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SEPTEMBER 21, 2008

Gallery of loss: Passengers on the Metrolink are forever connected by fate. california

Arizona hammers UCLA: Bruins overmatched in 31-10 home loss to Wildcats. sports

Bailout: $700,000,000,000 The Treasury secretary would have unchecked power to buy ailing mortgagebacked securities. Robert J. Lopez, Garrett Therolf and Scott Gold reporting from washington

Stephen Osman Los Angeles Times

destruction: A truck bomb, which authorities said was packed with more than a ton of explosives, left a huge crater and destroyed the Marriott.

ALASKANS UNHAPPY PALIN IS ABSENT Queries are directed through the McCain campaign machine. Her political capital at home is eroding. By Kim Murphy reporting from anchorage

Jerry McCutcheon went to Gov. Sarah Palin’s office here last week to request information about the firing of former p Public s Safety c Commissioner Walt Monegan, the scandal that for weeks has threatened to overshadow eclipse the governor’s role nomination as Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s running mate. McCutcheon was given a phone number in Virginia to call: the national headquarters of the McCain-Palin campaign. Why, he wanted to know, did he have to call a campaign office 4,300 miles away to find out what was going on in Alaska the Alaskan government? The longtime civic activist phoned his local state representative, legislator, Les Gara, who quickly filed a protest. These days, many such queries about Monegan — or anything else involving Palin’s record as governor — get diverted to McCain staffers. A former Justice Department prosecutor from New York flew in recently to advise the governor’s lawyer and field re[See Alaskans, Page A29]

Pakistan shaken by deadly blast At least 40 are dead; many trapped in the ruined luxury hotel. Robert J. Lopez, Garrett Therolf reporting from islamabad, pakistan

Scott Gold reporting washington

As Pakistan reeled from one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in its history, rescuers to-

day (sun) continued the search for victims of a suicide truck bombing that leveled a five-star hotel frequented by foreign diplomats and the nation’s elite. At least 40 people were killed and 250 others wounded when a truck full of explosives was rammed into the gates of the Marriott Hotel. The thunderous blast in the heart of the Pakistani capital reverberated for miles, carving out a crater 30 feet deep and setting off a fire that continued to burn into the early hours of today(Sun). Dozens of people

were believed trapped inside. With dozens still believed trapped inside, authorities continued to search early today for victims of a massive suicide bombing attack on a five-star hotel in Islamabad frequented by foreign diplomats and the Pakistani elite. At least 40 people were killed and 250 others wounded when a truck full of explosives was rammed into the gates of the Marriott Hotel, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the history of this politically shaky Muslim nation.

The thunderous blast in the heart of nation’s capital reverberated for miles, carved out a crater 30-feet deep and set off a fire that continued to burn into the early hours of today(Sun). There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came hours after Pakistan’s new president, Asif Ali Zardari, delivered his first maiden speech to lawmakers. Islamic militants have vowed to destabilize Zardari’s government, which is faced with deepening economic gloom [See Blast, Page 5]

Humble berry now a global superfood

A CLASSIC SENSE OF STYLE Kiera Knightley drives street fashion. She is somehow not impressed.

But some worry that acai’s new popularity could spell trouble for the rain forest.

IMAGE

Stephen Osman Los Angeles Times

Hotels going pet-friendly travel TODAY’S SECTIONS

California, Business, Sports, Calendar, Image, Arts&Books, Travel, Comics I & Comics II Printed with soy inks on partially recycled paper

THE RACE IS ON

>>>

The TV awards tell us about what we value more: change or expierence. Calendar

Golden years may have lost their glow With home values down, costs up and their 401(k)s declining, some seniors have had to rethink retirement. Mary Dickenson

reporting from belem, brazil

A truck bomb , which text authorities said was packed with more and more.

A frenzy overtakes the teeming harbor here as a wooden-hulled riverboat chugs into port. “It’s here!” cries an expectant buyer, one of many shoving his way toward the craft in a sweaty mercantile crush. “The gold! The purple gold!” The cargo is acai (pronounced ah-sigh-EE), the unassuming fruit of a jungle palm that has gone from Amazonian staple to global wonder-berry: a much-hyped ingredient in smoothies, sorbets, nutrition bars and countless trendy treats from L.A. to London to

Tokyo. Acai’s cachet derives not only from the berry’s antioxidant traits and supposed Viagra-like powers of vitality, but from its green pedigree: It has been acclaimed as a renewable resource that provides a sustainable livelihood for tens of thousands of subsistence ? harvesters without damaging the expanses of the Amazon. Because of acai, the jungle is more valuable standing than felled. With acai a global sensation, however, some fear the berry’s [See Superfood, Page 5]

Mary Dickenson

Unveiling its plan to rescue the nation’s financial system from near-paralysis, the Bush administration is asking Congress for the authority to spend $700?billion and for powers to intervene in the economy so sweeping that they have virtually no precedent in U.S. history. The proposal, set out in a spare 2?1/2?-page document sent to congressional leaders Saturday, would in effect allow the Treasury secretary to set up a government investment bank to buy up the billions of dollars of the mortgage-backed securities now clogging the arteries of the global financial system. The dollar figure alone is remarkable, amounting to 5% of the nation’s gross domestic product. But the most distinctive — and potentially most controversial — element of the plan is the extent to which it would allow Treasury to act unilaterally: Its decisions could not be reviewed by any court or administrative body and, once the emergency legislation was approved, the administration could raise the $700?billion through government borrowing and would not be subject to Congress’ traditional power of the purse. “Nothing quite of this scale has happened since the early years of the country when Alexander Hamilton wrote the Treasury act to give him the [See Bailout, Page 5]

Decades of saving and hard work as a teacher earned Beverly Welsh what she thought would be a comfortable retirement. She bought a townhouse in Las Vegas to be near her mother, but the longtime South Pasadena resident continued to spend time in her beloved Southern California. She spoiled her five cats. She took acting classes, landing small parts in a few low-budget films. Then the bottom fell out of the real estate market and stocks cratered, wiping out a third of her $750,000 net worth over the last two years. Tight on cash, the 76-year-old retiree says she may seek work as a substitute teacher to supplement her dwindling investment income. “It’s unbelievable how quick[See Retire, Page 5]

california

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we d nes d ay, septem b er 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: latimes . com /cali f ornia

L.A. Then and Now: Edward Roybal’s name is on so many L.A. buildings for good reason. 3

School assists missing boys’ mom: Teachers rally around her after the two disappear. 4

lo ttery 4 :: how t o reach us 4 : : briefs 8 : : obituaries 1 2 -13 :: military deat hs 13 :: weath er 15

I think I see Russia! No, wait

METROLINK CRAS H : W H AT W E L O S T b

ST E V E L O P E Z from nome, alaska

Nome, Alaska Yes, Nome Why not? I wanted to see the real Alaska, and I was told that would require me to get beyond Anchorage, which is sometimes derided as Los Anchorage because of its enormous population (279,000280,000) and sprawling suburbs. Nome is way, way, way out west on the Bering Sea, reachable only by plane, boat or by sled dog sled. And as vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Gov. Sarah Palin said, in trying to put voters at ease about her foreign affairs credentials, you can see Russia from this part of the state. So I landed on this edgeof-nowhere burg (pop. 3,000 3,600, give or take a few Eskimos) and headed into town expecting to find lots of Palin supporters and perhaps even a few potential foreign policy advisors in the event of a John McCain-Sarah Palin administration. It turns out lots of people here have seen Russia, but none of them felt qualified to be vice president or take on a Cabinet position. I borrowed some binoculars and got excited when I zoomed in on a large land mass just to the west. “That’s not Russia,” said Norbert Thomas, an Inupiat Eskimo who was carving a piece of driftwood near the beach on a balmy and sunny, 50-degree day. “It’s Sledge Island.” I tried to talk politics, but Thomas said he wasn’t interested. Besides, he said, “If I don’t carve, I don’t eat.” My first big surprise came when I dropped by the Nome Nugget?, which calls itself Alaska’s oldest newspaper. “Rural Alaska is mostly Democratic,” said editor and publisher Nancy McGuire?. I wondered, then, how Palin’s approval ratings as governor were as high as 80%. ? That’s an easy one, said McGuire said. The state population is concentrated in and around Anchorage and Wasilla, where she’s the hometown girl. “Shows what they know,” said McGuire, a sassy old salt whose shack of an office sits on Front Street, a saloon-studded strip that was teeming with gold-rush prospectors 100 years ago. Sure, McGuire said, on a crystal-clear day from the nearby village of Wales or from one of the islands, you can see Big Diomede Island in Russia or maybe even the distant cloud cover on the Russian mainland. But it’s not like you can smell the Smirnoff or wave to Vladimir Putin. When McGuire told me that she once flew near Big Diomede for a college class and that her plane was chased away by a Russian MIG, I suggested she might be in line to become secretary of State. “I’ll go for president,” she said, noting that she has more Russia experience than Palin. “I’ve seen it closer.” To be honest, I hadn’t expected to find a member of the liberal media elite in the town that serves as terminus for the Iditarod? mush trail. McGuire’s views are not local gospel, though. Mary Knodel, who runs the Arctic Trading Post, is a Palin fan, and not just because she’s selling the hot biography, “Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment on Its Ear Upside Down.” “She’s a breath of fresh air,” said Knodel, calling Palin un[See Lopez, Page 6]

Twenty-five people were killed in the Sept. 12 collision of two trains. Top row, from left: Christopher Aiken, Dennis Arnold, Dean Brower, Alan Buckley and Yi Chao. Second row, from left: Spree DeSha, Walter Fuller, Ron Grace, Michael Hammersley and Jacob Hefter. Third row, from left: Chen-Wyuan Kari Hsieh, Ernest “Pete” Kish, Gregory Lintner, Paul Long and Manuel Macias. Fourth row, from left: Aida Magdaleno, Beverly Mosley, Charles Peck, Howard Pompel and Donna Lynn Remata. Bottom row, from left: Robert M. Sanchez, Doyle Souser, Roger Spacey, Maria Elena Villalobos and Atul Vyas.

