DJ Fred Again announces an eight-night residency at L.A.’s Shrine Expo Hall

• June 20, 2023

Fred Again, a British producer and DJ, has already had a massive and successful year.

And it’s only getting bigger as he sets his sights on a multi-evening gig at The Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, where he’ll be on deck for an eight-evening residency Oct. 24-25, 27-29, 31 and Nov. 1-2.

Fred will be making history as this run will set the record for the most consecutive shows an artist has played at the iconic Los Angeles venue, which roughly holds 6,000 attendees. He’ll also be playing a three-night run at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium on Oct. 12-14, marking the first time an artist has played three consecutive nights at that venue.

The 29-year-old producer announced the news on Instagram, stating, “We’ve had some of the most beautiful times ever here,” about the two-city takeover.

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Fans can now register for SMS pre-sale updates through Sunday, June 25 at fredagainshows.com. The pre-sale will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, with leftover tickets becoming available to the general public at 2 p.m. on June 27.

Fred Again recently closed out Weekend 2 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio in April along with Four Tet and Skrillex for a dynamic 90-minute set, helping pop-punk trio Blink-182 replace Weekend 1 headliner, R&B star Frank Ocean, who dropped out following an injury and a controversial first weekend performance.

The residency dates also come on the heels of Fred’s recently announced European tour that will kick off in London. He’s also set to perform at Lollapalooza Chicago on Aug. 4 and Miami’s III Points Festival on Oct. 20.

​ Orange County Register 

John Eastman’s law license trial raises big questions

• June 20, 2023

John Eastman sat between his lawyers — a laptop open before him, a pen and pad within easy reach — as the California State Bar put him on trial early Tuesday, June 20, for alleged “dishonesty and moral turpitude.”

Eastman, former dean of Chapman University’s law school and alleged architect of Donald Trump’s attempts to reverse his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, wore a dark suit, occasionally peering over his wire-rimmed glasses at the judge who’ll decide if he loses his law license.

Did Eastman knowingly make false statements about election fraud leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection? Did he intentionally file frivolous lawsuits misstating facts in courts?

As Eastman’s disciplinary trial got under way before California State Bar Court Judge Yvette Roland, a little after 10 a.m., his attorney, Randall A. Miller, tried to convince Roland to admit the “expert” testimony of people the judge previously said were not experts.

The certified public accountant who had never before examined election data for fraud, but would testify that there were irregularities? Eastman’s attorney argued that it’s numbers in, numbers out, whether it’s financial or election data. The judge did not agree. Without any previous experience or expertise analyzing election data, how would a novice know what was normal and what was not?

The proceedings took a break after a little more than an hour of “housekeeping,” as the judge put it. Eastman is expected to take the stand later today and testify in his own defense.

Eastman has wrapped himself in the First Amendment, saying his opinions are protected as a matter of free speech. And Eastman’s attorney, Miller, repeatedly told the judge that Eastman’s acts and utterances must be viewed through the lens of tenability.

“Were Dr. Eastman’s acts tenable?” Miller said. If any lawyer, “any lawyer,” he stressed, made statements that “have arguable tenability, then the lawyer can’t be disciplined for taking those actions that are well within his obligation to be a zealous advocate, to advance his client’s interest. If they have a basis in fact and would be found tenable, then charges can’t be brought.”

The State Bar does not agree.

“The campaign to overturn the election was multi-faceted and deliberate, and became more desperate as courts, officials, and legislators around the country rejected respondent’s and his client’s efforts to keep Trump in power after he lost the election,” it said in filings.

“This strategy included, among other dishonest and unlawful acts, promoting false conspiracy theories and allegations of fraud, filing frivolous and deliberately untimely litigation that was certain to and did fail, pressuring state officials to violate their duties to certify accurate election results, and urging state legislators in states that Biden had won to declare ‘failed’ elections and appoint Trump electors contrary to those states’ respective election results.

