Tiger Woods’ deceased father Earl has some questions for the embattled golf star.

In a new Nike ad that premiered this week, Woods is seen silent, in black and white, standing on what is safe to assume is a golf course. All that’s heard is a voice-over from his father, who passed away in 2006.

 “Tiger, I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are, and did you learn anything.” 

Tiger doesn’t offer an answer, but do you think he has learned anything? Was the commercial a perfect way to address the collision of his personal and public life? Or should he not have addressed his situation in an advertisement? Share your thoughts below.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

By now you've heard that Spirit Airlines, the low-fare carrier based in Florida, announced it will begin charging passengers as much as $45 for each piece of carry-on luggage.

Yes, carry-on luggage. Luggage that is typically stored free of charge in the overhead bin will cost fliers $45; the price is reduced to $30 if paid in advance online. Members of its $9 Fare Club will only pay $20 for each carry-on bag.

There is no charge for carry-on items such as purses and small bags that can be stowed underneath the seat.

The carry-on bag fee is in effect for reservations made after Monday for travel on or after Aug. 1.

To say that the move didn't go over so well with our readers would be an understatement. Here is some of what they had to say:

Matthew wrote: Spirit Airlines? I've never even heard of them. Obviously they don't have any spirit, maybe they should  be called "Rip-Off Airlines". Secondly, pay for carry on?!? COME ON!!! Pretty soon they will charge for taking a wallet onboard or even to where clothes! Im sorry but it's bad enough that they charge to place one piece of luggage under the plane. Now for a carry on that hardly olds a change of clothes? I'm sorry but for me, I would drive instead of fly if they charge for carry on. How the heck are they going to "increase" their profits now?!?

-Matthew

P.S. I will be the first to sign that on-line petition that DennisB is starting!

DennisB wrote: I will drive 2k miles before I pay ANYTHING for my carry-one bags.  I'll start an on-line petition if any of the other airlines think they can get away with this and I can guarentee that I'll never spend another dime flying; I'll take a train, a bus, or hitchhike before I give in to their ransom demands.

DennisB in SM, CA

wtjeteriii wrote: Maybe Spirit should also have a "seat charge". They could also have a One Low Price Fare: Buy a ticket for anywhere they fly for only $25. That fare would apply as long as you didn't check baggage, carry on baggage or actually get on the plane.

Raymond wrote: So Spirit wants to charge us $45 (or $90 r/t) a carry on bag each way so with a family of 4, thats $360 not counting any fees for checked bags.  Thats $360 before buying a plane ticket !!  They have to be kidding - thats the best way to loose passengers to another airline.

They say "carry less pay less"  what?  So isn't a plane ride used to take a trip?  Do we travel without any clothes or personal belongings?  A carry-on bag has been standard for yrs and yrs and now they want us to pay $90 r/t.

You just lost my family's future flights on Spirit - yay Jet Blue !

igor.ivanitskiy wrote: Few more ideas for "extra charge" spirit:

   1. Charge for additional pounds above 100lb
   2. No food allowed to eat 24 hours before flight unless tips were paid to the carrier
   3. One vist to restrooms per 10 passengers/per flight. All flushes and water need to be prepaid over web.
   4. 5$/Mb on your laptop/ipod. Extra cooling charge if you use any electronic device
   5. $1 per 1 dollar transported in cash
   6. Thinking and dreaming is charged per hour, uless you mind is thinking about how to invent new regulations at Spirit airlines.

RonaldBork wrote: Aa far as I am concerned Spirit Airlines just went out of business.  Never again will I purchase a Spirit ticket.

Others should do the same. Lets send a message to all these blood-sucking airlines.

Calidude wrote: Isn't this just absolutely ridiculous???!!!  next thing you know, they will have "pay" toilets and charge you $10 just to pee; they will charge you $50 just for walking the aisle just to get to your seat; and finally---they will charge you $100 for disembarking the airplane once you reach your destination.  Airlines ARE the biggest RIPOFF - Period!  I hope that they ALL go Bankrupt.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: Roger Lopez, heading for a flight at LAX with only a carry-on bag. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times.

Less than two years after Californians approved a ban on gay marriage, a new poll found that more residents support same-sex unions than oppose them.

