"A taxi describes coming in gathers doing the same thing would pose the same safety issues and bottlenecks. "There are signs that L. A. 's cab culture is already starting to change, even without new rules about where customers can be picked up. In Hollywood, cabs are beginning to cruise the streets after rush hour to find fares among people going to shows or frequenting the resurgent area's restaurants and bars. Downtown, new residents sometimes stick out their hands for a passing ride or walk to hotels where there are taxi stands. Along Broadway, taxi driver Ramon Lopez says he's established a solid customer base of mostly immigrant families who shop along the business district, then hail his cab. "They come in by bus," Lopez said. "I've always been a bargain shopper and that's why we're pleased with Spot Runner. "--alana. semuels. The monks -- some of whom are said to have trained with the Dalai Lama -- pray directly over the chocolate, presumably using some sort of spiritual assembly line. According to the company website, prayers contain simple messages such as "be well" and "thank you. " The website sells nearly a half-pound of chocolate caramels for about $16. Not that one has much to do with the other, but during the NFL's first season of flex scheduling, the league has flexed its muscle in the ratings game. While the public relations people at the NFL's four television partners stay up nights trying to figure out the spin to make their network's ratings look the best, the bottom line is ratings are up across the board. After 14 weeks, Fox's ratings are up 5% from last year at this point, from an average of a 10. 3 to a 10. 8. 22 Texas Tech in a Big 12 Conference game Saturday. Texas Tech forced Missouri to run the ball, and the Tigers did so with great success. The seascape is changing, but the environment is ever the same Lush, Mahler-like material suggests seaweed. WASHINGTON — A federal jury in Miami on Thursday convicted Jose Padilla on charges of aiding terrorist operations abroad, a verdict that follows a long legal battle that pitted the Bush administration against civil liberties groups over how terrorism suspects are detained and should be prosecuted. Padilla, a U. S.

None of them had medical insurance in case they were injured. But that was not their main concern . Will President-elect Barack Obama be a real agent of change, as he has promised, or will it be business as usual for racial and ethnic preferences in the Obama administration? A ruling by the U. S . retailer struggled to speed up management changes and revive slumping performance in the world's second-largest economy. Reversing losses in Japan would be an added boost to Wal-Mart's already fast-growing international business at a time when growth in its home market is flagging. Wal-Mart, which owns a 50. 9% stake in Seiyu, will pay $1. 23 for each share of the Japanese supermarket chain operator it does not yet own, the company said. Seiyu's board voted Monday to support Wal-Mart's 100-billion-yen tender offer, according to the statement . "If we happened to see the individuals take the items we would engage the enemy to destroy an enemy. "Hensley's attorney, Capt . It's either a blackout based on economics or politics or some intersection of both. In the midst of translating his roommate's mysterious manuscript into English, Eugene is hired by the biographer of his favorite writer, the elusive buccaneer expatriate Constance Eakins, to organize his Eakinsiana. Eugene falls for the biographer's daughter, the lovely auburn-haired Alison, while he is saying her name ("He realized as soon as it crossed his lips that he was surprised to hear the word spoken aloud, in his own voice"). soldier died from injuries suffered in an explosion Friday in Diyala province, raising the number of U. S.

"Everything's getting run from inside here. "Law enforcement officials say that with gang members as its street soldiers, the Mexican Mafia has evolved into a region-wide organized crime syndicate . "The Air Force does appear to be pushing the envelope. "The ads are part of a $25-million campaign called "Above All," for television, radio, the Internet and newspapers . "They've got to eat just like other people," declared WPA chief Harry Hopkins . Which is a good thing, because you won't find out much about them in the film. As directed by Jonathan Demme, this narrowly cast documentary focuses so exclusively on a publicity tour the former president took in the closing months of 2006 that a more accurate title might be "Jimmy Carter How I Sold My Book. "That 21st Carter volume was, of course, not just any book . Sanders said only one convention bailed out during the fires and that plans were still on for a popular golf tournament and a major neuroscience convention this week. San Diego authorities said the city was almost entirely "repopulated" -- a judgment echoed at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. After stripping out transportation, orders rose 0. 3%, weaker than the 0. 7% rise analysts were expecting. In another report, Labor Department data showed the number of new claims for jobless aid fell by a much-less-than-expected 8,000 last week, which left claims at fairly high levels. Initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits totaled 331,000 in the week ended Oct. House races were of less interest to Hsu -- only a handful of members received donations; most were friends of the Clintons. One of Sen Clinton's Democratic presidential rivals, Sen.