“When these efforts failed, and as it became clear that the Electoral College count would be certified for Biden, (Eastman) and Trump conspired to devise and implement a plan to pressure Vice President Pence to reject, without any legal or factual basis, properly certified slates of electors from states Trump had lost, or to delay the electoral count purportedly to allow state legislatures to investigate already rejected and frivolous claims of fraud and illegality.”

“It is no overstatement that democracy stood on the precipice. Had Vice President Pence followed respondent’s baseless advice…, the country would have plunged into a ‘profound constitutional crisis.’ (Eastman) and Trump’s plan violated our nation’s most fundamental commitments to the rule of law and the orderly transition of power. And it rested upon transparently false claims of election fraud that continue to harm our democracy to this day.”

This is a developing story. It is being regularly updated.

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Europe, US urged to investigate the dangers of AI technology

• June 20, 2023

European Union consumer protection groups urged regulators on Tuesday to investigate the type of artificial intelligence underpinning systems like ChatGPT, citing risks that leave people vulnerable and the delay before the bloc’s groundbreaking AI regulations take effect.

In a coordinated effort, 13 watchdog groups wrote to their national consumer, data protection, competition and product safety authorities warning them about a range of concerns around generative artificial intelligence.

A transatlantic coalition of consumer groups also wrote to U.S. President Joe Biden asking him to take action to protect consumers from possible harms caused by generative AI.

Europe has led the world in efforts to regulate artificial intelligence, which gained urgency with the rise of a new breed of artificial intelligence that gives AI chatbots like ChatGPT the power to generate text, images, video and audio that resemble human work.

The EU is putting the finishing touches on the world’s first set of comprehensive rules for the technology, but they are not expected to take effect for two years.

The groups called for European and U.S. leaders to use both existing laws and bring in new legislation to address the harms that generative AI can cause.

They cited a report by the Norwegian Consumer Council outlining dangers that AI chatbots pose, including providing incorrect medical information, manipulating people, making up news articles and illegally using vast amounts of personal data scraped off the internet.

The consumer groups, in countries including Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Greece and Denmark, warn that while the EU’s AI Act addresses some of the concerns, they won’t start applying for several years, “leaving consumers unprotected from a technology which is insufficiently regulated in the meantime, and developing at great pace.”

Some authorities have already acted. Italy’s privacy watchdog ordered ChatGPT maker OpenAI to temporarily stop processing user’s personal information while it investigated a possible data breach. France, Spain and Canada also have been looking into OpenAI and ChatGPT.

​ Orange County Register 

How Kevin Hart’s Hart House plans to grow the market for plant-based fast food

• June 20, 2023

Hart House aims to be a disruptor in the fast food world in ways both small and large.

One small touch is the Dyson hand dryers built into the faucets in the restrooms. A larger goal, according to chief executive officer Andy Hooper, is to completely reimagine the industry.

Somewhere in between is the plant-based menu.

Hart House is a startup chain founded by comedian Kevin Hart that serves vegan food. It opened its first restaurant in August and in 10 months has grown to four in Los Angeles County.

The newest location will have its grand opening on Wednesday, June 21, in a former Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store on Figueroa Street.

After that, Andy Hooper wants to bring it to all of Southern California and beyond.

Hart House came about because the comedian wanted to share the benefits of a plant-based diet, Hooper said in a phone interview.

He met Hart about a year ago and discovered they shared a vision for the future of plant-based foods and what they could mean to the fast food industry.

“The two of us had very similar feelings about where the industry needed to head, both in what we serve and how we serve those who serve,” Hooper said in a phone interview.

Hart House serves the basics: burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders and shakes, all without animal protein.

Although the protein comes from proprietary recipes using peas and soy, Hart House doesn’t emphasize that its menu is vegan. It is hoping customers will enjoy the food for its taste.

“We call it can’t-believe-it flavor,” said Marcus Byrd, director of brand and marketing. “Good food at a sustainable price is a winner across the board.”

By comparison, Byrd said, “When you’re talking about the plant-based market, you can easily spend $25-$30 to get it done.”

