LOS ANGELES — Robbie Ray pitched five hitless innings in his San Francisco debut, Matt Chapman homered, and the Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-3 on Wednesday night. The Giants held the Dodgers without a hit until Chris Taylor doubled to right off reliever Tyler Rogers with two outs...
Publisher Plans Massive ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Reprints to Meet Demand for VP Candidate JD Vance’s Book
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance as his running mate has led to a surge in sales for "Hillbilly Elegy," his best-selling memoir that came out in 2016. A spokesperson for HarperCollins told The Associated Press that more than 650,000 copies have been sold since...
The Real Theme of JD Vance’s and Donald Trump’s Memoirs
“READING well”, wrote Harold Bloom, a well-read literary critic, is “the most healing of pleasures.” Apparently Bloom did not read many books by political candidates. They combine a salesman’s saccharine pushiness and the suspense of watching a second hand rotate, with prose that has been focus-grouped into a turgid blandness...
Raiders Star Wide Receiver Davante Adams Isn’t Going Anywhere — for Now, at Least
COSTA MESA — Raiders general manager Tom Telesco moved to end speculation at the NFL scouting combine in February that star wide receiver Davante Adams might be on the trade block. "He's a Raider," Telesco said. But the talk has continued about Adams' future in Las Vegas — and it...
Clayton Kershaw Excited to Be Returning to Dodgers’ Rotation at a Pivotal Time
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw's return to the rotation was once expected to be an added bonus as the Los Angeles Dodgers geared up for a postseason run. Longtime Ace Coming Back at Crucial Juncture It turns out, the longtime ace is coming back at a pivotal time. When Kershaw...
US Economic Growth Increased Last Quarter to a Healthy 2.8% Annual Rate
WASHINGTON — The nation's economy accelerated last quarter at a strong 2.8% annual pace, with consumers and businesses helping drive growth despite the pressure of continually high interest rates. Thursday's report from the Commerce Department said the gross domestic product — the economy's total output of goods and services —...
Ziveli Winery Is a Toast to Croatia in California’s Heartland
In the heart of California's Central Valley, where the sun beats down with the intensity of a thousand hair dryers and the air is thick enough to chew, is Ziveli Winery — a Croatian-inspired oasis in a sea of raisins and table grapes. It's like someone took a slice of...
Newsom Issues Executive Order for Removal of Homeless Encampments in California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday for the removal of homeless encampments in his state. Newsom’s order would direct state agencies on how to remove the thousands of tents and makeshift shelters across the state that line freeways, clutter shopping center parking lots and...
Meta’s Oversight Board Says Deepfake Policies Need Update and Response to Explicit Image Fell Short
LONDON — Meta's policies on non-consensual deepfake images need updating, including wording that's "not sufficiently clear," the company's oversight panel said Thursday in a decision on cases involving AI-generated explicit depictions of two famous women. Oversight Board Says Meta Failed to Take Down Deepfake Image Until Review Board Got Involved...
Matthew Stafford Happy to Start Training Camp With Rams After Contract Adjustment
LOS ANGELES — Matthew Stafford wrapped up the first day of training camp for the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday by lofting a touchdown pass during a red-zone drill. Whether the throw would have happened without the financial adjustment the Super Bowl-winning quarterback hashed out with the team on Tuesday,...