Perks

The real outrage is not presidential and congressional perks, but that they receive them and still cannot do their jobs. JASON LILES, Playa del Rey

The courtship that has riveted the neuroscience world blossomed at a Saturday night dinner in a tony Brentwood restaurant. USC provost Elizabeth Garrett and executive vice provost Michael Quick kept the conversation light. Over chicken with braised leeks, onions, mustard bread crumbs and white wine at Tavern, they talked to UCLA neuroscientist Arthur Toga about his life. Not the brain imaging research for which his lab is renowned but about "the things that get you excited in the morning," Toga recalled.

"I am incredible," Ezra Miller told a waitress assuredly. The server didn't bat an eyelash, jotting down the actor's order before retreating back into the kitchen. At Cafe Gratitude, an organic vegan restaurant in Hollywood, such proclamations are commonplace. In fact, they're required if you want to order food or drink, which all have mantra-like, inspirational monikers. Despite his hippie attire - drawstring pajama bottoms combined with a formal blazer that had strings of his long hair stuck to it - Miller, 19, found the trendy eatery to be ridiculous.

If you're dealing with tired, sluggish kids who aren't able to listen or pay attention, try this quick mind-body trick. Called elephant ears, it is demonstrated here by Leah Kalish, founder of Move With Me Action Adventures, which specializes in yoga and movement education for kids. What it does The gentle massage around the outside of your ears stimulates the energy meridians in the body, Kalish says, waking up your senses, so you're less distracted and anxious and can hear and think more clearly.

Any time a candidate for office receives endorsements from public employees before the filing date, voters can automatically assume that a deal has been made between the employees union officials and the candidates to support higher wages and perks for the employees in exchange for a voting block of city employees. Employee perks can include city-paid expense accounts of public officials such as bar bills and expensive dining clubs and restaurants, or deluxe health care benefits paid by the city long after the officials have left office.

Regarding Peter Greenberg's article, "Some Perks Make Visitors Feel Right at Home," on March 18. I don't need cookies (ugh) or flowers on my pillow in my hotel room. I like a clean, quiet, tastefully furnished room and decent towels. I want to pay for the room and the service, not the unneeded amenities. LYNN SPEAR MERLES Costa Mesa

Even as the nation's biggest financial firms were struggling and the federal government was spending hundreds of billions to save many of them, the companies as a group were boosting the perks and benefits they pay their chief executives. The firms, which account for more $350 billion in federal bailout funds, increased these perks and benefits 4% on average last year, according to an analysis of corporate disclosures filed in recent months. Some chief executives, such as Kenneth D. Lewis of Bank of America Corp.

Here are some tips to add to your storehouse of money-saving knowledge. For instance, you can get money back when a hotel room rate drops. Or you may be able to get free airline lounge passes or a hotel upgrade. Here's how. Getting money back if the price goes down: If your hotel lowers your room rate between the time you buy and check in, which happens about 20% of the time, you can usually rebook at the lower rate, or get a refund automatically. Tingo.com checks and rechecks your hotel rate almost until the hour of check-in and automatically refunds the price drop to your credit card.

A partisan tangle erupted Wednesday over a report that as part of a Democratic National Committee program to woo donors, the White House had met privately with major campaign contributors and approved perks that included invitations to White House events. Republicans trumpeted an article in the Washington Times that cited internal Democratic documents showing that people willing to raise $300,000 for the 2010 midterm elections would be entitled to meet with senior Obama administration officials and help shape policy.

Among the many adjustments Angels rookie first baseman Mark Trumbo has made this year, there is one change he does not mind. In fact, he downright enjoys it. When he sits at his locker before a game, taping the handles of a batch of new bats, he isn't fine-tuning his most recent $65 purchase. After six seasons in the minors, buying bat after bat from the Trinity Bat Company in Fullerton, Trumbo no longer has to purchase his preferred piece of lumber, the T-271 model. "It's really nice," said Trumbo, who estimated he has already broken 10 bats this season.

Amazon.com's AutoRip, which gives customers free digital copies of CDs they purchase, is now available for vinyl records -- including those purchased in the past. Starting Wednesday, when customers buy AutoRip-eligible vinyl records, MP3 versions of the music will be automatically added to their Cloud Player libraries where it will be available for immediate playback or download.  And customers who have purchased AutoRip records at any time since Amazon first opened its Music Store in 1998 will find digital copies of those albums in their Cloud Player libraries free.