Sustainable model

The vegan menu is just the beginning of Hooper’s vision for Hart House.

“I have always wanted the opportunity to really build what I saw as the future of the quick service space within restaurants,” he said.

A self-described “lifelong restaurateur,” Hooper’s experience includes leadership positions in &Pizza, Cafe Rio Mexican Grill and Burger King.

He sees in Hart House an opportunity to change the way fast food chains operate.

“We wanted to completely reimagine what the industry would need to look like if it was going to be truly sustainable for the next 50 years,” he said.

“We start with the idea that the labor model needs to be sustainable.”

The strategy is to increase employee retention through salaries and benefits to the point where turnover drops and efficiencies kick in from of trained workers who know their jobs and know each other.

“It drives significant efficiencies,” Hooper said. “Not only are you not having to relearn somebody’s name and work habits, but all the proficiency that you build in the small things, you actually get the benefit. Our employees end up being 1½ or even 2 times as productive as those in other brands. And that means we can continue to invest in them because we’re seeing a return on that investment in terms of productivity.”

Crew jobs at Hart House pay around $18-$19 an hour, according to job search website.

Hooper said that employee turnover at fast food restaurants can be upwards of 200%, “which means basically your entire staff swaps out twice every 12 months. That’s crazy.”

Hart House is at 88%, he said.

“So that’s less than half, and that’s still not where I want us to be, to be clear.”

Building the pipeline

Since August, Hart House has opened four restaurants in diverse locations with different kinds of customers. The first, in Westchester, is aimed at travelers from nearby Los Angeles International Airport. The second, in November, is in a more residential neighborhood of Monrovia. The third, a drive-thru across Sunset Boulevard from Hollywood High School, is in a tourist destination. It opened in May.

The Figueroa restaurant that opens Wednesday is smaller, with fewer inside seats, aiming for foot traffic from college students at nearby USC.

“It’s a really interesting opportunity to do another thing that a new brand might do, which is to go straight to a campus and prove that the next generation of consumers will adopt and fall in love with the brand,” he said.

“We were very intentional about having four very distinct experiences, not just replicating the same thing every time, because we want to learn. We want to figure out how people respond. Parallel to that we build the pipeline.”

Hooper plans to continue with rapid growth. The goal is to open 12-15 restaurants next year, 20-30 the following year, and have close to 100 units by the end of 2026.

“A significant investment will be made in Southern California, but we’re also looking looking for real estate in other markets now to be able to support that expansion.

Hart House

Locations: 8901 S Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles; 6800 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles; 3726 S Figueroa St., Los Angeles; 602 W Huntington Drive, Monrovia.

Information: myharthouse.com

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Charitable giving in 2022 drops for only the fourth time in 40 years

• June 20, 2023

Charitable giving in the United States declined in 2022 — only the fourth time in four decades that donations did not increase year over year — according to the Giving USA report released Tuesday.

Total giving fell 3.4% in 2022 to $499.3 billion in current dollars, a drop of 10.5% when adjusted for inflation. The decline comes at a time when many nonprofits, especially ones providing services to those in need, report an increase in requests for help.

However, Josh Birkholz, chairman of the Giving USA Foundation, which publishes the report and provides data and insights about donation trends, said the results are actually much better than they could have been considering the tough economic climate of late 2022.

“I go back and forth on whether it’s encouraging or discouraging,” Birkholz told The Associated Press in an interview. “There was a 20 to 25% decline in the stock market and an 8% inflation rate, but Americans still gave nearly a half trillion dollars.”

Those 2022 donations came after two record-setting years for charitable giving, driven by the unprecedented needs of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Una Osili, associate dean for research and international programs at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Giving USA report’s lead researcher. It’s a sign of continued generosity, though there are some areas of concern.

“At the beginning of the 21st century, two thirds of Americans gave,” Osili said. “Today, that is down to under 50% for the first time. So giving has grown, but fewer people are participating.”

