиль в любой из офисов компании, где оформите аренду, но за это придется доплатить.
Обязательно возьмите машину с GPS. Навигатор в Калифорнии – вещь незаменимая. Даже в удаленном от крупных городов южном графстве Оранж Каунти, что между Лос-Анджелесом и Сан-Диего, с несколькими главными улицами, пересекающими шоссе, инструкции навигатора бывают очень кстати. Ездить в Америке приходится далеко: отправиться километров за 20-30 на работу тут в порядке вещей. Пропустишь поворот на шоссе – и все, разворот будет уже в соседнем городе. Остановиться и спросить у кого-то из местных, где тут автосервис, невозможно – в пригородах немноголюдно. Да что немноголюдно, там порой на улице вообще нет пешеходов. Одни машины.
Места парковки
Стоит отметить, что правила дорожного движения в Калифорнии заметно отличаются от российских. Движение тут, как и в России, правостороннее, но в Калифорнии разрешены правые повороты на красный свет после полной остановки: главное убедиться, что вы не создадите помеху движению и не помешаете пешеходам.
Разметка на парковках здесь тоже несколько другая.
Для того чтобы не разыскивать свою машину на штрафстоянке, запомните, что парковочные места в США делятся на три типа. Временная парковка, часто до 30 минут, с выкрашенным в зеленый цвет бордюром возле парковочного места. Разрешенное время стоянки обычно указывается белым поверх зеленой краски. Такую парковку часто можно обнаружить вблизи кафе и ресторанов. Иногда заведения и магазины указывают, что отмеченные специальным знаком участки предназначены только для клиентов.
Синим отмечены места для парковки инвалидов. Если на припаркованном автомобиле нет специального разрешения, то он будет отогнан, а владельцу выпишут штраф.
На парковочных местах c бордюром белого цвета или вовсе не окрашенных можно оставлять машину долго, если рядом не висит знак, запрещающий стоянку, или вы не перегораживаете въезд в чей-то гараж возле дома. Красным выкрашены бордюры, которые всегда должны оставаться свободными. Они для того, чтобы обеспечить доступ пожарной машине.
Довольно часто, особенно в туристических местах и в крупных городах, рядом с парковочными местами стоят специальные автоматы для оплаты, которые принимают мелочь.
В последнее время появляется все больше автоматов, которые принимают к оплате за парковку кредитные карты. Если вы паркуетесь в аэропорту, у больницы или музея, то въезд на большую многоуровневую парковку часто перегораживает шлагбаум. У въезда – или специальный человек, который принимает деньги и выдает талоны, подтверждающие оплату, или машина, которая проделывает то же самое автоматически.
Вдоль шоссе близ более или менее крупных городов оборудованы зоны для отдыха водителей.
Вдоль трассы то и дело мелькают мотели и гостиницы. Многие американские семьи арендуют фургоны и путешествуют вдоль побережья целыми семьями, делая остановки на пляжах. Для тех, кто перемещается в таких фургонах, тоже есть специальные стоянки, где за небольшую плату передвижной дом можно подключить к канализации.
Когда ехать
Осень и зима на юге Калифорнии напомнят вам начало лета и позднюю весну в России. Заметное понижение температуры здесь начинается только ближе к Дню Благодарения, который всегда выпадает на последний четверг ноября. В конце осени разница между югом и севером штата становится особенно ощутима.
Средняя температура на юге Калифорнии ниже всего в декабре и январе - около +14 градусов Цельсия.
Сапоги вам понадобятся разве что во время проливного дождя, какие случаются пару раз в год, а легкого свитера днем в начале зимы будет вполне достаточно. Снега зимой в окрестностях Лос-Анджелеса и Сан-Диего не бывает вообще, разве что в горах.
В это же время в окрестностях Сан-Франциско вам пригодятся куртка, теплый свитер и шарф, а может быть, даже и перчатки с сапогами. Там зимой в среднем не ниже -5 по Цельсию. Впрочем, для человека, привыкшего к суровомy российскому климату, калифорнийские «минус пять» – не такой уж и мороз.
Самые жаркие недели в Калифорнии – в июне, июле и августе.
Март, апрель и май, а также ранняя осень – идеальное время для экскурсий. Если вы хотите провести отпуск на пляже, то планируйте каникулы на середину или конец лета. К сентябрю на юге штата, у границы с Мексикой, океан достигает максимальной температуры. В это время воздух прогревается минимум до +30 в тени. На севере Калифорнии в это же время столбик термометра редко поднимается выше +25, но даже там вы загорите, не предпринимая усилий. Независимо от температуры за окном перед выходом на улицу лучше наносить на лицо слой защитного крема: под калифорнийским солнцем неподготовленная кожа может обгореть всего за день.
Где жить
Вполне себе приличный номер с видом в Лос-Анджелесе сейчас оцениваются приблизительно в $109-159 за ночь. Пригород неизменно дешевле – можно уложиться в $80. В Сан-Франциско или Сан-Диего гостиничный номер с видом обойдется примерно в ту же цену, но если поискать, то в любом из крупных городов Калифорнии можно обнаружить номера и за полсотни, чуть поодаль от главных достопримечательностей.
Больше всего можно сэкономить, если присмотревшись к местным мотелям.
Они обычно не дороже $70, а по спецпредложениям бывают варианты и того дешевле. Завтрак в гостинице эконом-класса, впрочем, вряд ли вас впечатлит, не говоря уже об интерьере и обслуживании, которое сводится здесь только к уборке комнат. За эти деньги можно рассчитывать на кофе по-американски или эспрессо, печенье, круассаны, джем, большую комнату с душем, тумбочкой и кроватью посередине небольшой комнаты.
Поскольку завтраки в мотелях скромные, а обедов и ужинов обычно не бывает, питаться вам придется в кафе и ресторанах.
Бюджет на еду можно формировать исходя из того, где вы планируете питаться. Средний чек на человека во многом зависит от класса заведения и города, но $30 на человека нам с мужем всегда хватало на сытный горячий обед, а за $15 можно перехватить добротный сэндвич и кофе в «Старбаксе». Потратив не больше $10, можно купить тот же набор продуктов в гастрономе. Узнайте, нет ли поблизости Trader Joe's, Whole Foods и Gelson's – эти магазины калифорнийцы любят особенно, и вы поймете почему.
На первый взгляд может показаться, что разумнее всего поселиться в большом городе, как можно ближе к центральной улице и к основным достопримечательностям. Но чтобы посмотреть город, селиться в самом центре не обязательно. Как правило, в пригородах большой выбор бюджетных номеров, а желающих устроить экскурсии по-прежнему хоть отбавляй.
пятница, 2 октября 2009 г.
The nation's labor market took a turn for the worse in September as employers eliminated a net 263,000 jobs, far more than expected and reversing a pattern of steadily declining payroll losses in recent months, the Labor Department said today.
September's unemployment rate ticked up to a 26-year high of 9.8% from 9.7% in August and 6.2% in September 2008. The jobless figure is expected to pierce 10% before the end of the year, an ominous sign for the holiday shopping season.Although the unemployment rate was expected to edge higher last month, the size of the job cuts came as a surprise and casts a shadow on an economy that has been showing signs of recovering. Many analysts had generally expected a drop of about 170,000 to 190,000 jobs last month, after a loss of 201,000 jobs in August.Last month's job reductions were felt in almost every major sector, except for healthcare, which added 19,000 jobs as it has continued to grow during the recession.Construction payrolls fell by 64,000 over the month, and manufacturing lost 51,000 jobs. Factory employment has now fallen by 2.1 million since the recession began in December 2007.Government employment also shrank last month, by 51,000 jobs, and the retail industry staffing was down 39,000.In the third quarter, job losses averaged 256,000 a month. That is down from average monthly declines of 428,000 in the second quarter and 691,000 in the first three months of the year.Still, the September labor statistics indicated that employers are still paring down their workforces, even after eliminating more than 7 million jobs since the start of the recession.What's more, the average weekly hours of work dropped to a record low of 33 last month, indicating that employers are continuing to impose furloughs and reduced work hours.Small businesses, in particular, are continuing to trim payrolls as they struggle to lower costs, said William Dunkelberg, chief economist at the National Federation of Independent Business, a lobby group for small firms. Over the next three months, twice as many small employers are planning to reduce jobs than add to their staffing, according to the federation's survey in September."Retail sales are rising but not enough to trigger the hiring of additional employees," he said. "The job-generating machine is still in reverse."
вторник, 15 сентября 2009 г.
MTV VMA
Madonna honors Michael
By Emily Christianson and Kate Stanhope Madonna made a touching surprise appearance to introduce the Michael Jackson tribute. At times, Madge gave more focus to the qualities shared between herself and the late pop star rather than the qualities that made him the King of Pop. However, she redeemed herself with a story of their early friendship and by discussing the obstacles Jackson faced in his final years. Madonna noted how "obsessed" her sons are with Jackson ("there's a lot of crotch-grabbing and a moonwalking going on in my house") was a bit of an overshare but an important sentiment to the lasting power of Jackson's legacy.
By Emily Christianson and Kate Stanhope Madonna made a touching surprise appearance to introduce the Michael Jackson tribute. At times, Madge gave more focus to the qualities shared between herself and the late pop star rather than the qualities that made him the King of Pop. However, she redeemed herself with a story of their early friendship and by discussing the obstacles Jackson faced in his final years. Madonna noted how "obsessed" her sons are with Jackson ("there's a lot of crotch-grabbing and a moonwalking going on in my house") was a bit of an overshare but an important sentiment to the lasting power of Jackson's legacy.
четверг, 10 сентября 2009 г.
USC warns female students about van offering rides
USC warns female students about van offering rides
Authorities at USC are warning that two men cruising in a minivan near campus have been trying to lure female students into the vehicle by offering them free rides.
The vehicle is similar to the vans that the university uses as part of its free shuttle service, according to the USC Department of Public Safety.
Female students have reported being approached by two men in the van on several occasions in recent weeks, school officials said.
The van has dual sliding doors and custom black and chrome rims. Witnesses have described the driver as having long hair and wearing sunglasses and a black beret or watch cap, officials said.
Authorities said the USC shuttle service only responds to calls from students and does not roam the streets to give people rides.
Authorities at USC are warning that two men cruising in a minivan near campus have been trying to lure female students into the vehicle by offering them free rides.
The vehicle is similar to the vans that the university uses as part of its free shuttle service, according to the USC Department of Public Safety.