25 linked by fate

By J oe M ozingo >>> Coasting out of Chatsworth at 4:22 p.m., Doyle Souser had caught an early train home from work to cook his family a nice tri-tip for dinner. Charles Peck had just wrapped up an interview for a job he hoped would land him in Southern California so he could marry his fiancee. Aida Magdaleno, a farmworker’s daughter studying at Cal State Northridge, was on her way home to attend her nephew’s baptism. ¶ They didn’t know one another each other. Their only connection came when they boarded the first car of Metrolink 111 that afternoon. ¶ But a minute later, the far-flung threads of their lives would be forever tied off in a knot in the wreckage of Southern California’s worst train accident in modern history. ¶ In that instant, the cold rules of physics, or the mystery of fate, claimed a variegated slice of humanity as perhaps only a disaster can could do, and left a scattershot pattern of emotional wounds far and wide. ¶ Students [ See Victims, Page 8] and faculty at Theodore Roosevelt Middle School in Glendale grappled with the loss

150,000 State’s financial trauma just beginning

Region snapshot

Number of flu shots given in Southern California in 2007.

30,000

Reported cases of flu in Southern California so far in 2008.

18%

Percentage of people in the U.S. who will catch the flu in 2008.

Discord over budgets will almost certainly worsen as economy slows and voters are asked to weigh in. Evan Halper There was spaghetti on the stove at Fire Station 96 when the loudspeaker crackled. Right before dinner. Typical. “Possible physical rescue,” the dispatcher said. In firefighter-speak, it was a run-of-the-

mill call that gets the emergency response rolling, but usually translates into little more than a car wreck. The voice was cold, detached — numb from the job, perhaps, but also trained to keep emotion at bay. Los Angeles Fire Capt. Alan Barrios, a brawny, soft-spoken man and a father of three who has been in the business for 32 of his 54 years, climbed aboard his rig with two firefighters and an engineer, his entire engine company. Among Between the four of them, they’d been on the line for 77 years. Four minutes after the call, just before 4:30 p.m. Friday, they

pulled up to the Chatsworth house where a resident had called 911, at the end of Heather Lee Lane. Barrios could see the smoke now. He sprinted to the back of the house and stared through a chain-link fence. This was no car wreck. “We are on scene,” Barrios barked into his radio. “We have a train collision.” The rescue effort that would unfold from that moment would involve hundreds of firefighters, law enforcement officers and others, and would shock the senses of even the most hardened veterans. By Saturday, as the death

toll rose to 25, two parallel narratives had emerged from the mangled cars. There had been moments of astonishing heroism. An off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff ’s deputy who himself survived the crash helped numerous victims get out, despite a broken collar bone, a collapsed lung, a puncture wound in his thigh and a broken hand. Deputy John Ebert, 54, a court bailiff, was in critical but stable condition Saturday evening. There had been moments of heartbreaking reality, too — when rescue workers trying [See Budget, Page 5]

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business S u n day, s e p t e mb e r 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m / b u s i n e s s

Real Estate: Hollywood condos for the young and hip. 12 l e tt ers 2 :: personal finance 3 : : m o n e y ta l k 3 : : m a r k et roun dup 5 :: mortgage rate s 6 :: s outhland home p rice s 14

Jon Krause For The Times

exe cutive pay r e p o rt

Fair is fair, but exec perks aren’t david lazarus Popularity often is the kiss of death for an investment. When too much money chases the same thing, that thing usually is on a fast track to becoming overvalued and, ultimately, a lousy investment. Yet some of the nation’s largest mutual funds have generated great returns for their investors in recent years even as a massive wave of fresh cash has poured in. These funds, managed by firms including American Funds, Dodge & Cox, Fidelity Investments and Davis Funds, have gone from big to much bigger, while still in many cases outperforming smaller funds that in theory ought to be more nimble. Case in point: Growth Fund of America, part of the Los Angeles-based American Funds group, has swelled from $36 billion in assets in 2002 to about $160 billion now, becoming by far the largest stock fund. Despite that torrent of new money, Growth Fund last year earned a total return of 10.9%, 4 percentage points better than the average fund that focuses on large-company growth stocks, according to research firm Morningstar Inc. Over the last five years, Growth Fund’s average annualized return was 8%, compared with 2.9% for the typical fund in its category. It also beat the blue-chip Standard & Poor’s 500 index, which was up 6.2% a year. [See Lazarus, Page C4]

reversal of Fortune For the first time in decades, executive paychecks got smaller in 2007. Not small, mind you, but a 10 percent average cut — a trend that was mirrored nationwide, thanks to increasing investor activism.

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The biggest losers These chief executives suffered the sharpest cuts in total pay last year among the leaders of California’s 100 largest firsm. Pay is the sum of salary and bonus plus the value of stock, options and perks. Figures in millions:

Angelo Mozillo Countrywide Financial

2006: $48.1 2007: $10.8

Ronald Havner Jr.

Kathy Kristof

he year was a financial triumph for the U.S. hotel business, marking a full recovery from the deep economic pain that wracked the industry after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ¶ With cash-flush business and leisure travelers back on the road in great numbers, hotel operators have been able to upgrade their properties and raise their nightly rates. Investors were eager to get in on the actiy has long reflected its market. ¶ But very few of the buyers are people of colors. Indeed, the industry has long reflected its Coy has long reflected its Con ntinental roots, with most upscale propst le French word “hotelier.” ¶ With cash-flush business and leisure travelers back on the road in great numbers, hotel operators have been able to upgrade their properties and raise their nightly rates. Investors were eager to get in on the actiy has long reflected its market. ¶ But very fewpscale propst le French woistor ically it’s been very [See Pay, Page C3]

The top 100

The perks

Face off

Text in here to mondo chart inside, maybe listing the top one or two overall right in hme here. CXX

Text in here to mondo chart inside, maybe listing the top one or two overall right in ome here. CXX

Text in here to mondo chart inside, maybe listing the top one or two overall right in heme here. CXX

-77.5%

Public Storage

2006: $7.7 2007: $2.5

-68.8% Michael Perry Indy Mac Bancorp

2006: $4.0 2007: $1.4

-64.8% R. Chad Dreier Ryland Group

2006: $31.4 2007: $14.3

-54.6%

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Sports S u n d ay, j u ly 6 , 2 0 0 8 :: lat i m e s . c o m / spo r t s

Helene Elliott: Why Torre is loving life out West. 3

Ervin Santana: At 6-0, the ace is looking way ahead. 7

lett e rs 2 : : n ba 3 : : n hl 4 : : day in sp o rts 6 : : auto racing 7 :: hor se racing 8

N B A P L AY O F F S second round

Game 2: Utah at Lakers, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (TNT) Lakers lead best-of-seven series 1-0

Merrier May A year ago, Bryant and the Lakers seemed headed for divorce. Today, he’s the MVP and they are title condenders once again.

bi ll plasc h k e

from belmont, n.y.