The downturn in giving has led to issues at Community Help in Park Slope, better known as CHiPS, as it has in many charities across the country. The Brooklyn, New York, nonprofit operates a soup kitchen and food pantry, as well as supporting single mothers and their infants.

“We saw inflation rise and, with that, we saw more working class individuals on our lines,” said Shanice Brown, CHiPS development director. “Donations declined — and donated food as well — because as the price of things increase, people need more and so they donate less.”

CHiPS’ issues are compounded by the number of asylum seekers that are currently housed near the charity in Brooklyn. While CHiPS was providing 275 warm meals a day at this time last year, these days it is offering more than 400 meals daily. And sometimes, they simply run out of food.

“When we run out of hot meals, we still provide sandwiches,” said Brown, who has been collaborating with other nonprofits and food suppliers to try to make ends meet. “Anyone who comes to our door walks away with something.”

Even large-scale nonprofits have had to come up with new solutions to battle inflation’s effects on their resources.

Jared Perry, chief revenue officer at Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, said that while donations to the foundation, which grants the wishes of children fighting critical illnesses, were up slightly in 2022, they are currently declining in some areas this year. And those drops come while Make-A-Wish copes with increased costs for travel, which is involved in about 75% of the wishes they grant.

“I think we’ve seen a 37% increase in rental car prices and that translates to a cost we have to bear,” said Perry, adding that Make-A-Wish has stepped up calls for supporters to donate their airline miles and hotel points in order to help stretch its funding. The foundation has also turned to partners in the travel industry for more help.

The need, Perry said, is also an opportunity for Make-A-Wish and other nonprofits to engage individual donors and appeal to them for help. “The message we’re going to continue to send out is: There are easy ways for people to get to get involved with Make-A-Wish, whether that be through volunteering or certainly by donating,” he said. “For every wish that we’re granting, there’s another wish waiting.”

Jon Bergdoll, associate director of data partnerships at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and the lead analyst for the Giving USA report, said the long-running trend of “dollars up, donors down” in philanthropy offers potential growth for nonprofits who can engage those currently not giving.

Decision makers for donations are “not mom and pop donors, they’re wealthy individuals,” Bergdoll said. “That is indicative of where the money is coming from now versus 30 or 40 years ago.”

According to the Giving USA report, 64% of donations in 2022 came from individual donors, 21% from foundations, 9% from bequests, generally through a will or estate plan, and 6% from corporations. In 2022, corporations donated 0.9% of their pre-tax profits in the United States, though Bergdoll said the report does not track whether multi-national corporations donated more in other countries.

​ Orange County Register 

Titanic explorer says two likely disaster causes are survivable, one is not

• June 20, 2023

By Danielle Bochove

The submersible vessel that vanished during a dive to the Titanic shipwreck may have experienced one of the so-called trinity of disasters that all such expeditions seek to avoid: a hull breach, a fire or an entanglement.

The first of those outcomes isn’t survivable, said Joe MacInnis, the renowned Canadian explorer and physician who has been to the Titanic site four times and is a close friend of one of the passengers aboard the missing Titan.

“A hull failure is catastrophic,” MacInnis, 86, said in an interview Tuesday. “There is this kind of implosion, and it’s terrible.”

However, the second two disasters can be managed. Crew train for fire emergencies and although challenging, all good subs have firefighting capabilities. And MacInnis has himself experienced what it’s like to be trapped by the doomed passenger ship — and to break free — more than 30 years ago.

See more on the search for the missing Titanic-bound submersible: Here’s what James Cameron has said about diving to the Titanic wreckage | As oxygen dwindles, search for missing Titanic-bound submersible goes underwater | SETI Institute trustee, billionaire explorer, famed French diver among 5 on board the missing sub

“It was my second dive to the Titanic,” he said. He was inside a Russian Mir submersible when it landed on the floor of the Titanic’s pilot house and became entangled in wires. “When it came time to go up, we couldn’t. It was a thick adrenaline moment.”

Fortunately, the expedition was able to send a second sub down to assess the situation and help talk the chief pilot through the required navigation to wiggle free.