Female students have reported being approached by two men in the van on several occasions in recent weeks, school officials said.
The van has dual sliding doors and custom black and chrome rims. Witnesses have described the driver as having long hair and wearing sunglasses and a black beret or watch cap, officials said.
Authorities said the USC shuttle service only responds to calls from students and does not roam the streets to give people rides.
среда, 19 августа 2009 г.
Penalty - death
Steven Anthony Jones, a 41-year old black man, was sentenced to death Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Jones had been convicted of multiple crimes in a spree that began when he shot and killed a man during a November 2004 robbery at a Quartz Hill car wash. The Times' Jack Leonard reported from a downtown courtroom:
Jurors described him as a "killing machine." A prosecutor likened him to a crocodile lurking in the water awaiting his prey. Even one of his attorneys acknowledged his startling resume of violence.On Friday, Steven Anthony Jones was sentenced to death for fatally shooting one man in an execution-style robbery and bludgeoning to death a woman during a long string of violence, torture and rape that stretched from Lancaster to Arizona and into a Los Angeles County jail.Jones, who had interrupted his trial earlier this year with several outbursts, muttered complaints to himself as Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy listed his many convictions."Mr. Jones, be quiet," the judge snapped."No, you shut up," Jones, 41, shot back. A sheriff's deputy moved toward him, and Jones, wearing orange jail scrubs and with his hands cuffed to a waist chain, fell silent.
Jurors described him as a "killing machine." A prosecutor likened him to a crocodile lurking in the water awaiting his prey. Even one of his attorneys acknowledged his startling resume of violence.On Friday, Steven Anthony Jones was sentenced to death for fatally shooting one man in an execution-style robbery and bludgeoning to death a woman during a long string of violence, torture and rape that stretched from Lancaster to Arizona and into a Los Angeles County jail.Jones, who had interrupted his trial earlier this year with several outbursts, muttered complaints to himself as Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy listed his many convictions."Mr. Jones, be quiet," the judge snapped."No, you shut up," Jones, 41, shot back. A sheriff's deputy moved toward him, and Jones, wearing orange jail scrubs and with his hands cuffed to a waist chain, fell silent.
fuck off school LA
More California students in the class of 2009 than ever before took the ACT college entrance exam, and they outperformed their peers nationally, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.
"I am pleased to see that a record number of California students this year took the ACT college readiness exam," said state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "This continued increase is a clear indication that each year growing numbers of our students are setting and reaching a higher standard and making the decision to go on to college."
Nearly 81,500 Californians in the class of 2009 took the exam, compared with 51,600 five years ago. Nearly three in 10 met benchmarks in all four content areas -- English, math, social studies and science -- that predict that they will have a 50% chance of earning Bs in corresponding college courses, and a 75% chance of receiving at least a C, according to the organization. The scores vary dramatically among subject areas, with 73% of test takers predicted to be ready for a college level composition class, compared with 33% for college level biology.
California students did better than their peers in other states, but all groups' achievement levels show that educators have much work to do in ensuring that students are college ready, ACT officials said.
“While there are certainly encouraging signs, the data overwhelmingly point to the need for continued improvement in our education system,” said Cynthia B. Schmeiser, president and chief operating officer of ACT’s education division. “Collectively, we all have an obligation and a responsibility to do everything within our power to make sure our nation’s students are better prepared for college and work upon graduation. Our students, schools, districts, states and nation cannot afford otherwise.”
O'Connell added that the persistent gap between the scores of white and Asian students and their Latino and African American peers is unacceptable.
This achievement gap "is leaving far too many of our students of color behind their peers," he said. "From an economic, social and moral perspective, we simply cannot afford to allow these gaps to persist. We must effectively prepare all of our students to meet the challenges they will face in the increasingly competitive global economy."
The ACT has long been popular in the Midwest, while the rival SAT is dominant on the coasts. The SAT still has far greater market share in California, with more than 205,100 students in the class of 2008 here taking that three-part exam. SAT results for the class of 2009 will be released next week.
"I am pleased to see that a record number of California students this year took the ACT college readiness exam," said state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "This continued increase is a clear indication that each year growing numbers of our students are setting and reaching a higher standard and making the decision to go on to college."
Nearly 81,500 Californians in the class of 2009 took the exam, compared with 51,600 five years ago. Nearly three in 10 met benchmarks in all four content areas -- English, math, social studies and science -- that predict that they will have a 50% chance of earning Bs in corresponding college courses, and a 75% chance of receiving at least a C, according to the organization. The scores vary dramatically among subject areas, with 73% of test takers predicted to be ready for a college level composition class, compared with 33% for college level biology.
California students did better than their peers in other states, but all groups' achievement levels show that educators have much work to do in ensuring that students are college ready, ACT officials said.
“While there are certainly encouraging signs, the data overwhelmingly point to the need for continued improvement in our education system,” said Cynthia B. Schmeiser, president and chief operating officer of ACT’s education division. “Collectively, we all have an obligation and a responsibility to do everything within our power to make sure our nation’s students are better prepared for college and work upon graduation. Our students, schools, districts, states and nation cannot afford otherwise.”
O'Connell added that the persistent gap between the scores of white and Asian students and their Latino and African American peers is unacceptable.
This achievement gap "is leaving far too many of our students of color behind their peers," he said. "From an economic, social and moral perspective, we simply cannot afford to allow these gaps to persist. We must effectively prepare all of our students to meet the challenges they will face in the increasingly competitive global economy."
The ACT has long been popular in the Midwest, while the rival SAT is dominant on the coasts. The SAT still has far greater market share in California, with more than 205,100 students in the class of 2008 here taking that three-part exam. SAT results for the class of 2009 will be released next week.
пятница, 7 августа 2009 г.
2009 in pop music: It's Hannah Montana, Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson
With an additional 114,000 copies sold this week, Michael Jackson's hits collection "Number Ones" has become 2009's second-best selling album, according to Nielsen SoundScan data released to Billboard. Largely over the last month, "Number Ones" has sold 1.37 million copies. The only artist that stands in Jackson's way, as of this week, is country superstar Taylor Swift, whose 2008 effort "Fearless" has shifted an additional 1.5 million copies in 2009.
With an industry onslaught of Jackson merch and product on the horizon, including everything from a film to virtual tattoos, the prognosis is strong for him to overtake Swift and end up with the year's bestselling album.
In the days after Jackson's death, digital sales of his albums outweighed physical sales. Of the 422,000 albums Jackson sold in the shortened sales week, 241,000 came from the digital sector. Since then, physical has taken the lead, largely, Billboard tells us, due to major labels catching up to consumer demand, and getting CDs back in the marketplace.
No surprises here. In the wake of the pop icon's death, his sales would expectantly skyrocket, and if there's one thing major labels still excel at, it's flooding the market faster than one can say "more Beatles reissues" with albums from artists who haven't recorded a noteworthy track in more than 20 years.
But it certainly doesn't mean the physical CD is still a force to be reckoned with.
Of the albums actually released in 2009, the only ones selling close to Jackson's numbers are the soundtrack to "Hannah Montana: The Movie" and Eminem's "Relapse." "Hannah" has sold 1.33 million copies, and "Relapse" stands at 1.31 million. One is a multi-tiered promotional tie-in to a Disney Channel phenomenon, and the other is the return of a veteran artist who knows how to score media headlines.
More interesting than how Jackson has dominated sales for the last five weeks is the fact that most of 2009's big releases -- at least the ones tipped as blockbuster albums -- are puttering along. There's U2's "No Line on the Horizon," which was entering August with fewer than 1 million units sold in five months.
There's Bruce Springsteen's "Working on a Dream," which has fallen out of Billboard's top 200 albums. There's Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted," which is crawling toward 700,000 copies sold. On the bright side, Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" and Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." are holding up, having passed the 700,000 mark in less than three months.
Still, that's not exactly reason to be hopeful for the coming holiday season. Big albums from Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Madonna and supposedly Lil Wayne are on the horizon, but there appears to be more desperation in the air than excitement.
Jay-Z is fighting for relevancy by mocking the Auto-Tune trend and Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" has been turned into a mini-billboard of high-end advertisements. Next week, Surgarland may top the chart with "Live on the Inside." It'd be a nice score for the rising country duo, but it's a retail exclusive at WalMart -- a combo CD/DVD selling for a low price of $12 -- and another slap-in-the-face to the remaining mom-and-pop record stores.
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group today posted a wide third-quarter loss of $37 million, with CD sales dropping 8.3% from a year ago. Overall, sales are down close to 20% from the same period a year ago, according to Billboard. Jackson's post-death CD sales are impressive, sure, from a purely business perspective, but they're not going to reverse a trend, or give the CD a longer leash on life.
With an industry onslaught of Jackson merch and product on the horizon, including everything from a film to virtual tattoos, the prognosis is strong for him to overtake Swift and end up with the year's bestselling album.
In the days after Jackson's death, digital sales of his albums outweighed physical sales. Of the 422,000 albums Jackson sold in the shortened sales week, 241,000 came from the digital sector. Since then, physical has taken the lead, largely, Billboard tells us, due to major labels catching up to consumer demand, and getting CDs back in the marketplace.
No surprises here. In the wake of the pop icon's death, his sales would expectantly skyrocket, and if there's one thing major labels still excel at, it's flooding the market faster than one can say "more Beatles reissues" with albums from artists who haven't recorded a noteworthy track in more than 20 years.
But it certainly doesn't mean the physical CD is still a force to be reckoned with.
Of the albums actually released in 2009, the only ones selling close to Jackson's numbers are the soundtrack to "Hannah Montana: The Movie" and Eminem's "Relapse." "Hannah" has sold 1.33 million copies, and "Relapse" stands at 1.31 million. One is a multi-tiered promotional tie-in to a Disney Channel phenomenon, and the other is the return of a veteran artist who knows how to score media headlines.
More interesting than how Jackson has dominated sales for the last five weeks is the fact that most of 2009's big releases -- at least the ones tipped as blockbuster albums -- are puttering along. There's U2's "No Line on the Horizon," which was entering August with fewer than 1 million units sold in five months.
There's Bruce Springsteen's "Working on a Dream," which has fallen out of Billboard's top 200 albums. There's Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted," which is crawling toward 700,000 copies sold. On the bright side, Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" and Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." are holding up, having passed the 700,000 mark in less than three months.
