Super Bowl Sunday dip and chili recipes that score

Theoretically, you can serve almost anything on Super Bowl Sunday. We once even ran a story proposing a game-day wine tasting with selected charcuterie. But let's face it, that's probably not going to happen at our houses.

What you really need for Super Bowl Sunday is two great dishes: a dip and a chili. Stock a bucket full of chips and make sure there are sweets for afterward, and you've got all you need for an afternoon of football.

We've got tons of dips and chilis in our California Cookbook, but here are two favorites. The spinach-bacon dip updates an old favorite just enough to seem fresh, but it's still just as cheesy as ever. And the turkey chili from Gelson's grocery store is one of our most downloaded recipes.

The menu might be as traditional as the single-wing, but it will still get the job done.

Recipe: Gelson's turkey chili

Serves 8

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 pound ground turkey

1 small bay leaf

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in purée

1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, not drained

1 1/2 cups tomato puree

1 cup chicken broth, more as needed

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in the turkey and cook until the turkey is browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Stir in the bay leaf, chili powder, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes to marry the flavors. Stir in the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato purée and 1 cup chicken broth. Add the vinegar and Tabasco sauce. Cover loosely and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

3. Continue to cook for 30 to 40 minutes to develop the flavors, adjusting the consistency of the chili if needed with additional broth. Taste, adjusting the spices and seasonings if desired. Remove from heat and chill if not using immediately; reheat before serving. The flavors will continue to develop and mature as the chili sits. This makes about 2 quarts chili, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.

EACH SERVING

Calories 194

Protein 16 grams

Carbohydrates 19 grams

Fiber 6 grams

Fat 7 grams

Saturated fat 2 grams

Cholesterol 39 mg

Sugar 6 grams

Sodium 1,158 mg

NOTE: Adapted from Gelson's Markets. For more heat, add a touch of cayenne pepper with the spices in Step 2.

Recipe: Spinach-bacon dip

food@latimes.com

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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When she opens the kitchen cabinets, memories spill forth

It's the end of January, and I've already broken or never picked up most of my New Year's resolutions. There is one, though, that I'm actually kind of enjoying. I was giving the kitchen a bit more than the usual once-over at the beginning of the year, giving the painted cupboards a rubdown with beeswax and making a halfhearted effort to organize the contents when it just came to me: I promised myself I'd either use the neglected kitchen tools and equipment I've collected over the years by this time next year — or give them away.

When I first got into cooking in my 20s, I'd haunt the kitchen stores wherever I traveled and carry home some treasure or other — a yellow ceramic mortar and pestle splashed with green, a cataplana (the hinged copper vessel the Portuguese use to steam shellfish), a hand-carved wooden corzetti stamp for pasta. At home, I picked up some fantastic finds at garage sales and flea markets. I patrolled the shelves of Williams-Sonoma in the days when it was great. I must have melon ballers in every shape and size ever made. Whenever I got an extra freelance check, I'd spend it on pots and pans and specialized tools.

I have a lot of cookware stuffed into a very small kitchen (at least by today's standards) — all useful, but not all used.

And so this year I resolved to get rid of redundant pots and pans, keeping only what's most useful and/or beautiful. I plan on retiring, at least, the giant, restaurant-sized All-Clad aluminum pots I bought at an irresistibly deep discount at least 20 years ago and break out only when I'm cooking for a huge crowd. Which isn't often.

Some things I don't use are just too beautiful to discard. I'm not giving up the gorgeous hand-hammered copper couscousière that, sadly, gets put to use only about once a year, or the cheerful blue his-and-hers Le Creuset moules pots for steamed mussels I once received as a gift. Or the giant white-glazed clay donabe steamer that sits proudly on a shelf, made by the Nagatani family of Japan, who have been making donabe from the special clay of their region for more than six generations.

So maybe I won't be giving away all that much stuff. But I will make the resolution to use the treasures I've stuffed into my very small kitchen.

It's funny how coming across the zigzagged pastry cutter that the late Lidia Alciati of Guido restaurant in Italy's Piedmont gave me inspires me to make tajarin or agnolotti again. And look, here's that metal blade with a wooden handle that I used to use to scrape away the flour and dough from the countertop when I made bread all the time. Here's the crooked wooden spoon a friend brought me from Pátzcuaro, Mexico, perfect for stirring a pot of beans. These tools bring back memories of friends and rollicking late-night dinners.

I admit I have too many coffee makers (not one of them electric). There's all my stove-top espresso pots with names like Principessa or Conehead. There's the Japanese glass siphon brewer that makes fabulous coffee but that I hardly ever use. It's a piece of theater for a dinner party — except, by the time my dinner parties end close to midnight, nobody wants coffee and I just don't stock decaf beans on principle. But here's a solution: I'll break that particular coffee performance out at brunch or lunch.

And that hand-cranked tomato press? I see a brilliant tomato season coming on: I'll keep it.

I haven't even been through all the drawers and cupboards yet. But just writing this list has shaken me out of habits, and my daydreams are filled with couscous, blinis, rustic terrines and even coddled eggs.

Irene.virbila@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter at @sirenevirbila

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Ideas sparked by tools rediscovered in the kitchen cabinet

On a first go-through of my kitchen, I found these orphans languishing at the back of the cupboard:

Madeleine pans of various sizes and provenance. Resolved: Make lavender madeleines and have a tea party.

Hand-crank pasta machine. This guy was once practically my best friend, but as I got more and more into pasta asciutta (dried pasta), I stopped making fresh. I'd love to use it to make agnolotti and tortellini. The only thing stopping me: lack of a table edge thin enough to clamp the machine on. Resolved: Find one.

Chocolate double-boiler in porcelain and copper. I lusted over this one at Déhillerin in Paris for years, finally got one but rarely use it. Resolved: Make hot fudge sauce.

Blini pans. Carried home from Paris and used for several successive New Year's Eves. What's missing: some good caviar, or even salmon roe, which I actually love almost as much. Resolved: To re-create the time I sat with the Russian émigrés at Caviar Kaspia in Paris sipping icy vodka and eating blinis with caviar. A real splurge at the time (or any time).

Tall-sided lasagna pan purchased at a steep discount at the Williams-Sonoma outlet on the way to Vegas. It's a Mario Batali pan, quite heavy, and large enough to make lasagna for the entire neighborhood. Resolved: Throw a lasagna party and make Gino Angelini's lasagna verde with a veal and beef ragù.

Terrine form, the classic, with a flat lid that slides over to keep the terrine nice and square. The same kind that bistros like La Régalade in Paris put out on the table with a knife so you can serve yourself a thick slab. Resolved: Make a classic country pâté to serve as a first course or part of a charcuterie platter.

Soba knife and huge stainless steel bowl for making soba. I bought them when I took a soba class from Sonoko Sakai. I loved the process, but to make good soba takes practice, practice, practice. Resolved: Lay in some buckwheat flour and try making soba. I may need to take a refresher course to get better at it.

A pair of glass egg coddlers. They're a classic Bauhaus style, with clamps to hold the lid on tight, designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld in 1934. You get something similar to a soft-boiled egg without the mess. And you can add a splash of cream or some scissored chives to dress up your breakfast egg. Resolved: Have coddled eggs with toast and jam for breakfast more often.

A mezzaluna, the half-moon-shaped blade with a wooden handle at either end that Italians use to chops herbs and vegetables with a rocking motion, carried from Florence by a friend who took a cooking class there. Resolved: Next time a recipe calls for soffritto (the chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic and parsley that are the base of so many Italian dishes), I'm breaking it out.

Irene.virbila@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter at @sirenevirbila

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Watch Kings-Sharks in a theater near you

Can't find your way to San Jose? OK, then … Santa Clara.

Southern California hockey fans will have other options to watch the upcoming outdoor game between the Kings and San Jose Sharks on Feb. 21 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Three cinema venues — Regal L.A. Live Stadium 14, Cinemark 18 & XD at Howard Hughes Center and AMC Puente Hills 20 — will broadcast the game, according to Fathom Events. Tickets were scheduled to go on sale online at midnight Friday (www.FathomEvents.com).

"Last year's game at Dodger Stadium was a unique and fun experience," said Luc Robitaille, the Kings' president of business operations. "We are looking forward to our fans joining us in Santa Clara next month as well, but for those who cannot make that trip this is a great opportunity to enjoy the game with a large group of folks who share a similar passion."

Said Fathom Events Chief Executive John Rubey: "As the recognized world leader in event cinema, Fathom Events is proud to present another landmark event — the first NHL game shown in U.S. movie theaters. Through our partnership with the NHL and L.A. Kings, Los Angeles-based hockey fans can catch all the on-ice action surrounded by NHL faithful at these exclusive big screen events — all of which will feature such special experiences like DJ'ed music, giveaways and more."

The 7 p.m. game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

Goals and dreams

Kings forward Tyler Toffoli reported no ill effects from his return after missing six games because of mononucleosis. Toffoli scored once and added an assist in the Kings' 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Toffoli said he felt a little tired but that was to be expected, considering he had been out of game action since being diagnosed on Jan. 9.

Toffoli was a busy guy Thursday, joining teammates Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll after practice in El Segundo for an NHLPA (NHL Players Assn.) event with the Hawthorne Police Force Hockey Program.

This is the 15th anniversary of the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund, and the fund donated 25 full sets of new hockey equipment to the Hawthorne group. The youth hockey teams in the program are coached by Hawthorne Police Department officers and community members.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

Twitter: @reallisa

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Watch Kings-Sharks in a theater near you

Can't find your way to San Jose? OK, then … Santa Clara.

Southern California hockey fans will have other options to watch the upcoming outdoor game between the Kings and San Jose Sharks on Feb. 21 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Three cinema venues — Regal L.A. Live Stadium 14, Cinemark 18 & XD at Howard Hughes Center and AMC Puente Hills 20 — will broadcast the game, according to Fathom Events. Tickets were scheduled to go on sale online at midnight Friday (www.FathomEvents.com).