Change strategy? Nonsense, no need -- we're winning! Inconvenient facts on the ground? No problem; ignore the reality! Or perhaps we'll try a surge -- too little too late . Hall ("Dexter") and Bill Paxton ("Big Love") benefit from being the new series on the slate, but voters may want to finally hail Patrick Dempsey ("Grey's Anatomy") Hugh Laurie ("House") won last year and that may be enough . (Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh butted into the race when he accused Fox of exaggerating his symptoms to attract sympathy. )The Fox ad was a change of pace in an otherwise relentlessly negative campaign . Instead I am coming home with boxes. "The World Women Trade Fair was billed as a rare opportunity for women living in Third World countries "to access the global economy and American dollars. "Organizer Margaret Galabe invited grass-roots groups from dozens of poor countries to Santa Monica, with its "thousands of locals, international tourists, famous celebrities shopping for . In a medium (4-quart) saucepan, stir together the onion, garlic, carrot and olive oil until the vegetables are coated with oil. Midway through an interview, costar Bart bangs loudly on the door of her dressing room, demanding in a gruff voice: "Megan, where the hell is the pantyhose I left in your room last night?" Suddenly, we're back on the "Will & Grace" set "They're mine now, honey," she cracks. Nor is he expected to be around well into his 30s, but for reasons not directly related to boxing.

We didn't want to end the season like this. "Give even more credit to Love and Collison for keeping their heads -- and their scoring touch -- when those around them flailed. But think of how much easier life might have been for the Bruins on Saturday if Westbrook hadn't struggled for so long -- he finished with seven points -- and how much easier the whole journey could be for the Bruins if he and Shipp could once again be vital options on offense. Shipp has thought of how far they can go if he and Westbrook are effective -- and how far short of their goal they might fall if they struggle again. "It's definitely going to be hard . But new estimates prepared by Los Angeles County Superior Court, which processes traffic tickets, indicates that Los Angeles' red light camera income is falling short of expectations, possibly by tens of thousands of dollars a month, according to the city budget office. "Based on the court figures, we're not covering costs," said a city financial analyst familiar with the program . Chief Executive Frank Biondi Jr. , Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former New Line Cinema co-Chairman Robert Shaye. In a letter to Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock, Icahn said he had snapped up 59 million Yahoo shares, worth about $1. 5 billion, and was seeking permission from the Federal Trade Commission to amass as much as $2. 5 billion worth . government's largest nontax source of revenue. The reports, delivered to Congress on Wednesday, detail a freewheeling "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" in which employees of the Denver-based Royalty in Kind program considered themselves part of a commercial enterprise that wasn't bound by government ethics rules, Devaney wrote in a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne that accompanied the reports. The program collects royalty payments that are made "in kind" -- in oil, for example, instead of cash -- and resells the crude on the market . "I wanted control. "Shannon wrote four early novels, all heavily political; publishers were less than enthusiastic Even his agent spurned him, he cracked. 77 Chastain Motorsports car Friday, the day after Stephan Gregoire crashed and fractured a vertebra, was up to the challenge. His first lap was over 219. 8 and the next three were all over 220, giving him an average of 220. 299 -- more than four mph faster than the speed he posted Saturday. Moreno, who finished 19th in 1986 and 20th in 1999, was so happy with his run Sunday, he took his hands off the steering wheel before he completed the final lap, raising his arms in triumph and shaking his fists. Ironically, it turned out his first qualifying speed would have made the lineup anyway. The system, which helps prevent swerving, was an option on previous models. "You don't know what kind of crash you're going to get into, so you want a vehicle that affords the best protection in the most common kinds of crashes," said Joe Nolan, the institute's senior vice president. General Motors Corp. 's H3 was the only vehicle in the group that didn't get the top rating for frontal crash protection.

