Oil

WASHINGTON - President Obama said Friday he wanted to put more Americans to work by slashing the amount of time it takes to grant federal approval for big job-creating projects. But Obama's choice of venue for his remarks - a Baltimore company that makes mining and pumping equipment - provided fodder for Republicans. They noted that the company president had, just the day before, testified on Capitol Hill in support of the Keystone XL pipeline, which the Obama administration has delayed for years over environmental concerns.

WASHINGTON - President Obama said Friday he wanted to put more Americans to work by slashing the amount of time it takes to grant federal approval for big job-creating projects. But Obama's choice of venue for his remarks - a Baltimore company that makes mining and pumping equipment - provided fodder for Republicans. They noted that the company president had, just the day before, testified on Capitol Hill in support of the Keystone XL pipeline, which the Obama administration has delayed for years over environmental concerns.

Actor Nick Nolte has put a Malibu compound up for sale that has seen a galaxy of stars come through its arched entryway. Besides Nolte, other notables to have owned the house include comedian Tommy Chong, Don Felder of the Eagles and music producer David Foster. Priced at $8.25 million and set in the Bonsall Canyon area, the two-acre retreat is covered with sycamore and pine trees. The main house, built in 1963, features 19-foot vaulted ceilings, skylights, six stone-and-carved-wood fireplaces, marble floors and mahogany French doors.

Despite bitter attacks in recent weeks, the two candidates for mayor of Los Angeles grudgingly conceded in a debate Sunday night that their rival was (mostly) honest and not so different on many of the plans they have for leading the city. That didn't mean City Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel didn't find plenty of opportunity for attacks on each other's trustworthiness and independence. But they also laid out records that they said made them most qualified to replace Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is leaving office June 30 after serving the maximum two terms.

Laboratory tests show that oil washing up on Northern California beaches did not come from the cargo ship that slammed into the Bay Bridge last fall. Investigators say tar balls found this week from Pacifica to Monterey probably came from naturally occurring pools of oil beneath the sea floor. California Department of Fish and Game Lt. Brian Arnold said heavy storms were typically responsible for washing oil ashore during the winter. The Cosco Busan leaked 58,000 gallons of toxic bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay after hitting a bridge support in November.

OIL: As oil prices continue to slump, major U.S. oil firms likely will revise capital spending plans downward, with the oil hunt focused overseas. Independent producers will struggle to afford domestic oil exploration. Consumers will benefit from lower prices.

MASINLOC, Philippines - The fishermen were sailing the azure waters off the Philippine coast when Richard Caneda saw the morning sunlight glinting off a vessel "bigger than the biggest ship in the Philippine navy. " Caneda could see a red Chinese flag. The words "Chinese Maritime Surveillance" were written on the ship's side. The ship came close enough that Caneda could see crew members on deck making hand gestures as though to shoo away a fly. Caneda, who had moved from the fishing boat to a tiny skiff to haul in nets left out overnight, soon saw a large gun mounted on the ship's deck pivoting directly toward him. A helicopter whirred overhead.

Many automobile owners are spending more than they need on motor oil, believing that it should be changed every 3,000 miles even though almost no manufacturer requires such an aggressive oil-change schedule. The long-held notion that the oil should be changed every 3,000 miles is so prevalent that California officials have launched a campaign to stop drivers from wasting millions of gallons of oil annually because they have their vehicles serviced too often. "Our survey data found that nearly half of California drivers are still changing their oil at 3,000 miles or even sooner," said Mark Oldfield, a spokesman for the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery, which has launched the Check Your Number campaign to encourage drivers to go with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Ali Bassem plans to start saving for a new car now that the extra money is rolling in. The Baghdad University architecture professor regards his 75% salary increase as a fitting reward for having stayed in Iraq while so many other people of means fled. The extra dinars in his paycheck, Bassem said, are proof of a tentative step forward from the darkness and violence. They mean that years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, "the government is beginning to take root and establish itself," he said.

Country Dancing at Oil Can Harry's Where: 11502 Ventura Blvd., Studio City When: 7:30-11:30 p.m. Tuesday; 7:30 p.m. -12:30 a.m. Thursday; 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday Price: $3 Tuesdays and Thursday Info: (818) 760-9749; http://www.oilcanharrysla.com

Occidental Petroleum shareholders ousted Chairman and former Chief Executive Ray Irani in a dramatic annual meeting that signaled the end of an era for the storied oil and gas producer. It concluded a nearly three-decade run as a director of the Los Angeles company for the 78-year-old Irani. He first took the reins as CEO in 1990 from oil industry legend Armand Hammer. Back then, Occidental was considered something of a joke in the industry, with far-flung holdings in such odd areas as film production and horse and cattle breeding.

