The Brylcreemed relates suavity of imparts Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn), the slightly ascetic cool of mop-topped Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum), the donnish dry wit of their boss, Mr Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Southwest Airlines Co. , already slowing growth to help boost profit, is offering buyouts to 27% of its employees to reduce operating costs. About 9,000 workers are eligible for the buyouts, which include $25,000 cash, medical and dental benefits and travel privileges, spokeswoman Brandy King said Tuesday. Online specialty plastic case makers sell a 26-by-2-by-30 inch cover starting at $127. But he's getting antsy. The Ducks are back from a successful trip with the best record in the Western Conference. Smith's fondness for the surreal is richly evident here, as bands of grave plunderers -- Red Diggers looking for fallen Russians to venerate as heroes of the motherland, Black Diggers looking for rusted German souvenirs they can hawk on the Internet -- provide a dark backdrop for the denouement. Renko never loses his composure, of course, not when he is being strangled with piano wire by a beautiful sociopath he meets at a gathering of superannuated Communists, not when he is shot at point-blank range by the crazed father of a teenage chess prodigy he has befriended. Rounding out the current sextet are Cesar Castro on vocals, requinto and jarana; Juan Perez on bass; and Andy Mendoza on drums and backing vocals. "The point was to go places we haven't been before, to shed our skin," Flores said over lunch recently at a Mexican restaurant in El Sereno. "Instead of trying to replace people or a sound," added Gonzalez, "we just let the sound change. "That restless creativity has been a hallmark of a group that has single-handedly carried the torch passed on by Los Lobos, East L. A. 's greatest band. "In terms of Chicano music, I think Quetzal is playing a real important role by pushing the boundaries," says Bay Area musician Greg Landau, who produced the band's second CD, "Sing the Real," from 2002.

An hour or so before folks begin arriving, make the Dungeness crab salad . This means that they've surely seen how, athletically and strategically, USC is clearly better. The writers were able to compare the players in person Tuesday, and the differences were obvious. USC looked like Humvees . Minnesota rookie Kevin Love, who left UCLA after one season, is averaging 9. 1 points and 7. 9 rebounds in 24. 3 minutes a game. -- Mike Bresnahan . It is joyful when a disabled person like me can do things for others I never thought I would be able to make a contribution . Two weeks after election day, Kenneth Bennett and Paul Drugan were standing together at the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder's office in Norwalk, gazing through a window that looks into the ballot-counting room. Inside, under pale fluorescent light, workers moved like zombies, feeding ballot after ballot into machines with endless appetites. To Bennett and Drugan, this was a happy sight. Hey, I never said he was perfect. His favorite shows are "Monday Night Football" and "Dancing With the Stars," which he likes to TiVo and watch over and over again, as if there is no one else in the house He's also drawn to syndicated sitcoms.

Ninety percent is fear of the U. S. "Some officials dread a repeat in Iran of the events in Iraq after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, when sanctions discouraged companies from doing business with Iraqis, whittling at livelihoods of the people while strengthening the hand of Hussein and his inner circle. "Even if something is not on a list, a lot of companies will say, 'Dealing with Iran -- oh, I'd better not do it,' " said a European diplomat in Tehran . Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician. * Eat small meals and eat more often . "It brings out the mischievous side of you," she said afterward. And whether it ends up moving many magnums of vodka, the spectacle has done more for the image of the ice pick than a hundred "Basic Instinct" sequels ever could. --adam. tschorn . Exercise rider Ruben Mejia was hospitalized because of a broken collarbone . In doing so, she observes a bittersweet story of a family and the surprising effects a crusading eccentric can have on them. kevin. crust"Dr Bronner's Magic Soapbox. " MPAA rating: Unrated Running time: 1 hour, 29 minutes. "Today, soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are returning home to face shortages in services. But Chris Kaman made only four of 17 shots, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds, his first December game without a double-double. Al Thornton and Cuttino Mobley each had 14 points for the Clippers, whose poor shooting continued with a 37% night. The Suns breezed to a 59-40 halftime lead behind Stoudemire's 20-point first-half effort.

Boone Pickens, listed by Forbes as the 131st richest American, really, really wants your money . Educators, who coined the phrase "cyber-bullying" for online attacks, have increased teacher training and say they are on the lookout for symptoms of victimization or bullying behavior. In 2005, 28% of students age 12 to 18 reported being bullied in the previous six months -- double the figure from four years earlier, according to the U. S Department of Justice . That would fuel an urge for revenge in just about any competitive player, but Pennington has tried to downplay that motivation. "I'd be remiss to say there are no emotions at all," he said . The jury never found out why but did learn that the deputy's file "was the only one that was ever known to be missing" among the thousands that were secured, the D. A. 's report stated. The deputies union and upper management reminded us this week that most people in the department weren't involved in the scandal and are upstanding members of the force . Re "Orthodox rabbi breaks with norm," Oct. If you have expensive chandeliers, antiques or other unique and costly items, you should ask whether they would be adequately covered under your policy. * Cash: $200. * Collectibles: $100. * Stock, securities and manuscripts: $1,000. * Jewelry, watches and furs: $1,500 per item, $2,500 total. * Silverware, tea sets and trophies: $2,500. * Home computers: $5,000. * Bicycles: $1,000 per bike, $2,500 total. * Compact discs and electronic games: $1,000. How do I prove what I lost?Create a home inventory showing what your property is like and what is in it. The several aquariums are managed by curator Jack Jewell, who got his first fish tank when he was a young boy.