Still, that's not exactly reason to be hopeful for the coming holiday season. Big albums from Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Madonna and supposedly Lil Wayne are on the horizon, but there appears to be more desperation in the air than excitement.
Jay-Z is fighting for relevancy by mocking the Auto-Tune trend and Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" has been turned into a mini-billboard of high-end advertisements. Next week, Surgarland may top the chart with "Live on the Inside." It'd be a nice score for the rising country duo, but it's a retail exclusive at WalMart -- a combo CD/DVD selling for a low price of $12 -- and another slap-in-the-face to the remaining mom-and-pop record stores.
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group today posted a wide third-quarter loss of $37 million, with CD sales dropping 8.3% from a year ago. Overall, sales are down close to 20% from the same period a year ago, according to Billboard. Jackson's post-death CD sales are impressive, sure, from a purely business perspective, but they're not going to reverse a trend, or give the CD a longer leash on life.
upgrade Obama
Our compatriots over in the Calendar section have posted the news that President Obama has made the grade -- style-wise anyway -- and has joined his wife (who has made the cut twice before) on Vanity Fair's 2009 International Best-Dressed List.
That should come as a bit of a shock to those who pilloried the POTUS for the so-called "dad jeans" he wore while throwing out the first pitch at the MLB All-Star game (even "Today's" Meredith Viera felt the need to ask the leader of the free world about his jeans).
I say so-called because as noted here, Obama was actually wearing a pair of Levi Strauss 501s (and I thought he looked a lot less dorky in his denim than he did on the campaign trail).
My theory? The matchy-matchy approach (see his necktie and the waistband of her dress in the above photo) shows a thoughtful approach -- and a recognition of the powerful impression personal style can make. I first noticed this when then-candidate Obama and former rival Hillary Clinton appeared together in what appeared to be a carefully coordinated shade of blue.
And, really, wouldn't you prefer he stick to hiking up his jeans -- and not taxes?
Top photo: President Obama (above with First Lady Michelle Obama), made Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List for the first time, joining his wife, who has been named twice before.
12:04 PM PT, Aug 6 2009
That should come as a bit of a shock to those who pilloried the POTUS for the so-called "dad jeans" he wore while throwing out the first pitch at the MLB All-Star game (even "Today's" Meredith Viera felt the need to ask the leader of the free world about his jeans).
I say so-called because as noted here, Obama was actually wearing a pair of Levi Strauss 501s (and I thought he looked a lot less dorky in his denim than he did on the campaign trail).
My theory? The matchy-matchy approach (see his necktie and the waistband of her dress in the above photo) shows a thoughtful approach -- and a recognition of the powerful impression personal style can make. I first noticed this when then-candidate Obama and former rival Hillary Clinton appeared together in what appeared to be a carefully coordinated shade of blue.
And, really, wouldn't you prefer he stick to hiking up his jeans -- and not taxes?
Top photo: President Obama (above with First Lady Michelle Obama), made Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List for the first time, joining his wife, who has been named twice before.
12:04 PM PT, Aug 6 2009
вторник, 4 августа 2009 г.
Afghanistan ride-a-long with Gen. Stanley McChrystal
As top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, McChrystal travels several days a week across the country, visiting base camps and meeting Afghan officials, some of whom give him an earful.
Reporting from Camp Kunduz, Afghanistan -- As Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's helicopter flies over the steep mountains and deep valleys of Afghanistan, he gazes at a remote village below. Mud huts cling to the side of the peaks like barnacles. They are barely accessible by road."I am sure many of the people living in that village have never left," McChrystal says. "It must be a harsh life, but also simple."
He pauses, and adds, "There's something to be said for simplicity." There's nothing simple about McChrystal's life. As the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, he spends several days a week visiting base camps across the country and meeting with local officials, some of whom have plenty of grievances. One day last week, McChrystal arrived before lunch at Camp Kunduz, not far from the border with Tajikistan. The first order of business is a show-and-tell by the German troops there, who displayed their high-tech equipment, including armored personnel carriers, a mobile rocket launcher and surveillance drones.
"Do they make a lot of noise? How do you get them back?" McChrystal asks one of the German soldiers. (More than 3,500 German troops serving in a NATO-led force are deployed in northern Afghanistan and Kabul.)After reviewing the lineup of military might, McChrystal heads to the base for a briefing, which he has requested not include a PowerPoint presentation. The session lasts more than an hour, which is short in comparison to his next Q-and-A with community leaders from Kunduz province. To get safely into town, McChrystal is transported in a German convoy of 11 Humvees sandwiched between two armored personnel carriers from which soldiers keep watch through submarine-style scopes. The convoy looks more like a military parade (without the waving flags) than a public relations mission. But security is an issue; the number of insurgent attacks is on the rise. Kunduz Gov. Mohammad Omar, an engineer by training, greets the general with traditional Afghan hospitality. A dozen representatives of various armed forces, including leaders of the Afghan, German and American military and Afghan police, are gathered, all with notepads in hand. Some of the chairs still have their plastic wrapping and USAID stickers. The governor wastes no time in stating his needs."We need four helicopters here, so that we can react more quickly to the enemy," he says. "We have a very big river which divides the province and we are not able to maintain control on both sides. The river in this province is a big obstacle at certain times of the year."He says he needs more police but that police are allocated by the number of districts, not population, and his province has only six districts."For a long time," Omar says, "I have requested that the number of districts . . . . be increased.""In the beginning of the interim government, it was very peaceful here, but now we have security problems," he says. "The people here cannot send their girls to school. "As long as we have this open border with Pakistan, this problem is going to exist for a long time. I guarantee you, if we don't do something about the situation here, we will be as busy here [in Kunduz] as we are in Helmand."McChrystal asks about the local Taliban. The governor responds: "The Taliban leaders here are from Helmand and the rest are from Pakistan. . . . Their families don't live here, so we don't have any way to control them." "That's why I am here," McChrystal says. "I spoke to President Karzai recently and I am very worried about Kunduz," he says. "I think we need to look at how we operate. I think there are better ways. What we need to do is understand the problem and look at the resources. We -- the coalition -- need to change the way we partner with the Afghan forces so that we partner more closely as we go forward."I agree on the weapons and barracks, but that is a part of the bigger process. I can't promise anything."But I am going to ask that we grow the Afghan forces faster than we are now." As the two-hour meeting ends, Omar presents McChrystal with a traditional coat, which he briefly puts on. The convoy pulls out in the direction of the marketplace, where the plan is to stop to greet locals. Instead, the convoy goes in circles, as Afghan police stop traffic and people stare warily. It's unclear why the bazaar visit is canceled, but security is mentioned as a concern. German convoys have been attacked several times in recent months. On the hourlong ride back to Kabul, the general types notes on his laptop, occasionally glancing outside. At a few thousand feet, Afghanistan appears picturesque and peaceful. The temperature drops as the chopper crosses the highest peaks, where snow and ice remain year-round.Next, the aircraft drops into the Shomali plain, north of Kabul, the site of fierce American bombing in late 2001. The fields are now green and groomed. "It looks good down there," McChrystal says. The copter finally descends into Kabul, where houses rise on the surrounding hills."I used to deliver newspapers as a boy, and those hills would have been a tough route," he says, reminiscing. " . . . That was a good job."
Reporting from Camp Kunduz, Afghanistan -- As Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's helicopter flies over the steep mountains and deep valleys of Afghanistan, he gazes at a remote village below. Mud huts cling to the side of the peaks like barnacles. They are barely accessible by road."I am sure many of the people living in that village have never left," McChrystal says. "It must be a harsh life, but also simple."
He pauses, and adds, "There's something to be said for simplicity." There's nothing simple about McChrystal's life. As the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, he spends several days a week visiting base camps across the country and meeting with local officials, some of whom have plenty of grievances. One day last week, McChrystal arrived before lunch at Camp Kunduz, not far from the border with Tajikistan. The first order of business is a show-and-tell by the German troops there, who displayed their high-tech equipment, including armored personnel carriers, a mobile rocket launcher and surveillance drones.
"Do they make a lot of noise? How do you get them back?" McChrystal asks one of the German soldiers. (More than 3,500 German troops serving in a NATO-led force are deployed in northern Afghanistan and Kabul.)After reviewing the lineup of military might, McChrystal heads to the base for a briefing, which he has requested not include a PowerPoint presentation. The session lasts more than an hour, which is short in comparison to his next Q-and-A with community leaders from Kunduz province. To get safely into town, McChrystal is transported in a German convoy of 11 Humvees sandwiched between two armored personnel carriers from which soldiers keep watch through submarine-style scopes. The convoy looks more like a military parade (without the waving flags) than a public relations mission. But security is an issue; the number of insurgent attacks is on the rise. Kunduz Gov. Mohammad Omar, an engineer by training, greets the general with traditional Afghan hospitality. A dozen representatives of various armed forces, including leaders of the Afghan, German and American military and Afghan police, are gathered, all with notepads in hand. Some of the chairs still have their plastic wrapping and USAID stickers. The governor wastes no time in stating his needs."We need four helicopters here, so that we can react more quickly to the enemy," he says. "We have a very big river which divides the province and we are not able to maintain control on both sides. The river in this province is a big obstacle at certain times of the year."He says he needs more police but that police are allocated by the number of districts, not population, and his province has only six districts."For a long time," Omar says, "I have requested that the number of districts . . . . be increased.""In the beginning of the interim government, it was very peaceful here, but now we have security problems," he says. "The people here cannot send their girls to school. "As long as we have this open border with Pakistan, this problem is going to exist for a long time. I guarantee you, if we don't do something about the situation here, we will be as busy here [in Kunduz] as we are in Helmand."McChrystal asks about the local Taliban. The governor responds: "The Taliban leaders here are from Helmand and the rest are from Pakistan. . . . Their families don't live here, so we don't have any way to control them." "That's why I am here," McChrystal says. "I spoke to President Karzai recently and I am very worried about Kunduz," he says. "I think we need to look at how we operate. I think there are better ways. What we need to do is understand the problem and look at the resources. We -- the coalition -- need to change the way we partner with the Afghan forces so that we partner more closely as we go forward."I agree on the weapons and barracks, but that is a part of the bigger process. I can't promise anything."But I am going to ask that we grow the Afghan forces faster than we are now." As the two-hour meeting ends, Omar presents McChrystal with a traditional coat, which he briefly puts on. The convoy pulls out in the direction of the marketplace, where the plan is to stop to greet locals. Instead, the convoy goes in circles, as Afghan police stop traffic and people stare warily. It's unclear why the bazaar visit is canceled, but security is mentioned as a concern. German convoys have been attacked several times in recent months. On the hourlong ride back to Kabul, the general types notes on his laptop, occasionally glancing outside. At a few thousand feet, Afghanistan appears picturesque and peaceful. The temperature drops as the chopper crosses the highest peaks, where snow and ice remain year-round.Next, the aircraft drops into the Shomali plain, north of Kabul, the site of fierce American bombing in late 2001. The fields are now green and groomed. "It looks good down there," McChrystal says. The copter finally descends into Kabul, where houses rise on the surrounding hills."I used to deliver newspapers as a boy, and those hills would have been a tough route," he says, reminiscing. " . . . That was a good job."