"Last year's game at Dodger Stadium was a unique and fun experience," said Luc Robitaille, the Kings' president of business operations. "We are looking forward to our fans joining us in Santa Clara next month as well, but for those who cannot make that trip this is a great opportunity to enjoy the game with a large group of folks who share a similar passion."

Said Fathom Events Chief Executive John Rubey: "As the recognized world leader in event cinema, Fathom Events is proud to present another landmark event — the first NHL game shown in U.S. movie theaters. Through our partnership with the NHL and L.A. Kings, Los Angeles-based hockey fans can catch all the on-ice action surrounded by NHL faithful at these exclusive big screen events — all of which will feature such special experiences like DJ'ed music, giveaways and more."

The 7 p.m. game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

Goals and dreams

Kings forward Tyler Toffoli reported no ill effects from his return after missing six games because of mononucleosis. Toffoli scored once and added an assist in the Kings' 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Toffoli said he felt a little tired but that was to be expected, considering he had been out of game action since being diagnosed on Jan. 9.

Toffoli was a busy guy Thursday, joining teammates Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll after practice in El Segundo for an NHLPA (NHL Players Assn.) event with the Hawthorne Police Force Hockey Program.

This is the 15th anniversary of the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund, and the fund donated 25 full sets of new hockey equipment to the Hawthorne group. The youth hockey teams in the program are coached by Hawthorne Police Department officers and community members.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

Twitter: @reallisa

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

16.38 | 0 komentar | Read More

Watch Kings-Sharks in a theater near you

Can't find your way to San Jose? OK, then … Santa Clara.

Southern California hockey fans will have other options to watch the upcoming outdoor game between the Kings and San Jose Sharks on Feb. 21 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Three cinema venues — Regal L.A. Live Stadium 14, Cinemark 18 & XD at Howard Hughes Center and AMC Puente Hills 20 — will broadcast the game, according to Fathom Events. Tickets were scheduled to go on sale online at midnight Friday (www.FathomEvents.com).

"Last year's game at Dodger Stadium was a unique and fun experience," said Luc Robitaille, the Kings' president of business operations. "We are looking forward to our fans joining us in Santa Clara next month as well, but for those who cannot make that trip this is a great opportunity to enjoy the game with a large group of folks who share a similar passion."

Said Fathom Events Chief Executive John Rubey: "As the recognized world leader in event cinema, Fathom Events is proud to present another landmark event — the first NHL game shown in U.S. movie theaters. Through our partnership with the NHL and L.A. Kings, Los Angeles-based hockey fans can catch all the on-ice action surrounded by NHL faithful at these exclusive big screen events — all of which will feature such special experiences like DJ'ed music, giveaways and more."

The 7 p.m. game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

Goals and dreams

Kings forward Tyler Toffoli reported no ill effects from his return after missing six games because of mononucleosis. Toffoli scored once and added an assist in the Kings' 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Toffoli said he felt a little tired but that was to be expected, considering he had been out of game action since being diagnosed on Jan. 9.

Toffoli was a busy guy Thursday, joining teammates Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll after practice in El Segundo for an NHLPA (NHL Players Assn.) event with the Hawthorne Police Force Hockey Program.

This is the 15th anniversary of the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund, and the fund donated 25 full sets of new hockey equipment to the Hawthorne group. The youth hockey teams in the program are coached by Hawthorne Police Department officers and community members.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

Twitter: @reallisa

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Vaccine skeptics are in denial

To the editor: My child is a student at Waldorf School of Orange County, and it's unbelievable that 41% of kindergartners started the school year unvaccinated. Just recently a Waldorf parent told me that no one is talking about the measles epidemic — not one conversation. ("Once easily recognized, signs of measles now elude young doctors," Jan. 26)

Maybe as a society we value a dog's life more than a human life.

All dogs in California that are 4 months or older are legally required to be vaccinated for rabies. A law enacted in 2011 allows an exemption for the rabies shot if the dog has existing medical conditions that would further deteriorate its health but requires that the animal be confined to the owner's home or be kept on a short leash when away from home.

In contrast, a parent of a human child may sign a paper claiming a belief exemption from all vaccinations. Wow.

Gina Piazza, Costa Mesa

..

To the editor: I do not dispute the value of vaccines, and all my children were inoculated on schedule. However, I sympathize with the so-called deniers.

For generations, many members of the medical establishment have over-promised their ability to prevent and cure disease, told us to take medications that were later determined to have terrible side effects, and more recently failed to protect us from extortionary medical billing practices by their hospitals and insurance companies.

It is both rational and reasonable for some people to no longer trust their doctors.

Rather than ridiculing them, members of the medical community should ask first: What part do we have in this? Once they answer that question, they can begin to rebuild the public's faith in them.

David Fleck, Granada Hills

..

To the editor: Well-meaning but misguided parents must realize that measles shots are not lethal injections.

Quite the opposite: Failure to protect their (and other people's) children is a rash decision that could sicken, disable or even kill innocents.

Chris Ungar, Los Osos, Calif.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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EDM nightclubs in L.A.

EDM nightclubs

Sound

1642 N. Las Palmas Ave., L.A.

soundnightclub.com

Create

6021 Hollywood Blvd., L.A.

sbe.com

Lure

1439 Ivar Ave., L.A.

lurehollywood.com

Avalon

1735 N. Vine Ave., L.A.

avalonhollywood.com

Exchange

618 S. Spring St., L.A.

exchangela.com

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Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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EDM nightclubs in L.A.

EDM nightclubs

Sound

1642 N. Las Palmas Ave., L.A.

soundnightclub.com

Create

6021 Hollywood Blvd., L.A.

sbe.com

Lure

1439 Ivar Ave., L.A.

lurehollywood.com

Avalon

1735 N. Vine Ave., L.A.

avalonhollywood.com

Exchange

618 S. Spring St., L.A.

exchangela.com

cComments

Got something to say? Start the conversation and be the first to comment.

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0

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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You've got to be skidding: Lakers lose ninth in row, 98-92 to Wizards

On a night when they honored their late owner on his birthday, a night billed as "Remembering Dr. Jerry Buss," the injury-riddled 2014-15 edition of the Lakers played some inspired basketball Tuesday.

But all it got them was a step closer to some unwanted history.

Career nights from the Lakers' starting backcourt of Wayne Ellington and Jordan Clarkson weren't enough to stop the Washington Wizards from rallying for a 98-92 victory at Staples Center.

It was the Lakers' ninth consecutive defeat, within one of their longest losing streak since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1960. Unless they can upset the Central Division-leading Chicago Bulls on Thursday at Staples, they will equal that ignominious record, set in the 1993-94 season.

Washington's backcourt of John Wall (21 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds) and Bradley Beal (19 points) helped the Wizards pull out the win.

Ellington had 28 points and rookie point guard Clarkson had 18 in his third NBA start.

They are just two of the players Coach Byron Scott said the team was going to "evaluate," with Kobe Bryant out for the season because of a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, and Nick Young temporarily sidelined by a sprained right ankle.

"I'm getting more comfortable," Clarkson said. "I just want to continue to get better."

Ellington and Clarkson combined for half of the Lakers' points and helped them build a 19-point lead in the first half before the Wizards, who have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, turned things around.

"I just made up my mind that I was going to come out aggressive," Ellington said. "We're a team that needs to be hungry."

Scott played for the Lakers in the 1980s during the Showtime era, when they won five of their 10 NBA championships under Buss' ownership.

Buss, who died in February 2013, would have turned 82 on Tuesday.

Team President Jeanie Buss, Jerry's daughter, sat in her usual seat, a row behind the courtside seats.

The team gave out Lakers rings to fans as they entered the building, and the players gave the fans something to cheer about before losing for the 11th time in 12 games.

With so many injured players on a roster that's not particularly good to begin with, Scott was asked what Jerry Buss' message to the team might have been.

"Stay the course. Stay the course," Scott said. "We know we're going through some rough times right now. The water is rough, but just stay the course. It'll get back to where it's smooth sailing and everything will line up like it should. That means the Lakers will be back to a championship-caliber team."

In the meantime, Scott said, "we just want to evaluate guys" on this team to see if they are worthy of being Lakers going forward.

"All of these guys are still auditioning," Scott said. "They are still playing hard to try and stay here. Or, you've got 29 other [NBA] teams in this league as well."

Scott said the Lakers need to establish "a calling card" and that it should be defense.

So what has been the Lakers' calling card this season?

"That we get hurt a lot right now," Scott said. "That's all I can think of right now. We do get hurt a lot."

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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California developers expect to build more commercial space through 2017, survey says

California real estate developers are feeling bullish and plan to build more office buildings, apartments and warehouses in the months ahead, a survey says.

New commercial space is expected to increase through 2017 across most California real estate markets, thanks in part to job growth and the rise in goods moving through the state's ports.

The outlook is based on the recent Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast a measure of future commercial construction in California that analyzes the three-year outlook for real estate development activity based on surveys of real estate professionals.

"The forecast is optimistic for commercial real estate once again, and is expected to remain solid for the next few years," says Jerry Nickelsburg, adjunct professor of economics at UCLA's Anderson School of Management.

In comparison to the last survey, conducted in May, Southern California developers now are more bullish than in previous years. Forty-seven percent of professionals stated that they began projects in the last 12 months.

Looking forward, 51% said they would begin a development in the next 12 months as compared with only 35% in the 2014 survey.

Apartment development will continue to be one of the hottest construction categories in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles region as young people with jobs leave home and others who were sharing quarters with roommates venture out on their own.