Stanley A. Dashew, an inventor and entrepreneur who helped revolutionize the credit card industry, died of natural causes Thursday in Los Angeles, according to a family spokesman. He was 96. Dashew held 40 patents in fields as diverse as credit card processing, mining, mass transit, medical equipment and offshore oil transportation. He also was an avid sailor, writer and photographer who late in life wrote for the Christian Science Monitor and the Huffington Post. At 94, he distilled his insights about life and business in a book, "You Can Do It: Inspiration and Lessons from an Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Sailor.

As much as I love great olive oil, I also recognize that depending on how you're using it, you don't always need the most expensive. As a general rule, I use good olive oil for cooking; great olive oil for making salad dressings; and the very best olive oil when it is being drizzled over an item as a "finishing oil. " Some of my favorite brands are: Alziari, Capezzana, Castello di Ama, Fontodi, Monini DOP, Núñez de Prado and Olio Verde. When shopping for olive oil: Look for olive oil that comes in a non-clear bottle; a good oil's herbaceous qualities are destroyed by heat and light.

Dario's olive oil cake 1½ hours, plus soaking time. Serves 20 to 24 (2 cakes) 1 cup (5 ounces) plump raisins (preferably flame raisins) 3/4 cup Vin Santo 3 whole oranges 3 extra-large eggs 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 20 grams Italian leavening (substitute: 10 grams, or about 1 tablespoon, baking soda and 10 grams, or 1 scant tablespoon, baking powder) 3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) pastry flour 2/3 cup toasted pine nuts Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish 1. Bring the raisins and the Vin Santo to a simmer in a small saucepan, then immediately remove from the heat.

Call me old-fashioned, but I am not a fan of the current trend wherein bacon, avocado and other ingredients normally considered staples of savory cooking are used to make desserts, instead of, say, a BLT. The only exception to this rule, and it's an exception I make more than once, is olive oil. Although we normally think of olive oil as something to use to make a vinaigrette, sauté soffrito or season meat, when used in a dessert, the flavor of...

Olive oil gelato 1 hour, plus refrigerating and freezing times. Serves 8 6 extra-large egg yolks 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 cups whole milk 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup finishing-quality extra-virgin olive oil 1. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set a smaller bowl inside....

Re "Shell Alaska vessel hinders drilling," July 8 Personally, I'm against any drilling in the Arctic. Even if no oil is spilled during Shell's operations this summer, its fleet will release tons of industrial pollutants in the air every year, which would add to the levels of toxic chemicals and acid in the Arctic waters. Environmental and wildlife concerns aside, though, it still doesn't seem reasonable to expend so much costly effort on oil, a finite resource. If making money is a concern, Shell should figure out a way to fill the void when oil runs out. Helen Yi Rancho Cucamonga ALSO: Letters: One ID, one vote Letters: Licensing pet groomers Letters: Contrasting George and Mitt Romney

What is a barrel of oil worth? Generally, the answer depends on a number of factors, including the mood of the commodities markets, the grade of the oil and demand at the gas pump. The basic assumption, however, is that the oil has a value because it eventually will be available for use. But in a historic move, Ecuador is asking the world to put a dollar figure on oil that will not be used — oil it intends to protect from excavation. On Tuesday, Ecuador and the United Nations Development Programme began soliciting donations for a trust fund that would remunerate the country if it forgoes drilling in a pristine portion of its Amazon rain forest for 10 years.

  1 hour, plus setting times. Serves 8 Chocolate glaze 1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, preferably 70% Cordillera 2 tablespoons corn syrup 2 tablespoons brandy 1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter, cubed 1. Cut the chocolate into 2-inch pieces. In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate with butter and corn syrup over barely simmering water. (The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will burn.) Turn off the heat, stir in brandy and let mixture stand over warm water until ready to use. Bittersweet chocolate tartufo 1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70% Cordillera)

Traditionally, working folk dreamed of retiring to California to grow citrus, or more recently wine grapes, but these days the second career crop of choice appears to be artisanal olive oil. Fresh, local oil is all the rage; universities and industry groups help guide aspiring growers, and once their groves start bearing, many sell at farmers markets, where they earn premium prices and enjoy schmoozing with shoppers. Mark Mooring of Buon Gusto Farms followed an unusual version of this path, from starting the Los Angeles Police Department K-9 Platoon to growing olives in Ventura, where he produces richly flavored, award-winning oils.