Clerical error may have put suspect in Burk's slaying back on street
Authorities weren’t aware that Charles Samuel was eligible to be prosecuted under the three-strikes law.Charles Samuel could have been serving life in prison under the state's three-strikes law for a 1997 burglary, but his rap sheet reflected only one prior strike when he had two, officials say.
A parolee accused of killing 17-year-old Lily Burk last month could have been serving a lengthy prison sentence instead of roaming the streets of Los Angeles but for a clerical error that misstated his criminal record, according to interviews and court documents reviewed by The Times.Because of the error, authorities did not know that Charles Samuel was eligible to be prosecuted under the state's tough three-strikes law when he was arrested for and convicted of burglary in San Bernardino County in 1997.
A San Bernardino County district attorney's official said he believed prosecutors would have filed the burglary charge as a third strike had Samuel's "rap sheet" properly shown that he had previous convictions that counted as two strikes rather than one."We were very aggressive on all three-strikes cases back then," said Assistant Dist. Atty. Dennis Christy.Under the three-strikes law, offenders convicted of a third strike face a minimum prison sentence of 25 years to life.
A second opportunity to prosecute Samuel under the three-strikes law came in 2006, when he was charged with petty theft in Los Angeles. A district attorney's spokeswoman said prosecutors also reviewed Samuel's criminal records and believe that at the time his case would not have been charged as a third strike.Even if prosecutors in L.A. County had known that he had two previous strikes, it was unclear whether they would have sought a life prison term for Samuel. Under Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley, prosecutors generally don't seek life sentences for repeat offenders unless the "third strike" involves a violent or serious crime, such as robbery.Samuel's repeated brushes with the criminal justice system underscore the complexity of the three-strikes law and raise the possibility that Burk's slaying could have been averted.Burk never returned to her Los Feliz home July 24 after running an errand for her mother at Southwestern Law School in the Mid-Wilshire area. That afternoon, she made two odd calls to her parents, asking how to use a credit card to withdraw cash at an ATM. Her body was discovered the next morning in her Volvo in a downtown parking lot. Her head had been beaten and her neck slashed.Police said footage from surveillance cameras shows Samuel, 50, driving from the area of the law school in Burk's car with the high school senior in the passenger seat, with Burk at a downtown ATM and then abandoning the car in the parking lot where Burk's body was found.Samuel's criminal record stretches over three decades and includes mostly minor theft and drug offenses.Under the 1994 three-strikes law, prosecutors are allowed to charge any felony -- however minor -- as a third strike if a defendant has previously been convicted of two crimes considered violent or serious.Court records reviewed by The Times show that Samuel pleaded guilty to robbery and residential burglary in 1987 in connection with a home-invasion robbery in San Bernardino.Residential burglary and robbery qualify as violent or serious strikes under the law.A law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity said Samuel's rap sheet lists his robbery conviction but does not describe his burglary conviction as a residential burglary. Under the three-strikes law, non-residential burglaries do not count as strikes.It is unclear who was responsible for the error.Gary Cooper, director of the state Department of Justice division that maintains rap sheet records, said mistakes were rare but that the accuracy of the database depends largely on the information received from police, prosecutors and the courts."We can only put in what we get," Cooper said. He declined to talk about Samuel's case, citing state law that requires that rap sheet records remain confidential.In the 1997 burglary case, San Bernardino County prosecutors alleged in court papers that Samuel had only one prior strike: his 1987 robbery conviction.Christy said district attorney's records also show that Samuel was convicted in 1987 of residential burglary. But he said that prosecutors usually review a more comprehensive criminal record maintained by the state Department of Justice rather than their own files when investigating a defendant's criminal history.
As best as I can tell, we looked at the rap sheet. From that, what we concluded is that [Samuel] only had one strike," Christy said. He declined to elaborate on the records reviewed, citing state confidentiality laws.Samuel was convicted of burglary and sentenced to two years and eight months in prison in the 1997 case.
Had prosecutors charged Samuel with a third strike, there is no guarantee that he would have been sent to prison for life.Judges have the authority to give shorter sentences under some circumstances.In the 1997 case, a judge might have been willing to grant Samuel leniency given the relatively minor nature of the offense: trying to steal a bottle of alcohol from a Food 4 Less store in Barstow.
Samuel might also have benefited from a controversy surrounding whether prosecutors could consider multiple convictions from the same crime as separate strikes.Though Christy said San Bernardino County's prosecutors were among those vigorously pursuing such cases in 1997, the California Supreme Court did not rule that such a strategy was legal until a year later.Today, prosecutors in several counties, including Los Angeles, are more cautious about charging three-strikes cases when a defendant is accused of a relatively minor crime, such as shoplifting or drug possession.Christy said San Bernardino prosecutors take into account public concern about using the law to severely punish minor offenses."I don't know today . . . that we would file this same case as a third strike," he said.
пятница, 31 июля 2009 г.
Cities approve 'Stadium to the Sea' route for L.A. Marathon
Santa Monica joins L.A., Beverly Hills and West Hollywood in signing off on the new route, which will begin at Dodger Stadium and end at the ocean.
Finally, the L.A. Marathon will make it to the Pacific.The new "Stadium to the Sea" route has received the imprimatur of the cities along the course, ensuring that runners next March 21 will have the point-to-point route they and organizers have favored.
On Tuesday, the Santa Monica City Council approved the plan to end the race at the ocean. Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood had already signed off on the dramatically altered route, which will begin at Dodger Stadium and pass through some of the region's best-known locations. Although the final 26.2-mile route has not been set, it is expected to wind through West Hollywood and along the Sunset Strip, proceed to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and, ultimately, pass through the Westside along San Vicente Boulevard to the ocean. In past years, runners have loped along a loop route through parts of the city not known for their stunning scenery.A bonus for elite runners is that the course trends downhill, which suggests that some record times might be in the offing. So that runners aren't marooned at the beach, shuttles or buses will be available to return participants to the stadium.
"We now have the tools to create a world-class marathon of which we all can be proud," said Russ Pillar, president of the Los Angeles Marathon.The Los Angeles City Council voted last year to move the marathon to Memorial Day, a Monday, after a number of churches along the race route complained that street closures and crowds on the traditional Sunday in March kept parishioners away. Marathon officials granted concessions to win religious leaders' support for a Sunday race. They will move the start time to 6:55 a.m. from 7:20 a.m. The route change will also ensure that runners don't pass by many churches.Officials in neighboring cities were practically giddy about the alterations. Santa Monica Mayor Ken Genser applauded the vision of the McCourt Group, which owns the marathon and the Dodgers, "to make this race a celebration of the entire Los Angeles region."And Beverly Hills Mayor Nancy Krasne said her city was "excited to host athletes and fans . . . and watch 20,000 participants run down Rodeo Drive." Even if they won't have time to stop and shop.
четверг, 30 июля 2009 г.
Los Angeles boy's beating death came after two exams, records show
Months before the body of a beaten 6-year-old boy was found on the floor of his home last week, strong evidence existed to suggest that he was the victim of sustained abuse at the hands of the man now accused of killing him, according to documents obtained by The Times.Authorities on Wednesday issued a murder warrant for Marcas Fisher, who police believe beat his ex-girlfriend's son, Dae'von Bailey, to death a week ago. Police cordoned off a South Los Angeles neighborhood Wednesday morning in what ended up being a fruitless search for Fisher. Detectives believe he is in hiding with aid from friends or family.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said Wednesday that social workers had approved an agreement between Fisher and the boy's mother that placed Dae'von in the man's home. Fisher had been convicted of rape as a teenager and had a criminal record as an adult.The appropriateness of that placement is one of several questions being raised by police and county officials about how social workers handled the case.On April 27, the county Department of Children and Family Services was informed that Fisher had shoved Dae'von into a bathroom sink, injuring the boy's nose and causing him to miss a week of school.
When a social worker arrived at the house two weeks later, Dae'von said Fisher had "socked him in the nose" but Fisher insisted that the boy's injury was from an "accident," according to documents obtained by The Times. Dae'von was treated for a contusion at a private medical office, the records show. But social workers ultimately allowed Dae'von to remain with Fisher.Then on June 3, the county received another allegation, that Fisher had punched Dae'von in the stomach. When social workers arrived, Dae'von said Fisher hit him in either the stomach or chest, according to the documents. One of his siblings confirmed the story -- but later recanted. Fisher denied hitting the boy.Again, Fisher took Dae'von to a doctor, and the medical provider who examined him later reported "there were no signs of physical abuse and stated that Dae'von had given more than one version of the incident. . . . She had no concerns for Dae'von," according to the documents. The county concluded that the boy's abuse allegations were "unfounded" and took no action.Less than a month later, the boy's body was found in a house on 87th Place. County records show that Dae'von's body was found with "multiple bruises, to his face, arm, chest, back, wrist and elbow . . . [and] multiple circular contusions to both feet."Social workers were not the only ones who knew about the earlier allegations of abuse. In an interview with The Times, LAPD Det. Frank Ramirez said that in April and June, the child had told adults at his school that he had been abused. Officials at the school informed the county, he said."The boy did what he should do," Ramirez said. "He reported it to the school, and the school did what they should do. They reported it to DCFS. And unfortunately he's dead."County officials want to know whether social workers did an adequate investigation of the alleged abuse, talking to people besides Fisher and the boy. They have also asked whether the doctors examined him properly.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said Wednesday that social workers had approved an agreement between Fisher and the boy's mother that placed Dae'von in the man's home. Fisher had been convicted of rape as a teenager and had a criminal record as an adult.The appropriateness of that placement is one of several questions being raised by police and county officials about how social workers handled the case.On April 27, the county Department of Children and Family Services was informed that Fisher had shoved Dae'von into a bathroom sink, injuring the boy's nose and causing him to miss a week of school.