A new Josh Bernstein series will air this summer. In addition, Ford said: "We hope to get the talent to act with each other . I think he was trying to lift me up, but maybe the football player in him caught him by storm. "Kay is still hazy about what happened next. "I remember the dunk," he says, "but I don't really remember anything after the dunk . Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy has forfeited $30,000 in restitution to the government under his plea deal in a basketball gambling scam. Donaghy, who admitted to betting on games he officiated, made the payment last month, according to court records Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for the U. S . They passed their friendship down, like an heirloom, to their sons, who now spend their days on the defensive side. Brown is a yakety-yak cornerback, who makes plays and has been known to give receivers a blow-by-blow description of what just happened . Austin, he played in the second half and completed six of nine passes, including one for a touchdown. Meanwhile, USC waited in vain for Nebraska to test its secondary. It was the 11th time the often-punchless Dodgers have hit three homers in a game. "I can count 10 balls Russ has hit right on the nose," Little said. He's just profiled me perfectly: a desk-bound 9-to-5er looking for adventure during my travels; I thought I had him pegged as a life-long ski bum. Turns out he has a biotechnology doctorate and his own company.

And they have a lot of people who have been proven winners, starting from the bench onto the court so I definitely think they're favorites. "Of course, the U. S . "I can wear a beautiful long silk dress, sandals or jean shorts for most of the year . The truth of the matter is incomprehensible. I am like that front room Pleasant Strong Confident Calm Just don't try to push past me Don't try to nose yourself in It won't work . "The team has been great support for me all of these years, and especially the last few days. "Germany 2, Brazil 0 -- The turning point came when the tournament's top goalkeeper and top goal scorer squared off on a penalty kick in the 62th minute, with Brazil trailing, 1-0. German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, who did not concede a goal in tournament, then stopped Marta, who finished the event with seven goals . Several foreign airlines are implementing plans to offer in-flight cellphone use. He was playing high school football as a 12-year-old freshman.

Veneman of San Francisco scraped together the $500 filing fee for state controller and entered Flournoy in the race . Her family fled Afghanistan in 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded and targeted the elite class . For those folks stuck in the middle of town, we present a suburban fast food primer . Other white spirits in general don't do that right away. "Gin fanciers, beware: Exuberant experimentation doesn't always result in a balanced spirit, which is, of course, the goal in a great cocktail. Because of the range of flavors and aromas in gin, cocktails are designed to highlight the botanical particularities of certain gins A few bartender favorites indicate the possibilities . at the Honda Center between the top-seeded Dons (27-2) and No. (562) 860-3361. Baldwin Park: Festivities start at 5 p. m. ; fireworks at 9 p. m. , Sierra Vista High School, 3600 Frazier St (626) 813-5245. Calabasas: Gates open at 5 p. m Fireworks at 9 p. m Calabasas High School, 22855 Mulholland Highway $10.

Soldiers opened fire on a pickup truck that refused to stop at a roadblock in northern Mexico, killing two women and three children, local media reported. The Defense Ministry said it had no immediate information on the incident in Sinaloa state, home to many of the country's drug cartel leaders . Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a statement later Saturday saying he was "deeply concerned about a violation by the Israeli side of the cessation of hostilities. "Hezbollah fighters and residents of Boudai, a small agricultural village west of Baalbek, said the Israelis tried to pass themselves off as a Lebanese army patrol, and appeared bent on a clandestine mission, perhaps a kidnapping. The raid began with low-flying aircraft sweeping over the area about 9 p. m. , witnesses said . It was guilt by association. "Fine refuted the claim that protesters had been arrested simply because they were part of the crowd. Most cases are built on a combination of circumstantial and direct evidence, and these cases were no different, he said. In the case of Eric Nunez, the only protester who has been convicted, his lawyer, Robert J . Army All-American Bowl All-Star game at San Antonio. In another high school all-star game, Kyle Parker threw a late four-yard touchdown pass to Jamie Harper to help the Silver beat the Red, 17-14, in the Under Armour All-America Game at Orlando, Fla. . The departing troops would include 500 already scheduled to go home after withdrawing last month from the last British base in Basra's city center to an air base on its outskirts. And Monteverdi's "The Return of Ulysses to His Fatherland," the first opera Audi directed in Amsterdam, spawned his now classic three-opera Monteverdi cycle. Certainly conventional wisdom didn't get in Audi's way. It's either the dirtiest one out there, or it has the toughest, most comprehensive testing program there is and catches all the cheaters going unpunished by all the others Or both. .