A poll from the Public Policy Institute of California released in March found respondents backing gay marriage 50% to 45%. And a Times/USC poll last November found a 51%-to-43% division on the issue.

The poll shows Democrats and liberals supporting same-sex marriage by large margins and Republicans and conservatives opposing it by equally lopsided margins. There is also a huge variation by age, with registered voters younger than 30 supporting same-sex marriage by roughly 3 to 1, while a majority of those 64 and older were opposed.

The poll was conducted for The Times and the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences by two polling firms, the Democratic firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and the Republican firm American Viewpoint. Read more about the findings from our sister blog L.A. Now here.

What's interesting about the poll is the responses from our readers. Gay marriage remains a hot topic among Times readers, and while the poll shows us the numbers, the comments give us the voices behind those findings. Here is some of what our readers have to say on the poll results:

Mike said: Don't let these lies continue. The Majority do not approve of same sex marriage, thats why we voted on Prop 8....stop it!! These polls are lies, just like those that say this country is 83% christian...if that was true....Why are we trying to give 2% of the population all of this time, waste of money, and bogus lies.

Now, if we believed in polls, why have we not stopped War!!! Not stopped Abortions, Not stopped HUNGER. What people do in their bedroom is their business, not mine, and God will judge them. Marriage is between a man and a woman, to provide a unit for a family.....not for two same sex people to engage in pathetic lustful behavior.....love, give me a break!!

Pachecosita wrote: I do not care if you think I should get marry or not. I am a tax payer that is claiming my rights that is all. If you don't understand my life, it's ok. Chances are that I don't understand yours either but I wouldn't interfere with your right to pursue HAPPINESS.
peace

nobama wrote: We expected this. Another attempt of the opinionated news outlets to sway the courts and public opinion. This is getting old. We are smarter than that.

Matti wrote: We the People, not We the Press.

The People have voted twice on this issue in California to define marriage as between a man and a woman. In fact, We the People, have never voted to allow same sex marriage. The only states that allow it were either through Judicial orders or Legislative mandates. Put the issue to the vote and The Will of People is clear.

Angie wrote: Marriage is a not a "rights" issue...I'm so tired of gays thinking and convincing themselves that this is about rights!! Its not...and YES a MAJORITY of AMERICANS not just Californians do not support gay marriage...what you do is your business, you will be judged as we all will - but do not infringe on what the definition of Marriage is just because you want people to accept you for what you do!! Sorry....as long as you push we will continue to pull. But, polls like this are part of the liberal media machine...

Oh suuuuuure wrote: Riiiiiiight. Funny, first I heard about the 'poll.' I didn't see it to put my two cents in. This is a liberal publication supporting a liberal cause. Anybody can make up a poll to 'prove' their point of view but this 'issue' has passed TWICE in this state by voting of the public to define marraige between a man and a woman. Now millions of dollars has been wasted for this issue. How long we gonna keep wasting money? Until the crying liberals get their way...

Alex wrote: I fully support gay marriage!!! and the tide is shifting, 50 years ago it was also the "will of the people" to ban inter racial marriage, but since then things have changed. Europe has already said all European countries will allow gay marriage within ten years, so far we have Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Norway that recognize gay marriage and scores more have civil unions like France, Germany, Brazil, UK etc. USA is next, they took long enough, but at least they recognize that marriage is a right and gays should therefore get it.

Gay marriage is coming to a town near you! Coming soon.

Nancy wrote: I guess I just don't get it. I am in a happy, heterosexual relationship that is leading to marriage. I am religious - Babtist in my upbringing, in fact. Yet I simply cannot figure out how and why the marriage of a gay couple would threaten my partner and me in any way. I know of no divorces that were caused by some gay couple somewhere.

The arguments against gay marriage are arbitrary and completely irrational. It's time to get on to far more important issues, like education, the economy and the environment. I believe the polls and seriously doubt that it's some sort of liberal plot to convert everyone to gayness. Come on, folks, get a grip.

An ironic story - someone very close to me who is against gay marriage is in a mixed-race relationship. It wasn't that long ago that her partner, a black man, would have been lynched for being with a white woman. The message: we who believe in equal rights shall overcome. And there's a lot of hypocrisy in this whole issue.