When a social worker arrived at the house two weeks later, Dae'von said Fisher had "socked him in the nose" but Fisher insisted that the boy's injury was from an "accident," according to documents obtained by The Times. Dae'von was treated for a contusion at a private medical office, the records show. But social workers ultimately allowed Dae'von to remain with Fisher.Then on June 3, the county received another allegation, that Fisher had punched Dae'von in the stomach. When social workers arrived, Dae'von said Fisher hit him in either the stomach or chest, according to the documents. One of his siblings confirmed the story -- but later recanted. Fisher denied hitting the boy.Again, Fisher took Dae'von to a doctor, and the medical provider who examined him later reported "there were no signs of physical abuse and stated that Dae'von had given more than one version of the incident. . . . She had no concerns for Dae'von," according to the documents. The county concluded that the boy's abuse allegations were "unfounded" and took no action.Less than a month later, the boy's body was found in a house on 87th Place. County records show that Dae'von's body was found with "multiple bruises, to his face, arm, chest, back, wrist and elbow . . . [and] multiple circular contusions to both feet."Social workers were not the only ones who knew about the earlier allegations of abuse. In an interview with The Times, LAPD Det. Frank Ramirez said that in April and June, the child had told adults at his school that he had been abused. Officials at the school informed the county, he said."The boy did what he should do," Ramirez said. "He reported it to the school, and the school did what they should do. They reported it to DCFS. And unfortunately he's dead."County officials want to know whether social workers did an adequate investigation of the alleged abuse, talking to people besides Fisher and the boy. They have also asked whether the doctors examined him properly.
Both issues have come up before as the county has struggled to address a pattern in which children have been killed after their cases already had come to the attention of county child welfare officials.The use of private doctors to evaluate potential abuse has been the subject of debate, with critics saying doctors in private practice are not always trained to detect abuse.In the wake of Dae'von's death, Supervisor Gloria Molina has proposed a pilot program in parts of the San Gabriel Valley and the Eastside in which all children who come to the county's attention as possible child-abuse victims would be examined at a county facility by forensic pediatricians and other experts trained to spot abuse. Dr. Astrid Heger, executive director of the L.A. County-USC Violence Intervention Program, said Dae'von was exactly the kind of child who needed to be examined by experts at these county-run centers. There are currently six such "hubs," but children who come to the county's attention, like Dae'von, are not always referred to them."These kids are trying to figure out how to survive," Heger said. "It takes an enormous amount of courage for a child to say, 'He hit me.' It's like he's looking at you and me and saying, 'Rescue me.' And what happened? We didn't. And that's the tragedy."Molina has also recommended adding a new layer of oversight to the county's process for investigating allegations of child abuse. Under the proposal, a supervising social worker and an assistant regional administrator would review each case even when a social worker had determined the allegations to be "unfounded.""Who stepped forward to save this child?" asked Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who has called on the county board to appoint an independent investigator to thoroughly review Dae'von's case and look for breakdowns in the process.Family Services officials declined to answer specific questions, citing confidentiality rules and the fact that the investigation into the boy's death was continuing. But in a statement, Director Trish Ploehn said: "The entire department is grieving over the loss of this precious little boy. I have ordered a full investigation into this child's tragic death. We are in the process of identifying any and all individuals and agencies that may have had contact with this family. Any DCFS procedural or performance violations identified will be fully and swiftly addressed."Much remains unknown about the county's interactions with Dae'von and his family, including why the boy was not living with his mother, Tylette Davis, 28. In an interview with The Times last week, Davis said the boy was living with Fisher while she dealt "with some issues." It's unclear whether social workers knew of Fisher's criminal record when Dae'von went to live with him. Typically, criminal background checks are done on people who social workers believe neglected or abused a child.At the time of Dae'von's death, none of Davis' six children were living with her. Three were staying with her mother, two with Fisher and one with a cousin. All were taken into protective custody after Dae'von's death.On Wednesday, Davis said she had not known about the allegations of abuse in April and June. "If I had known, I would have taken the kids from him," she said. "My boy never told me anything like that."LAPD Cmdr. Patrick Gannon said detectives still have much ground to cover in the investigation, but one fact remains painfully clear."This child was beaten to death," he said. "There's no telling how long he suffered before dying."
понедельник, 27 июля 2009 г.
San Diego high-rise condo market goes from frenzy to fizzle
San Diego high-rise condo market goes from frenzy to fizzle
Thousands were built downtown in recent years, but many are unsold or in foreclosure and prices have plummeted. The upside is that those priced out of the area can afford them - if they can get loans.
Drive through California's sprawling inland suburbs and you'll spot the familiar mileposts of a real estate bust: foreclosure signs, brown lawns and abandoned subdivisions.To see the damage in downtown San Diego, walk a few blocks. Then look straight up.
There you'll see hundreds of unsold luxury condominiums stacked in vacant high-rises. Some units downtown are now selling for less than half what earlier buyers had paid during the market peak.These see-through buildings, with names evoking European sophistication like Aria and Vantage Pointe, are the opulent spatter from the bursting of one of California's flashiest housing bubbles.From 2001 through 2008, more than 8,000 condominium units were built in downtown San Diego. That's double the number of downtown units constructed over the same period in Los Angeles, a city three times its size. So while sales of urban high-rise units are convulsing elsewhere, nowhere is the collapse more dramatic than in downtown San Diego.
Flush with easy credit, developers and home buyers were eager to invest in "America's finest city," the nickname used by officials to tout San Diego's bay-side location and perfect climate.At the height of the frenzy, hopeful purchasers queued up outside sales offices to plunk down deposits. There were occasional arguments over who was first in line. No one wanted to miss out with condo values riding an elevator to the sky. Near the peak, in May 2004, median resale prices of downtown condos hit $647,500, a 56% increase in just three years, according to San Diego research firm MDA DataQuick. One savvy flipper made a $91,000 profit in less than two months in 2005 by reselling a 560-square-foot studio for $340,000. "There was a little bit of a mass hysteria mentality. . . . People thought they would be priced out of the market," said Bradford Willis, 47, who signed a contract in 2004 to purchase a $341,000, one-bedroom condo in a planned luxury development. Willis said he bought on speculation because there was little existing inventory on the market at the time, much of it priced above $500,000.Irrational exuberance has long since given way to buyer's remorse. Median resale prices for downtown units stood at $370,000 in June. That pricey 560-square-foot studio? It was foreclosed and resold this year for $162,000, down more than half from its 2005 sale price.Downtown San Diego, a 2.2-square-mile area, is now awash in condos. About 400 new and occupied ones are listed for sale, and more than 450 are in some stage of foreclosure and will eventually be put on the market. An additional 1,000 units that were under construction when the market soured are slated to be completed this year, adding to the glut and putting further downward pressure on prices. So far this year, 159 new homes have been sold downtown, according to DataQuick. At that pace, it would take several years to sell all the units recently completed or being finished this year. Developers are holding units off the market.Some companies have simply walked away. Los Angeles housing developer KB Home abandoned plans for a 184-unit luxury project in 2007, before construction began. The new owners of that downtown parcel are now building 226 units for low-income families."It was like the Gold Rush down there, and this is the fallout," said Peter Navarro, a UC Irvine professor of economics and public policy who in 1992 ran unsuccessfully for mayor of San Diego. The same factors that led to overbuilding everywhere, such as loose credit and false expectations of ever-rising prices, were at work in San Diego, Navarro said.Still, there were some unique forces pumping air into the bubble.Canadian developers with little experience in Southern California, starting with Nat Bosa, a prominent Vancouver, Canada, condo builder, led the condo charge downtown, overestimating its potential, experts said. Buyers likewise bet too heavily on the urban revival triggered by the 2004 completion of the Petco Park baseball stadium, home to the San Diego Padres. City policies encouraged multi-unit housing development in the lightly populated downtown area, where large projects could be built with little community resistance. Builders loved high-rise towers because they could sell more units on the same space. But that almost exclusive focus on upscale high-rises was a mistake, said Howard Blackson, who heads a San Diego urban design firm. Towers aren't as attractive to families as other types of housing, such as row houses or smaller, walk-up buildings, Blackson said. Nor were they affordable for many. With some three-bedroom units priced at more than $1 million, the pool of purchasers was limited.
Thousands were built downtown in recent years, but many are unsold or in foreclosure and prices have plummeted. The upside is that those priced out of the area can afford them - if they can get loans.
Drive through California's sprawling inland suburbs and you'll spot the familiar mileposts of a real estate bust: foreclosure signs, brown lawns and abandoned subdivisions.To see the damage in downtown San Diego, walk a few blocks. Then look straight up.
There you'll see hundreds of unsold luxury condominiums stacked in vacant high-rises. Some units downtown are now selling for less than half what earlier buyers had paid during the market peak.These see-through buildings, with names evoking European sophistication like Aria and Vantage Pointe, are the opulent spatter from the bursting of one of California's flashiest housing bubbles.From 2001 through 2008, more than 8,000 condominium units were built in downtown San Diego. That's double the number of downtown units constructed over the same period in Los Angeles, a city three times its size. So while sales of urban high-rise units are convulsing elsewhere, nowhere is the collapse more dramatic than in downtown San Diego.
