Hunger

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. reported that net income rose 19.6% for in its third quarter, but the profit still missed Wall Street's expectations, sending the burrito chain's stock tumbling as much as 14% after hours. The financial results, released after the market closed, continue a string of bad news that has some investors wondering whether the longtime stock market darling is starting to go sour. The Denver company's quarterly profit was $72.3 million, or $2.27 a share, compared with earnings of $60.4 million, or $1.90 a share, for last year's third quarter.

Re "Food porn won't fill an empty stomach," Opinion, Sept. 16 Nina Burleigh contrasts the decadence of chefs preparing gourmet food on TV with America's hunger problem. But celebrity chefs and others in the food community are passionately involved in fighting hunger. Wolfgang Puck has raised considerable sums for St. Vincent's Meals on Wheels. Food truck fans also support Meals on Wheels when they eat at the Cart for a Cause truck. Los Angeles chefs, food writers and bloggers plan events year-round that benefit hunger-fighting organizations.

Bear hunting in California is highly regulated.  And that's good.  Don't forget, this is the state that wiped out its grizzly bears, leaving them only on the California flag. The bear hunting season, which just opened, runs until Dec. 30 and will close early if the quota of 1,700 bears is reached before then.  A hunter is allowed only one bear kill per season.  No killing of cubs or female bears with them is allowed.  Now awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown's signature is another piece of regulation, Senate Bill 1221, which will prohibit the use of dogs to hound bears and bobcats.  If the governor signs it -- which, hopefully, he will -- California will join 14 other states that similarly ban the hounding of bears.  The Times' editorial page  supports the measure.

A week after it was displaced by "Battleship," "The Hunger Games" is back on top of the DVD sales charts. However, "Battleship" has risen to the top of the DVD rental charts for the first time. During the week ended Sept. 2, "Hunger Games" was the best selling DVD and Blu-ray disc in the U.S., according to Rentrak Corp. "Battleship" was the most rented disc. "The Hunger Games" was released Aug. 18, while "Battleship" hit store shelves Aug. 28. Two movies new on DVD, the thriller "Safe" and comedy "The Five Year Engagement," both failed to gin up much interest.

It started out as a way to make sure students don't begin their school day hungry, a factor in lower academic achievement. Since Los Angeles Unified began serving breakfast in classrooms at 20 schools in January, the percentage of children involved has zoomed to 84%, according to David Binkle, the district's interim director of food services. That compares with 29% of students who participate in the district's regular breakfast program in the cafeteria before school starts, he said.

After wide speculation, Lionsgate confirmed that it has cast Sam Claflin, best known for his turn in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," to portray the role of Finnick Odair in the upcoming sequel to"The Hunger Games. " Charismatic and manipulative, Finnick, a former Hunger Games victor, is one of the most compelling new tributes Katniss Everdeen must face as she returns to the arena. Katniss forms a rather suspicious alliance with the charming victor, unsure of where his loyalties lie. The role was one of much speculation with Internet chatter speculating on a slew of young actors that could play the integral part in the second chapter of the trilogy.

"The Hunger Games" put life into the stagnant home entertainment market this weekend, as fans snatched up 3.8 million DVDs and Blu-ray discs in the title's first two days on sale in the U.S. and Canada. That's more than either of the last two "Twilight" films, whose launch pattern" The Hunger Games" mimicked. In February of this year, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" sold 3.2 million DVDs and Blu-rays on its first weekend, while "Eclipse" debuted to 2.7 million units in December 2010.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory Docurama, $29.95 Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's documentary was completed before the men known as the "West Memphis Three" were freed from prison after 17 years, and while the filmmakers have added an epilogue about the hasty, unsatisfying resolution to the frustrating murder case, the third installment of this ongoing story still feels out of date for most of its two-hour running time. The case, though, remains fascinating, especially given the new evidence that Berlinger and Sinofsky have unearthed about another possible suspect in the killing and mutilation of three 8-year-old boys.