Hang in there, my gay friends. We shall indeed overcome.

Our readers had a lot to say. We can't include all the comments, but you can read more here. We want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on the poll? Do you believe it's an accurate portrayal of how Californians feel about gay marriage now?

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: Joni Boettcher, left, kisses roommate Tika Shenghur during a protest march along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood in November 2008. Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press

Fans of the late Michael Jackson flooded the outside steps of Los Angeles County Superior Court as Dr. Conrad Murray, who faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the pop singer's death, was set for a court hearing Monday morning.

The California attorney general's office is seeking to have Murray's medical license suspended. Murray is fighting that move, saying he needs to practice medicine to make ends meet.

In reports from the L.A. County coroner’s office, Jackson had high levels of the powerful sedative propofol in his system when he died last June.

Murray has pleaded not guilty and maintains he did nothing wrong. He told investigators that Jackson, 50, was a chronic insomniac who for years had depended on propofol -- a white liquid that the singer called "milk" -- to sleep, according to police affidavits filed in court.

Some members of Jackson's family are scheduled to appear in court Monday, including his father, Joe Jackson, and brother Jermaine Jackson. In a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired Friday, his sister Janet Jackson said she holds Murray responsible, and also spoke of numerous family interventions for the singer, who she said was in denial.

As a large group of fans shouted, sang and held signs -- one read "Conrad Murray makes us wanna scream" -- Michele Drake stood alone on the opposite side of the street. She held onto a banner that read, "All for l-o-v-e, justice for Michael."

"I'm not here for the attention, I'm here for Michael," said Drake, 45. "I came from South Carolina to be here. It's been a long day, but a good day."

Drake said she wanted to represent all the fans she communicates with on blogs and online forums who couldn't be present at Monday's hearing. She was disappointed at the crowd of fans who were yelling across the street because that's not what Jackson would stand for, she said.

Share your thoughts. It's been more than nine months since Jackson's death. We previously asked if his license should be revoked. Who do you think has a stronger case, Murray or the prosecution?

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photos: Michele Drake, pictured at top, holds a large banner outside Los Angeles County Superior Court while a crowd of Michael Jackson fans, pictured at right, chant and sing nearby. Dr. Conrad Murray, who faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the death Jackson, was set for a court hearing Monday. Credit: Gerrick D. Kennedy / Los Angeles Times

With the release of the hotly anticipated iPad finally here, we have a simple question for our readers -- will you be buying?

Interest and anticipation for the 9.7-inch touch-screen tablet computer never died down and after months and months of speculation, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs announced the product, which turned out to be the worst-kept secret since, well, the iPhone.

The new invention, which starts at $499, hits stores Saturday. We're sure Apple Stores will have a tough time keeping them on their shelves.

"It's so much more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smart phone," Jobs said when announcing the product in January.

The iPad has been the darling of Twitter as people anticipate its release, and on Wednesday ABC's hit TV show "Modern Family" featured the product as part of its storyline.

For all the latest coverage on the iPad, click here.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press

Erykah Badu is raising eyebrows with her new music video, "Window Seat." In the clip, which has gone viral, she is seen walking the streets of Dallas near the site where JFK was assassinated, slowly stripping; the moment after she takes off her last piece of clothing, the singer is shot by an unseen assassin.

Badu has spoken out on the media firestorm.

The singer, who is a native of Dallas, Tweeted: "I would never disrespect JFK. his revolutionary thinking is my inspiration. my performance art has been grossly misinterpreted by many."

The video has since been pulled from numerous sites, including YouTube.

Badu gave her followers a play-by-play account of the shoot on Twitter, posting, "There were children there. i prayed they wouldnt b traumatized." Onlookers were "yelling, THIS IS A PUBLIC PLACE : YOU OUGHTA BE ASHAMED : PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON : DAMN GIRL! etc..."

At a recent concert in Los Angeles the 39-year-old singer briefly addressed the controversy through song.

It was just a few weeks ago that Lady Gaga and Beyonce were swirling in controversy over their "Telephone" video, with many people asking whether music videos had gone too far.