"Developers are saying that as they look forward to 2016 and 2017, they see no letup in this demand, so they're out looking at new projects to build even more multifamily housing in the county of Los Angeles," Nickelsburg said.

roger.vincent@latimes.com

Twitter: @rogervincent

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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'Anna Christie' habors but a spark of greatness

There's no shortage of acting in the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble revival of Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie." Accents are adorned like fake noses, illnesses resemble those found in 19th century operas and bits of melodramatic business might as well be underscored with the clashing of cymbals.

What's missing from the production — which stars Jeff Perry (a Steppenwolf Theatre Company veteran and cast member of the hit television series "Scandal") and his daughter, rising actress Zoe Perry, as the play's long-estranged father and daughter — is the kind of directorial guidance that could infuse all this sound and fury with some resonant stillness.

The old-fashioned acting heaves in one direction; Kim Rubinstein's superficially modern staging tugs in another. Emotional combustion fortunately arrives with the introduction of Mat Burke (played by Kevin McKidd of "Grey's Anatomy"), the Irish shipman who washes up from the sea and falls madly in love with Anna, a sickly young woman with a checkered past who has sought sanctuary on her captain father's coal barge.

The plot belongs to another era, revolving around Anna's redemption from her life as a former prostitute after the neglect and exploitation of her childhood. But in trying to stylistically update O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1921 drama, this mismanaged revival makes the work seem irretrievably outdated.

Wilson Chin's semi-abstract set design — a raised platform that functions as barroom and boat, surrounded by a border of water standing in for "dat ole davil sea" — is treated by Rubinstein without much concern for common-sense logistics. Absent entirely is a sense of proportion. When the fog rolls in midway through the first act, the effect is so overdone that it's hard to make out what's happening on stage through stinging, watering eyes.

In O'Neill's drama, the fog is, of course, symbolic of the blindness with which the characters muddle their way into the future. Here, it's indicative of a production that is unable to effectively marshal its resources in the intimate space.

In the role of the Swedish captain Chris Christopherson, Jeff Perry gives a broad sketch of this weather-beaten seaman who has turned his back on long ocean voyages and the loneliness and drunken misery he associates with such a life. It's a characterization that stops short of being comic but has some of the same bluster and blunder one finds in the characters of Synge and O'Casey. The production, however, doesn't establish an assured tone for Perry's performance.

O'Neill, who was never known for his acute ear, had a bad habit of writing out speech patterns phonetically. Perry seems straitjacketed by Chris' pidgin English, his mouth forming around his lines as though he were swallowing Swedish meatballs.

The oddness of the portrayal is thrown into relief in the opening scene by Tait Ruppert's nonchalant bartender, who could pass for a waiter at a chain restaurant in Santa Monica. This character may not have a cumbersome accent, but surely he ought to inhabit the same time period as Mary Mara's Marthy Owen, a Dickensian barfly and Chris' bedmate who offers Anna a look into her own future if she doesn't straighten out her ways.

Zoe Perry's accent screams Minnesota, which is where Anna went to live as a young girl with her mother, who died during the voyage. This isn't the only dimension of her performance that is pitched too strenuously.

Pauline Lord, who originated the role of Anna on Broadway, was renowned for the hushed quality of her tragic realism. Perry makes intelligent choices with her interpretation of a woman whose cruel, exploited life hasn't sullied her innermost being, but the gap between character and actress is far too visible. O'Neill invites overacting, but he needs sacrificial immersion.

There are a few clarifying moments of blasting anger between Anna and Chris, but the cathartic fires really only ignite in the scenes between Anna and McKidd's Mat, who doesn't want to love her after she reveals the truth about her past, yet cannot stop. This is an O'Neill play that ends on a hopeful note, though naturally it takes several near catastrophes and a quasi-exorcism to get there.

The production, shot through with the plaintive jazz of sound designer Martin Gutfeldt's saxophone (another of Rubinstein's empty gestures), never finds a coherent rhythm. But a spark of what made O'Neill the great American dramatist (despite his myriad flaws as a writer) comes through. When the fog lifts (glory be to God), a haunted happy ending is the reward.

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

'Anna Christie'

Where: Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A.

When: 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays (call for exceptions). Ends March 8.

Tickets: $34.99

Info: (310) 477-2055, Ext. 2; http://www.OdysseyTheatre.com

Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Obama, India's prime minister face cold rain in effort to warm relations

President Obama joined Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a lengthy celebration of India's Republic Day on Monday in a symbolic series of events summarized by a long parade in cold rain.

Shielded partly by an umbrella, Obama sat attentively for more than two hours by Modi's side, watching camels and dancers parade down Rajpath, a grand ceremonial boulevard in central New Delhi.

He listened as Modi explained the floats from each of the Indian states, nodding enthusiastically at the one from the prime minister's home state of Gujarat.

The display of respect is the purpose of Obama's trip. After years of rocky relations between their two countries, the White House is hoping that the growing personal warmth between the president and prime minister will turn into a more cooperative relationship between their governments.

But the Soviet-style military parade today also illustrated the awkwardness that remains, with Obama watching an abundance of Russian-made hardware filing past.

Even as Modi tries to edge closer to the U.S., India's traditional orientation remains strong. During a side-by-side news conference over the weekend, Obama criticized Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin while Modi, who has defended Russia's actions in Ukraine, stood there silently.

Aides to the president say the conversations between Obama and Modi are going well. After their closed door sessions on Sunday, the two men announced a minor meeting of the minds on a few matters, including a civil nuclear deal that could clear the way for multi-national corporations to build nuclear power plants here.

The White House characterized the accords as breakthroughs, in the sense that they cleared hurdles that have stood in the way of bigger deals on global climate talks and greater access to Indian markets for American companies.

Far and away, though, advisors to Obama say he made the unusual one-country trip to India in an attempt to pay respects and warm relations.

Monday was devoted to that purpose, as the president and First Lady Michelle Obama braved the weather to watch the entire parade – with TV cameras trained on them for reactions in live broadcasts on several India television channels.

Obama sat by Modi, who wore a turban with a bright red fan, watching several Indian military regiments – including one riding on camels draped in bright poms and tiny mirrors.

As the floats from the states rolled by, though, he tilted his head close to Modi and asked questions. Modi smiled and pointed at the Gujarat float, featuring his pet project back home, the Statue of Unity.

He watched without saying much as several armored trucks and tanks rolled by, along with soldiers cradling assault weapons in their arms.

Much of the procession of Indian military hardware comes from Russia. A succession of Russian-made T-90 and T-72 battle tanks rumbled down the boulevard, followed by a flyover by three Russian Mi-35 helicopters in formation.

But at the end of the parade, India displayed some newer hardware from the United States, which has surpassed Russia to become India's main arms supplier. India bought $1.9 billion in U.S. weaponry in 2013, according to IHS Jane's, a security analysis group, including advanced aircraft that Indian officials say will be the cornerstone of the country's air force.

American-made C-17 and C-130J planes along with the Boeing-built Poseidon aircraft participated in a flyover, although they were escorted by Russian fighter planes, a sign of India trying to strike a balance between an old friend and a new one.

"Even though the U.S. has lost opportunities to sell to India over the years, it has regained the initiative and the parade demonstrated that," said Sameer Patil, a defense analyst at Gateway House, a Mumbai think tank. "It took Russia 50 years to build the defense partnership with India but the U.S. has overtaken them in the last 10 years."

U.S. and Indian officials on Sunday announced expanded defense cooperation and plans to jointly produce four relatively basic military projects, including the unarmed Raven drone aircraft, manufactured by Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment Inc.

"The preference of both sides is to work on simpler systems and see results, and then move on to more complicated stuff," Patil said.

For news about President Obama and the Obama administration, follow me on Twitter: @cparsons

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Obama, India's prime minister face cold rain in effort to warm relations

President Obama joined Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a lengthy celebration of India's Republic Day on Monday in a symbolic series of events summarized by a long parade in cold rain.

Shielded partly by an umbrella, Obama sat attentively for more than two hours by Modi's side, watching camels and dancers parade down Rajpath, a grand ceremonial boulevard in central New Delhi.

He listened as Modi explained the floats from each of the Indian states, nodding enthusiastically at the one from the prime minister's home state of Gujarat.

The display of respect is the purpose of Obama's trip. After years of rocky relations between their two countries, the White House is hoping that the growing personal warmth between the president and prime minister will turn into a more cooperative relationship between their governments.

But the Soviet-style military parade today also illustrated the awkwardness that remains, with Obama watching an abundance of Russian-made hardware filing past.

Even as Modi tries to edge closer to the U.S., India's traditional orientation remains strong. During a side-by-side news conference over the weekend, Obama criticized Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin while Modi, who has defended Russia's actions in Ukraine, stood there silently.

Aides to the president say the conversations between Obama and Modi are going well. After their closed door sessions on Sunday, the two men announced a minor meeting of the minds on a few matters, including a civil nuclear deal that could clear the way for multi-national corporations to build nuclear power plants here.

The White House characterized the accords as breakthroughs, in the sense that they cleared hurdles that have stood in the way of bigger deals on global climate talks and greater access to Indian markets for American companies.

Far and away, though, advisors to Obama say he made the unusual one-country trip to India in an attempt to pay respects and warm relations.

Monday was devoted to that purpose, as the president and First Lady Michelle Obama braved the weather to watch the entire parade – with TV cameras trained on them for reactions in live broadcasts on several India television channels.

Obama sat by Modi, who wore a turban with a bright red fan, watching several Indian military regiments – including one riding on camels draped in bright poms and tiny mirrors.

As the floats from the states rolled by, though, he tilted his head close to Modi and asked questions. Modi smiled and pointed at the Gujarat float, featuring his pet project back home, the Statue of Unity.

He watched without saying much as several armored trucks and tanks rolled by, along with soldiers cradling assault weapons in their arms.

Much of the procession of Indian military hardware comes from Russia. A succession of Russian-made T-90 and T-72 battle tanks rumbled down the boulevard, followed by a flyover by three Russian Mi-35 helicopters in formation.