On the Monday after, when it should have been just the opposite, the sport of horse racing was riding low in the saddle. Saturday, at the grotto of the sport, a star named Big Brown was born into public consciousness by storming down the homestretch, under the twin spires of Churchill Downs, and winning the Kentucky Derby in dominating fashion. It was what racing wanted, needed, lusts after. There hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, and the projection of such a star seems to be the sport’s perceived trampoline to growth. Big Brown started in the 20th hole, so far from the rail and from access to the shortest trip around the 1 1/4 -mile route that, despite obviously superior talents, many experts figured a win was unlikely. When he powered past the field to finish nearly five lengths in front, racing stood on top of the mountain and shook its fists in joy. Less than a minute later, the fists unclenched and the joy drained. Once again, at a key moment, in a high-profile race, a horse had broken down. The story wasn’t victory and glory now. It was death. Eight Belles, a filly who had run against 19 boys and beat all but one of them, collapsed about a quarter of a mile past the finish line. She was almost at full stop when both ankles suddenly fractured, one break piercing the skin and opening up to the likely contamination that brings the decision to put the horse down. Which is what happened. By Monday, racing was sitting on a folding chair in a windowless room with flood lights glaring down. Instead of celebration, it got inquisition. The questions came fast and furious, anyway. The answers are more elusive. What’s wrong with thoroughbred breeding that so many great ones break down? Barbaro did so two years ago in the Preakness, then George Washington in last year’s Breeders’ Cup. And who can forget, no matter the passage of time, the agony of Ruffian and Go For Wand, limbs dangling grotesquely? Should fillies be allowed to race against colts? Is there a gender-related physical flaw? Is the pressure of a Triple Crown, with the three most important races of their lives spread over only five weeks, simply too much physically for a 3-year-old to handle? And what about jockeys whipping horses down the stretch? Nicole Matthews, a spokeswoman for PETA, the animal rights group, [See Dwyre, Page D7]

mark heisler on the nba from salt lake city

Bringing it all back home ... home? It’s almost 12 years since Kobe Bryant became a Laker and he’s been ours all that time. Ours to dazzle, ours to try with his youthful exuberance, ours to horrify as we watched his fall, ours to shock as he threw the Lakers’ organization under the bus. Mostly he was ours to amaze as he lurched from crises of his own invention to triumphs no one could have imagined months before. Of course, being Bryant, it would be on to the next crisis, which even he looked like he couldn’t get out of this time. . . . Like this piece de resistance, going from last May’s days of rage to this Wednesday in May when Commissioner David Stern or one of his lieutenants will hand him his first MVP trophy. How many of the fans who’ll be chanting “MVP!” booed Bryant on opening night last fall? However many there were, they will have been entitled in both cases. Given Bryant’s greatness and dedication, this starry night is the way it should have been all along . . . and the way it still could be. He was just emerging from Shaquille O’Neal’s shadow when Shaq was traded. Bryant got the blame, although it was entirely mutual with each ready to leave the other. As Bryant later acknowledged, he thought he was going, too, to the Clippers. For years it looked as if [See Heisler, Page D10]

latimes.com /lakers

See how Kobe Bryant’s recent season compares with years past.

Lakers seek way to hop on boards Rebounding and defending remain issues against Utah despite Game 1 win. Mike Bresnahan on the lakers reporting from salt lake city

The questions bounced around the practice facility as if the Lakers actually lost Game 1 against Utah. Why can’t they rebound? Are they physical enough to win a best-of-seven series against Utah? Will Kobe Bryant need to get to the line 20 times every game to keep his team in the series? So many questions a day after the Lakers’ 109-98 series-opening victory, some of them valid after the Lakers lost most of a 19-point lead and were thoroughly overwhelmed on the boards, 58-41. “We definitely have to match that physicality,” Pau Gasol said. “They can’t feel that they can overpower us or take advantage of us on the offensive boards.” Utah wasn’t a great rebounding team during the regular season, finishing 24th in the league, but the Jazz looked like a team of Dennis Rodmans against the Lakers. Well, sort of. [See Lakers, Page D10]

Another setback for horse racing

Carlos Chavez Los Angeles Times Carlos Chavez Los Angeles Times

is everybody happy? Kobe Bryant critized the Lakers after an early playoff exit last May and de-

manded a trade. Wednesday he’ll receive his first league MVP award.

Game 2: Five keys to the Lakers taking a commanding 2-0 series lead against Utah. 8 Hornets: New Orleans takes 2-0 series lead with 118-105 win against San Antonio. 9 Pistons: Detroit cruises, takes 2-0 series lead with 100-93 win against Orlando. 10

An animal rights group is calling for the suspension of Gabriel Saez, who rode ill-fated Eight Belles, behind winner Big Brown, at the Derby.

latimes.com /horseracing

Big Brown photo gallery with comments from jockeys and trainers.

calendar

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S u n day, se p t e m b er 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m es . c o m /c a l e n da r

Flying blind: Taking a famous book to the big screen can be perilous. 12 letters 2 :: sunday c o nversatio n 3 : : home theater 1 2 : : m ovable bu ffet 13 :: the gu ide 16 :: tv listing s 24-25

Jay L. Clendenin Los Angeles Times

STILL learning In ‘Body of Lies,’ Leonardo DiCaprio’s CIA agent character battles scores of terrorists. But Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott presented a challenge too. By Chris Lee >>> Leonardo DiCcaprio didn’t realize he was in over his head until it was too late. “I was constantly fuelled with adrenaline,” DiCaprio remembers of filming his new espionage thriller, “Body of Lies.” “There were certainly moments of sheer anxiety.” ¶ He wasn’t talking about the physical hardships he endured for director Ridley Scott’s homage to such ’70s political potboilers as “The Parallax View” and “Three Days of the Condor” — although endure plenty the 33-year-old Los Feliz native did endure plenty did. ¶ DiCaprio’s character, undercover CIA operative Roger Ferris, is treated like a human piñata. He narrowly outruns terrorist bombs, gets torn up by shrapnel in a helicopter missile strike and attacked by a rabid dog while on a covert mission to take down a Middle Eastern terrorist cell. In addition, his character Ferris must navigate the treacherous shoals of his own government’s convoluted agenda in the region, his progress undercut at every step by a ruthless Aagency station chief played by Russell Crowe. ¶ Worse, in actuality, DiCaprio was stricken by a respiratory illness [See Leo, Page A29]

It’s safe for her to smile again Elizabeth Reaser’s searing role on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ leads to laughs (and drama) on new hit ‘The Ex List.’ Maria Elena Fernandez

Annie Wells Los Angeles Times

EERIE: Reaser plays a young woman perplexed by a

psychic’s premonition about her future husband on ‘The

Friday’s disastrous collision that took the lives of at least 25 people might could have been prevented if Metrolink and the region’ ‘That girl from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ has a name -- and soon many people will know it. The name is Elizabeth Reaser, and a year after her Emmy nomina-

tion for a guest role as a mentally unstable, disfigured Seattle Grace patient, she’s starring in “The Ex List” for CBS. The 33-year-old actress couldn’t have foreseen these events. A seven-episode stint on the highly popular “Grey’s” -- during which she managed to develop a playful chemistry with Justin Chambers’ Alex despite her character being, at first, a horribly maimed amnesiac -- evolved into a 17-episode run as Alex’s on-again/off-again, and finally insane, girlfriend. That led to Reaser being cast as the lead in “The Ex List,” a comedic drama about a woman’s search for love. It sounds easy, but it comes after many years of [See Reaser, Page A29]

LosE Friends, FIND SUCCESS Somehow it works for Toby Young. Page 8

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Spring collections: Timeless elegance shines in Milan. 7 sty le p ro file 2 : : b e aut y 3 : : b est f o ot f orward 4 :: sh opping 8

SPLIT ENDS When superstar hairdresser Sally Hershberger opened a new salon steps from the one where she made her name, the stage was set for a scissors-to-scissors battle for the town’s most demanding clientele. Then the fur began to fly.

Photo Illustration by

Ricardo DeAratanha Los Angeles Times

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travel S u n day, s e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m / t r av e l

Europe little by little: Savoring the continent’s small countries. 4-7 on the spot 2 :: comi ng t o v e ga s 2 : : h o t e l r e v i e w 8 : : a i r fa r e s 9 :: more for your money 9 :: letters 10

New Mexico

Sheer Frontier Harsh terrain. Outlaw hideouts. Bear tracks. The Gila Wilderness is no place for tenderfoots. But you won’t find solitude like this in Tarzana. By Hugo Martin reporting from gila wildernes, nm >>> I was bushwhacking through a tangle of shrub and trees, following the Gila River in southwestern New Mexico, when I came across fresh bear prints in the wet, sandy shores. ¶ Big bear prints. ¶ I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, the wrangler who led me on several horseback trips through the Gila Wilderness the previous three days packed a shotgun on his saddle. ¶ Alone, unarmed and pushing through a snarl of brush, I was searching for a hot spring along the riverbank. Aldo Leopold, the legendary ecologist and forester who campaigned for the protection of this untamed land, soaked in this and other nearby hot springs more than 85 years ago. But I couldn’t find it amid the trees and bushes. ¶ As the shadows lengthened and the woods came to life with sound, I saw nothing but limb-biting branches and more animal tracks. ¶ Like thousands of travelers who visit the wilderness annually, I had come to see the hardscrabble patch of New Mexico that became the model for every protected wilderness in the country. I came to explore the same rocky [See Gila, Page L4] trails cut by the Apache warrior Geronimo,

switzerland

Oregon

A little spring in your step

Look out! It’s a trap headline!

