Pssst: PS3 is coming
Sony is unveiling its new PlayStation 3 tonight, and here’s why that matters even if you don’t give a Lara Croft about video games:
It could determine what kind of television, camcorder or DVD player you buy in the next few years. And if you make the wrong choice, you might wind up with the 21st century equivalent of an eight-track tape player.
One of the key elements of PlayStation 3 -- which not only will play video games but likely will be capable of downloading movies and music from the Internet -- is something called Blu-ray, a new DVD technology. If Blu-ray catches on, it could shove other formats out of the picture.
On the other hand, Blu-ray could suffer the fate of another Sony innovation: the Betamax video recorder. Page C1
*
Monkeys safe, not in the sauce
It’s a happy ending for 33 monkeys -- happier than ending up in a casserole, anyway.
The monkeys were leftovers from an illicit “bush meat” operation in Africa in which adult monkeys were killed for food and their young sold as pets. Now five of the simians reside at the San Diego Zoo, and the rest are at other U.S. zoos.
Their journey to safety, however, depended on some tough ethical choices by zoo officials. Page B2
*
Acronyms for a better America
In D.C., if you SNIFF the CAN-SPAM, it won’t smell like a sandwich spread. Actually, the acronyms carry the energetic yet persistent bouquet of congressional staffers turning ordinary titles for legislation into catchy, all-capitalized names. (If “Safe Notification and Information for Fragrances” and “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing” can be considered catchy.)
Old-fashioned monikers such as “Taft-Hartley Act” are out, and lawmakers are instead saluting titles like USA PATRIOT.
“If it helps people remember your legislation, I think it serves a useful purpose,” says New Hampshire Sen. John E. Sununu. “But I’m starting to think people are starting to spend more time coming up with a clever acronym than they are worrying about the substance and the impact of the legislation they write.” Page A4
*
Philippine standoff ends at long last
In the Philippines, some lawmakers face bigger issues than catchy bill names, such as being arrested on orders from the president.
Five legislators had not left the congressional building in two months in order to avoid being nabbed on charges of rebellion. But a judge tossed out the charges last week, a police stakeout ended Sunday, and the five exited in triumph. Page A11
*
Box office report: Not good enough
“Mission: Impossible III” opened with $48 million in ticket sales, making it by far the biggest picture of the weekend. Yet the people who keep track of such things (and who don’t work for Paramount Pictures) say that’s a disappointment.
See, the hope was that the film would open as well as two of Tom Cruise’s big successes: “War of the Worlds” (a $64.9-million opening last year) and “Mission: Impossible II” ($57.8 million in 2000).
Let the hand-wringing begin. Page C1
*
Local man wins, local men don’t
The Angels lose in Toronto, 3-1, but that probably makes a few people in Orange County happy.
Blue Jay pitcher Casey Janssen, a Fountain Valley High alumnus making his third major league start, won his first game, and it came against the team -- and some of the players -- he rooted for as a kid. Page D1
**
Happiness is a cold Duck
The Mighty Ducks make it look easy again, shutting out the Colorado Avalanche, 3-0, in Anaheim and taking a 2-0 lead in their playoff series. Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov continues to be as tough on opponents as he is on spell-check programs, and Ruslan Salei, above right, scored his second goal of the playoffs after finding the net only once during the regular season. Page D1
**
CALENDAR
Father Time signs a new contract
“I’ve talked to every president since Abe Lincoln,” says Mike Wallace. It just seems that way.
On Tuesday the veteran CBS newsman turns 88, and at the end of May he becomes correspondent emeritus, whatever that means.
Still, he just signed a new contract to continue his 38 years on “60 Minutes” and do several pieces a year. Known for his pugnacious interviews, Wallace hopes to sit down with President Bush in the next year. Page E1
*
A TV series that made a difference
His name is Chris Burke. He starred in a TV series on ABC from 1989 to 1993. Name it.
(Pause here while you fire up the synapses.)
Lots of people would love to see Burke’s series again, and many parents are eager to show it to their own young kids -- if they could find it.
Still can’t recall the name? Here’s a hint: The show was anything but trivial.
It was titled “Life Goes On” and revolved around the teenage character played by Burke, who has Down syndrome. Now, thanks to a letter-writing campaign, the first season is coming out on DVD.
These days, Burke, 40, spends more time singing with a rock band than acting. He’s still learning to be independent, still leading by example. “My message is that anybody can sing with a band, anybody can be an actor, anyone can do anything they want to do,” he says. Page E10
*
Wonderful world of wide screen
Say “Cinemascope” and you might think of epic films such as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Doctor Zhivago.” But there were also film noirs, westerns and some intimate dramas.