Flush with easy credit, developers and home buyers were eager to invest in "America's finest city," the nickname used by officials to tout San Diego's bay-side location and perfect climate.At the height of the frenzy, hopeful purchasers queued up outside sales offices to plunk down deposits. There were occasional arguments over who was first in line. No one wanted to miss out with condo values riding an elevator to the sky. Near the peak, in May 2004, median resale prices of downtown condos hit $647,500, a 56% increase in just three years, according to San Diego research firm MDA DataQuick. One savvy flipper made a $91,000 profit in less than two months in 2005 by reselling a 560-square-foot studio for $340,000. "There was a little bit of a mass hysteria mentality. . . . People thought they would be priced out of the market," said Bradford Willis, 47, who signed a contract in 2004 to purchase a $341,000, one-bedroom condo in a planned luxury development. Willis said he bought on speculation because there was little existing inventory on the market at the time, much of it priced above $500,000.Irrational exuberance has long since given way to buyer's remorse. Median resale prices for downtown units stood at $370,000 in June. That pricey 560-square-foot studio? It was foreclosed and resold this year for $162,000, down more than half from its 2005 sale price.Downtown San Diego, a 2.2-square-mile area, is now awash in condos. About 400 new and occupied ones are listed for sale, and more than 450 are in some stage of foreclosure and will eventually be put on the market. An additional 1,000 units that were under construction when the market soured are slated to be completed this year, adding to the glut and putting further downward pressure on prices. So far this year, 159 new homes have been sold downtown, according to DataQuick. At that pace, it would take several years to sell all the units recently completed or being finished this year. Developers are holding units off the market.Some companies have simply walked away. Los Angeles housing developer KB Home abandoned plans for a 184-unit luxury project in 2007, before construction began. The new owners of that downtown parcel are now building 226 units for low-income families."It was like the Gold Rush down there, and this is the fallout," said Peter Navarro, a UC Irvine professor of economics and public policy who in 1992 ran unsuccessfully for mayor of San Diego. The same factors that led to overbuilding everywhere, such as loose credit and false expectations of ever-rising prices, were at work in San Diego, Navarro said.Still, there were some unique forces pumping air into the bubble.Canadian developers with little experience in Southern California, starting with Nat Bosa, a prominent Vancouver, Canada, condo builder, led the condo charge downtown, overestimating its potential, experts said. Buyers likewise bet too heavily on the urban revival triggered by the 2004 completion of the Petco Park baseball stadium, home to the San Diego Padres. City policies encouraged multi-unit housing development in the lightly populated downtown area, where large projects could be built with little community resistance. Builders loved high-rise towers because they could sell more units on the same space. But that almost exclusive focus on upscale high-rises was a mistake, said Howard Blackson, who heads a San Diego urban design firm. Towers aren't as attractive to families as other types of housing, such as row houses or smaller, walk-up buildings, Blackson said. Nor were they affordable for many. With some three-bedroom units priced at more than $1 million, the pool of purchasers was limited.
пятница, 24 июля 2009 г.
Makeover advised for gang member kicked by El Monte officer
Law Offices of Nick Pacheco
Richard Rodriguez, who was kicked in the head by an El Monte police officer, will cover his tattoos and grow hair to look like the Photoshop image at right.
The attorney of Richard Rodriguez, who has filed a $5-million legal claim against the city, wants his client to grow hair and wear a suit to cover his tattoos at trial.
Richard Rodriguez, who was kicked in the head by an El Monte police officer, will cover his tattoos and grow hair to look like the Photoshop image at right.
The attorney of Richard Rodriguez, who has filed a $5-million legal claim against the city, wants his client to grow hair and wear a suit to cover his tattoos at trial.
The attorney for a gang member kicked in the head by an El Monte police officer at the end of a televised car chase thinks his client has a great case. On Thursday, Nick Pacheco filed a $5-million legal claim against the city on behalf of the 23-year-old. But just in case, the attorney said his heavily tattooed client will be getting an extreme makeover in time for a trial, complete with a thick Tom Selleck mustache -- think "Magnum P.I." -- to cover the name of his street gang, which is inked on his upper lip. Richard Rodriguez will also grow hair to cover the tattoos on his shaved head. And he'll wear a nice, conservative suit.
To make his point, Pacheco used Photoshop to show the difference. In the booking photo, Rodriguez's head is shaved, and the name of his gang hangs over his lip. Tattoos climb his neck. In the "after" rendition, he's wearing a black suit with a metallic gray tie, neatly combed hair and a lush mustache. "People get past looks when you put on a suit and your hair is grown," Pacheco said.
Pacheco, a former L.A. councilman, said his client suffers from headaches and blurred vision, among other symptoms. Dieter Dammeier, attorney for the El Monte Police Officers Assn., said the officer acted within his training by using a "distraction blow" on Rodriguez.
To make his point, Pacheco used Photoshop to show the difference. In the booking photo, Rodriguez's head is shaved, and the name of his gang hangs over his lip. Tattoos climb his neck. In the "after" rendition, he's wearing a black suit with a metallic gray tie, neatly combed hair and a lush mustache. "People get past looks when you put on a suit and your hair is grown," Pacheco said.
Pacheco, a former L.A. councilman, said his client suffers from headaches and blurred vision, among other symptoms. Dieter Dammeier, attorney for the El Monte Police Officers Assn., said the officer acted within his training by using a "distraction blow" on Rodriguez.
среда, 22 июля 2009 г.
Eddie Cibrian's wife leaves him after more LeAnn Rimes rendevous
Eddie Cibrian's wife leaves him after more LeAnn Rimes rendevous
Eddie Cibrian's steadfast and loyal wife Brandi Glanville -- who accused singer LeAnn Rimes of stalking her husband -- has finally left him.
She tells Us Weekly: "Eddie and I have decided to take some time apart. I want to do what is best for our children. Eddie and LeAnn deserve each other."
The couple have two sons, ages 6 and 2.
The straw that broke her back was when Cibrian and Rimes were caught together (again) in the early afternoon of July 17 outside the Malibu home of Jeff Berger, a longtime friend of Rimes and her husband, Dean Sheremet.
What? Of her husband? OK, this is just too sick.
But there's more...
And then there was that news of Cibrian also having an affair with 24-year-old model Scheana Marie Jancan that also came to light around the same time.
Sources tell Us that Berger has been letting Rimes and Cibrian use his home for about a month.
Personally, we don't know how Brandi made it past that finger-sucking restaurant video of her husband and Rimes. That's hard to explain.
"Oh, I got ketchup on my finger and we ran out of napkins..."
Do you blame Brandi for calling it quits? Why did Eddie and LeAnn think they could get away with this?
Or is Eddie's wife deluded?
Eddie Cibrian's steadfast and loyal wife Brandi Glanville -- who accused singer LeAnn Rimes of stalking her husband -- has finally left him.
She tells Us Weekly: "Eddie and I have decided to take some time apart. I want to do what is best for our children. Eddie and LeAnn deserve each other."
The couple have two sons, ages 6 and 2.
The straw that broke her back was when Cibrian and Rimes were caught together (again) in the early afternoon of July 17 outside the Malibu home of Jeff Berger, a longtime friend of Rimes and her husband, Dean Sheremet.
What? Of her husband? OK, this is just too sick.
But there's more...
And then there was that news of Cibrian also having an affair with 24-year-old model Scheana Marie Jancan that also came to light around the same time.
Sources tell Us that Berger has been letting Rimes and Cibrian use his home for about a month.
Personally, we don't know how Brandi made it past that finger-sucking restaurant video of her husband and Rimes. That's hard to explain.
"Oh, I got ketchup on my finger and we ran out of napkins..."
Do you blame Brandi for calling it quits? Why did Eddie and LeAnn think they could get away with this?
Or is Eddie's wife deluded?
White House declines to disclose visits by health industry executives
White House declines to disclose visits by health industry executives
Citing an argument used by the Bush administration, the Secret Service rejects a request from a watchdog group to list those who have visited the White House to discuss the healthcare overhaul.
Citing an argument used by the Bush administration, the Secret Service rejects a request from a watchdog group to list those who have visited the White House to discuss the healthcare overhaul.
Reporting from Washington -- Invoking an argument used by President George W. Bush, the Obama administration has turned down a request from a watchdog group for a list of health industry executives who have visited the White House to discuss the massive healthcare overhaul.Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sent a letter to the Secret Service asking about visits from 18 executives representing health insurers, drug makers, doctors and other players in the debate. The group wants the material in order to gauge the influence of those executives in crafting a new healthcare policy.
he Secret Service sent a reply stating that documents revealing the frequency of such visits were considered presidential records exempt from public disclosure laws. The agency also said it was advised by the Justice Department that the Secret Service was within its rights to withhold the information because of the "presidential communications privilege."Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics said it would file suit against the Obama administration as early as today. The group already has sued the administration over its failure to release details about visits from coal industry executives.A White House spokesman, Ben LaBolt, said, "We are reviewing our policy on access to visitor logs and related litigation."
As a candidate, President Obama vowed that in devising a healthcare bill he would invite in TV cameras -- specifically C-SPAN -- so that Americans could have a window into negotiations that normally play out behind closed doors. Having promised transparency, the administration should be willing to disclose who it is consulting in shaping healthcare policy, said an attorney for the citizens' group. In its letter requesting the records, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics asked about visits from Billy Tauzin, president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America; Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans; William Weldon, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson; and J. James Rohack, president of the American Medical Assn., among others."It's extremely disappointing," said Anne Weismann, the group's chief counsel. Obama is relying on a legal argument that "continues one of the bad, anti-transparency, pro-secrecy approaches that the Bush administration had taken. And it seems completely at odds with the president's commitment . . . to bring a new level of transparency to his government." PhRMA, which represents the nation's drug companies, said it had taken part in two meetings with senior White House officials in the Roosevelt Room. Participants, according to Tauzin, included White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, along with the CEOs of some major drug companies. Both meetings were closed to the public.In an interview, Tauzin said most of the "real negotiations" took place with the Senate Finance Committee. At its meetings with the White House, the drug industry reported on progress made with the Senate and got a briefing from Obama officials "about how they saw" healthcare reform unfolding, Tauzin said.
понедельник, 20 июля 2009 г.
Arnold's budget dealing: a public health issue?
Earlier this year, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger hunkered down with legislators in budget negotiations, the result was a delay of regulations to crack down on cancer-causing diesel pollution from construction and farm equipment. It was a provision intensely sought by business interests, but one with little effect on budgetary or fiscal matters.
Now, once again, environmentalists are sounding the alarm that eco-issues are on the table in the budgetary arm wrestling that has paralyzed Sacramento in recent weeks.
Eight major advocacy groups wrote Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders on July 16 asking that they resist efforts to insert into the budget a provision that could enable the building of new power plants in the Los Angeles Basin.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District, a regional agency, is pushing the provision, incorporated in a stalled Senate bill, SB 696. The air district has been prevented by a recent court ruling from giving out emissions credits for power plants until it fully analyzes the environmental impact. Republican and some Democratic legislators, along with the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, want any new budget deal to overturn the court decision.
South Coast officials said they view new power plants as necessary to serve a growing population and prevent blackouts. But as a result of lawsuits brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups, the agency has delayed the permits for power plants, as well as for hundreds of other businesses, until the credits issue is resolved.