I would think any current player walking by Simpson's jersey at Heritage Hall would see it as a reminder that all of us are only one step from the ditch. Pat VerhoevenArtesia . SACRAMENTO — As deadlines came and went, backers of an initiative that could affect the 2008 presidential election continued struggling Friday to gather enough signatures to place the measure before voters. Organizers had set this week as a deadline for wrapping up their petition drive, but said they had not raised the roughly $2 million needed to pay petition circulators . John McCain, are able to lure wild card voters -- including independents and young voters -- to the polls . It's not something that's new to this campaign, but it may be getting particular attention this round. ""It's frankly disconcerting when the press corps start asking about rumors that have no basis in fact," he added, "But it's something that we realized early on would be a problem. "Last week, one such dubious story made the rounds online -- but this time it was the blogosphere that was cultivating it . It's not just the stars, either; "Kidnapped," shot in New York, has the feel of a "Law & Order" or "Sopranos," with roles that might otherwise be filler going to performers who, in their little scenes, convey pathos (i. e. Harrison Hill kicked through the smoke of uncertainty, the soot of fear, finding the back of the net with a solid right foot on a spotless white ball. He kicked the first goal, the only goal his Westmont College team would need, then he turned and ran. He ran past the teammate who, at this moment, owned only the uniform on his back. He ran past a teammate who had prepared for the game by searching Craigslist for a place to sleep. He ran off the field, under the covered bench area, and into the arms of one who lost more than any of them. In last week's Montecito fire, the home of Westmont Coach Dave Wolf burned to the ground. Hill hugged his teary-eyed teacher and lifted him to the sky. "This is the first brick in your new house," he whispered. This is how the healing always begins, doesn't it? A community torn by tragedy searches for a reason to find each other. However, it will remain unhealthful for children and other sensitive people in much of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Mickelson hit three balls into the desert and finished with a one-over 71, eight strokes behind Allen. HORSE RACINGTrainer Biancone reaches settlementThoroughbred trainer Patrick Biancone, accused of medication violations, has reached a settlement with Kentucky racing authorities that will bar him from racing anywhere for six months. . Is there any falsehood in your photos?A: My original goal was to photograph the gardens in such a way that they would seem untouched by man -- looking for places that don't show walkways, sprinklers or ponds . She's an absolute master of the stinging put-down, she can belt a big brassy ballad second to none, do a bit of hoofing and is an Academy Award nominee to boot. So how come nobody ever got Miss M to host the Oscars?What seems like a match made in heaven remains, at least until Gilbert Cates wises up and drafts her, Hollywood's loss . Hall for "Dexter," Jon Hamm for "Mad Men," Hugh Laurie for "House" and James Spader for "Boston Legal. "Joining Falco in the actress category are Glenn Close for "Damages," Sally Field for "Brothers & Sisters," Holly Hunter for "Saving Grace" and Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer. "Nominees for actor in a comedy series are Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock," Steve Carell for "The Office," Ricky Gervais for "Extras," Jeremy Piven for "Entourage" and Tony Shalhoub for "Monk. "Vying for actress in a comedy series are Christina Applegate for "Samantha Who?," America Ferrera for "Ugly Betty," Tina Fey for "30 Rock," Mary Louise-Parker for "Weeds" and Vanessa Williams for "Ugly Betty. "Joining "The Sopranos" in the category of ensemble in a drama series are "Boston Legal," "The Closer," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Mad Men. " Nominees for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series are "Desperate Housewives," "Entourage," "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Ugly Betty. "The guild announced two new honors for this year, recognizing outstanding performance by a stunt ensemble in motion pictures and television . As a result, none of the expected competitive races lie within the Golden State. As was the case in World War I, the limited terrain has spurred a strategic quarrel about widening the war. He had eight points and 13 rebounds Tuesday against New Orleans. "He just turned 20 years old!" Abdul-Jabbar said. Second, because it dates back to 1879, about half of its 104 rooms share bathrooms.