We want to hear from our readers -- too far, or do you see the artistic statement Badu is making? If she were fully clothed, or nude in a different location, would it matter? Share your thoughts below.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

On Tuesday, an Orange County judge sentenced Rodney James Alcala to death for a third time for the slaying of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe in 1979 and for four additional deaths from the 1970s.

Before the trial began in January, Alcala, now 66, was linked through DNA, blood and fingerprint evidence to the deaths of four women -- Jill Barcomb, Georgia Wixted, Charlotte Lamb and Jill Parenteau.

According to a post from L.A. Now, Alcala, who acted as his own attorney in this trial, asked jurors in his closing arguments to spare him from the death penalty. He said if they did give him the death penalty, they would become killers themselves and it would lead only to decades of appeals.

Judge Francisco Briseno’s decision came weeks after the jury recommended the death penalty.

Readers seem mostly exasperated with a justice system that allows convicted murderers to continuously appeal their sentences, though others are optimistic about having dangerous killers off the streets. Here’s what readers have had to say so far about Alcala’s third death sentence (tell us what you think below):

MadPuss thinks life in prison is punishment enough: It's hard to believe that a man this evil exists, but he does and many more like him. He's a very smart man and he'll most likely appeal this. I feel that prison is worse then the death penalty. Having to live a life without any real freedom, behind bars is to me a living hell. Men like this are best to live out the rest of their lives there like Charlie Manson.

Ronald wants us to stop protecting the guilty: With the economy in a melt down we have seen new taxes created, old taxes increased, cut backs in everything from public transportation to teachers in our schools. We have downsized our police depts. & eliminated many plublic programs. Everywhere you look we've cut our spending, except for one place, protecting scumbags like Alcala. Quite frankly I am ashamed that we go to such great lengths to see that these animals get to die of old age. You can't put a price on the pain & suffering of the innocent, but we can stop protecting the guilty. How much does one 45 shell cost? No wonder the rest of the world is losing respect for us.

Jongillenwater says it's about the victims: What a truly tragic story. The most tragic aspect is that the friends and families of Alcala's victims will continue to suffer, and suffer more than the emotionless Monster himself. No amount of pain that Alcala feels in his years of confinement, and not even the punishment of death by execution (should he live long enough to experience that) will come anywhere close to pain felt by the loved ones. That is the sad, sad truth to the matter. The reporter has it right, it's not so much a death sentence for Alcala as it is a Life sentence for the families. I wish that some sort of revenge/justice was possible in this case, but it is not. All of my sympathy to the friends and families. JG

SueC70 wrote: Will he EVER be executed? Does California ever execute anyone? I'm from Virginia and recently a death row inmate was transferred to Virginia to be tried for a crime there. That man was found guilty and sentenced to death in VA. He will remain in VA because California knows they will never carry out the execution.

Read more comments after the jump.

Our sister blog Booster Shots reported on a study from researchers at the University of Utah that shows that most people can't talk on a cellphone and drive safely.

The researchers assessed the performance of 200 people using simulated freeway driving while conducting a conversation on a hands-free phone that involved memorizing words and solving math problems. Performance was measured in braking, reaction time, following distance, memory and math execution.

For the vast majority of people, performance suffered in both driving and comprehension. Braking time increased by 20% while following distances increased by 30%. Memory performance declined 11% and math performance 3%. The deterioration in performance was comparable to the impairment seen in drunk drivers, the authors said.

But we want to hear from our readers, Do you think you have the ability to use your cellphone and drive, safely?

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

[Updated, Wednesday March 31, 5:05 p.m.] This previous post omitted a poll that we would like our readers to take. We apologize for the error.

Photo: Two motorists have their cells to their ears as they proceed along Torrey Pines Boulevard in La Jolla. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

 

At least 38 people were killed and more injured early Monday morning as two female suicide bombers blew themselves up on packed subway cars in downtown Moscow, officials said.

The explosions roared through the underground at rush hour just as the city's commuters were making their way to work and school. 

The first attack came just before 8 a.m. when a woman set off a bomb just as the doors of the subway car were closing at Lubyanka Square station. Less than an hour later, a second explosion hit the Park Kultury  station.