Taking the waters and taking in the architecture are the charm of this spa. Page 7

High-desert links in the Northwest will deceive you. Or not and more text here to fill out lines. Page 7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008

latimes.com

$.50 DESIGNATED AREAS HIGHER 88 pageS © 2008 oc † †

INQUIRY TO FOCUS ON WORK SCHEDULE Experts say engineers’ split shifts, long days can lead to fatigue that affects rail safety. Ned Parker Federal investigators are trying to determine whether back-to-back, split-shift workdays that began before dawn and ended at 9 p.m. played a role in a Metrolink engineer’s failure to heed warning lights in last week’s crash that left 25 people dead. Engineer Robert M. Sanchez’s regular five-day workweek was spread over nearly 53 hours, according to authorities. He would have been near the end of that schedule Friday afternoon when his train sped through a red light and collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train. National Transportation Safety Board member Kitty Higgins told The Times that she was “very concerned” about Sanchez’s schedule, saying a “human performance team” will pursue evidence that might shed light on the possible effects of Sanchez’s shift. “It’s a long day,” she said. Typically, Sanchez worked five days of identical shifts: He began his day just before 6 a.m., worked until almost 9:30 a.m. and took a 4?1/2?-hour break before beginning a seven-hour shift at 2 p.m., according to the NTSB. The crash occurred Fri[See Inquiry, Page A29]

Taliban’s cunning surprises the West Martin Zimmerman, Maura Reynolds and Tom Petruno A summer of heavy fighting during which Western military leaders had hoped to seize the initiative from Islamic militants has instead revealed an insurgency capable of employing complex new tactics and fighting across a broad swath of Afghanistan. Over the last three months, insurgents have exacted the most punishing casualty tolls on Western forces since the Afghan war began nearly seven years ago. Numbers of foreign troops killed have exceeded U.S. military deaths in Iraq. As Washington prepares to increase troop levels and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates paid a visit, militants have created a palpable sense of encirclement in Kabul with a series of small but highly sym[See Taliban, Page A29]

Crisis deepens amid fear of continued stock dive Back to the future Stocks are back to 2005 levels

Southland home prices, back to 2003

Savings interest rates, back to 2005

The S&P 500*, monthly closes and latest

Median prices

Rates for money-market bank accounts**

1,600

$600

5%

500

4

April ’05: 1,156.85

1,300

Wednesday: 1,156.39 down 57.21

1,000

700

Jan. ’02: 1,130.20

400

’04

’05

’06

’07

’08

’02

’03

’04

Weather Page...........B12 Complete Index..........A2 TODAY’S SECTIONS

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Jan. ’02: 2.24%

Wednesday: 2.72%

2

1 ’05

’06

’07

’08

’02

’03

’04

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*An index fund tied to the S&P 500 is an investment option in many 401(k) funds. **For deposits of $10,000 and over

File name: fi-wallstreet18 Headline: back to the future Section: FI Run date: 9/18/08 Artist: r. burns X73488 Size: 4 x Proof #: ___________ Time: _____________ © Los Angeles Times

Stephen Osman Los Angeles Times

last time my husband came back: Widow

Michelle Lintner talks about the ill-fated train rides Kim

Nearly half of sales now foreclosures And with lenders eager to unload, Southland prices will keep sliding. Peter Hong So many foreclosed homes are for sale in Southern California that these distressed properties will soon dominate the market, forcing prices down even further. About half of the homes sold in the region in August had been repossessed, foreclosed, according ?to figures data released Wednesday by the real estate tracking service, MDA DataQuick, driving

pushing prices down 34% over the previous year to a median of $330,000. That brought out in the bargain hunters, who pushed sales up for the second month in a row in August. But with thousands of additional homes being repossessed by banks each week, it won’t be long before foreclosures will comprise the majority of most properties sold are foreclosures, experts said. “We’ll certainly see more than 50% foreclosures,” said ? Sean O’Toole, chief executive CEO of ForeclosureRadar, a seller of default data. O’Toole said repossessed properties should make up the [See Foreclosures, Page A29]

Stephen Osman Los Angeles Times

last time my husband came back: Widow

Michelle Lintner talks about the ill-fated train rides Kim

Monday’s Market developments Stock prices plunged across the globe, with the Dow Jones tumbling 504 points, the most since right after the Sept. 11 attacks. Shares of Bank of America dropped 21% after news that it would buy Merrill Lynch & Co. American International Group stock fell 61% as the world’s largest insurer scrambled to find as much as $75 billion in capital to stay afloat. The price of oil fell sharply to close below $100 — a first since early March — in the wake of storms along the Gulf Coast and the turmoil on Wall Street.

The global financial crisis deepened Wednesday as stock prices cratered and credit markets seized up, teetering financial institutions sought salvation in buyouts and government officials scrambled to find a way out of the mess. Investors awaited the opening of trading on Wall Street this morning with trepidation, fearing a repeat of the landslide of selling that sent the Dow Jones industrial average tumbling nearly 450 points to its lowest level in almost three years. “It’s a hurricane blowing through” is how strategist Peter Boockvar at New York brokerage Miller Tabak & Co. described the mood on Wall Street. “Close your windows and lock your doors, and don’t stick your head out until the storm passes.” Markets around the world have been struggling to cope ? with the fallout from the collapse of the U.S. housing market, a slow-motion disaster that began almost two years ago and has claimed a growing roster of victims. The mountain of bad mortgages — and securities derived from those soured loans — has caused chaos in financial markets, affecting everything from the health of huge financial houses to the ability of consumers to get an auto loan. Late Wednesday, word came that two more financial giants facing doubts about their ability to remain independent — New York-based investment bank Morgan Stanley and Seattlebased savings and loan Washington Mutual Inc. — might soon be acquired. The latest plunge in stock prices was especially unnerving because many analysts had [See Crisis, Page A29]

McCain can’t find economic footing Peter Hong With the economy in turmoil and the country’s second-largest insurer faltering, John McCain was unequivocal Tuesday: “We cannot have the taxpayers bail out AIG or anybody else.” By Wednesday, he had changed his mind. The rapid about-face followed another quick retreat by the Republican presidential nominee earlier this week when he insisted that “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” even as one brokerage house filed for bankruptcy, another nearly went under and the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 504 points.

McCain’s reversals underscored the difficulty he has had in finding the right response to the deteriorating economy, the issue voters say is most important. The reversals also high? light the contradiction between McCain’s oft-repeated campaign message — that the federal government should largely stay out of the economy — and his new promises to help voters whose jobs, houses and retirement accounts are disappearing. In a matter of days, McCain shifted from invoking small-government icon Ronald Reagan to quoting Franklin D. Roosevelt, the architect of the modern regulatory state. [See McCain, Page A29]

Column one

GOP joke, but an all-American job

After deadly attack, citizens worry anyone could be a victim in drug wars. world A3

Norman Whitfield won two Grammy Awards and was a famous. He was 67. california

Aug. ’05: 2.79%

Sources: Bloomberg News, MDA DataQuick, Bankrate.com. G r a p h i c b y R o b e r t B u r n s a n d W i l R a m i r e z Los Angeles Times

Chilling message is sent in Mexico

Hit Mowtown songwriter dies

Aug. ’08: $330,000

Jan. ’02: $232,500

200 ’03

Martin Zimmerman, Maura Reynolds and Tom Petruno

3

Nov. ’03: $330,000 300

400

’02

(Scale in thousands)

Wall St. tumbles again as global credit freezes up and more faltering firms seek saviors.

Community organizers have deep roots in American democracy.

WAY TOO THIN

Mary MacVeaner

>>>

Young stars are part of the skeletalization of American television. Calendar

CALL COSTS CHARGERS

>>>

Official’s fumble hands Denver last-second victory over San Diego. sports

L

ast year Bill Anderson grew 10,990 tomatoes, not counting the ones consumed by Buster the Manchester terrier. He picked the first two on May 2, and the last 11 on Oct. 4. Five months later, he planted the first of this year’s seedlings. Anderson and his wife, Christine Griego, don’t have a back 40. They live with two dogs in a small house on a

6,500-square-foot lot in Winnetka with two dogs. Aside from the tomato plants — 34 last year — there’s some grass, a few trees, a few dozen rose bushes. But as you approach their house, there’s no mistaking what’s at the top of this food chain. The frontyard is full of tomatoes: along the sidewalk, in an area Anderson calls the koi pond, in pots by the front door. A small sign with a painting of a tomato hangs on the front door. The backyard is ringed with tomato plants, some in the bright Valley sun much of the day, others shaded by the a huge Ponderosa pine. Still. Ten thousand nine ? hundreds ninety tomatoes? How did Anderson even begin

to know that? He chronicled his obsession. Each morning of the tomato season he collected the ripe fruit and spread them out on his kitchen counter. He organized them by variety and entered the totals onto index cards stored in a cookie jar, for later transfer onto spreadsheets. And he ate tomatoes — for snacks, in salads and sauces. He and Griego They gave them away, they fed them to their friends. They froze tomatoes. Lots of them tomatoes; in February, they still had frozen tomatoes to give away. As the 2008 season began, Anderson figured he was on track to harvest around 15,000 tomatoes from 52 plants. That [See Organizers, Page A29]

User: mwhitley

Time: 10-21-2008

CC / SF / VN / OC

DOW 9,265.43 ▲ 413.21

13:57

Product: LAFI PubDate: 10-21-2008

Zone: LA

Edition: 1 Page: FI_COVER Color: C K Y M

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BuSINESS T U E S D AY , O C T O B E R 2 1 , 2 0 0 8 :: L A T I M E S . C O M / B U S I N E S S

S&P 500 985.40 ▲ 44.85

NASDAQ 1,770.03 ▲ 58.74

GOLD $787.60 ▲ 2.50

OIL $74.25 ▲ 2.40

EURO $1.332 ▼ 0.012

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THE WORK OF PLAY -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. T-BILL (6-mo.) 1.80% ▲ 0.58

REAL ESTATE

For homes, no letup in price slide The Southland median is 33% less than a year ago. Foreclosures are half September’s sales. Peter Y. Hong

Annie Wells Los Angeles Times

BOYS CLUB: Kathy Vrabeck, president of Electronic Arts Inc.’s casual games division, makes a presentation at

the company’s offices in Playa Vista. Less than 20% of workers in the video game industry are women.