Here are some tips to add to your storehouse of money-saving knowledge. For instance, you can get money back when a hotel room rate drops. Or you may be able to get free airline lounge passes or a hotel upgrade. Here's how. Getting money back if the price goes down: If your hotel lowers your room rate between the time you buy and check in, which happens about 20% of the time, you can usually rebook at the lower rate, or get a refund automatically. Tingo.com checks and rechecks your hotel rate almost until the hour of check-in and automatically refunds the price drop to your credit card.

UCLA reality check Part (Tier) Two. There are basketball coaches who will please Bruins fans and there are ones Athletic Director Dan Guerrero is actually interested in: Butler's Brad Stevens and Virginia Commonwealth's Shaka Smart. Stevens reportedly makes a little more than $1 million per year. That's Indiana dollars. Multiply it by about three for California inflation. Stevens is also described as an intensely private man who is turned off by public scrutiny. Good thing intense scrutiny doesn't come with the UCLA job. On to Smart, who turned down $2.5 million per year from Illinois a year ago. Smart currently gets $1.36 million per year in salary, but the perks do add up. Smart receives $25,000 for a radio deal.

SACRAMENTO - California lawmakers accepted a trip to Brazil, fine cigars and crystal ducks, among many other gifts from corporations, trade groups and other special interests last year. Assembly Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles) received $17,800 in gifts - among the highest in total value, according to records released Saturday. They included $5,830 in travel expenses for an education trip to South Korea paid for by the Korean American Economic Development Corp. Pérez also received concert and sports tickets, nine gifts of cigars, and a $100 crystal duck from the California Retailers Assn.

The Los Angeles mayor's race took a sharp negative turn Wednesday as City Controller Wendy Greuel accused rivals Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry of lying about her record to distract from their own spending of taxpayer money on wasteful travel and perks. Her broadside came after weeks of relentless attacks on Greuel by the two City Council members and Kevin James, a former radio talk-show host. The dynamics of the campaign - Greuel's top rivals each see pockets of opportunity among key voter groups that she is well-positioned to capture - have made her a prime target, leaving the impression at times that opponents have been ganging up on her. Greuel fought back Wednesday in a mailer that showed a wooden Pinocchio and photos of Garcetti and Perry.

Though few patients realize it, many doctors receive thousands of dollars from pharmaceutical companies for each patient enrolled in an experimental drug trial. The medication might be the best thing for the patient's condition. The doctor's motives might be pure. But patients should be able to find out about such payments so they can discuss them with their doctors and decide for themselves whether the doctor's participation in an experiment might compromise his medical advice.

I was astounded to read that Henry Waxman's "administrative assistant" received a salary of $100,000. Plus, the man isn't even from California! ("Waxman Assistant Loses Election," Times Valley Edition, Nov. 6) Would The Times be kind enough to print the staff salaries of all the California congressional delegation, where their staffers come from, and the perks to which they are "entitled?" LISABETH HUSH Studio City

Do county officials really believe that we are this gullible? They have been receiving up to $18,000 in perks while "serving" the county. Now that many of them are getting close to retirement, they want to decrease their perks and increase their base pay. Retirement benefits are based upon all of the base pay while only a part of the perks is included. Will their retirement pay increase? What is the long-term impact on the taxpayer from such a change? It would be helpful if the county personnel office would publish both the near-term impact to the taxpayers as well as the long-term impact of such changes.

The Galaxy announced Tuesday that it has signed midfielders Mike Magee and Colin Clark and goalkeeper Brian Perk for the 2013 season. The signing of Magee, who played a key role in the team's successive MLS Cup victories, was a big one given the team's uncertain status in the midfield. With David Beckham retiring from MLS play and the return of captain Landon Donovan and Juninho uncertain, the Galaxy could enter preseason camp later this month without three midfield starters from last season.

The scripts of "Zero Dark Thirty," "Lincoln" and "Silver Linings Playbook" are among the nominees for Writers Guild of America Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen in 2012. Nominees announced Friday in the original screenplay category are John Gatins for "Flight," Rian Johnson for "Looper," Paul Thomas Anderson for "The Master," Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola for "Moonrise Kingdom" and Mark Boal for "Zero Dark Thirty. " "It's a huge honor to be put in such heady company of fellow writers," Johnson said in a statement.