of Campbell, Calif. , are launching business models based on a future of electrified driving. Agassi, a 40-year-old dot-com-bust survivor who abandoned a top post at software provider SAP to pursue his vision of an electric car future, has generated plenty of media buzz with his idea for a new approach to four-wheeled mobility. He's also made some powerful allies, including Carlos Ghosn, head of global automaker Nissan-Renault; Israeli President Shimon Peres; and U. S . For new customers, he personally demonstrates how best to mix the rice and vegetables in the healthful bibimbap, or mixed rice, dish piled with cucumbers, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, zucchini, root vegetables and a fried egg. Ever the hands-on host, Lee offers to pick the chicken meat apart using two spatulas when a customer orders samgyetang, an aromatic, nutritious soup made from a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice and slow-cooked with garlic, ginseng, dried jujubes, gingko and pine nuts. --Remember when . In a hallway niche where Uhlenkott has painted an Islamic tree of life in gold leaf, you'll find a 1930s Mexican souvenir figurine of a man in a sombrero . Their correspondence would fill boxes, and they would chat on a prison phone through bulletproof glass for hours at a time. She would not only stand by Robert, she would embark on a two-decade legal quest to get him out. "If you both keep these vows, your home will be happy and full of joy," Wipf said that day in the prison yard. Robert put a gold band on her finger . He played only nine games before being suspended indefinitely in November after an alleged altercation with a valet-parking attendant. "I had hopes for Smush in my exit meeting with him last year, talked to him about trying to get himself motivated in a way that might be different than what he'd done in the past," Jackson said "I just don't know what went wrong. "But this was like my destiny. "Even when I was recording my rock album, the producer noticed something in my interpretation. Eleven are aged between 11 and 14 and eight are between 15 and 18," Bith Kimhong said in a phone interview. According to police, three Cambodians also have been arrested and charged with conspiring to commit debauchery and trafficking girls for Trofimov. "With the evidence that we gathered from our investigation we believe that it will be enough to convict him and bring him to justice," Bith Kimhong said after Trofimov's arrest in October. A rights worker with the child protection agency Action Pour Les Enfants said an investigation of the Russian was begun in 2005, when some of the older of his alleged victims would have been younger than 15, Cambodia's legal age of consent. At least two of the alleged victims were sold to the Russian by their parents, said Samleang Seila, director of Action Pour Les Enfants. Trofimov led a high-profile Russian investment group in Cambodia for several years. In September 2006, his Koh Puos (Snake Island) Investment Group was awarded a 99-year lease by the government to invest $300 million in an island off the Cambodian coast. At the time, Trofimov appeared with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in a photograph of the signing ceremony. In recent years, Cambodia has worked to shed its reputation as a destination for pedophiles. In March, local media reported that two German men were sentenced to a total of 40 years for the sexual abuse of girls between the ages of 10 and 14.

Steve Ott finished a two-on-one with Barnes with 2:43 left. "Unfortunately we made a couple of mistakes that ended up in the back of our net," Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said . black and red, I also want a remot control!"Madeline kept things simple, didn't give her age, skipped the greeting and started with a list: "1) Jewels, 2) Gears, 3) Crystals, 4) Beverly Hills china . Foley subsequently announced that he is gay. According to party officials, Hankwitz, 38, became the sole gay GOP congressional candidate in the midterm elections after Rep . The form would have identified the driver, location and date and explained the crash, which cost taxpayers $2,120 in repairs. On Monday, Delgadillo refused to comment about where the accident happened or who had been driving the city-owned GMC Yukon. However, a source close to the city attorney told of being informed that the car had been backed into a structure in the parking garage of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when Delgadillo's wife, Michelle, was there for a medical appointment. Two other sources, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said Delgadillo occasionally has allowed his wife to use the sport utility vehicle. A Los Angeles Ethics Commission bulletin to employees in 2001 said elected officials could use their city cars for personal as well as official business . Fans bared bellies (both six-pack and beer) in open jerseys without undershirts. As he hammered white crosses into the ground to honor the dead, he cried in agony. Golden State (42-40)Warriors won regular-season series, 3-0Game 1 at DallasSun. , 6:30 p. m. 2 Phoenix (61-21)7.

A cornerstone of Morales' campaign was his alliance with Chavez and antipathy toward "imperialism" from Washington. Lugo has studiously avoided such rhetoric . "It's got a great museum feel. "So does Fenway Park, but the Red Sox are fixing it up for the new century . Most employees are eligible for lifetime health coverage after 10 years in government. History: County supervisors voted for generous increases in retirement packages for employees in 2002 -- but failed to rein in healthcare costs . "You've got to punch something in there to wake the people up," she recalled him telling her. The Wiley debate team won contests against far more prominent black colleges, including Tuskegee and Howard universities . Obenhaus and cinematographer Erich Roland have a flair worthy of an art film, and the stomach-dropping runs, jumps and spills pace the movie well between the historical markers. "Steep" is certain to appeal to the extreme sport enthusiast, but it also deserves a mass audience for its incredible imagery and window into a lifestyle most can't fathom. Kiley said it took a more than a year to analyze the data and then brief officials in Iraq and at the Pentagon on the results. The results were not held back until after the midterm election, he said. "Especially when it comes to some things law enforcement would like to do with it.