Women left on sidelines of video game revolution The glass ceiling shows cracks, but it’s still a man’s virtual world ALEX PHAM THIRD OF THREE PARTS >>> As a top executive at one of the world’s biggest video game publishers, Kathy Vrabeck often completes an entire workday without meeting with another woman. And her employer, Electronic Arts Inc., is less of a boys club than many of its peers. ¶ The video game industry is flourishing, especially in California, as sales continue to climb despite a faltering economy. But the hiring has largely bypassed women. They comprise fewer than 1 in 5 workers in the business, according to a 2007 survey by Game Developer Magazine. Among game programmers, the number is a paltry 3%. ¶ Those who do land game-related jobs make less money on average than their male counterparts. Women at all levels of the field earned an average of $64,643 last year, while men earned $74,459, according to the survey. ¶ “Historically, the people who play video [See Games, Page C9] games have tended to be more male,” said Vrabeck, president of

Gender gap Few women work in the game industry. Those who do make less than their male counterparts, on average. Here’s a comparison: Average U.S. annual salary in game industry, by position

Percentage of women in the industry, by job

$120,000

Producer Executive/ marketing Game designer

18% 17 8

Artist or animator Sound designer

8 8

Game tester Programmer

6 3

Men: $105,600

Male

100,000

Average $

80,000

Female

Women: $73,600

60,000 40,000 20,000

Men: $39,300 Women: $34,400

Game Game designer Average tester $39,100 $63,600 salary

Artist or animator $66,600

Sound designer $73,400

Producer $78,700

Programmer $83,400

Executive/ marketing $101,800

Source: Game Developer Magazine Lorena Iñiguez Los Angeles Times

TRADE

China takes a breather, and global firms gasp As its growth rate sags, the Asian giant can’t prop up the global economy all by itself. Don Lee reporting from shanghai

China’s powerful economic machine is losing steam, raising significant concerns for many businesses that are counting on the Asian nation to help them ride out the global financial crisis. The Chinese government said Monday that economic growth in the third quarter slowed sharply from a year earlier to 9%, the lowest level in

more than five years. China’s economy expanded by 11.9% in all of 2007. But weakening demand for Chinese factory goods from U.S. consumers and the slumping Chinese property market have taken a toll on exports and investments — two big engines of China’s economy. “China’s latest economic numbers will be disheartening for observers who hoped that China’s growth would substitute for slowing demand from developed countries,” said Jing Ulrich, managing director of China equities for JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Hong Kong. Analysts said the pace of slowing was worse than they had expected and would prob[See China, Page C8]

Pump prices continue slide Drivers in some parts of the U.S. are paying less than $3 a gallon. California’s average falls to $3.355. C3

Icahn doubles Lions Gate stake The move raises questions about his underlying motives for the studio. C3

Service offers 10-cent songs Starting today you can download songs from reinvented Lala Media for a dime apiece, but there’s a catch. C3 Box Office ...................C2 Market Roundup.....C4 Earnings ......................C5 Money&Co. ................C5

U.S. T-NOTE (10-yr.) 3.88% ▼ 0.05

Don’t count on that housing recovery any time soon. Southland home prices tumbled again in September, according to data released Monday, continuing a trend that began 14 months ago and bringing median values down 39% below their peak last year. What’s more, the September sales figures reflect many homes that went into escrow in July or August — before the financial crisis rattled nerves, depleted the investment savings of millions of Americans and cast fresh doubts about the economy’s strength. “Buying a home is a big decision, and it’s not one you want to make when you’re not sure where prices are headed,” said UC Berkeley economist Thomas Davidoff. “Now a lot of people are facing unemployment,

so there’s the risk they’ll lose their income and not be able to make their payments.” The median Southern California home sale price was $308,500 in September, down 7% from August and 33% from a year ago, according to real estate research firm MDA DataQuick. More homes were trading hands, with last month’s sales total 65% higher than a year ago. But MDA DataQuick President John Walsh noted that the figures were recorded “before the dramatic worsening of the nation’s economic crisis in recent weeks.” “Over the next few weeks our sales data will begin to show how the meltdown in financial markets this fall has impacted housing demand,” Walsh said in a statement. The increase in sales activity is being driven by bargain hunters scooping up distressed properties. Fully half the homes sold in Southern California last month were foreclosures, MDA DataQuick said. Before the financial crisis hit full force last month, some [See Homes, Page C5]

MARKETS

Stocks surge on credit thaw hopes Interest rates signal that fears are easing. Energy majors lead the Dow’s 4.7% advance.

Rates edge down The London interbank-offered rate for one month dollar loans, a key banking benchmark 5%

Martin Zimmerman 4

Further signs that global credit markets are loosening up gave Wall Street a boost Monday, driving the Dow Jones industrial average up more than 400 points. Investors were also cheered by hints from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke that more help may be on the way for the embattled U.S. economy. “By no means are we back to normal, but there are early signs that credit markets are beginning to thaw,” said Nick Sargen, chief investment officer of Fort Washington Investment Advisors in Cincinnati. The Dow industrials surged 413.21 points, or 4.7%, to 9,265.43. All 30 stocks in the index rose, led by energy giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron,

Monday: 3.75% 3

2

9/1

9/15

10/1 10/20

Source: Bloomberg News Los Angeles Times

which gained on higher oil prices. Crude futures climbed $2.40 to $74.25 a barrel. And in a rare achievement after weeks of volatile trading, the Dow never fell below Friday’s close of 8,852.22. Broader indexes also rose sharply. The Standard & Poor’s 500 jumped 44.85 points, or [See Markets, Page C5]

AVIATION

Arrival of giant A380 buoys LAX Fanfare greets the first passenger flight of Qantas’ huge jet. Peter Pae The world’s largest airliner landed at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday with about 450 people aboard, kicking off Southern California’s first A380 passenger service and providing a welcome economic boost for the slumping airport. Qantas Flight 93 from Melbourne, Australia, landed at 7:26 a.m. and was greeted by public officials and Hollywood celebrities including actor John Travolta and singer Olivia Newton-John. The jetliner was scheduled to make its return

Ken Hively Los Angeles Times

EYEING A GIANT: Qantas’ A380 from Melbourne, Aus-

tralia, sits at LAX, which has suffered a falloff in flights. flight to Australia late Monday. Passengers, most of them Australians, described the flight as very quiet and smooth. They also said they had little problem getting through cus-

toms and retrieving their bags. “I’m surprised. I’m stunned, actually,” said Phillip Prendergast, who flew with his wife, Carmen. “The customs agents [See Jet, Page C7]

E

calendar we d nes day, se p tember 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l atimes . com /c a l en da r

CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK

Don’t shield us from unease Banned Books Week has rarely seemed more timely, but the issue remains thorny. By David L. Ulin I’m ambivalent about Banned Books Week, which runs through Saturday. On the one hand, we clearly still need such a public affirmation, as the recent tumult over Sarah Palin and her “rhetorical” inquiries to the Wasilla, Alaska, public library show. On the other, Banned Books Week offers up the sort of toothless, feel-good spectacle that makes us less likely to consider the actual ramifications of free expression. The basic message here is one of astonishment: Why would anyone ban books when literature is such a positive and ennobling force? Yet while I agree with that, I also believe that some books truly are dangerous, and to ignore that is simply disingenuous. Lest this make me seem an apologist for the book banners, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I’m against restricting anything other than material that graphically portrays certain illegal acts. Yet it’s foolish, self-defeating [See Banned, Page A29]

MUSIC REVIEW

Mixing it up with old friends

Alexander Joe AFP/Getty Images

On side: Backers of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe rally at the site in Harare where he and the opposition signed the power-sharing

deal. There were clases between his supportes, who had the upper hand, and opponents untl police broke them up.

retrospective

A style of Newman’s own The actor’s work left an indelible imprint across Hollywood and the world of film.

P

aul Newman, who passed away Friday at 83 after a long battle with cancer, was a humanitarian, a loving husband and a race car driver, but most of all, he was an actor of perceptive intelligence, power and even simplicity. ¶ In his review of Newman’s 1994 film “Nobody’s Fool,” critic Roger Ebert stated that Newman “is an exact contemporary of Marlon Brando, who is said to have invented modern film acting. Yes, and he probably did, stripping it of the mannerisms of the past and creating a hypercharged realism. Like Brando, Newman studied the Method. Like Brando, Newman looked good in an undershirt. Unlike Brando, Newman went on to study life.” ¶ Newman transformed himself from a man who would be Brando to a superstar in his own right over his 54-year film career, creating indelible characters that will forever be remembered and treasured.