But at the end of the parade, India displayed some newer hardware from the United States, which has surpassed Russia to become India's main arms supplier. India bought $1.9 billion in U.S. weaponry in 2013, according to IHS Jane's, a security analysis group, including advanced aircraft that Indian officials say will be the cornerstone of the country's air force.

American-made C-17 and C-130J planes along with the Boeing-built Poseidon aircraft participated in a flyover, although they were escorted by Russian fighter planes, a sign of India trying to strike a balance between an old friend and a new one.

"Even though the U.S. has lost opportunities to sell to India over the years, it has regained the initiative and the parade demonstrated that," said Sameer Patil, a defense analyst at Gateway House, a Mumbai think tank. "It took Russia 50 years to build the defense partnership with India but the U.S. has overtaken them in the last 10 years."

U.S. and Indian officials on Sunday announced expanded defense cooperation and plans to jointly produce four relatively basic military projects, including the unarmed Raven drone aircraft, manufactured by Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment Inc.

"The preference of both sides is to work on simpler systems and see results, and then move on to more complicated stuff," Patil said.

For news about President Obama and the Obama administration, follow me on Twitter: @cparsons

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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SAG Awards 2015: The duds, thuds and wows on the red carpet

We saw dull (Felicity Jones in a blush-pink, off-the-shoulder Balenciaga column), dowdy (Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a subdued black Monique Lhuillier gown with long black lace sleeves) and disappointing (Julianne Moore in an emerald-green beaded Givenchy that lacked that extra oomph).

And we saw more plunge fronts than a water park in high summer.

We also saw a lot of just plain dark outfits, a veritable blackout on an 80-degree day. Lorelei Linklater looked as if she were auditioning for the role of Morticia Addams in a black velvet Honor gown with bell sleeves. Why so serious? It's January in L.A., not New York.

And poor Rosamund Pike, pilloried for her side-scooped white Vera Wang gown at the Golden Globes, didn't even stop to talk to the TV cameras about her ruffled blue high-low Dior gown.

But the SAG Awards red carpet wasn't a total dud.

Reese Witherspoon looked modern and confident in a one-shoulder white Giorgio Armani gown with matte sequin detailing and a deep scoop back. The gown was fitted to perfection, and her sleek ponytail was the right accompaniment. Another white light? Maggie Gyllenhaal in a slinky crepe gown with a sheer bodice panel by Thakoon Panichgul.

Pregnant or not, Keira Knightley was one of the best-dressed in a deep-plum gown by British designer Erdem Moralioglu. The dramatic hue offset the gown's delicate lace tiers.

If you were looking for unusual, Emma Stone wore a Dior design that was one part tuxedo dress, one part sheer ball skirt — altogether sassy and different.

Another cool customer, Claire Danes, chose a Marc Jacobs gown that was anything but standard issue. In olive-drab green, the column dress was embellished with sparkly cabochons. It was a riff on Jacobs' spring 2015 runway collection, which riffed on uniforms of every stripe. And it was the first time I'd seen a Jacobs design on a major awards show red carpet, maybe ever. (Jacobs left his job as creative director of Louis Vuitton after 16 years in 2013 to focus on his own label in New York, and this has to be a feather in his cap.)

When it came to stripes, always a joyful choice for the red carpet when it's nice and warm, Tatiana Maslany wore a side-flounced gown with all-over stripes that recalled beach umbrellas in St. Tropez. The gown was an Oscar de la Renta from 2013. Lupita Nyong'o was thinking along the same lines; she wore a cheery striped and watercolor floral, long sleeve Elie Saab gown.

The biggest fashion risk taker of the night was probably Jennifer Aniston, who chose a vintage gold gown by John Galliano for the simple reason that she'd fallen in love with it, as she told E! Vintage was a big trend on the red carpet in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but lesser so now that luxury labels pay stars big bucks to be walking billboards. Aniston also took a gamble on Galliano, the designer who lost his job at Dior after being caught making racist comments on a camera phone and who recently restarted his career at Maison Martin Margiela.

The dress itself wasn't tremendous, but at least Aniston proved that when it comes to fashion, she's her own woman.

booth.moore@latimes.com

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Japanese leader 'speechless' over apparent beheading by Islamic State

A video distributed Saturday on the Internet showed what appears to be a Japanese hostage saying that a fellow Japanese captive had been executed and outlining a new militant demand for his release.

In the video, the hostage, a man identified as Kenji Goto, a Japanese journalist, appears to be holding a photo of his countryman, Haruna Yukawa, who has been beheaded, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist websites. SITE said the video was released on militant Twitter accounts.

Yukawa's father, Shoichi Yukawa, 74, told reporters at his home in Chiba, Japan, on Sunday that he had received a phone call from the Foreign Ministry around midnight Saturday telling him that his son apparently had been slain, although there was no official confirmation. 

"My mind totally went blank. I cannot find any other words," Yukawa told reporters at his home, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency. "My heart aches that it has turned out to be like this. I hope it is not my son, but I just feel awful."

Yukawa told journalists his son had regarded the remaining hostage, journalist Kenji Goto, like a big brother. "Mr. Goto risked his life to go [to Syria] because he was worried about my son. I feel very bad about this," Yukawa said, according to Kyodo. 

Both men were believed to have been abducted in Syria last year by the Islamic State. The militant group demanded that Japan hand over $200 million for their release. But Friday's deadline for the ransom payment passed without any word of their fate.

The case has drawn a great deal of attention in Japan and spawned a crisis for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had vowed to do what he could to save the two men. Japanese authorities said they were studying the video.

President Obama, in a statement issued by the White House, said, "The United States strongly condemns the brutal murder of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa by the terrorist group" Islamic State.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Japan and applaud its commitment to peace and development in a region far from its shores."

Abe said that an "image in which Mr. Haruna Yukawa seems to have been murdered was uploaded online."

"Fully aware of unbearable pain and sorrow that his family must be feeling, I am simply left speechless."

In the video, the captive journalist says that Islamic State has dropped its ransom demand and is now proposing a new deal: his release in exchange for the freedom of Sajida Rishawi, a female suicide bomber captured when she attempted to attack a hotel in Jordan in 2005 as part of series of militant attacks.

"It's simple: You give them Sajida and I will be released," Goto says, according to a transcript provided by SITE. "At the moment, it actually looks possible," adding that Japanese government officials working for his release were in Jordan, where the woman is being held.

In the video, Goto says Abe responsible was for Yukawa's death. "You did not take the threats of my captors seriously and you did not act within the 72 hours," he says.

He also had a message for his "beloved wife," Rinko.

"I love you, and I miss my two daughters," he tells his wife. "Please don't let Abe do the same for my case," referring to the apparent fate of Yukawa.

"Don't give up. You along with our family, friends, and my colleagues in the independent press must continue to pressure our government. Their demand is easier. They no longer want money. So you don't need to worry about funding terrorists."

Rishawi was a failed participant in the 2005 suicide assaults on three hotels in Amman that left 57 dead and 90 wounded, Jordanian authorities say. Her explosive belt did not detonate and she was captured, Jordanian police say.

Her husband, who was one of the three successful attackers — all of them Iraqi, as is Rishawi — set off his suicide bomb during a wedding party at the Radisson Hotel, authorities said.

Islamic State previously beheaded five Western hostages: two U.S. journalists, an American aid worker and two British aid workers.

Special correspondent Nabih Bulos in Istanbul and Times staff writer Julie Makinen in Beijing contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12:53 a.m.: This article was updated with remarks from Yukawa's father.

4:42 p.m.: This article has been updated with comments from Japan's prime minister.

12:45 p.m.: This post has been updated with comments from President Obama.

10:15 a.m.: This post has been updated with comments from the National Security Council in Washington and additional details about the video.

This post was originally published at 9:04 a.m.

16.38 | 0 komentar | Read More

Japanese leader 'speechless' over apparent beheading by Islamic State

A video distributed Saturday on the Internet showed what appears to be a Japanese hostage saying that a fellow Japanese captive had been executed and outlining a new militant demand for his release.

In the video, the hostage, a man identified as Kenji Goto, a Japanese journalist, appears to be holding a photo of his countryman, Haruna Yukawa, who has been beheaded, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist websites. SITE said the video was released on militant Twitter accounts.

Yukawa's father, Shoichi Yukawa, 74, told reporters at his home in Chiba, Japan, on Sunday that he had received a phone call from the Foreign Ministry around midnight Saturday telling him that his son apparently had been slain, although there was no official confirmation. 

"My mind totally went blank. I cannot find any other words," Yukawa told reporters at his home, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency. "My heart aches that it has turned out to be like this. I hope it is not my son, but I just feel awful."

Yukawa told journalists his son had regarded the remaining hostage, journalist Kenji Goto, like a big brother. "Mr. Goto risked his life to go [to Syria] because he was worried about my son. I feel very bad about this," Yukawa said, according to Kyodo. 

Both men were believed to have been abducted in Syria last year by the Islamic State. The militant group demanded that Japan hand over $200 million for their release. But Friday's deadline for the ransom payment passed without any word of their fate.

The case has drawn a great deal of attention in Japan and spawned a crisis for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had vowed to do what he could to save the two men. Japanese authorities said they were studying the video.

President Obama, in a statement issued by the White House, said, "The United States strongly condemns the brutal murder of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa by the terrorist group" Islamic State.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Japan and applaud its commitment to peace and development in a region far from its shores."

Abe said that an "image in which Mr. Haruna Yukawa seems to have been murdered was uploaded online."

"Fully aware of unbearable pain and sorrow that his family must be feeling, I am simply left speechless."

In the video, the captive journalist says that Islamic State has dropped its ransom demand and is now proposing a new deal: his release in exchange for the freedom of Sajida Rishawi, a female suicide bomber captured when she attempted to attack a hotel in Jordan in 2005 as part of series of militant attacks.