That self-rescue ability — either with a second sub or a remotely operated vehicle that can be flown quickly to the site — is crucial on these types of expeditions, said MacInnis. France has dispatched a research vessel, the Atalante, equipped with an underwater robot to reach the missing craft.

In this photo released by Action Aviation, the submersible Titan is prepared for a dive into a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean on an expedition to the Titanic on Sunday, June 18, 2023. Rescuers raced against time Tuesday, June 20, to find the missing submersible carrying five people, who were reported overdue Sunday night. (Action Aviation via AP)

Five passengers are known to be on the submersible: adventurer Hamish Harding, founder of investment group Action Aviation; Stockton Rush, founder of OceanGate Expeditions, which is running the expedition; Engro Corp’s vice chairman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman; and French maritime expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet.

Three of that crew are likely newcomers to deep-sea diving, he said. “They would have been on adrenaline before the dive. And in a high-stress moment they will be red-lined,” MacInnis said. But one of them, Nargeolet, is a close personal friend of MacInnis.

“PH is the best person you could be in a sub with,” he said. “He is very, very calm under extreme stress. If they’re still alive, he will be a terrific calming influence on the others.”

Read more: World-record breaker, business leaders missing on Titanic tour

MacInnis, whose work on the 1992 IMAX film Titanica helped inspire friend James Cameron to create the Hollywood blockbuster, said if the submersible had merely lost radio contact, standard protocol would be to immediately surface.

He says he was “stricken” when he learned the Titan was missing.

“Getting lost in the depths is a primal fear,” he said. “My heart goes out to the guys in the subs — and the team on the surface trying to solve the problem.”

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Traveling internationally this summer? Here’s what you need to know about passports

• June 20, 2023

Alexandra Skores | The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

Travelers are flocking to international destinations this summer to make up for canceled trips during the pandemic.

But during the pandemic, some travelers may have forgotten about one key part of international travel: a passport.

The U.S. Department of State is estimating 10 to 13 weeks of processing for routine passports, and seven to nine weeks for expedited passports, not accounting for mailing times. In March, the department said it was expecting this summer to be the busiest travel season on record.

If you’re a traveler dealing with the long waits to get a passport this summer, experts are sharing advice to get appointments for applications and renewals.

Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper recommends that travelers check passport rules for the country they are traveling to. Some airlines will not allow passengers with less than six months of passport validity from their trip to board flights.

The U.S. Department of State’s website said countries that require six months of validity include: Mainland China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Burma, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Turkey.

Expedited passports are an option, though companies that offer the service can charge hefty fees. G3 Global Services, a private company that charges fees for expedited visas and passports, charges anywhere from $179 to $749 in service fees, depending on how quickly the traveler needs the passport.

Names on the passport also have to match names on tickets. A nickname mismatch may not allow some travelers to board, Berg said.

Edgar Miranda, office coordinator at the University of Texas at Dallas’ passport center, said travelers who aren’t flying, but taking a cruise, also need to be mindful of their passport status.

“Just because you’re not getting on a plane, you’re still essentially leaving the country,” Miranda said. “Look at your passports, look at your kids’ passports.”

U.S. passports for adults are valid for 10 years and passports for children younger than 16 are valid five years. A passport card, which the U.S. began issuing in 2008 for U.S. travelers from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries by land or sea, is valid for the same length of time as a passport.

—

©2023 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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A quiet NBA Draft awaits the Pac-12, which speaks volumes about the state of the conference

• June 20, 2023

If the projections are reasonably accurate, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is the only player standing between the Pac-12 and a hefty dose of ignominy Thursday evening in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The versatile UCLA forward is considered the only likely first-round selection for a conference that typically produces a handful of them and hasn’t been shut out of the opening round entirely since 1988.

The last time it generated just one first-rounder? When Washington’s Quincy Pondexter went 26th to Oklahoma City in 2010.

Jaquez’s perch atop the draft class is somewhat unexpected and highly instructive.