According to the July 16 letter from the Sierra Club, the American Lung Assn. and other groups, overturning the court decision in the budget deal would "add 10 tons per day of dirty particulate pollution to the Los Angeles Air Basin. ... Our organizations have argued strenuously against 11th-hour budget proposals to weaken environmental and public health laws that have nothing to do with the state budget."
Two other issues are also reportedly on the table. Bill Magavern, director of the California branch of the Sierra Club, said Schwarzenegger wants to insert a provision in the budget to overturn the State Lands Commission's denial of a plan to expand offshore oil drilling off Santa Barbara.
And, Magavern said, the governor is also seeking to use the budget deal as a vehicle for his earlier proposal to abolish a key scientific review agency, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, which evaluates the impacts of chemical contaminants.
Aaron McLear, the governor's press secretary, said: "We don't comment on budget negotiations. Once there is a final agreement, we will share that with the press."
CIT Group may be near a deal for financing
CIT Group may be near a deal for financingFunding would enable the business lender to avoid bankruptcy after the government turned down a request for a second bailout.
CIT Group Inc., the struggling lender denied more federal aid last week, may be close to securing needed funding to avoid bankruptcy, a source close to the matter said.A deal could be struck as early as today, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were confidential.
The company's board met Sunday night to discuss its options, the source said.The New York firm is a key provider of factoring services, supplying quick cash for businesses that have significant upfront costs for material and labor. It plays a major role in keeping the retail industry running, financing about 2,000 vendors that supply merchandise to 340,000 wholesalers and retailers nationwide. Many in the apparel industry were concerned that a bankrupt CIT could lead to more troubles in the shaky retail industry.
A financing deal doesn't necessarily mean that the retail industry will be spared economic difficulties, said Ilse Metchek, president of the California Fashion Assn.
CIT's struggles probably portend stricter rules for lending in the garment industry, she said. "It will help in that it's better than disaster," she said about a potential deal. "But it's going to mean much stricter rules and higher limits on financing."CIT has $1 billion in long-term debt payments due in August, and says it needs $10 billion in funding by March.The company's troubles began when tighter financial markets made it difficult to secure funding for its loans to small businesses.
The company reported a loss of $438 million in the first quarter and $3 billion over the last two years. It has assets of $76 billion.CIT, which picked up $2.33 billion in federal bailout money in December, lost its bid last week for more federal funds.
The Treasury Department said it was sticking to a "very high threshold for exceptional government assistance to individual companies." Still, the new loan, which would come with high interest rates, would probably be a stopgap measure, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the potential deal.Its shares, which traded above $51 two years ago, closed Friday at 70 cents, up 29 cents.
четверг, 16 июля 2009 г.
Not guilty?
Russian human rights activist abducted, killed in Chechnya
Natalia Estemirova is the latest in a string of Russians slain after delving into human rights abuses.
Natalia Estemirova is kidnapped in front of her Grozny home by a group of men. Her body is found a few hours later with gunshots to the head and chest.
Reporting from Moscow -- A human rights worker known for her fearless criticism of the Kremlin and its Chechen proxies was abducted in broad daylight and shot to death Wednesday.Natalia Estemirova, who worked doggedly to document ongoing human rights abuses in war-wrecked Chechnya long after international attention had drifted away, was on her way to work when men snatched her off the street in front of her Grozny home. She shouted for help, witnesses later told her colleagues, but the men stuffed her into a car and drove away.
Russia high court overturns acquittals in slaying of journalist
Natalia Estemirova is kidnapped in front of her Grozny home by a group of men. Her body is found a few hours later with gunshots to the head and chest.
Reporting from Moscow -- A human rights worker known for her fearless criticism of the Kremlin and its Chechen proxies was abducted in broad daylight and shot to death Wednesday.Natalia Estemirova, who worked doggedly to document ongoing human rights abuses in war-wrecked Chechnya long after international attention had drifted away, was on her way to work when men snatched her off the street in front of her Grozny home. She shouted for help, witnesses later told her colleagues, but the men stuffed her into a car and drove away.
Russia high court overturns acquittals in slaying of journalist
A few hours later, her body turned up in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. She had been shot in the head and chest.Estemirova was the latest in a string of well-known Russian activists and journalists who were slain after delving into human rights abuses tied to the government, especially those in Chechnya. Each successive death seems to deepen the fear, anger and sense of futility among remaining activists.Estemirova, 51, was the widowed mother of a 15-year-old girl. She worked as a history teacher in Grozny, the Chechen capital, before the first of two wars broke out in the 1990s. As bloodshed spiraled, Estemirova set about documenting the history she was living, first as a journalist and later as a seemingly indefatigable researcher for Memorial, a human rights group.
In recent years, she was one of the lone voices that still spoke out from within Chechnya to describe an underbelly of disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture and heavy-handed autocracy that underpinned the rule of Kremlin-backed President Ramzan Kadyrov."There is a very, very big number of people who disappear for several hours or several days and return home beaten up and psychologically broken, and most of them never say what happened to them," Estemirova said in an interview last year. "This is being seriously hushed up."Like other critics who speak out against Russia's deeply entrenched power structures, Estemirova would have had a keen awareness of her own vulnerability. She had worked closely with investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov, who were gunned down in 2006 and early this year respectively in Moscow. Both were believed to be victims of contract killings.Neither crime has been solved. "We lost Anna. Now we couldn't protect Natasha," said Alexander Cherkasov, a board member of Memorial. "She was killed for her work."Estemirova had clashed repeatedly with Chechen authorities. She had contributed heavily to recent human rights reports documenting the extrajudicial punishment and burning of homes of people related to suspected anti-Kadyrov rebels.She had also contributed to a report released Wednesday that called for Russian officials, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, to be held accountable for human rights crimes."There's an atmosphere of impunity," Estemirova said in an interview last year. "We have a list of more than 4,000 people still missing and there are many cases in which we have hard evidence against people who kidnapped them, we even have their names and ranks, but it's impossible to initiate an investigation."Earlier this month, she had publicized the case of a man who was shot to death in the streets of a Chechen village, without trial or investigation, for alleged ties to the rebels."The Chechen authorities immediately made it known . . . that Memorial should not air the household garbage in public like that," Cherkasov said.In a sharp departure from the official reaction (or lack thereof) to the slayings of other critics, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's office offered condolences to her family and said she probably had been killed for her human rights activities. Investigators were dispatched to the Caucasus to open an inquiry.
In recent years, she was one of the lone voices that still spoke out from within Chechnya to describe an underbelly of disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture and heavy-handed autocracy that underpinned the rule of Kremlin-backed President Ramzan Kadyrov."There is a very, very big number of people who disappear for several hours or several days and return home beaten up and psychologically broken, and most of them never say what happened to them," Estemirova said in an interview last year. "This is being seriously hushed up."Like other critics who speak out against Russia's deeply entrenched power structures, Estemirova would have had a keen awareness of her own vulnerability. She had worked closely with investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov, who were gunned down in 2006 and early this year respectively in Moscow. Both were believed to be victims of contract killings.Neither crime has been solved. "We lost Anna. Now we couldn't protect Natasha," said Alexander Cherkasov, a board member of Memorial. "She was killed for her work."Estemirova had clashed repeatedly with Chechen authorities. She had contributed heavily to recent human rights reports documenting the extrajudicial punishment and burning of homes of people related to suspected anti-Kadyrov rebels.She had also contributed to a report released Wednesday that called for Russian officials, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, to be held accountable for human rights crimes."There's an atmosphere of impunity," Estemirova said in an interview last year. "We have a list of more than 4,000 people still missing and there are many cases in which we have hard evidence against people who kidnapped them, we even have their names and ranks, but it's impossible to initiate an investigation."Earlier this month, she had publicized the case of a man who was shot to death in the streets of a Chechen village, without trial or investigation, for alleged ties to the rebels."The Chechen authorities immediately made it known . . . that Memorial should not air the household garbage in public like that," Cherkasov said.In a sharp departure from the official reaction (or lack thereof) to the slayings of other critics, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's office offered condolences to her family and said she probably had been killed for her human rights activities. Investigators were dispatched to the Caucasus to open an inquiry.
понедельник, 13 июля 2009 г.
Arturo Gatti death
Супруге экс-чемпиона мира по боксу в полусреднем весе Артуро Гатти предъявлено обвинение в его убийстве.
Тело боксера было найдено в одном из отелей бразильского курортного города Порту-де-Галиньяс. Полицейские считают, что именно 23-летняя Аманда Родригес после бытовой ссоры задушила спящего мужа ремнем от сумки.
В Бразилии в понедельник полицейские предъявили обвинение в убийстве при отягчающих обстоятельствах супруге канадского бывшего профессионального боксера Артуро Гатти. Тело 37-летнего экс-чемпиона мира в полусреднем весе, завершившего карьеру в 2007 году, было найдено в ночь на воскресенье в номере гостиницы в бразильском курортном городе Порту-де-Галиньяс. Он приехал на курорт со своей 23-летней супругой Амандой Родригес и годовалым сыном.
Изначально местные СМИ сообщали, что боксер был убит из пистолета: якобы криминалисты обнаружили два огнестрельных ранения на теле спортсмена – одно в голову, другое в грудь. Позднее, сообщает издание Los Angeles Times, сотрудники департамента по убийствам и личной защите гражданской полиции штата Пернамбуку, где находится курортный город, опровергли эту информацию.
По данным полиции, Гатти был задушен ремнем от сумки, который убийца не снял с его шеи. Убийство спортсмена сразу показалось следователям подозрительным: на затылке боксера зияла рана, а по всей комнате была разбрызгана кровь.
Чтобы восстановить картину произошедшего, полицейские допросили его супругу Родригес. На допросе женщина так и не смогла внятно объяснить, как она могла не заметить смерти мужа за те 10 часов, что провела с ним в номере. По итогам разговора с женой Гатти полицейские приняли решение арестовать ее. На данный момент, сказал один из представителей правоохранительных органов Пернамбуку, она является единственным подозреваемым.
Основным мотивом убийства следователи считают ревность.
По данным Associated Press, Гатти был убит в ходе бытовой ссоры: в минувшую пятницу он вернулся в свой номер пьяным и закатил жене скандал. Основной его претензией был тот факт, что она взяла с собой в Бразилию слишком откровенные наряды. Сдав годовалого сына на руки сестре Родригес, которая также поехала на курорт, пара выясняла отношения всю ночь, и весь следующий день. Ближе к вечеру воскресенья дело дошло до рукоприкладства, а потом, считают следователи, уставший Гатти уснул.
