Wind Power

Today I had the opportunity to photograph two out of three things I've had on my to do list for quite some time, even if it wasn't my original intention. A wind turbine farm and the California Aqueduct. It started like this, I was parked on my couch ready to watch some football when I heard that due to bad weather in Florida, the Space Shuttle was landing at Edwards AFB, which is about a 100 miles from Venice. I left asap, but due to a huge traffic jam on the 405 and 5 freeways I missed the cutoff for the last chance to enter the sprawling air force base, which is 45 minutes before landing. And when the shuttle glided by overhead, it was way too high (many thousands of feet) to get a decent photo. So, since I was in the area and the light was nice, I decided to photograph a wind turbine farm off hwy 58 and also the California Aqueduct. I must say, wind power is awesome, and these giant turbines look really cool I think! And of course the aqueduct brings vital water to So Cal from Northern California.

MySpace Suicide Case Verdict

Guilty verdicts were handed down in L.A. Federal Court Wednesday on three counts in the MySpace cyberbullying case against 49 year old Lori Drew of Missouri. She created a phony MySpace account posing as a boy in an online romance that led to the suicide of a 13 year Megan Meier. Lori Drew arrived to court with her daughter who was formerly a good friend of the deceased girl until they had a falling out, starting this sordid tale. As a tribute to Megan, her mother Tina Meier wore a photo pin with her daughter's image on it when she arrived today. Photography is not allowed inside Federal Courtrooms court , but due to a pouring rainstorm outside, Tina Meier and the U.S. attorney moved a press conference inside following the verdicts being read. New York Times Story

Nicole Kidman Photo Shoot

I recently photographed Nicole Kidman for this Washington Post article that was published on Sunday. She was very peaceful and serene, and extremely easy to photograph. A nice shoot, and nice experience as well.

Screen Actors Guild May Strike

Here we go again, the Screen Actors Guild announced today they will seek a strike authorization vote as negotiations with the studios have broken down. The Writers Guild was less than a year ago, and now SAG appears to be next. With California's economy already suffering, this is not good news. I shot the above photo of Ben Stiller walking the picket lines during the Writers Strike last Novemeber. LAist Post

Treasury Seceretary Henry Paulson At Reagan Library

United States Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who has been taking lots of heat lately for his policies, delivered a speech today at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library one week after he assured American's that the banking system had been stabilized. Apparently Citigroup missed that memo, their shares dropped 26.4% to &4.71 a share today, leading some financial experts to speculate that the feds may need to bailout Citigroup next.

Aftermath

Mr Homayoun Ghani returns home to the wreckage of his home on Deodar Drive in Yorba Linda, California. His neighbors tried their best to put out the fire on Saturday, but the just couldn't get enough water pressure with the garden hoses. Overwhelmed firefighters did not arrive until it was too late.

Progress Today

Thankfully, no homes were burned today during daylight hours.With the winds finally calming down, it was a day of aerial drops and firefighters making progress and starting to gain the upper hand in Diamond Bar and the other fires still burning. LA Times photographer Luis Sinco and I were talking today, and he mentioned how these devastating wildfires are now a yearly occurrence in Southern California. It didn't used to be that way. It's just sad. On my way home I stopped to shoot the thick smoke hanging in the air over downtown Los Angeles as the sun was setting.

Destructive Wildfire Strikes Orange County

On Saturday, the wildfires hit Orange County and pummeled hilltop neighborhoods in Yorba Linda, despite valiant and heroic efforts of residents who did save some of the homes before the overwhelmed firefighters finally arrived. It was heartbreaking as I witnessed one home after another catch fire and be destroyed. I did pick up a garden hose and try to put out one of the houses catching fire out until the man in this photo below came and said he would take over. Unfortunately the fire got into the attic and it was too late to save the home.

Sylmar-Granada Hills Fire November 15

Another Santa Ana wind whipped fire in So Cal broke out late Friday night in Sylmar, in the northern Los Angeles city limits. unbelievable...

Santa Barbara-Montecito Fire

Over 100 homes have burned in the latest fire in Southern California hitting the upscale enclave of Montecito and burning into the city limits of Santa Barbara.

New High School for the Arts in Los Angeles

The new High School for The Arts is receiving the finishing touches in Downtown LA, right next to 101 freeway and the Cathedral. Los Angeles Unified School District's $234 million Central Los Angeles Area High School No. 9 is one of 132 new schools being built by the district in the next 4 years. Apparently this is just a temporary name until a permanent one is announced later. The architect is Wolf D. Prix

Starbucks is Hurting

Starbucks profit declined 97% in the 4th quarter it was reported today. One-time large scale store closures are partly to blame, but people are cutting back on spending for items like add-shot venti carmel machiatto soy lattes at 4 bucks + a pop. Maybe that's why Starbucks has yet to replace the burned out lights in the sign at a Culver City location.

Van Morrison at the Hollywood Bowl

Van Morrison performed his 1968 masterpiece "Astral Weeks" in it's entirety for the first time ever at the Hollywood Bowl this past weekend. I was there for The Washington Post, and it was tough because photographers were allowed in for only two songs and at least 175 feet back from the stage.

E Channel's Joel McHale, host of "The Soup"

Check out this Washington Post article about Joel McHale ,the host of E channel's "The Soup" written by the excellent Hank Stuever of The Post and featuring a couple of my pictures.

2nd Day of Prop 8 Protests

For the second straight day, angry opponents of Proposition 8 took to the streets, this time in the Westwood area totally snarling traffic into rush hour throughout most of the Westside, but still the public reaction on the street is mostly supportive and positive.