Investigators said they had identified one of the bombers and were hunting for two women seen on surveillance-camera footage accompanying the attackers, law officials said. Some of the suicide attackers' remains were found in the bombed trains and were sent for forensic identification.

Times staff writer Megan K. Stack is reporting from Moscow. Read her full story here.

Here are some of the comments from readers on the attacks:

spatter wrote: -- "If you follow Russian events, you note that almost every such attack was exploited and taken as a pretext for restricting democratic freedoms in Russia," said Andrei Piontkovsky, a politican analyst with the Russian Academy of Science. "It's the usual paradox: It shows the weakness of the government, but at the same time, they may use it to get more power." -- Did the Russians learn this from Dick Cheney ot teach it to him? Yet another place in the world, besides Iran and North Korean, where Cheney would not have been despised and misunderstood had he lived there...

Logistics2020 wrote: Just when you thought things were safe in Moscow, something like this horrendous terrorist bombing happens. Among other things, it shows that Putin's political crackdown on his DOMESTIC enemies has not made Russia any more secure than it was at the height of the war in Chechnya. Heavy-handed autocracy is sometimes rationalized because of the tighter security and increased safety it often brings (China and Saudi Arabia being 2 prime examples), but Putin's neo-Soviet autocracy has clearly not made Moscow a safer place in 2010.

shadowspear2009 wrote: So deep and unsettling that they just renamed it? Post Cold War propaganda huh? This articled should be saved as an example of American propaganda.

JaneJoad wrote: There's still Siberia. I'm sure Putin still has his old Soviet ways of doing things. I'm sure we'll see him make some kind of example. Russia will not take this lying down, not only are the eyes of the world on them, but Putin will feel compelled to show some good old fashioned Soviet style revenge. People will start dissappearing until he rids the country of them, like we should do but won't.

Share your thoughts below. 

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: Subway riders look at flowers laid near a train at the Lubyanka Square station, which was the site of an explosion earlier in the day. Credit: Anna Shevelyova / Associated Press

Readers have been responding to the story of Christine and Mike. Here are excerpts from some notes to the reporter. Share  your thoughts.

Mr. Goffard, I have been reading The Times for 43 years, ever since I moved to Los Angeles as an 18 year old to attend UCLA.  Your article on the late Mike Penner/Christine Daniels, was one of the most beautifully written and moving pieces I ever ever ead in any newspaper.  I confess that I cannot comprehend transsexualty, but who wants to see a fellow human in such horrible distress?  When I finished reading, I felt compelled to say a prayer that this soul is now at peace.
 
Given today's economic climate for print media, it is amazing that such a long article appeared at all.  I want to thank you for your words which have profoundly affected me. 

--

I heard this wonderful song yesterday which I hope to sing at a cabaret night soon. It's called "When I was a Boy". It's sung by Dar Williams and it too, made me cry. It speaks about the roles men and women adopt and get trapped in. And the hope of being comfortable with oneself, like we all mostly were when we were kids.

--

I read with great interest your article on Times Sports writer Mike Penner/Christine Daniels..  I was saddened by the story.  Mr. Penner was a talented man with such strong needs to express his feminine self.  He went forth with great optimism only to be struck by the many complexities in his life and arising from his situation.  Being a poster boy or girl for any organized or disorganized group can be tricky.  My transsexual friend remarked upon the fact that the "transsexual community" is a group that is not always available or personally supportive.  Mr. Penner's tragedy was wholly human and not gender based.  May the many other transsexuals seek friendship and support as we all do--from our family and loved ones.  Those who love you are always there, whether you are straight, gay, transsexual or otherwise fitting a special human category.  Good work.  And, some statement of hope to the many others in Mr. Penners place would have been nice to have seen in your article.

--

I had to take a moment to commend you on the article.  The way you handled the story and your ability to bring out all the issues was very touching and journalistically well done.
Metaphorically speaking, I am not nor ever have been, in those shoes; however, this article was so well written it certainly helps one better understand the issues a transgender/transsexual person faces. 

Suspended Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas was sentenced Friday to spend 30 days in a halfway house in the wake of his conviction on gun charges resulting from a locker-room confrontation with a teammate.