"It's simple: You give them Sajida and I will be released," Goto says, according to a transcript provided by SITE. "At the moment, it actually looks possible," adding that Japanese government officials working for his release were in Jordan, where the woman is being held.

In the video, Goto says Abe responsible was for Yukawa's death. "You did not take the threats of my captors seriously and you did not act within the 72 hours," he says.

He also had a message for his "beloved wife," Rinko.

"I love you, and I miss my two daughters," he tells his wife. "Please don't let Abe do the same for my case," referring to the apparent fate of Yukawa.

"Don't give up. You along with our family, friends, and my colleagues in the independent press must continue to pressure our government. Their demand is easier. They no longer want money. So you don't need to worry about funding terrorists."

Rishawi was a failed participant in the 2005 suicide assaults on three hotels in Amman that left 57 dead and 90 wounded, Jordanian authorities say. Her explosive belt did not detonate and she was captured, Jordanian police say.

Her husband, who was one of the three successful attackers — all of them Iraqi, as is Rishawi — set off his suicide bomb during a wedding party at the Radisson Hotel, authorities said.

Islamic State previously beheaded five Western hostages: two U.S. journalists, an American aid worker and two British aid workers.

Special correspondent Nabih Bulos in Istanbul and Times staff writer Julie Makinen in Beijing contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12:53 a.m.: This article was updated with remarks from Yukawa's father.

4:42 p.m.: This article has been updated with comments from Japan's prime minister.

12:45 p.m.: This post has been updated with comments from President Obama.

10:15 a.m.: This post has been updated with comments from the National Security Council in Washington and additional details about the video.

This post was originally published at 9:04 a.m.

16.38 | 0 komentar | Read More

Japanese leader 'speechless' over apparent beheading by Islamic State

A video distributed Saturday on the Internet showed what appears to be a Japanese hostage saying that a fellow Japanese captive had been executed and outlining a new militant demand for his release.

In the video, the hostage, a man identified as Kenji Goto, a Japanese journalist, appears to be holding a photo of his countryman, Haruna Yukawa, who has been beheaded, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist websites. SITE said the video was released on militant Twitter accounts.

Yukawa's father, Shoichi Yukawa, 74, told reporters at his home in Chiba, Japan, on Sunday that he had received a phone call from the Foreign Ministry around midnight Saturday telling him that his son apparently had been slain, although there was no official confirmation. 

"My mind totally went blank. I cannot find any other words," Yukawa told reporters at his home, according to Japan's Kyodo news agency. "My heart aches that it has turned out to be like this. I hope it is not my son, but I just feel awful."

Yukawa told journalists his son had regarded the remaining hostage, journalist Kenji Goto, like a big brother. "Mr. Goto risked his life to go [to Syria] because he was worried about my son. I feel very bad about this," Yukawa said, according to Kyodo. 

Both men were believed to have been abducted in Syria last year by the Islamic State. The militant group demanded that Japan hand over $200 million for their release. But Friday's deadline for the ransom payment passed without any word of their fate.

The case has drawn a great deal of attention in Japan and spawned a crisis for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had vowed to do what he could to save the two men. Japanese authorities said they were studying the video.

President Obama, in a statement issued by the White House, said, "The United States strongly condemns the brutal murder of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa by the terrorist group" Islamic State.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Japan and applaud its commitment to peace and development in a region far from its shores."

Abe said that an "image in which Mr. Haruna Yukawa seems to have been murdered was uploaded online."

"Fully aware of unbearable pain and sorrow that his family must be feeling, I am simply left speechless."

In the video, the captive journalist says that Islamic State has dropped its ransom demand and is now proposing a new deal: his release in exchange for the freedom of Sajida Rishawi, a female suicide bomber captured when she attempted to attack a hotel in Jordan in 2005 as part of series of militant attacks.

"It's simple: You give them Sajida and I will be released," Goto says, according to a transcript provided by SITE. "At the moment, it actually looks possible," adding that Japanese government officials working for his release were in Jordan, where the woman is being held.

In the video, Goto says Abe responsible was for Yukawa's death. "You did not take the threats of my captors seriously and you did not act within the 72 hours," he says.

He also had a message for his "beloved wife," Rinko.

"I love you, and I miss my two daughters," he tells his wife. "Please don't let Abe do the same for my case," referring to the apparent fate of Yukawa.

"Don't give up. You along with our family, friends, and my colleagues in the independent press must continue to pressure our government. Their demand is easier. They no longer want money. So you don't need to worry about funding terrorists."

Rishawi was a failed participant in the 2005 suicide assaults on three hotels in Amman that left 57 dead and 90 wounded, Jordanian authorities say. Her explosive belt did not detonate and she was captured, Jordanian police say.

Her husband, who was one of the three successful attackers — all of them Iraqi, as is Rishawi — set off his suicide bomb during a wedding party at the Radisson Hotel, authorities said.

Islamic State previously beheaded five Western hostages: two U.S. journalists, an American aid worker and two British aid workers.

Special correspondent Nabih Bulos in Istanbul and Times staff writer Julie Makinen in Beijing contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

12:53 a.m.: This article was updated with remarks from Yukawa's father.

4:42 p.m.: This article has been updated with comments from Japan's prime minister.

12:45 p.m.: This post has been updated with comments from President Obama.

10:15 a.m.: This post has been updated with comments from the National Security Council in Washington and additional details about the video.

This post was originally published at 9:04 a.m.

16.38 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chinese director Jia Zhangke turns lens on nation's smoggy skies

Chinese director Jia Zhangke, a bête noir of censors whose socially conscious films have tackled issues of modernization, globalization, violence and alienated youth – has now turned his lens, briefly, on the country's air pollution problem.

In a seven-minute, dialogue-free film made for Greenpeace, "Smog Journeys," Jia captures, in rather ethereal style, farmers coughing in fields while smokestacks belch behind them; children playing soccer in facemasks; young parents rushing babies to hospitals and administering inhalers; and urban commuters navigating their motorbikes through a miasma of grey haze.

The fictional short has the quality of a dream-like documentary, loosely following two families of different social class – a white-collar family in the Chinese capital and a miner family from Hebei, the province that surrounds Beijing. According to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, many of the cities with the country's worst air pollution are in Hebei, which is heavily industrialized.

In a Q&A released by the environmental group along with the film, Jia says the film is "meant to point out that no one gets to be different when it comes to smog, no matter what jobs we do, it is still a problem we all face."

Jia's previous full-length film, "A Touch of Sin," was a ripped-from-the headlines look at violence in Chinese society. Winner of the best screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival, it was never allowed to be shown in Chinese theaters.

In "Smog Journeys," which can be seen in China on the online video site Youku, Jia refrains from asking viewers – or the government – to take any specific action; the film ends with a simple statement saying, "Clean air doesn't come to those who wait."

 "I wanted to raise the society's environmental awareness through this, get people's attention on the smog issue, and find ways to solve it," Jia said.

But Yan Li, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace East Asia, said in a statement introducing the film that "bringing back clean air needs to be a priority and it requires urgent action. Greenpeace calls on the government to take immediate steps to safeguard the health of its citizens, cut coal and shift toward cleaner renewable energy."  

Jia is not the only Chinese film director to express his concern about the environment recently. Feng Xiaogang ended his comedic 2013 film "Personal Tailor" on a relatively serious note, with some of the main characters superimposed against the backdrop of a toxic wasteland and apologizing to the environment for the intense pollution.  

Follow @JulieMakLAT for news from China

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Chinese director Jia Zhangke turns lens on nation's smoggy skies

Chinese director Jia Zhangke, a bête noir of censors whose socially conscious films have tackled issues of modernization, globalization, violence and alienated youth – has now turned his lens, briefly, on the country's air pollution problem.

In a seven-minute, dialogue-free film made for Greenpeace, "Smog Journeys," Jia captures, in rather ethereal style, farmers coughing in fields while smokestacks belch behind them; children playing soccer in facemasks; young parents rushing babies to hospitals and administering inhalers; and urban commuters navigating their motorbikes through a miasma of grey haze.

The fictional short has the quality of a dream-like documentary, loosely following two families of different social class – a white-collar family in the Chinese capital and a miner family from Hebei, the province that surrounds Beijing. According to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, many of the cities with the country's worst air pollution are in Hebei, which is heavily industrialized.

In a Q&A released by the environmental group along with the film, Jia says the film is "meant to point out that no one gets to be different when it comes to smog, no matter what jobs we do, it is still a problem we all face."

Jia's previous full-length film, "A Touch of Sin," was a ripped-from-the headlines look at violence in Chinese society. Winner of the best screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival, it was never allowed to be shown in Chinese theaters.

In "Smog Journeys," which can be seen in China on the online video site Youku, Jia refrains from asking viewers – or the government – to take any specific action; the film ends with a simple statement saying, "Clean air doesn't come to those who wait."

 "I wanted to raise the society's environmental awareness through this, get people's attention on the smog issue, and find ways to solve it," Jia said.

But Yan Li, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace East Asia, said in a statement introducing the film that "bringing back clean air needs to be a priority and it requires urgent action. Greenpeace calls on the government to take immediate steps to safeguard the health of its citizens, cut coal and shift toward cleaner renewable energy."  

Jia is not the only Chinese film director to express his concern about the environment recently. Feng Xiaogang ended his comedic 2013 film "Personal Tailor" on a relatively serious note, with some of the main characters superimposed against the backdrop of a toxic wasteland and apologizing to the environment for the intense pollution.  

Follow @JulieMakLAT for news from China

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

16.38 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chinese director Jia Zhangke turns lens on nation's smoggy skies

Chinese director Jia Zhangke, a bête noir of censors whose socially conscious films have tackled issues of modernization, globalization, violence and alienated youth – has now turned his lens, briefly, on the country's air pollution problem.

