Tag: Los Angeles

  • UK: David Cameron calls in US ‘supercop’ William J Bratton to stop England riots

    UK: David Cameron calls in US ‘supercop’ William J Bratton to stop England riots

    William J BrattonUS ‘Supercop’ William J Bratton, who fought gang violence and street crime in New York and Los Angeles, is to advise David Cameron on how best to deal with recent riots in cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham.

    Mr Bratton will meet the prime minister next month to share his knowledge and provide tips on how the UK can avoid further disorder.

    He believes making police forces more ethnically diverse could be one way of reducing racial tension and said the lessons learned in previous rioting in the US can be applied to the UK.

    Now working as a security consultant and chairman of Manhattan-based security firm Kroll, the 63-year-old claimed law enforcers in the UK need to work more with community leaders and civil rights groups to calm racial tensions.

    ‘Part of the issue going forward is how to make policing more attractive to a changing population,’ he said, pointing to the success of similar initiatives in New York and LA.

    Earlier this month, Mr Bratton took part in a panel at the second annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, where fan violence was high on the agenda.

    Metro

     

  • Los Angeles- Istanbul Connection

    Los Angeles- Istanbul Connection

    For Immediate Release

    18th Street Arts Center Project Room
    1629 18th Street. Santa Monica, CA 90404
    Contact: Amber Jones
    310-453-3711 Ext 108
    ajones@18thstreet.org

    project site: http://losangelesistanbul.weebly.com/

    “Los Angeles- Istanbul Connection”

    May 7-30, 2011

    Opening reception: Saturday, May 7th, 6-9pm

    Artists: Insel Inal Saliha Kasap, Elif Oner, Ozan Oganer, Alper Sen

    Carol Es, Gul & Arzu, Marcie Kaufman, Blair Townsend

    Curated by: Arzu Arda Kosar & Saliha Kasap

    ElifOnerBalad

    “Los Angeles- Istanbul Connection” features work by five Turkish and five Los Angeles artists at the 18th Street Arts Center Project Room, May 7-30, 2011. The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, photography, video and installations by Los Angeles based artists Carol Es, Gul Cagin, Marcie Kaufman, Arzu Arda Kosar, and Blair Townsend along with Istanbul based artists Insel Inal, Saliha Kasap, Elif Oner, Ozan Oganer and Alper Sen, The opening reception will take place on May 7th, 6-9pm.

    The exhibition is a curatorial collaboration between Saliha Kasap, the Istanbul based artist and coordinator of Sanat Limani (aka Antrepo 5) in Istanbul, Turkey, and Arzu Arda Kosar, a resident artist at the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, CA.

    Inspired by the myriad of similarities between Istanbul and Los Angeles art worlds, both of which boast increasingly vibrant art scenes that may lack an art market akin to Europe or New York but counter balance it with the experimental and exciting work created in the absence of it, Kasap and Kosar curated a show that brings together artists from Istanbul, Turkey and Los Angeles at the 18th Street Arts Center.

    For “Los Angeles-Istanbul Connection” Kasap selected works by five contemporary Turkish artists currently emerging in the ever more compelling contemporary art scene in Istanbul. Kosar juxtaposed these works with five local counterparts who work in a similar vein. As Alper Sen’s video documentary on discarded material is in dialogue with Blair Townsend’s rug made of superfluous plastic toys, Ozan Oganer’s lace sculpture corresponds with Carol Es’ work that incorporates elements of sewing. Insel Inal’s socially engaged photo series share common threads with the collaborative work Gul & Arzu. Saliha Kasap’s insect-like cityscape photo collages relate to Marcie Kaufman’s disorienting industrial images, and Elif Oner’s videos depicting dreamlike, mystical, timeless spaces corresponds with land art by Australian artist Andrew Rogers whose work is concurrently on display at the main gallery.

    For more information on “Los Angeles- Istanbul Connection” please contact Arzu Arda Kosar at losangelesistanbul@gmail.com or or visit http://losangelesistanbul.weebly.com/

    www.arzuardakosar.org
    http://losangelesistanbul.weebly.com/

    Arzu’s upcoming events:

    April 2, 2-5pm For the Birds @ Audubon Center at Debs Park

    May 7, 6-9pm Los Angeles Istanbul Connection @ 18th Street Arts Center

    May 15, 2-4pm Reflections@ Angels Gate Cultural Center

    June 18, 6-9pm Yarn Bombing 18th @ 18th Street Arts Center

  • Walt Disney nephew Roy Disney dies at 79

    Walt Disney nephew Roy Disney dies at 79

    Roy Disney, nephew of Walt Disney Co. founder Walt Disney and a longtime executive for the company, died on Wednesday at 79.

    disney

    Walt Disney Co. said he died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, California. Disney had been ill with stomach cancer, the company said.