"I won because I have an independent person to screen my complaints . He was a giant among men and will be greatly missed. *Robert ChristgauRock criticIn 1980 I set myself the task of reviewing every James Brown album of the '70s -- 23 by my count, many borrowed from my neighbor Vince Aletti, who'd had the sense to keep even the soundtracks . Previous results by archeologist Greger Larson of Britain's Durham University have shown that the animals were independently domesticated at as many as nine sites around the world . The southbound freeway was closed -- and remained closed for nearly eight hours, making the morning commute a nightmare. "This is a real whodunit," Police Lt Paul Vernon said . He figures that safflower will be just as profitable, if not better, and a whole lot easier to farm. "At today's prices, corn brings in roughly $1,200 an acre Safflower will bring in $750. As Lu, who, while building his custom shirt business on the Web, converts to Christianity, remarks: "China is now a country with no beliefs and no role models. If passed, the Prevention of Farm Cruelty Act would ban some livestock confinement systems Sounds like a no-brainer But I'm not certain I'll vote yes. The ban is broad.

Her father was a cattleman, a mining boss and a member of the town's elite . Write to Personal Finance, Business Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W 1st St. , Los Angeles, CA 90012, or e-mail kathy. kristof . He was not prepared for the news he was about to receive. " 'You are going home a free man,' " he recalls Means telling him over the phone. "I cried like a little girl . "We want to maintain that status. "--duke. helfandandrew. blankstein@ latimes. com . We want him to remain a Laker and that's the statement that's predominant. The engineers had decades of expertise designing defenses for nuclear stockpiles. Together, in a nine-week project called Fence Lab, they were trying to solve one of the nation's most vexing problems -- how to find fencing strong enough to protect the U. S. "I believed it entirely, in a Capra-esque way, that people would band together to help him. "Semple is unswayed.

It maintained annual reduction targets for soot, rather than moving enforcement to a three-year schedule, which staff said could cut health benefits by as much as 12%. In addition to an overall state standard, the board adopted a provision that will allow Los Angeles and nearby counties, the San Joaquin Valley and other particularly polluted regions to accelerate the diesel equipment cleanup schedule in their districts. "It's a good day for clean air," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Wallerstein said the region must achieve twice the amount of construction pollution cuts as the overall state goal in order to meet federal standards . The competition has been sanctioned as the national championship by World Cup Skateboarding. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge warned Europe not to break away from the World Anti-Doping Agency following the withdrawal of former French sports minister Jean-Francois Lamour as a candidate for president of the body. . Food boutiques have nondessert takeout menus. Best dishes: Warm forbidden black rice and young coconut soup, mango with fresh soy custard, pecan tarts, warm steamed milk with egg or ginger. Details: Open 11 a. m to 1 a. m daily Lot and street parking No alcohol Visa, Mastercard. . The forfeiture is the amount of money the jury determined that Lay earned from his work on the hedge fund. Lay, 45, was convicted in October of repeatedly failing to tell workers' comp bureau officials when questioned beginning in 2004 about the extent of the risk he was taking. Lay's attorneys argued that he was a scapegoat for a legitimate investment loss that wasn't a crime. "I made mistakes -- no question about it," Lay told Dowd before sentencing. The scandal known as "Coingate" began with the revelation in 2005 that the workers' comp bureau was investing $50 million in rare coins through Republican donor Tom Noe, who is serving 18 years in prison for theft and other crimes on charges that he stole from that investment. Prosecutors said Lay hid the extent of the risk he took with the fund and went way beyond the limit that state officials set The state invested $225 million and lost all but $9 million . We used to call the technique "Stoumenvision" when I was a student at UCLA after photographer-filmmaker Louis Clyde Stoumen, who used the technique in his 1957 Oscar-winning documentary "The True Story of the Civil War. "Robert S. Hussein was described as paranoid and without empathy, also symptoms pointing to poor brain function. Gift card spending during the holiday season increased to $24. 8 billion last year from $17. 3 billion in 2004, the National Retail Federation says.