Susan King takes a critical look at notable work from Newman’s stellar acting career. Page

9

Mark Swed Music Critic

As some 40-year-olds find out, you can go home again, but sticking around may not be so easy. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1968 by British conductor Neville Marriner (although its first concert wasn’t until 1969), and Saturday night it began its 40th anniversary season with a special gala led by Marriner at the Ambassador Auditorium, where it once performed. But the concert was a one-time thing. Marriner, who led LACO until 1978, is 84. Ambassador, the finest of LACO’s many homes over the years, opened in 1974 and barely escaped the wrecker’s ball after it went out of the concert business in 1995. Now owned by the Harvest Rock Church, it is, on occasion, rented out to student and Pasadena orchestras. The very good news is that both conductor and hall are in remarkably good shape. Still sprightly and active, Marriner [See LACO, Page A29]

msnbc’s new liberal spark plug, rachel maddow page 8

Alexander Joe AFP/Getty Images

The color of money: Backers of Zimbabwean

President Robert Mugabe rally at the site in Harare where

Alexander Joe AFP/Getty Images

nobody’s fool: The

Backers of Zimbabwean

Alexander Joe AFP/Getty Images

butch cassidy and the sundance kid:

Backers of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe

THEATER REVIEW

Nimble handling of ‘Dead’ at SCR Charles McNulty Theater Critic

Sarah Ruhl is a playwright whose whimsy divides audiences. If you resist her capricious gambits, you wind up an unhappy — possibly angry — theatrical camper. “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” her latest play, which opened Friday at South Coast Repertory, will test even her most faithful followers. But there’s just enough tantalizing substance to rescue its quirkiness from all-out preciousness. The daffy magical realism of “The Clean House,” an earlier Ruhl offering (produced by SCR in 2005), made me want to throw in the towel during the first act. But the work accrued an emotional heft that became

profoundly moving by the lyrical end. “Eurydice,” her retelling of the Orpheus myth, which was given a sparely wondrous production by Circle X Theatre Co. in 2006, delicately ventured into the fraught subject of father-daughter eroticism. A few dismissed it as quasi-feminist fluff, but the vehemence of the reaction (mostly male) was telling. Charmingly sprightly as Ruhl can be, she hits nerves. I once felt compelled to defend Ruhl against a visiting New York theater critic who was trashing her meteoric rise over an otherwise civilized lunch. “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” however, fills me with a few second thoughts. When I first saw the play off-Broadway at Play[See Ruhl, Page A29]

Alexander Joe AFP/Getty Images

On side: Backers of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe rally at the site in Harare

where he and the opposition signed the power-sharing deal. There were clases between

california

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w e d n e s day, s e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m /c a l i f o r n i a

Lawmakers begin vote on budget

Me t rolink collision

Governor threatens to veto the proposal unless it contains further restraints on future spending. Evan Halper and Jordan Rau reporting from sacramento

Al Seib Los Angeles Times

RETURNING RIDERS: Gloria Hoshiko, left, and Patricia Whitlock, both of Moorpark, embrace Monday aboard a

Metrolink bus, which will take them to the Chatsworth train station. Train service over the crash site could resume

Officials say warning signals were working before crash As wary commuters get back on trains, federal investigators sum up early findings in the fatal crash. Robert Lopez and Jennifer Oldham Three signals that should have warned a Metrolink engineer to stop before hitting a freight train appear to have been working and visible prior to last week’s catastrophic collision, federal safety investigators said Monday, hours after some anxious commuters returned to their usual trains. “There were no obstructions to viewing any of the signals,” National Transportation Safety Board member Kitty Higgins told reporters as she summed up the early stages of what promises to be a lengthy investigation into the crash that killed 25 people in Chatsworth on Friday. Higgins said the Metrolink train ran through a red signal instead of stopping to allow the southbound Union Pacific

freight train to pull onto a siding to allow the commuter train to pass. It then crossed a switching mechanism on the main track at 42 mph, so fast that it bent a switch, which had been closed to guide the freight train onto the siding. Higgins said the safety board had subpoenaed cellphone records from Verizon Wireless to determine whether the engineer of the commuter train had been text messaging in the moments leading up to the head-on collision.

Metrolink’s chief spokeswoman, Denise Tyrrell, resigned Monday after she was intensely criticized by superiors who said she had spoken prematurely in saying the crash was caused by the Metrolink engineer’s mistake. The coroner’s office identified the engineer as Robert Martin Sanchez, 46, of La Crescenta, who was described by neighbors as a man who cherished his privacy but spoke lovingly about trains. A man at Sanchez’s home

declined to give his name but said he was the engineer’s older brother. “My brother loved trains all his life,” he said. “He died doing what he loved. You don’t have any idea what we’re feeling right now. We feel awful for the victims. I’m thinking about my little brother.” In addition to the 25 dead, 135 passengers were injured in the crash. Twenty-four remained hospitalized Monday, including four in critical condi[See Metrolink, Page 5]

metrolink collision

Brian Vander Brug Los Angeles Times

‘HAPPY TO BE ALIVE’: Richard Myles’ friend and daughter visit him at Kaiser

Hospital in L.A. He was hurt in Friday’s Metrolink crash and in the 2005 crash in

Two-time crash survivor recalculates his luck steve lopez

Out of a job: Denise Tyrell, Metrolink spokeswoman feels she did the right thing by the public when she acknowledged that a preliminary report showed the Metrolink engineer ran a red light before the crash. Page 8

latimes.com /california

Victim profiles Find vignettes of of all 25 victims in the metrolink collision .

He limped away from the deadly 2005 train wreck in Glendale that killed 11 people. Then he survived Friday’s even deadlier train wreck in Chatsworth. I’m standing over Richard Myles as he lies flat on his back at Kaiser Hospital on Sunset near Vermont, and I’m wondering if the ceiling will fall or the Big One will hit. Is he unbelievably lucky to have survived two horrible crashes? Or horribly unlucky to have been on those trains at all?

It’s too soon to know how to answer, the 58-year-old Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation manager told me, wearing a rigid brace after having his broken neck surgically repaired. “I’m happy to be alive,” said Myles, who was on his way home to Moorpark on Friday afternoon when Metrolink train 111 and a Union Pacific freight train plowed headon into each other, killing 25 people and injuring 135. Myles wasn’t the only passenger involved in both accidents. At least one of those who died Friday had survived the Glendale disaster, as my colleagues Ari Bloomekatz, Victoria Kim and Hector Becerra report today. That

crash was caused by an SUV driver who stopped on the tracks in a suicide attempt. Last week’s crash is still being investigated. Did the Metrolink driver miss a signal? Was there some technical malfunction? Whatever happened, it now seems morbidly absurd that trains going in opposite directions share the same stretch of track, with no failsafe system to avert this kind of collision. “It’s economics,” Myles said. “You know the dollar drives everything.” What’s so unsettling in these catastrophes is how quickly everything changes. At 4:22 Friday, Myles was just [See Survivor, Page 5]

Lawmakers appeared poised to pass a budget late Monday, even as it remained unclear whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would sign it into law. As they began voting on the bills that make up their bipartisan budget package, Schwarzenegger was threatening a veto. He said the spending restraints in the proposal were too weak, creating a rainy day fund that could too easily be raided. Schwarzeneggerspokesman Matt David said the reserve that the plan would create is “nothing more than a slush fund that can be raided at any point and up to any amount.” Lawmakers were also brokering last minute-deals among themselves. Some demanded legislation involving issues as varied as tax credits for movie companies, relaxation of labor laws and approval of a new power plant before they would vote for the budget. In a deal forged by legislative leaders last weekend, lawmakers had agreed to a plan that would avoid tax increases and deep cuts in services by pushing the state’s financial problems into the future. As of today, the state has gone a record 78 days without a spending plan, leaving thousands of healthcare clinics, schools, day-care centers, nursing homes and other providers of government services without billions of dollars in state payments. Some have had to close. Others have asked their employees to work without pay. Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) said service providers “were pleading with us to end the pain and suffering. . . . To continue holding out became untenable. Once these places start shutting down and collapsing, getting them open again is very difficult.” The plan before the Legislature would modestly increase spending for education and social services over last year, but not enough to avoid scaling back scores of programs. It would borrow against future lottery proceeds and would include limited restraints on future state spending. The proposal is held together by financial maneuvers that in coming months would give the state more than $6.5 billion in cash that normally would not flow into Sacramento until the next fiscal year. Some businesses and individuals would have to pay their taxes sooner, and some would have to pay more than they owe and would get the extra back later. State taxes withheld at

State budget delay: Day 78 California has been unable to pay its bills since the fiscal year began July 1. Monday: Lawmakers vote on a spending plan. the workplace would jump 10% for everyone. “They are stop-gap measures,” said Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project, a nonprofit group that advocates for lowincome Californians. “They are accounting gimmicks that will simply kick the can — kick a whole six-pack of cans — down the road without [See Budget, Page 6]