Arenas, who played high school ball at Grant High in the San Fernando Valley,  was also sentenced to 400 hours of community service, which cannot be conducted at basketball clinics, and a $5,000 fine.

The basketball star apologized in court for his actions, saying, "Every day, I wake up wishing it did not happen."

He pleaded guilty to violating the city's gun laws in a Dec. 21 incident at Verizon Center.  Arenas, who had had an argument with teammate  Javaris Crittenton over an unpaid gambling debt, brought several guns to the Wizards' locker room.  He placed them in front of  Crittenton's locker with a sign telling him to "PICK 1."

Prosecutors wanted Arenas to go to jail for at least three months. They said he lied repeatedly about why the guns were in the locker room and even tried to cover up what happened. They also said he knew bringing guns into D.C. was illegal and has a prior gun conviction.

Arenas' lawyers asked for probation and community service, arguing that he was playing a misguided prank with no intention to inflict harm to anyone. They point out that the guns were unloaded, that Arenas' lighthearted comments about the incident were misinterpreted and that he's a good role model who goes beyond the call of duty when it comes to community service.

The maximum term for Arenas' crime is five years. The sentencing guidelines for someone with his record call for six months to two years, although those guidelines also allow for probation.

In January, Arenas -- who makes $16.2 million a year -- was suspended without pay for the rest of the season by the NBA.

Arenas, along with the Washington Wizards, are a trending topic on Twitter, as well as a hot search on Google.

Twitter users are debating whether or not he got off easy. Some users believe he should have gotten jail time, like the case of NFL player Plaxico Burress, while others believe if he didn't get jail time, then neither should have Burress. The football player is serving a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to weapons charges after accidentally shooting himself in the right thigh in a New York City nightclub.

What do you think? Take our poll below.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas during a game against the Chicago Bulls in October 2007. Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press.

Last week we polled our readers on whether or not they believed James Sikes, the driver of the runaway Prius.

More than half of readers who took the poll said no.

In fact, 76% of the more than 5,000 readers who took the poll said they believed Sikes' story was a ploy for media attention and thought the findings from Toyota proved that.

Only 15% of our readers believed Sikes' account.

But what should happen next? Neither the media -- nor our readers -- have forgotten about Sikes, with stories now reporting on his troubled financial past.

Toyota said its preliminary investigation resulted in findings that were "inconsistent" with his account.

The automaker said its two days of testing failed to reproduce Sikes' reported stuck accelerator that he said led to a 20-minute ride before he could get the car stopped with the aid of the California Highway Patrol.

Investigators found the accelerator pedal to be "working normally," with no interference caused by the floor mats, and that the front brakes of the car showed "severe wear" and damage, Toyota said. Sikes said he was pressing hard on the brakes to try to stop the car.

Toyota said the push-button power switch on the Prius was working normally and shut off the car during testing. Sikes has maintained that he could not get the accelerator to release.

Our readers didn't waste time weighing in on the ordeal. Some compared Sikes' incident  to the infamous "balloon boy" incident, which led to jail time for both parents of the hoax, while other readers referenced Sikes' reported financial issues.

Whichever side you choose, should Sikes face any consequences if the investigation proves his story was in fact a hoax?

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: A Toyota test driver slams on the brakes to stop a Toyota Prius going 85 mph on a closed course at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The test put on for the media by Toyota USA was a challange to a Prius owner's claim that his car accelerated out of control on a San Diego area highway. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times.

What's your take on California's unemployment rate? After a week of talk about healthcare reform, the talk is back to jobs -- or a lack of them.

In a report released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor, the state's unemployment rate held at a steady 12.5% in February, as effects of the recession dragged into 2010.

The percentage is the same as January's, but it is up from 10.2% a year ago.

Employers continued to be reluctant to expand their payrolls, economists said, despite signs of increased activity in retail sales, international trade and manufacturing, as Times staff writer Marc Lifsher reported.

The weakness was reflected in a related survey of households that showed California lost 20,400 jobs during the month, reversing a 32,500-job uptick in January.

Double-digit unemployment in California is predicted for the rest of this year, according to the Anderson Forecast released this week.