In a seven-minute, dialogue-free film made for Greenpeace, "Smog Journeys," Jia captures, in rather ethereal style, farmers coughing in fields while smokestacks belch behind them; children playing soccer in facemasks; young parents rushing babies to hospitals and administering inhalers; and urban commuters navigating their motorbikes through a miasma of grey haze.

The fictional short has the quality of a dream-like documentary, loosely following two families of different social class – a white-collar family in the Chinese capital and a miner family from Hebei, the province that surrounds Beijing. According to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, many of the cities with the country's worst air pollution are in Hebei, which is heavily industrialized.

In a Q&A released by the environmental group along with the film, Jia says the film is "meant to point out that no one gets to be different when it comes to smog, no matter what jobs we do, it is still a problem we all face."

Jia's previous full-length film, "A Touch of Sin," was a ripped-from-the headlines look at violence in Chinese society. Winner of the best screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival, it was never allowed to be shown in Chinese theaters.

In "Smog Journeys," which can be seen in China on the online video site Youku, Jia refrains from asking viewers – or the government – to take any specific action; the film ends with a simple statement saying, "Clean air doesn't come to those who wait."

 "I wanted to raise the society's environmental awareness through this, get people's attention on the smog issue, and find ways to solve it," Jia said.

But Yan Li, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace East Asia, said in a statement introducing the film that "bringing back clean air needs to be a priority and it requires urgent action. Greenpeace calls on the government to take immediate steps to safeguard the health of its citizens, cut coal and shift toward cleaner renewable energy."  

Jia is not the only Chinese film director to express his concern about the environment recently. Feng Xiaogang ended his comedic 2013 film "Personal Tailor" on a relatively serious note, with some of the main characters superimposed against the backdrop of a toxic wasteland and apologizing to the environment for the intense pollution.  

Follow @JulieMakLAT for news from China

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Man fatally stabbed at Mojave Desert campsite

A man was fatally stabbed at a campsite Saturday night in the Mojave Desert, authorities said.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Richard Henighen, 27, and another person got into an argument that ended with Henighen suffering several stab wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies responded around 9:20 p.m. to the campsite, located near Highway 395 and Cuddeback Road about 50 miles northwest of Barstow.

Detectives were interviewing witnesses Sunday and have not released details on what prompted the dispute.

For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno. 

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Man fatally stabbed at Mojave Desert campsite

A man was fatally stabbed at a campsite Saturday night in the Mojave Desert, authorities said.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Richard Henighen, 27, and another person got into an argument that ended with Henighen suffering several stab wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies responded around 9:20 p.m. to the campsite, located near Highway 395 and Cuddeback Road about 50 miles northwest of Barstow.

Detectives were interviewing witnesses Sunday and have not released details on what prompted the dispute.

For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno. 

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Pro-Russia rebels claim to control Donetsk airport after battle

Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine claimed Monday that they have seized control of the Donetsk airport after days of intense fighting. Ukrainian officials have not confirmed a retreat.

"All attempts of Ukrainian army to take the airport and to get revenge for the defeat of the last year … have failed," rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said at a press conference early Monday in Donetsk.

He accused Ukraine of using rocket and artillery fire with an intensity that rebel forces had "never experienced it before."

The separatist stronghold was shaken by heavy outgoing and incoming artillery fire over the weekend as a battle raged for the air terminal and surrounding areas. Sporadic explosions could still be heard from the direction of the airport early Monday.

Ukrainian officials did not confirm the retreat. Yuriy Biryukov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, wrote on his official Facebook account early Monday that wounded soldiers had been evacuated from the air terminal overnight, but did not say how many troops had remained.

"We will not abandon our own, nobody has forgotten them," he wrote. "Everything will be (ours), but just not right away. We are learning."

The U.N. estimates that more than 4,700 people have been killed in eastern Ukraine since April.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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'Selma' left out: Why assume it was racism?

To the editor: The article declares that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has "mostly overlooked" the film "Selma." The very same Hollywood types that are regularly criticized for their liberal leanings are now accused of turning a blind eye to minorities. ("Oscars 2015: Diversity is the biggest nomination snub," Jan. 15)

The story is front-loaded with quotes from the director of UCLA's Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and a representative from the African American Film Critics Assn. Of course Al Sharpton wants an emergency meeting with "Hollywood leaders." The last several paragraphs cover the many other possible scenarios of this outrageous omission less than a year after "12 Years a Slave" had three black acting nominees and won the best picture award.

Terrific movies are snubbed almost every year for a wide variety of reasons. If the math doesn't work out to an equitable allocation of diversity, do we have to assume it to be racially motivated rather than something more benign?

Robin Blomquist, Torrance

..

To the editor: It should come as no surprise that the nominations reflect two words: money and risk. The members mostly consist of voters whose nature is built around those words. It has been a part of the industry's thinking since it became a profit-driven business.

The nominations also reflect the community at large. In the early days, filmmakers had to be careful not to offend Southern sensibilities; now, with the nation still polarized, Hollywood is still risk-averse. The truth is that the biggest motivation is the bottom line.

As for women on film, there seems to be only one for academy voters: Meryl Streep. As for black people on film, they seem to be saying what many others have said recently: "What do you people want? You've got a black president."

Anthony Lawrence, Woodland Hills

::

To the editor: Seemingly every year, the academy is slammed over diversity.

As the wife of an academy member, I can say they're not all aging couch potatoes who don't really watch the films. They are diligent, passionate film-goers and makers.

The fact that this year there was less diversity than might be desired perhaps has more to do to the quality of the films submitted. You may not agree with the academy's choices, but did you see all the films that the members saw? Are you being swayed by the promotion that gets thrown at members?

The academy is not perfect, but its goals are to reward the exceptional, no matter the race of the filmmakers or actors. There were so many who were not included, but I hear no outcry about anything but "Selma," which was a very good film, but perhaps not the greatest.

Let us celebrate the nominees and hope that next year even better films are produced that showcase our diversity.

Susan Brenner, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: This issue goes to the heart of what's wrong about the state tax credit program.

Why are Californians — most of whom, according to the census, are people of color — subsidizing an industry that consistently and without excuse continues to snub them and avoid its responsibility to be inclusive?

Larry Kaplan, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I would like to wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences a happy Martin Luther King Day.

Monte Whaley, Redondo Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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'Selma' left out: Why assume it was racism?

To the editor: The article declares that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has "mostly overlooked" the film "Selma." The very same Hollywood types that are regularly criticized for their liberal leanings are now accused of turning a blind eye to minorities. ("Oscars 2015: Diversity is the biggest nomination snub," Jan. 15)

The story is front-loaded with quotes from the director of UCLA's Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and a representative from the African American Film Critics Assn. Of course Al Sharpton wants an emergency meeting with "Hollywood leaders." The last several paragraphs cover the many other possible scenarios of this outrageous omission less than a year after "12 Years a Slave" had three black acting nominees and won the best picture award.

Terrific movies are snubbed almost every year for a wide variety of reasons. If the math doesn't work out to an equitable allocation of diversity, do we have to assume it to be racially motivated rather than something more benign?

Robin Blomquist, Torrance

..

To the editor: It should come as no surprise that the nominations reflect two words: money and risk. The members mostly consist of voters whose nature is built around those words. It has been a part of the industry's thinking since it became a profit-driven business.

The nominations also reflect the community at large. In the early days, filmmakers had to be careful not to offend Southern sensibilities; now, with the nation still polarized, Hollywood is still risk-averse. The truth is that the biggest motivation is the bottom line.

As for women on film, there seems to be only one for academy voters: Meryl Streep. As for black people on film, they seem to be saying what many others have said recently: "What do you people want? You've got a black president."

Anthony Lawrence, Woodland Hills

::

To the editor: Seemingly every year, the academy is slammed over diversity.

As the wife of an academy member, I can say they're not all aging couch potatoes who don't really watch the films. They are diligent, passionate film-goers and makers.

The fact that this year there was less diversity than might be desired perhaps has more to do to the quality of the films submitted. You may not agree with the academy's choices, but did you see all the films that the members saw? Are you being swayed by the promotion that gets thrown at members?

The academy is not perfect, but its goals are to reward the exceptional, no matter the race of the filmmakers or actors. There were so many who were not included, but I hear no outcry about anything but "Selma," which was a very good film, but perhaps not the greatest.

Let us celebrate the nominees and hope that next year even better films are produced that showcase our diversity.

Susan Brenner, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: This issue goes to the heart of what's wrong about the state tax credit program.

Why are Californians — most of whom, according to the census, are people of color — subsidizing an industry that consistently and without excuse continues to snub them and avoid its responsibility to be inclusive?

Larry Kaplan, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I would like to wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences a happy Martin Luther King Day.

Monte Whaley, Redondo Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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'Selma' left out: Why assume it was racism?

To the editor: The article declares that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has "mostly overlooked" the film "Selma." The very same Hollywood types that are regularly criticized for their liberal leanings are now accused of turning a blind eye to minorities. ("Oscars 2015: Diversity is the biggest nomination snub," Jan. 15)

The story is front-loaded with quotes from the director of UCLA's Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and a representative from the African American Film Critics Assn. Of course Al Sharpton wants an emergency meeting with "Hollywood leaders." The last several paragraphs cover the many other possible scenarios of this outrageous omission less than a year after "12 Years a Slave" had three black acting nominees and won the best picture award.

Terrific movies are snubbed almost every year for a wide variety of reasons. If the math doesn't work out to an equitable allocation of diversity, do we have to assume it to be racially motivated rather than something more benign?

Robin Blomquist, Torrance

..

To the editor: It should come as no surprise that the nominations reflect two words: money and risk. The members mostly consist of voters whose nature is built around those words. It has been a part of the industry's thinking since it became a profit-driven business.