Воспользовавшись этим, разъяренная Родригес удушила его. Сейчас ей предъявлено обвинение в убийстве при отягчающих обстоятельствах, так как ее жертва была в заведомо беспомощном состоянии.
Новость о смерти Гатти шокировала его друзей, но обстоятельства его убийства их не удивили. «Его сердце было больше, чем его боксерский талант», – сказал его бывший тренер Гейб Лаконте, который сотрудничал с Гатти в начале 1990-х. «К тому же у него проблема с наркотиками, и они с Амандой вроде собирались разводиться. Я точно не знаю, что за проблемы у них были, но вообще он был хорошим человеком, был счастливым и о своих друзьях заботился», – отметил друг боксера Асельено Попо Фрейтас. Поводы для ревности в семье давал и сам Гатти. Три месяца назад он был выпущен из тюрьмы в Монреале, куда попал из-за неявки в суд. Боксер обвинялся в нападении на свою бывшую девушку в стриптиз-клубе во время празднования своего дня рождения.
Артуро Гатти родился в Италии 15 апреля 1972 года, получил гражданство Канады и жил в США. Женившись на Аманде Родригес, он переехал в Бразилию, поскольку его супруга была бразильянкой. На профессиональном ринге он провел 49 боев, в 40 из них победил. В 1995 году, получив за свою боксерскую технику прозвище Гром, он стал чемпионом мира в первой полулегкой, а в 2004 году – в полусредней весовой категориях.
среда, 8 июля 2009 г.
R.I.P. MJ
In the end, they brought Michael Jackson to the one place where his life always made sense -- beneath a spotlight and in front of his adoring fans. The superstar, in a gleaming gold coffin, was celebrated in a Staples Center memorial service that was beamed around the world and, like the icon himself, strove mightily to be all things to all people.With family, celebrity peers, politicians, preachers and even professional athletes taking turns at the microphone, the polished but emotional service was meant both as a farewell and as a deeply sympathetic framing of the star's complicated legacy.
The Rev. Al Sharpton brought the crowd to its feet by drawing a direct cultural line between Jackson's incandescent 1980s pop success and the 2008 election of President Obama. "Those young kids," Sharpton said of Jackson's massive crossover audience, "grew up from being teenage comfortable fans of Michael to being 40 years old and being comfortable to vote for a person of color to be the president of the United States of America." Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) praised Jackson as "a uniquely American hero," and music veteran Smokey Robinson judged him to be, simply, "the greatest performer of all time."Sharpton and several other speakers alluded to media persecution of Jackson, who died June 25 at age 50, but one speaker who had known Jackson for more than four decades suggested that the reality is not that tidy."Sure there were some sad times and maybe some questionable decisions on his part, but Michael Jackson accomplished everything he ever dreamed of," said Berry Gordy, the Motown Records mogul who signed Jackson to his first record deal after an audition in the summer of 1968.
There were many memorable images, but for the years to come the signature moment may have been the public debut of sorts of Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Protected and, literally, veiled for much of her life, the youngster said through tears:"I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much."The ceremony was by turns somber, evangelical, thunderous and hushed.
The Rev. Al Sharpton brought the crowd to its feet by drawing a direct cultural line between Jackson's incandescent 1980s pop success and the 2008 election of President Obama. "Those young kids," Sharpton said of Jackson's massive crossover audience, "grew up from being teenage comfortable fans of Michael to being 40 years old and being comfortable to vote for a person of color to be the president of the United States of America." Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) praised Jackson as "a uniquely American hero," and music veteran Smokey Robinson judged him to be, simply, "the greatest performer of all time."Sharpton and several other speakers alluded to media persecution of Jackson, who died June 25 at age 50, but one speaker who had known Jackson for more than four decades suggested that the reality is not that tidy."Sure there were some sad times and maybe some questionable decisions on his part, but Michael Jackson accomplished everything he ever dreamed of," said Berry Gordy, the Motown Records mogul who signed Jackson to his first record deal after an audition in the summer of 1968.
There were many memorable images, but for the years to come the signature moment may have been the public debut of sorts of Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Protected and, literally, veiled for much of her life, the youngster said through tears:"I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much."The ceremony was by turns somber, evangelical, thunderous and hushed.
There was humor, as well. Former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson recounted how his nervous first visit to Jackson's mansion ended with the pair sitting on the floor and feasting on Kentucky Fried Chicken; Brooke Shields, who was an especially moving speaker, told how she used to tease Jackson about his most famous fashion choice."I'd tease him about the glove," Shields said, referring to the solitary silver glove that became Jackson's trademark. " 'What's up with the glove?' and 'If you're gonna hold my hand, it better be the non-gloved one because the sequins hurt.' "Audience members danced along with some musical performances and stifled tears at some of the many tributes to the singer. There were also shouts from the audience of "Power to the people," "Long live the king," and "We miss you, Michael!"The memorial, a mix of measured grief and show-biz spectacle, was seen across the globe on television and computer screens and covered with the intensity of an election night and the overkill of a Super Bowl Sunday.Forty-seven theaters in 24 states showed the event live. As a local event, it was a surprisingly smooth affair; there was a 30-minute delay to the scheduled start time, but the predicted crush of crowds outside the arena never materialized, which Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton credited to "a steady drumbeat of media coverage in recent days" telling fans without tickets they wouldn't be permitted near the downtown venue.Excluding invited guests, the estimated 17,500 attendees were selected from about 1.6 million who sought entry.The event was produced by Ken Ehrlich, the longtime producer of the Grammy Awards telecast. Other key figures included Tim Leiweke, president and chief executive of AEG, and, somewhat surprisingly, Bratton, who was a presence just off stage throughout the service. He also worked the press line before the event (which, to underscore the circus atmosphere, required stepping over manure left in the wake of his mounted officers) and personally guarded the gilded casket as it arrived at the arena's underground garage.
The event that seemed so smooth and precise to television viewers was more chaotic up close. Ehrlich made a number of major decisions on the fly, such as asking Robinson to open the service by reading letters from Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela. "I think this might work," Ehrlich said, rushing to hand the letters to the surprised singer, who then calmly climbed the steps to the stage, looked into the camera and greeted the world. Ehrlich also had the lighting changed for the entire arena a few minutes into the show. "It's way too hot in here," he told his lighting crew, using a shorthand expression for glare.Jackson's casket was taken from Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in a motorcade of ebony Rolls-Royces and SUVs on freeways cleared by police. It then was carried into the Staples spotlight by his brothers -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy -- who each wore a solitary sequined glove. Janet Jackson, the second most famous member of the family, left her seat and reached toward the procession, but instead of touching the casket she reached for her living brothers, giving each of them a reassuring grip on the arm.Janet Jackson did not perform as many had expected, but Jermaine Jackson did with a rendition of a "Smile," the bittersweet song of encouragement composed by Charlie Chaplin for his 1936 film "Modern Times." It was Michael Jackson's favorite song, the crowd was told, and the emotion-choked performance by his older brother added to the poignancy of the lyrics, written by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons more than 70 years ago:
Smile tho' your heart is aching
Smile even tho' it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
вторник, 7 июля 2009 г.
Designer Anand Jon's sex assault conviction is upheld
Designer Anand Jon's sex assault conviction is upheld
Irfan Khan, Los Angeles Times
Anand Jon faces a mandatory life prison sentence.
The judge rules that a juror's contact with the designer's sister before the verdicts did not prevent a fair trial. The juror and sister are cited for contempt of court.
Irfan Khan, Los Angeles Times
Anand Jon faces a mandatory life prison sentence.
The judge rules that a juror's contact with the designer's sister before the verdicts did not prevent a fair trial. The juror and sister are cited for contempt of court.
A Los Angeles County judge upheld the sexual assault conviction of Beverly Hills fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander on Monday, ruling that a juror's contact with the defendant's sister before the verdicts did not prevent a fair trial. Attorneys for the Indian-born designer argued that the conviction should be thrown out, alleging that the juror sought sex or money from the defendant's sister toward the end of last year's trial and voted to convict her brother when she refused to meet him alone.
Superior Court Judge David S. Wesley ruled that the juror, Alvin Dymally, committed misconduct by approaching Sanjana Alexander twice in the courthouse and speaking to her on two occasions when she phoned him. Wesley also said he believed the juror lied when he denied under oath ever speaking to Sanjana Alexander before the verdicts. But the judge found that Dymally's actions did not affect the jury's guilty verdicts. He ruled that there was no evidence to support the extortion claim.Wesley said a recording that Sanjana Alexander secretly made of one of the phone calls showed that Dymally, 46, flirted with her and was interested in meeting after the trial. Wesley said Sanjana Alexander and the juror knew they were violating a court order when they spoke to each other. The judge cited them for contempt of court and ordered them to return for hearings in September.
Outside the downtown Los Angeles courtroom Monday, Sanjana Alexander confronted Dymally, a Los Angeles building inspector."It's our lives you're playing with," she told him. "You know the truth." The juror left in silence.Sanjana Alexander, a fashion designer who was dressed in white with a pair of Prada sunglasses, tearfully told reporters that she had tried to do the right thing. "It's a travesty of justice," she said. "I believed in the justice system. I did not go meet up alone with him. If I had, this today wouldn't be happening."Alexander, 35, who goes by the professional name Anand Jon, was found guilty in November of raping one woman and sexually assaulting six other girls and young women. The conviction carries a mandatory life prison sentence. After court on Monday, his defense lawyers vowed to appeal Wesley's decision.The juror's "conduct was outrageous, and it deprived the defendant of a fair trial," said attorney Leonard B. Levine.The controversy began following the guilty verdicts. Sanjana Alexander told her brother's attorneys that a juror twice asked her to call him during the trial.She said the first time she phoned, Dymally reassured her, "We know he is innocent, so don't worry." The second time, she said, he told her: "We need to meet with you alone." She said she refused.During a recent court hearing, Dymally denied talking to her during the trial but invoked his right against self-incrimination when defense attorneys produced Sanjana Alexander's phone recording. According to a transcript filed by prosecutors, the recording shows that the juror complimented Sanjana several times, telling her, "I think that you're really sexy" and suggesting that they meet afterward."Definitely, we will," Sanjana Alexander replied.Deputy Dist. Atty. Frances Young argued that the recording contradicted assertions that Sanjana Alexander rejected the juror's overtures.
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