The land is reclaiming itself from the people. *On Sunday, April 9, Beijing residents awoke to an unnerving sight: The sky was orange. A blizzard of dust blanketed cars, trees and rooftops It mixed with industrial pollution and formed a soupy cloud . They did not enter pleas, and their public defenders declined to comment. The state medical examiner confirmed that Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, was strangled and that her daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, died of smoke inhalation All three deaths were ruled homicides. Dr William A . The fact we came back from 15 down to win by 20 shows we have some character. "Said Camby: "It didn't look good early It wasn't just one guy Chris, Cat [Mobley], B. D came alive. "It felt good to get the win Maybe we just needed to get out of L. A . Monday, Alarcon hanged himself with a T-shirt in his bathroom, said his father, Rafael, 54. The Los Angeles County coroner's office has ruled the death a suicide. "The death was unexpected and is being thoroughly investigated by this department," said Michael Wilson, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, which runs County-USC, in a statement . Asked on "This Week" to name changes he planned as president that would be unpopular with his party, the Illinois senator responded by calling for a bigger military. Schwarzenegger keeps living in denial, governing on the come, betting on a revenue jackpot.

Think buying and selling a house these days is migraine-inducing?Multiply it times four and pass the Excedrin to Dan Aykroyd. The comic actor and his wife, Donna Dixon, paid $14. 5 million in February for a 5,244-square-foot house in Pacific Palisades that wasn't listed in the Multiple Listing Service. Just two months earlier, they sold their 4,828-square-foot home on Woodrow Wilson Drive to "Vacation" star Beverly D'Angelo (you know, the actress who looks like Lauren Hutton) for $3. 8 million, according to public records . In this view, the movement's leaders (and not a few innocent bystanders) were unfairly jailed, silenced and rendered unemployable by McCarthyism. If, on the other hand, you see Stalinism as a fundamentally totalitarian force, then you are bound to see the ideology of the American communists as a vicious parody of liberal belief . The hotel employs eco-conscious spa products, and an in-room notecard advises that linens may not be replaced daily. Rating is based on the room, service, ambience and overall experience with price taken into account in relation to quality. * * * * * Outstanding on every level* * * * Excellent* * * Very good* * Good* SatisfactoryNo Star: PoorOn travel. latimes. comFor more Southern California hotel reviews, visit latimes. com/hotels. . That bond was linked to those traditional foods of her childhood . 17 when General Manager Brian Burke upheld a promise to move the Russian netminder when it became clear that he wouldn't be able to get a deal done to his liking. Now he's trying to keep Phoenix's longshot playoff hopes alive. He also served as a consultant to the Rockies. Born in Denver in 1918, Howsam attended the University of Colorado, where he met his wife, Janet They married in 1939 and had two sons, Robert and Edwin. . Place the wet, clean spinach in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook until it is wilted and bright green, about 4 minutes.

He lives at a military base, because his work for the Americans could get him killed by extremists on either side of the sectarian conflict . Born Charles Njapa, 88-Keys talks to The Times about being a "LOhead," shopping with West, and why Ralph Lauren is the only designer worth getting obsessive-compulsive about. Let's start with the obvious: What are you wearing?Today I'm wearing Polo from a fall collection of '06 called Indian Pointe, which is inspired by a trip to the Adirondacks . 5 by the Government Accountability Office, found that since 2001, Los Angeles International Airport tallied the most on-ground close calls of any major U. S airport . And both managed to get by with nobody really challenging whether they were what they said they were. Former creative writing student Margaret Seltzer -- I know, very creative -- has been judged and dispatched to literary Siberia . Now we have to focus on the future. "Here's one optimistic tidbit to build on: The only worse drubbing in UCLA's football history took place in 1929, a 76-0 loss to USC. The rest is privately or communally owned, and studies show that is where most of Kenya's wild animals live. By some estimates, wildlife populations have dropped 60% since the mid-1970s and continue to plummet because of human encroachment and illegal hunting for food. Landowners say they can continue to maintain animal sanctuaries only if they can sell hunting rights.

in 1997 found that 4. 2% of cyclists had moderate to complete ED, compared with 1. 1% of runners . A UCLA study by anthropology professor Jeanne Arnold and architect Ursula Lang found that 75% of middle-class Angelenos no longer use garages for cars . "It's a difficult time, and you have to do what you need to do to have a stable university. "When Benson was announced last month as the sole finalist, the reaction on campus was not favorable. The student government at Boulder asked him to withdraw his candidacy . Makes you wonder what other famous folks are busy penning:Tiger Woods: "Birdies and Eagles and Tigers, Oh My!"Billie Jean King: "Love-Love"Joan Didion: "No Slouching"Julia Butterfly Hill: "The Giving Treehouse"Michael J . It was Sarkisian who rejoined the Trojans' staff as part of a reorganization that nudged Chow to the NFL. Now, private quarterbacks coach Steve Clarkson, who has ties to both programs, compares the rapport between the former colleagues to "the elephant in the room. ""If I'm with Pete or Sark, Norm's name doesn't come up," he says "And vice versa when I'm with Norm. She said she prays for the late president every night, and for his wife, Nancy. Reyes, who has trouble speaking because of her illness and so reverts to the more comfortable Spanish, had not decided on the entire raft of propositions and other matters on Tuesday's ballot when I spoke to her last week.