The nominations also reflect the community at large. In the early days, filmmakers had to be careful not to offend Southern sensibilities; now, with the nation still polarized, Hollywood is still risk-averse. The truth is that the biggest motivation is the bottom line.

As for women on film, there seems to be only one for academy voters: Meryl Streep. As for black people on film, they seem to be saying what many others have said recently: "What do you people want? You've got a black president."

Anthony Lawrence, Woodland Hills

::

To the editor: Seemingly every year, the academy is slammed over diversity.

As the wife of an academy member, I can say they're not all aging couch potatoes who don't really watch the films. They are diligent, passionate film-goers and makers.

The fact that this year there was less diversity than might be desired perhaps has more to do to the quality of the films submitted. You may not agree with the academy's choices, but did you see all the films that the members saw? Are you being swayed by the promotion that gets thrown at members?

The academy is not perfect, but its goals are to reward the exceptional, no matter the race of the filmmakers or actors. There were so many who were not included, but I hear no outcry about anything but "Selma," which was a very good film, but perhaps not the greatest.

Let us celebrate the nominees and hope that next year even better films are produced that showcase our diversity.

Susan Brenner, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: This issue goes to the heart of what's wrong about the state tax credit program.

Why are Californians — most of whom, according to the census, are people of color — subsidizing an industry that consistently and without excuse continues to snub them and avoid its responsibility to be inclusive?

Larry Kaplan, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I would like to wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences a happy Martin Luther King Day.

Monte Whaley, Redondo Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Clippers can't get the duo dynamic right in 126-121 loss to Cavaliers

When it was over, after LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had run roughshod over the Clippers, Coach Doc Rivers lamented not having the right answers to slow down Cleveland's dynamic duo.

The determination and purpose displayed by James and Irving was the driving force as Cleveland pulled out a 126-121 victory over the Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center.

They combined to score 69 points and hand out 12 assists. They combined to shoot 23 for 41 from the field.

And though the Clippers had six players score in double figures, it was the play of James and Irving that helped the Cavaliers get over the hump and complete a sweep of back-to-back games against the Clippers and Lakers.

James finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Irving scored 37 points on 12-for-18 shooting, making five of seven three-point attempts, and had five assists.

"Once Kyrie and LeBron got it going at the same time, we have to have a better answer," Rivers said. "And that's on us."

Throw in Tristan Thompson's 24 points and 12 rebounds in place of injured power forward Kevin Love (back), and the Cavaliers' 55.4% shooting from the field, it was a tough night for the Clippers' defense.

"They made a lot of shots," Rivers said. "But we can be a better defensive team than that. . . . I'm sure they think they can too."

Blake Griffin had 34 points and 10 rebounds and DeAndre Jordan had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who made history Friday when Rivers became the first man to coach his son in an NBA game.

But neither Doc nor Austin Rivers could prevent the Clippers from falling into a 10-point hole in the fourth quarter after James drilled a three-pointer.

"They have a good team," Griffin said. "A lot of guys made shots. A lot of guys did what they were supposed to do. I just think we've got to be better for 48 minutes. We were . . . good in stretches, but we've got to be better."

The Clippers pulled to within four points and twice had an opportunity to get to within two, but Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes missed shots.

When Chris Paul (15 points, 14 assists) scored to bring L.A. to within 119-115, the door remained open for the Clippers.

That was until James threw an inbounds pass to Thompson, who scored down low while being fouled by J.J. Redick. Thompson made the free throw to complete the three-point play for a 122-115 Cavaliers lead with 46.4 seconds left.

The Clippers kept fighting, but Matthew Dellavedova made three of four free throws in the final few seconds to seal the game for Cleveland.

"I didn't think we played very well offensively, as crazy as that sounds," Rivers said. "With 121 points, I don't think I've ever thought I would ever make that comment. But it was a tough game."

Twitter: @BA_Turner

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Clippers can't get the duo dynamic right in 126-121 loss to Cavaliers

When it was over, after LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had run roughshod over the Clippers, Coach Doc Rivers lamented not having the right answers to slow down Cleveland's dynamic duo.

The determination and purpose displayed by James and Irving was the driving force as Cleveland pulled out a 126-121 victory over the Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center.

They combined to score 69 points and hand out 12 assists. They combined to shoot 23 for 41 from the field.

And though the Clippers had six players score in double figures, it was the play of James and Irving that helped the Cavaliers get over the hump and complete a sweep of back-to-back games against the Clippers and Lakers.

James finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Irving scored 37 points on 12-for-18 shooting, making five of seven three-point attempts, and had five assists.

"Once Kyrie and LeBron got it going at the same time, we have to have a better answer," Rivers said. "And that's on us."

Throw in Tristan Thompson's 24 points and 12 rebounds in place of injured power forward Kevin Love (back), and the Cavaliers' 55.4% shooting from the field, it was a tough night for the Clippers' defense.

"They made a lot of shots," Rivers said. "But we can be a better defensive team than that. . . . I'm sure they think they can too."

Blake Griffin had 34 points and 10 rebounds and DeAndre Jordan had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who made history Friday when Rivers became the first man to coach his son in an NBA game.

But neither Doc nor Austin Rivers could prevent the Clippers from falling into a 10-point hole in the fourth quarter after James drilled a three-pointer.

"They have a good team," Griffin said. "A lot of guys made shots. A lot of guys did what they were supposed to do. I just think we've got to be better for 48 minutes. We were . . . good in stretches, but we've got to be better."

The Clippers pulled to within four points and twice had an opportunity to get to within two, but Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes missed shots.

When Chris Paul (15 points, 14 assists) scored to bring L.A. to within 119-115, the door remained open for the Clippers.

That was until James threw an inbounds pass to Thompson, who scored down low while being fouled by J.J. Redick. Thompson made the free throw to complete the three-point play for a 122-115 Cavaliers lead with 46.4 seconds left.

The Clippers kept fighting, but Matthew Dellavedova made three of four free throws in the final few seconds to seal the game for Cleveland.

"I didn't think we played very well offensively, as crazy as that sounds," Rivers said. "With 121 points, I don't think I've ever thought I would ever make that comment. But it was a tough game."

Twitter: @BA_Turner

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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22 dead as tugboat capsizes in eastern China

Authorities confirmed 22 people dead in the capsizing of a tugboat on a test voyage in eastern China, after rescuers dragged the overturned vessel to shallow waters and scoured it Saturday.

Four Singaporeans, an Indian, an Indonesian, a Japanese and a Malaysian were among the dead in the accident on the Yangtze River, and the 14 other victims were Chinese, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.

The newly built, 98-foot Wanshenzhou 67 was on a test voyage Thursday in the river's Fubei Channel in Jiangsu province when it tipped.

The ship's owner, parts suppliers and engineers were among the 25 people aboard for the test.

Three people were rescued, all Chinese, including one man identified as an interpreter who was freed when rescuers cut through the bottom of the boat's hull early Friday — a full 14 hours after it went down.

An official at the Jiangsu maritime search and rescue center, who declined to give his name, confirmed that 22 people were dead.

Swift currents had hampered the operation, and it was not until Saturday morning when rescue teams were able to pull the vessel to the surface and to shallow waters for a thorough search inside.

The 368-ton ship was built by Anhui Bengbu Shenzhou Machinery Co. Ltd.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Doc Rivers' latest Clippers trade hits home -- he gets Austin Rivers

Father knows best?

Austin Rivers certainly hopes so.

The 22-year-old shooting guard could only trust his father knew what he was doing Thursday when Doc Rivers completed a trade that brought his son to the Clippers.

Rivers was born in Santa Monica, spent part of his recent summers with his family in a Westwood high-rise condominium and is now on the verge of attempting what he hopes is a Hollywood turnaround.

Rivers has largely disappointed in his first three professional seasons, posting modest statistics for a player selected No. 10 overall in the 2012 NBA draft after one season at Duke.

Rivers was traded Monday by the New Orleans Pelicans, the team that drafted him, to the Boston Celtics as part of a deal in which the Celtics did not intend to keep Rivers because they covet players with a higher upside.

Like any young adult wondering what to do next, Rivers is turning to his dad, who just happens to be in a position to change the arc of his son's career.

Doc Rivers essentially runs the Clippers as coach and president of basketball operations, though he was hesitant to the idea of adding his son to the roster before several underlings convinced him the move might make sense. The Clippers have one of the most underachieving benches in the NBA and Austin Rivers' versatility as a shooting guard and point guard makes him more valuable than his statistics might suggest.

Austin Rivers is also in position to make league history as the first son to play for his father.

"He's a downhill guard, which is something we need," Doc Rivers said recently, "so I certainly would" be open to coaching him.

The Clippers were hoping to complete the trade by Thursday, though it would require the cooperation of a third team because Boston was believed to be unwilling to add salary as part of any deal. The Clippers needed to unload roughly $1.8 million in salary to make the trade work.

In the deal, guard Reggie Bullock went from the Clippers to Phoenix, forward Shavlik Randolph from Phoenix to Boston, and guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and a 2017 second-round pick from the Clippers to Boston.

The trade for Rivers' son might stoke smoldering concerns among Clippers fans already worried about Doc Rivers' brief track record with personnel moves.

For all his coaching smarts and steadying presence during the Donald Sterling scandal, Rivers has had a spotty record in player acquisition since joining the Clippers in June 2013.

He traded an emerging phenom in Eric Bledsoe, surrendered a first-round draft pick to unload the underwhelming Jared Dudley and drafted a pair of first-round draft picks who have struggled to crack his playing rotation.

And that doesn't even account for his most recent off-season moves, the acquisitions of massive letdowns Spencer Hawes and Jordan Farmar — the latter player's ineffectiveness being the very reason Rivers even considered adding his son.

Twitter: @latbbolch

Associated Press contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Doc Rivers' latest Clippers trade hits home -- he gets Austin Rivers

Father knows best?