Husband allegedly plotted slaying Authorities say James Fayed paid his ranch manager to help arrange wife’s death. Scott Glover and Richard Winton A Ventura County businessman was charged Monday with masterminding a murder-forhire plot that culminated in the stabbing death of his estranged wife in the parking garage of a Century City high-rise in July, authorities said. James Fayed is charged with capital murder for allegedly paying the manager of his Moorpark ranch $25,000 to help arrange the slaying of his estranged wife, Pamela, with whom he was involved in bitter divorce proceedings, authorities said. Neither Fayed nor the manager, Jose Luis Moya, are believed to have actually wielded the knife in the July 28 attack, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the case. The actual killer is believed to be a gang member whom Moya knows and recruited to commit the attack, according to the sources who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case. Investigators “anticipate the arrests of additional suspects,” LAPD Deputy Chief Charlie Beck said at a news conference Monday evening. Fayed, 45, and Moya, 47, are accused of lying in wait and committing a murder for financial [See Fayed, Page 6]

Inmate death rates decline Monitor says it shows his oversight of health care led to fewer deaths and more here for another line. Page 3

Cabbies happy about hybrids Burbank cabbies are pleasantly surprised by the new vehicles’ performance. Page 2

O.C. murder trial wraps up Final arguments are made in brutal 2006 murder case. Page 2

Lottery........................... B3 Obituaries..................... B8

Richard Wright The Pink Floyd founding member and keyboardist was 65. Page 9

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food

w e d n e s day, s e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m / ta s t e

COOKBOOK WATCH

Time for honey and holidays to flow Punctuate a Rosh Hashana dinner with intriguing dishes from modern Israel. Laurel Delp Maybe the evolution of the Israeli food scene over the last 25 years isn’t the first thing that crosses your mind when you think about contemporary Israel. Maybe you’re not even sure what Israeli cuisine is. But if it piques your interest, especially in this week before Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, there’s a new coffee-table-worthy cookbook. Janna Gur, founder and editor of a prestigious Israeli food and wine magazine, Al Hashulchan Gastronomic Monthly, has put together “The Book of New Israeli Food,” a beautiful, informative collection of photographs of Israeli life and food along with recipes and a series of essays by prominent Israeli food writers on such topics as cheese, wine, tahini, olive oil and the rise of Israel’s fish-farming industry in the wake of the collapse of the eastern Mediterranean’s fisheries. The book also has sections on Israel’s Jewish and Islamic religious holidays and includes recipes for dishes related to each. Thanks to the diverse cultures that have contributed to Israel’s population, including [See Cookbook, Page A29]

Joshua Roberts For The Times

‘MADE IN SPAIN’ STAR: Jose Andres’ innovations include, top from left, shrimp cocktail, steamed buns with caviar, foie gras cotton candy.

Tapas and high tech Chef Jose Andres, culinary conquistador, brings his vision to L.A. By Betty Hallock >>> Jose Andres, always charming, is the life of the party at a soiree in the Hollywood Hills,

Joshua Roberts For The Times

Jose Andres’ innovations include, top from left, shrimp cocktail, steamed

Inspired by a world of food

and guests are circling around him next to the infinity pool. Chef Andres is scooping caviar onto slices of jamon iberico (ham from the black-footed pigs of Spain), rolling it up and placing it directly into their mouths. ¶ “I’m feeding you one bite at a time,” Andres tells the small crowd. It’s a line he uses often. Who knew he meant it literally? ¶ Andres, bright-blue-eyed and often dressed in an untucked button-down shirt and khakis or jeans, has, with his restaurants, TV show and cookbooks, helped bring a Spanish culinary ¶ revolution to the U.S. in the last 15 years — and he’s busier than ever feeding people. Says Sam Nazarian, the host of the party and chief executive of SBE, the company behind Andres’ coming L.A. restaurant: “I’ve had a harder time chasing Jose than chasing women.” ¶ Already chef-partner of seven restaurants in and around Washington, D.C., Andres has recently returned from the Canary Islands, where he taped the final episode of the second season of his PBS-aired cooking show, “Made in Spain.” His third book, “Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen,” hits the shelves in November, the month his L.A. restaurant — the Bazaar at the new SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills — is expected to open. It’s an exuberant experiment in dining, located in the public space of the 11,500-square-foot hotel lobby, with several whimsical dining areas: a cocktail bar and raw bar, a space featuring his tapas as well as cured meats and cheeses, a “patisserie” with a display kitchen and a roving “street food” cart. “Who needs one more chef in one more building with four walls and a kitchen?” Andres asks. [See Andres, page 4]

By going where the flavors lead them, L.A.’s storefront innovators can really mix things up. C. Thi Nguyen There are two kinds of fusion cooking. The first kind is self-conscious about its fusion; it exists in order to cross boundaries. It loudly proclaims its own eclecticism with emblematic ingredients — you know, like tuna sashimi tacos with pomegranate-tahini sauce. It’s theatrical fusion. But in Southern California, there’s another kind of fusion cooking. It’s happening in homes when someone dips a tortilla chip into some hummus, and it’s happening in small neighborhood restaurants and cafes. It’s bringing us mole made with pistachios, soy milk infused with yerba mate, passion fruit-lavender ice cream and samosas stuffed with mozzarella. This unselfconscious fusion [See Fusion, Page A29]

Shrimp Cocktail

steamed buns with caviar

foie gras cotton candy

Jose Andres’ innovations include, top from left, shrimp cocktail, steamed buns with caviar, foie gras.

Jose Andres’ innovations include, top from left, shrimp cocktail, steamed buns with caviar, foie gras.

Jose Andres’ innovations include, top from left, shrimp cocktail, steamed buns with caviar, foie gras.

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health w e d n e s day, s e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m / h e a lt h

IN PRACTICE

A cardiac arrest, a career altered James Channing Shaw Every day, in the course of medical training, we are exposed to situations that influence the way we turn out as doctors. One profound interaction with a patient, family or doctor can be life-changing. This is the story of one such experience that made me a better doctor. It begins with a cardiac arrest: As senior medicine resident on call for the night, I was responsible for two interns, new admissions and all cardiac arrests. The interns and I each carried a little red pager that went off with a sound of screeching tires when a “code” was called. There was no mistaking that sound. It was 11 o’clock when the beeper went off. I had been examining a man on 4-South whose kidneys had shut down. It had been a busy night, and many patients were still waiting to be seen by the interns. I looked at the extension on the pager: 6-North. Surgery floor. Some medical screw-up by the surgeons, I thought at first. I ran down the long corridor to the north stairwell and up two flights. A cardinal rule when running to a “code” is: Slow down and walk the final 50 yards, catch your breath, clear your head. As I passed the nurses’ station, the unit secretary pointed to the patient’s room. I asked about the patient’s code [See Practice, Page F5]

With flu season nearly here, the push is on to curtail outbreaks — and the spread of disease. The best place to start appears to be schoolchildren.

Ken Hively Los Angeles Times

Target: Kids

T Shari Roan

he upcoming flu season could be the start of something big. Not “big” as in the severity of flu. By all accounts, this year’s influenza vaccine should be more successful than last year’s only partly effective one. And it’s too early to tell whether the flu this season will be especially widespread. We mean “big” in terms of a grand, new experiment in the nation’s approach to preventing flu outbreaks — a push to vaccinate children, who are not only hospitalized at high rates because of the flu but appear to be efficient disease carriers as well. Over the last decade, public health officials have been expanding the recommendations on which age groups of children should get the flu shot. This year marks the first time in history that flu vaccination is recommended for everyone age 18 and younger, with the exception of infants 6 months old and younger. The main question is: Will parents go for it? Although most adults have been included in flu vaccine recommendations for years — and still are — the emphasis on stopping the spread of flu has clearly shifted from reducing deaths in the elderly to stopping the spread of flu among kids. Physicians hope that vaccinating kids en masse will not only spare thousands of them from the aches and pains of flu, missed school days and hospitalizations, but also will hinder the spread of illness throughout the rest of society — parents, grandparents, baby-sitters, neighbors, teachers, coaches, office workers, healthcare personnel, bus drivers, and on and on. “This is the concept of herd immunity,” [See Flu, Page F5]

Over 65? The benefits of vaccination may be less than advertised A dose of pneumococcal vaccine may be a better way to protect seniors at risk of suffering complications of flu Page 5

Still bugs to work out Many parents distrust vaccination, and the chance of them getting their kids immunized against the flu is slim. Then there is the inconvenience factor. Page 5

Interval training can be worked into virtually any routine.