The American Cinematheque is presenting a festival, “Cinemascope and Wide-Screen, Part One,” starting Friday at the Egyptian Theatre. Among the offerings: “The Guns of Navarone,” “Some Came Running” and “The Street With No Name.”
And then there’s a 1957 western that went into theaters with a mainstream title but which director Sam Fuller wanted to call “Woman With a Whip.” Page E5
**
HEALTH
Hard times, longer life
Women outlive men by an average of 5.3 years. Why? In part, they pay closer attention to their bodies and detect illnesses earlier. But there’s more. Their tendency to communicate intimately and cooperate with others gets them more readily through hard times. Even their instinctive nurturing of children -- and men -- makes them healthier in the long run. Page F1
*
Soy what? Soy is losing its luster
Remember how regular wine consumption was good for you and then, well, maybe not? Same for chocolate. Well, almost as predictable as spring, the love affair with soy is turning sour. Call it the soy backlash.
Fifteen years ago when soy burst onto the Western food scene, the possibilities for the bountiful bean seemed limitless. Packed with protein, it was said to have the potential to prevent breast cancer, increase bone mass, relieve hot flashes, lower cholesterol and maybe even help prevent heart disease.
Today, with more soy products than ever available in grocery stores, a bountiful harvest of books and articles is telling an entirely different story.
While some of soy’s alleged dangers may be extreme (does it really cause men to develop fulsome breasts?), continuing research is prompting scientists to pull back on the once-heady health predictions of the famous legume. Page F3
*
So many tasks
How do you tackle your to-do list?
Maybe you briskly do a little bit of each job, moving down the row in rapid-fire succession before doubling back for more progress. Or maybe you focus on one task first and get it done before you move on to another. It may depend on whether you’re male or female.
How or if the genders cope differently with multiple demands on the brain has become a hot topic. Page F12
*
So much to wear
Although it may seem obvious that the female body is different from a male’s, that message didn’t seem to get through to the sporting goods world until recently.
Not too long ago women had to make do with oversized, masculine athletic socks, bike frames, kayaks, wetsuits and so much more. Not anymore. Thanks to the sheer number of women involved in sports and their buying power, things are a-changing. Page F15
**
ON LATIMES.COM
School Me looks for a Romer legacy
A parting shot: Los Angeles’ schools superintendent is leaving soon. The School Me education blog asks: Should we say goodbye to Roy Romer with a school in his name or something a little less dignified? Share your thoughts.
latimes.com/schoolme
Column One: Catch up on special features for recent articles in Column One, the showcase for Los Angeles Times stories that are notably original, surprising, amusing or just plain interesting. You’ll find a photo gallery trailing busy L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and an interactive presentation on how scientists plan to warn humans about radioactive waste in 10,000 years.
latimes.com/columnone
Your lens on the world: The My Best Shot Gallery compiles breathtaking photos taken around the world by Times readers. From the Jaisalmer Fort in the Indian desert to icebergs off Cape Horn, see how readers have captured some of the world’s most beautiful spots and unforgettable moments.
latimes.com/mybestshot
**
THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY
Gov., Democrats
hit the road
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic legislative leaders plan to fly to Los Angeles, Orange County, Oakland and San Diego to trumpet the public works package approved by lawmakers last week. The proposal includes $37.3 billion in bonds that require voter approval in November. Both the governor and the Democrats can be expected to take credit for crafting the package.
*
TUESDAY
Human rights and the U.N.
Can the Bush administration prevent Cuba or Venezuela from winning a seat on the United Nations’ new Human Rights Council? The General Assembly is scheduled to elect members of the panel, and one interesting question is how many countries on the outs with Washington will gain membership. The U.N.’s former Human Rights Commission included many nations with severe human rights problems.
*
WEDNESDAY
Interest rates going up again?
At precisely 11:15 a.m. PDT, the Federal Open Market Committee -- the policymaking unit of the Federal Reserve -- will almost surely announce the 16th increase in short-term interest rates in its last 16 meetings. The federal funds rate, which banks charge each other for overnight loans, was 1% two years ago, and most economists expect this increase to 5% to be the last or next-to-last in the series.
*
SATURDAY
Jim Murray ‘Cap off and running
The 17th running of the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap, a $250,000 Grade II stakes race named for The Times’ sports columnist, will be held at Hollywood Park. The race is for horses 3 years old and up. Last year, a 6-year-old gray gelding named Runaway Dancer -- who finished last in the 2004 running -- won the 1 1/2 -mile event on the turf course for trainer Dan Hendricks.