    Disney was born in Los Angeles and began working in the 1950s for the company founded by his uncle and his father. He is best known for leading a shareholder revolt to remove former chairman and CEO Michael Eisner, who stepped down in 2005.

    At the time of his death, Disney owned over 16 million shares or about one percent of the company’s total outstanding common shares but had no direct role in running the giant media company. He served as a consultant for Disney and a director emeritus for the board of directors.

    (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb, Sue Zeidler and Gina Keating, Editing by Sandra Maler)

    Reuters

  • The Jackson family requested a second independent post-mortem examination

    The Jackson family requested a second independent post-mortem examination

    michael jackson1The Jackson family is understood to have requested a second independent post-mortem examination on Michael Jackson’s body, a coroners officer has said.

    Brian Elias, lieutenant at Los Angeles County Department of Coroner, said: “My understanding is that they have requested a second autopsy. But we have no way of confirming that.

    “The body is in a mortuary and if they want to proceed with a separate autopsy, it is up to them.”

    The first official examination was completed on Friday and the body released to the family.

    The Rev Jesse Jackson, a family friend, was reported to have encouraged the family lawyer to press for the Jacksons to order their own tests.

    The Jackson family have gathered at their home in Encino, Los Angeles, to discuss funeral arrangements and care for his three children.

    They are reported to be searching for answers about the singer’s last days amid reports that he received a shot of the powerful painkiller Demerol shortly before his death and claims he was regularly taking a cocktail of prescription drugs.

    A family friend said the Jacksons wanted to know more about the role AEG, the promoters of the singer’s planned UK concerts at London’s O2 Arena, was playing in his life before his death.

    The family are also waiting for answers from Dr Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician who was with him when he died.

    Police are still waiting to question the doctor further and have seized his car from outside Jackson’s house in case it contained drugs or other evidence.

    Press Association

  • Los Angeles Police investigating Jackson’s death

    Los Angeles Police investigating Jackson’s death

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    Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.

     

    Video Link

    Paramedics were called to the singer’s Beverly Hills home at about midday on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

    He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. Jackson’s brother, Jermaine, said he was believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

    Jackson, who had a history of health problems, had been due to stage a series of comeback concerts in the UK, beginning on 13 July.

    Speaking on behalf of the Jackson family, Jermaine said doctors had tried to resuscitate the star for more than an hour without success.

    added: “The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time.”

    “And Allah be with you Michael always. I love you.”

    TV footage showed the star’s body flown from UCLA to the LA County Coroner’s office where a post-mortem is expected to take place on Friday.

    Concerns were raised last month when four of Jackson’s planned comeback concerts were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show.

    A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time.

    Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: “I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old.

    “I’m wondering that, as we find out details of his death, if perhaps the stress of preparing for those dates was a factor in his collapse.

    “It was wishful thinking that at this stage of his life he could be Michael Jackson again.”

    Uri Geller, a close friend of the star, told BBC News it was “very, very sad”.

    Speaking outside New York’s historic Apollo theatre, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton paid tribute to his friend.

    “I knew him 35 years. When he had problems he would call me,” he said.

    “I feel like he was not treated fairly. I hope history will be more kind to him than some of the contemporary media.”

    Melanie Bromley, west coast bureau chief of Us Weekly magazine, told the BBC the scene in Los Angeles was one of “pandemonium”.

    “At the moment there is a period of disbelief. He was buying a home in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles and the scene outside the house is one of fans, reporters and TV cameras – it’s absolute craziness.

    “I feel this is the biggest celebrity story in a long time and has the potential to be the Princess Diana of popular culture.”

    Musical icon

    Tributes from the world of music and film have already flooded in from celebrities including Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger and ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley.

    Large numbers of fans have also gathered outside Jackson’s home and at the UCLA medical centre with lit candles to mourn the star while playing his greatest hits. Facebook groups have also been set up for fans to share their memories.

    The singer’s albums are occupying the top 15 slots of online music retailer Amazon.com’s current best-seller chart, led by his 1982 smash hit Thriller.

    Paramedics were called to the singer’s house in Bel Air at 1221 (1921GMT) following an emergency phone call.

    They performed CPR on Jackson and rushed him to the UCLA medical centre.

    A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the robbery and homicide team was investigating Jackson’s death because of its “high profile”, but there was no suggestion of foul play.

    Jackson began his career as a child in family group The Jackson 5.

    He then went on to achieve global fame as a solo artist with smash hits such as Billie Jean and Bad.

    Thriller, released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time, shifting 65m copies, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

    He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards.

    “For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words,” said Quincy Jones, who produced Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall.

    “He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.”

    The singer had been dogged by controversy and money trouble in recent years, becoming a virtual recluse.

    BBC