ASK A TRAINER

Pump the heart rate up, then down, up, down . . . By Jeannine Stein The words “interval training” can strike fear in the hearts of even the most athletic men and women. Alternating periods of high-intensity work with recovery may sound simple enough, but those intense bouts can leave the exerciser gasping for air. It’s that intensity that ultimately reaps great benefits, including strengthening the heart and improving the cardiovascular system, which is why personal trainers tend to favor interval training. Higher exercise levels can be achieved by upping the speed or the resistance — think walking faster on a treadmill, increasing the incline, or both. Intervals can be done on cardio equipment such as stationary bikes and elliptical trainers, and runners can toggle between slower speeds and sprints. Strength-training circuit workouts can even incorporate them by adding full-body exercises. [See Trainer, Page F4]

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w e d n e s day, s e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m / h o m e

Hot Property Ann Brenoff

She’s up for a new address

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oogling “Britney Spears” just now yielded 98,600,000 hits; googling “President Bush,” 44,600,000. Makes you wonder what’s wrong with this planet, doesn’t it? Nevertheless, here’s one more contribution to Google: Britney Spears — pop princess or pop pariah — has listed her Beverly Hills Post Office home for $7.9 million. The house is in a gated community and has six bedrooms and 6 1/2 bathrooms in about 7,500 square feet. There’s a wet bar, a library, a den, high ceilings and stone and mosaic tile floors. The master bedroom has a fireplace and a loggia. Then there’s the pool, spa and arbor. It is being offered for sale partly furnished and decorated. This is the house that Spears was wrenched from in January as part of a well-executed LAPD plan to skirt the

Rocker’s playground Ringo H.W. Chiu Los Angeles Times

Dan Kitwood Getty Images

Britney Spears

paparazzi and have the singer involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward at UCLA Medical Center. Neighbors are unlikely to forget that winter night with helicopters buzzing overhead and more than 100 paparazzi, who chase Spears for a living, hovering at the gates. Spears, whose every move has been dutifully recorded by paparazzi, the courts, her fans and her detesters, was last seen looking for a new place to live in the Hidden Hills and Calabasas areas. Definitely gated. The midriff-baring 26-yearold singer is planning a tour — or so says her mother. Maybe her new neighbors won’t have the same headaches that [See Property, Page F10]

THE REALIST IDEALIST

A clear vision for gray water New column looks at sustainable home improvement through the eyes of a budgetminded consumer. Susan Carpenter I was never more excited to do laundry, and it wasn’t because my son and I were running out of clean underwear. I had just installed a system to divert gray water from my washing machine to my xeriscaped frontyard, and I was anxious about whether the $312 and two days I’d spent installing it would pay off. Considering all the money and political squabbling that goes into getting water to this desert metropolis, it seems silly not to recycle water once it’s here. Especially now. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are telling us to conserve, which I do. I was still using 253 gallons at my home each day, according to my latest Department of Water and Power bill. I just wanted to use less, and recy[See Idealist, Page F9]

Glam-girl parlor

urban refuge Anne Cusack Los Angeles Times

Anne Cusack Los Angeles Times

LOFTY IDEAS

Virtually identical spaces, three different expressions of style By Audry Davidow >>>It’s hardly the vision of classic loft living. No funky freight elevators, no heroic climbs. No industrial neighbors and no industrial-strength rodents. The Broadway Hollywood, a 1927 department store tower revamped into 96 loft-style condominiums, has taken the concept and given it some L.A. sparkle. ¶ Call it loft-living lite: fitness center, valet, even cabanas for lounging by the rooftop pool. The black-and-white checkerboard floor in the lobby seems primed for Fred and Ginger. The views are cinematic too — the Capital Records building, the Hollywood sign and, oh, yes, that 15-story W Hotel and condominium complex being built next door (a bit of the new Hollywood). ¶ For most residents, the location — on the landmark corner of Hollywood and Vine — is a big part of the appeal. You can stumble home from Geisha House without having to call a cab, and the packed sushi joint Katsuya is downstairs. The prospect of daily toro binges can pose a hazard to the waistline. ¶ “You know you’re in trouble when all of the waiters know you by name,” says voice-over actor Jonathan Cooke, who lives in the building. ¶ Trouble can come in less appetizing forms. In July, some Broadway owners filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing the nearby nightclub S Bar of operating in an “unreasonably and unacceptably disruptive manner.” ¶ But others who want loft-lite living seem willing to endure the nuisances and pay handsomely. One of the two-story, 2,000-square-foot penthouses was recently listed at nearly $1.8 million. Actors Danny Masterson and Charlize Theron own units in the building. The Broadway also has become home to Hollywood hopefuls, young residents bank[ See Loft, page 8] ing on this building to play a role in the comeback of the

LOFTY DETAILS: Learn how Dave Navarro, Jennifer Culp and Ivan Milicevic, created personal, unique environments of their lofts. Page 8

Ken Hively Los Angeles Times

TOP: Dave Navarro’s red-light

district includes a platform bed upholstered in a white vinyl called Spank. Bottom left: Ivana

Milicevic went with playful rugs, classic furniture covered in contemporary fabrics, and accent pieces with Hollywood sparkle. Bottom right: Jennifer

Culp’s bedroom is a bohemian chic sanctuary with John Robshaw batik pillows, coordinating ottomans and a vintage lantern painted blue.

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Sports f r i d ay, s e p t e m b e r 2 6 , 2 0 0 8 :: l at i m e s . c o m / s p o r t s

ore gon state 27, no . 1 u s c 2 1

bcs-busted again Trojans’ loss to Pac-10 underdog Beavers puts a dent in national aspirations Gary Klein

reporting from corvallis, ore.

So much for the greatest USC team ever. Likewise for the best team of the Pete Carroll era. Top-ranked USC looked anything but the part Thursday night, falling behind Oregon State by three touchdowns in the first half then rallying before falling short in a 27-21 defeat that put a serious crimp in the Trojans’ national championship plans. A delirious crowd of 42,839 at Reser Stadium and a national television audience watched Oregon State upset the Trojans here for the second time in three years. “We weren’t ready to do what we needed to do,” USC Coach Pete Carroll said. “We felt like we had great preparation, we thought we did everything like we needed to and then when we’re out there it just didn’t feel like it.” USC (2-1) was thought to have a mostly clear path to the Bowl Championship Series title game after dispatching Virginia and Ohio State. Pa[See USC, Page D8]

USC can’t figure what happened bi l l p l a s ch k e

from corvallis, ore.

Carlos Chavez Los Angeles Times

d e f l e c t e d g l o ry: Oregon State wide receiver James Rodgers gathers in a pass that had been tipped by USC cornerback Kevin Thomas in the

end zone with four seconds left in the first half. The three-yard touchdown gave the Beavers a 21-0 lead. Trojans safety Kevin Ellison trails the play.

Two years ago USC could blame a failed two-point conversion pass attempt for its confounding and confusing loss here to Oregon State. On Thursday, there was no single moment it could point to as the reeling Trojans tried to sort through the whys and wherefores of their stunning 27-21 loss to the Beavers at Reser Stadium, now affirmed as their personal house of horrors. “I’ve been here before,” USC quarterback Mark Sanchez said, forcing a smile. “This state ain’t too good to us.” As fans ran through the stands and onto the dewy grass, ignoring the public address announcer’s emotional pleas to not “make fools of yourselves on the national [See Plaschke, Page D8]

Dodgers’ working title: best in the West ‘Relieved and ecstatic’ after clinching division despite 7-5 loss to Padres, the team knows job is far from done. Dylan Hernandez on the dodgers

Manny Ramirez walked onto the field and took a microphone in his hand. Looking up at the screaming crowd that remained at Dodger Stadium, he shouted, “What’s up, L.A.? Mannywood!” The way the Dodgers secured their third postseason berth in five years Thursday was certainly unconventional, but they didn’t let that take away from their celebration. That they lost their final home game of the regular season to the San Diego Padres, 7-5, was inconsequential. They were the champions of the Na-

tional League West. Ramirez, who poured champagne on the fans in the box seats behind the backstop, retreated to the clubhouse with his uniform pants soaked in red, remnants of a bucket of Gatorade dumped on him by Takashi Saito. Casey Blake had an entire chest of ice deposited on his head. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ 20-year-old left-hander, was doubled over laughing, covered in sparkling wine spit onto his face by Hiroki Kuroda. The party was moved to the site of the final series of the regular season, San Francisco, with the rookies traveling in costumes handed to them as part of the club’s hazing ritual.

Helene Elliott: Dodgers’ clinching is quiet, but there’s plenty of noise later, and maybe more to come. A1

The Dodgers knew they were postseason-bound long before they took the field in front of the sell-out crowd of 52,569 fans. The division title was officially theirs by 2:32 p.m. Pacific time, when the St. Louis Cardinals completed their 12-3 thumping of the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks to eliminate them from contention. About half of the Dodgers were already in the clubhouse for the final out of the Diamondbacks’ game, but their celebra[See Dodgers, Page D4]

latimes.com /dodgers

Photo gallery of the divisionclinching celebration.

Bill Shaikin: Laugh all you want about the Dodgers lucking into the playoffs. They could have the last laugh. 3

Carlos Chavez Los Angeles Times

b r e a k o u t t h e b u b b ly: Casey Blake and others celebrate the Dodgers’ clinching of the NL West championship.

Angels 6, Seattle 4: Guerrero’s two home runs lift Angels to 99th win and closer to clinching best record. 5

T.J. Simers: Torre finally shows some emotion Page D2 | Sparks: Leslie scores 22 as Sparks take 2-0 lead Page D2