Austin Rivers certainly hopes so.

The 22-year-old shooting guard could only trust his father knew what he was doing Thursday when Doc Rivers completed a trade that brought his son to the Clippers.

Rivers was born in Santa Monica, spent part of his recent summers with his family in a Westwood high-rise condominium and is now on the verge of attempting what he hopes is a Hollywood turnaround.

Rivers has largely disappointed in his first three professional seasons, posting modest statistics for a player selected No. 10 overall in the 2012 NBA draft after one season at Duke.

Rivers was traded Monday by the New Orleans Pelicans, the team that drafted him, to the Boston Celtics as part of a deal in which the Celtics did not intend to keep Rivers because they covet players with a higher upside.

Like any young adult wondering what to do next, Rivers is turning to his dad, who just happens to be in a position to change the arc of his son's career.

Doc Rivers essentially runs the Clippers as coach and president of basketball operations, though he was hesitant to the idea of adding his son to the roster before several underlings convinced him the move might make sense. The Clippers have one of the most underachieving benches in the NBA and Austin Rivers' versatility as a shooting guard and point guard makes him more valuable than his statistics might suggest.

Austin Rivers is also in position to make league history as the first son to play for his father.

"He's a downhill guard, which is something we need," Doc Rivers said recently, "so I certainly would" be open to coaching him.

The Clippers were hoping to complete the trade by Thursday, though it would require the cooperation of a third team because Boston was believed to be unwilling to add salary as part of any deal. The Clippers needed to unload roughly $1.8 million in salary to make the trade work.

In the deal, guard Reggie Bullock went from the Clippers to Phoenix, forward Shavlik Randolph from Phoenix to Boston, and guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and a 2017 second-round pick from the Clippers to Boston.

The trade for Rivers' son might stoke smoldering concerns among Clippers fans already worried about Doc Rivers' brief track record with personnel moves.

For all his coaching smarts and steadying presence during the Donald Sterling scandal, Rivers has had a spotty record in player acquisition since joining the Clippers in June 2013.

He traded an emerging phenom in Eric Bledsoe, surrendered a first-round draft pick to unload the underwhelming Jared Dudley and drafted a pair of first-round draft picks who have struggled to crack his playing rotation.

And that doesn't even account for his most recent off-season moves, the acquisitions of massive letdowns Spencer Hawes and Jordan Farmar — the latter player's ineffectiveness being the very reason Rivers even considered adding his son.

Twitter: @latbbolch

Associated Press contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Doc Rivers' latest Clippers trade hits home -- he gets Austin Rivers

Father knows best?

Austin Rivers certainly hopes so.

The 22-year-old shooting guard could only trust his father knew what he was doing Thursday when Doc Rivers completed a trade that brought his son to the Clippers.

Rivers was born in Santa Monica, spent part of his recent summers with his family in a Westwood high-rise condominium and is now on the verge of attempting what he hopes is a Hollywood turnaround.

Rivers has largely disappointed in his first three professional seasons, posting modest statistics for a player selected No. 10 overall in the 2012 NBA draft after one season at Duke.

Rivers was traded Monday by the New Orleans Pelicans, the team that drafted him, to the Boston Celtics as part of a deal in which the Celtics did not intend to keep Rivers because they covet players with a higher upside.

Like any young adult wondering what to do next, Rivers is turning to his dad, who just happens to be in a position to change the arc of his son's career.

Doc Rivers essentially runs the Clippers as coach and president of basketball operations, though he was hesitant to the idea of adding his son to the roster before several underlings convinced him the move might make sense. The Clippers have one of the most underachieving benches in the NBA and Austin Rivers' versatility as a shooting guard and point guard makes him more valuable than his statistics might suggest.

Austin Rivers is also in position to make league history as the first son to play for his father.

"He's a downhill guard, which is something we need," Doc Rivers said recently, "so I certainly would" be open to coaching him.

The Clippers were hoping to complete the trade by Thursday, though it would require the cooperation of a third team because Boston was believed to be unwilling to add salary as part of any deal. The Clippers needed to unload roughly $1.8 million in salary to make the trade work.

In the deal, guard Reggie Bullock went from the Clippers to Phoenix, forward Shavlik Randolph from Phoenix to Boston, and guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and a 2017 second-round pick from the Clippers to Boston.

The trade for Rivers' son might stoke smoldering concerns among Clippers fans already worried about Doc Rivers' brief track record with personnel moves.

For all his coaching smarts and steadying presence during the Donald Sterling scandal, Rivers has had a spotty record in player acquisition since joining the Clippers in June 2013.

He traded an emerging phenom in Eric Bledsoe, surrendered a first-round draft pick to unload the underwhelming Jared Dudley and drafted a pair of first-round draft picks who have struggled to crack his playing rotation.

And that doesn't even account for his most recent off-season moves, the acquisitions of massive letdowns Spencer Hawes and Jordan Farmar — the latter player's ineffectiveness being the very reason Rivers even considered adding his son.

Twitter: @latbbolch

Associated Press contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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Michael Douglas to be honored by the Genesis Prize Foundation

Michael Douglas will receive a $1-million prize from a group founded by Russian billionaires seeking to strengthen Jewish culture at a time when the Jewish population is shrinking worldwide and Israel is eager for support from international figures, including Hollywood celebrities, in its decades-long conflict with the Palestinians.

The Genesis Prize Foundation was set to announce Wednesday night in New York City that Douglas was the recipient of its second annual award to celebrate "the richness and diversity of Jewish culture." The two-time Academy Award winner will be honored by the Israeli prime minister during a ceremony in Jerusalem in June. The 70-year-old actor was selected by a committee that included Nobel literature laureate Elie Wiesel.

Douglas is an intriguing choice; his selection may be criticized by ultraconservative Jews. His father, Kirk Douglas, who was born Issur Danielovitch, is the son of Jewish immigrants from what is now Belarus. Michael Douglas' mother, Diana Dill, is not Jewish, and he was not raised in the faith. Douglas embraced his Jewish identity later in life and last year traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the bar mitzvah of his son Dylan.

In a phone interview from New York, Douglas, who won an Academy Award for lead actor for his 1987 portrayal of Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street," and as producer of 1975 best picture winner "One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest," acknowledged that his selection would likely "not go without controversy or debate." He added that as a Reform Jew who was in an interfaith marriage with Catherine Zeta-Jones, he has often been made to feel estranged from his faith by Orthodox Jews.

But he noted that he was inspired by his son Dylan's devoutness and his father's reaffirmation of his Jewish lineage and his second bar mitzvah when he was 83. Douglas said that he hoped the award would "encourage a new generation and remind them what their roots are and that they are welcome" in the fold.

"It is an unconventional choice," said Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of the foundation, who added that the actor was chosen for "his professional achievements and for his passion for his Jewish heritage and the Jewish state."

"The Douglas family's experience of connecting with its heritage and embracing it on their own terms embodies an inclusive approach for Jews of diverse backgrounds," Polovets added.

The foundation is part of the Genesis Philanthropy Group, started in 2007 by Russian businessmen to foster Jewish identity among about 3 million Russian-speaking Jews, many of whom immigrated to Israel and other countries after the fall of the Soviet Union. The aim of the Genesis Prize is to recognize personalities who may inspire Jews about their history and to bolster wider support for Israel, which has drawn international condemnation for its treatment of Palestinians, notably after last year's war in the Gaza Strip.

The selection last year of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the first Genesis prize ruffled some in certain Jewish quarters. Bloomberg is not devout, and some Israelis thought he had not done enough with his fortune or political influence to promote the Jewish state. The billionaire donated his $1-million prize to fund innovative projects by young adults to improve global and community problems.

Bloomberg appeared "no more Jewish than the cop on the street who eats a bagel for lunch and picked up some Yiddish from a stint in Brooklyn," Jane Eisner, editor of the Jewish Daily Forward, wrote last year. "What are these Jewish values that we so vaguely admire? Is Michael Bloomberg the best person to answer that question before an increasingly skeptical younger generation?"

The Genesis Philanthropy Group, which has endowed the prize foundation with $100 million, was founded by businessmen Polovets, Alexander Knaster, German Khan, Pyotr Aven and Mikhail Fridman, one of Russia's richest oligarchs who has reported ties to President Vladimir Putin. The men made their fortunes in banking, oil, telecommunications and other businesses. The philanthropy is close to the Israeli government and spends $15 million to $20 million a year on a number of projects, including sending about 3,000 Russian-speaking Jews to Israel every year to learn about their culture.

Polovets, head of the AAR Consortium, which manages Russian energy assets, said part of the focus of the Genesis group was to promote diversity in the Jewish community in hope of encouraging a younger, less religious generation to embrace its heritage.

"Israel is facing external threats, as do Jews in many European countries," said Polovets, who graduated from Stanford University and lives in New York. "We have to be as inclusive and tolerant as possible, and stop askingwhich of your grandmothers was Jewish and which one was not. Otherwise, our numbers will continue to diminish at an alarming rate."

The worldwide Jewish population has declined from 18 million in 1988 to 13.8 million in 2013, according to the World Almanac. The drop is partly attributed to aging, mixed marriages and a lack of religious devotion.

The honoring of Douglas, who as a U.N. messenger of peace has lobbied for human rights and anti-nuclear proliferation, indicates that Israel is seeking support from Hollywood after many in the film industry did not publicly back the country during its war with the Palestinian group Hamas last year.

"There is always a way to support and strengthen the Jewish people and the Jewish state by identifying, expressing and working for Jewish solidarity," said Natan Sharansky, a former Soviet dissident and chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, who headed the award committee. "Michael Douglas did precisely this in his own inimitable and very impressive way."

Douglas said he was exploring how to donate his $1-million prize but noted that part of it would likely go to groups that work with interfaith marriage and other tolerance issues.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

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