The Southern California native was a four-star recruit who spent four years in Westwood developing his game. In that regard, he’s a warning and lesson for the conference. He’s a symptom of what ails the collective and a reflective view of the creeping rot.

Not long ago, in fact, the Pac-12 was basking in its draft successes:

— In 2017, it produced the top two picks, Washington’s Markelle Fultz and UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, and six first-rounders in all.

— The following year, it generated the No. 1 pick again: Arizona’s Deandre Ayton.

— In 2020, it accounted for one-fifth of all the first-rounders; and in 2021, it produced four of the top-24 picks.

This spring, the Pac-12 cannot claim a No. 1 pick and has no lottery-level talents. The closest thing to a first-round lock is Jaquez, who’s projected for the late teens or 20s.

Sure, someone else could provide an upside surprise. Perhaps UCLA wing Amari Bailey, who’s slotted for the middle of the second, will sneak into the end of the first. Maybe a team gambles on Washington State’s Mouhamed Gueye, a raw talent projected for the late second round.

But none of the other top players from the 2022-23 season are within a half-court heave of the first round. Not high-scoring Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis. Not UCLA’s sensational perimeter defender, Jaylen Clark, who’s recovering from an Achilles injury. Not USC sharpshooter Drew Peterson.

One reason for the paucity of first-round options: A handful of the top players assessed their draft value and opted to return to school.

Another reason: The major talent acquisitions of the past two recruiting cycles haven’t developed.

The Pac-12 doesn’t have input issues, folks. Over the past five years, the conference signed 24 prospects who carried five-star ratings by the 247Sports recruiting service — fewer than the SEC and ACC but far more than either the Big Ten or Big 12.

And in the past three recruiting cycles (2020-22), the Pac-12 signed 11 prospects with five-star ratings. A few are already in the NBA, but most are still developing their games — either in the conference or elsewhere.

Five-star recruits signed by the Pac-12:

2020

USC’s Evan Mobley: Played one year, drafted No. 3 overall (Cavaliers)Stanford’s Ziaire Williams: Played one year, drafted No. 10 overall (Pelicans)ASU’s Josh Christopher: Played one year, drafted No. 24 overall (Rockets)

2021

UCLA’s Peyton Watson: Played one year, drafted No. 30 overall (Nuggets)Stanford’s Harrison Ingram: Played two years, transferred to North CarolinaOregon’s Nathan Bittle: Played two years, returning to schoolASU’s Enoch Boakye: Played two seasons, transferred to Fresno State

2022

Oregon’s Kel’el Ware: Played one year, transferred to IndianaUCLA’s Amari Bailey: Played one year, entered NBA DraftUCLA’s Adem Bona: Played one year, returning to schoolArizona’s Kylan Boswell: Played one year, returning to school

It’s hardly uncommon for five-star talents to require several college seasons before blossoming into first-round selections, and some never make the jump.

But the Pac-12 isn’t as well equipped to navigate problems with player evaluation and development as other power conferences. Its programs have resource limitations, exposure issues and scheduling challenges not experienced elsewhere (at least to the same degree).

When eight five-star talents enter the conference over a two-year period and only one emerges as a one-and-done, then on-court success becomes that much more difficult.

The Pac-12 faces an annual struggle to meet reasonable bars for NCAA Tournament bids, seeds and advancement. Only once in the past seven years, in that wacky, pandemic-impacted 2020-21 season, has the conference sent more than one-third of its teams to the tournament.

Central to the collective malaise is mediocre talent development — not only with regard to the elite prospects but the three- and four-star recruits, as well.

Sure, it’s about making the most of the next Ware, the next Ingram, the next Boakye. But the conference must produce more players like Jaquez, who was merely the 100th-ranked recruit in his class.

It’s one more issue and the only issue, for talent evaluation and development reside at the core of coaching whether peach baskets or NIL money define the game.

The lineup of Pac-12 head coaches has changed little over the past few years despite a clear need for major upgrades. The 2023 draft class is one more piece of evidence.

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to [email protected] or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.

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