Some of our readers have already shared their thoughts. Here is a little bit of what they had to say:

calonso wrote: I can't wait to see what the unemployment number will look like after the 2 trillion dollars the government pumped into the economy last year fades away.

datrelle wrote: but what happens when all those cenus people are let go. census was the only thing in the state (country) creating jobs,americans need to start getting serious about unemployment instead of blaming the folks in dc, we need to take our country back from china ... boycott anything made in china starting today

JJSinclaire wrote: This is good info and inforatitive. I'd like to comment on the following:
"That's bad news for out-of-work people like Vernon Crowder, an economist and banker who was laid off 13 months ago and hasn't found work since. 'There's definitely a lot more economists on the market as banks consolidate,' he said. 'When there's an opening, there's a landslide of applications.'"

I see people say this, but then nothing to build their brand online. Many companies offer persoanl branding services. Some web builders are geared towards job seekers. A new company called resumewebsitepro offers an interesting website builder and package, I don't belive it's free. So i guess to get hired you need to start investing inyour career.

Good Luck

JJ

MICHAELNFV wrote: But, but, but Obama said that the "stimulus" would keep unemployment below 8% ... ya mean he was wrong ... or was he lying...

And all this time, I thought he could "walk on water!"

How's that "hope & change" thing working out for everybody???

Well, 11/2/2010 won't come soon enough for me!

And 11/6/2012 will be a reckoning!

"Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink."
P.J. O'Rourke

yscracker wrote: Think this is bad??

Just wait ...

nobama healthcare taxes are going to kill jobs like nothing we have ever seen before. Cat and John Deere warned they see 1st year costs to their companies of over $100 million.

Cat and John Deere are going to move ops offshore and leave Americans unemployed. nobama wants to hire 16,000 IRS agents to track down uninsured Americans to force them to pay healthcare taxes.

Want to hear the solution?? Any time you want lower prices you have to add supply. nobama isn't doing one thing to add more docs. More docs mean more competition. More competition means lower prices and better service.

nobama is a healthcare disaster.

jman75 wrote: I doubt employers will be adding any new jobs to their payrolls. They've been outsourcing a lot of what they do over seas we just can't accept the concept. Our gagets computers, i-pods, i-phones are not made in the US they're assembled over seas and shipped back. Our computers would cost twice as much if they were made here. We should concentrate on what we do best and that's war.

What (or who) do you think is to blame for the unemployment rate in California? If any of our readers are currently unemployed, please weigh in about your experience. Are any of you concerned about the future of your jobs? As some readers have pointed out, do you think the passage of the healthcare reform will negatively impact jobs?

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: Hundreds of job seekers wait in line to attend a job fair in Rancho Cucamonga in April 2009. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Ever since reports began hitting the Internet that Jesse James blindsided wife Sandra Bullock with an 11-month affair with tattoo model Michelle “Bombshell” McGee while she shot the film that snagged her an Oscar, the Web hasn’t been able to get enough news.

Bullock, James, "bombshell" and McGee (or some odd combination of all four names) are frequently trending topics on Twitter and listed in the top 10 hot topics on Google. 

But what makes this affair so scandalous? The speculated affair, which James hasn't confirmed, isn't exactly on par with the dozens and dozens of women that came out of the shadows for Tiger Woods, which he confirmed.

Or is it the timing, the "Oscar Curse"?

The media firestorm of an impending split began once Bullock canceled her appearance at the London red carpet premiere of “The Blind Side” and as stories spread over the Web, so has the interest, with people (and celebs) rallying behind Bullock, blasting McGee and dogging James.

It was just weeks ago that the camera panned to a misty-eyed James as Bullock accepted her Academy Award for Best Actress, and the couple made headlines when they fought for custody of James’ daughter with porn star former wife Janine Lindemulder.

But we want to hear from you.

Why is there such interest from the media and the public about the alleged affair? Will this blow over soon enough, or like the Tiger Woods saga, rage on for months with more women speaking up and sharing their stories – for a price. Do you believe McGee’s "bombshell"? Share your thoughts below.

Check out Ministry of Gossip for the latest.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy)

Photo: Jesse James and Sandra Bullock arrive at the 2010 Vanity Fair Oscar Party after the awards March 7. Credit: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images