Substitute

For a guy who changed his name to promote harmony, there's very little of it for Metta World Peace these days. The Lakers forward continued to struggle on offense Tuesday and claimed to be irritated by Coach Mike Brown's substitution patterns. " Phil [ Jackson ] had been here for 10 years, so his consistency was pretty easy. We've got new players and new coaches and it took a long time to build some consistency," World Peace said Tuesday before the Lakers played Atlanta.

Nick Aliotti has done a nice job coordinating Oregon's defense if you consider he has to plot each week against two offenses — the opponent's and his. This week, Aliotti is prepping Oregon for Monday's 98th Rose Bowl game against Wisconsin. The Badgers average 44.6 points per game and appear to be playing downhill, against you, on a slanted field. Wisconsin has a running back, Montee Ball, who has scored 38 touchdowns and a quarterback, Russell Wilson, who can run, pass and probably belt out the national anthem.

ANAHIEIM -- Salt substitutes are a major focus of the food industry, especially since the federal government issued its updated dietary guidelines earlier this year calling for a big reduction in salt intake. We're not talking just table salt here. Many processed foods contain huge amounts of salt, and manufacturers are searching for ways to lower salt content without ruining taste. The natural products industry is way ahead in this game. A number of salt substitute products are on display at the Natural Products Expo, which runs Friday through Sunday in Anaheim.

Big-time, bed-rattling snoring is more than just a detriment to good sleep or happy relationships. It's also a sign that airways aren't open and clear. In extreme cases, snorers spend chunks of the night gasping for breath, a dangerous condition called sleep apnea. If they could somehow open up their airways, they would breathe easier without all of the racket and without the risk. Instead of sucking air through a mask or going under the knife — two common approaches to apnea — many snorers hope they can get extra breathing room with the help of an oral appliance that fits inside the mouth.

My doctor prescribed Zegerid for acid reflux. It contains omeprazole plus sodium bicarbonate. My pharmacist says I can take OTC omeprazole plus baking soda and get the same results for less money. A 30-day supply of the prescription is $129. The pharmacist gave you money-saving advice. Make sure she tells you how to substitute the dose of house-brand omeprazole and the baking soda so they parallel the doctor's prescription. Be careful not to overuse baking soda, since this could provide too much sodium.

In the "True Blood" television series, sexy vampires quaff bottles of artificial blood that allow them to live alongside humans in polite society. In real life, people in distress need artificial blood, and scientists are working on several synthetic concoctions that could stand in for the crucial body fluid. Every year, 4.5 million Americans receive lifesaving transfusions, according to the New York Blood Center, and 1 in 3 people will need blood at some point in their lifetime.

The learning curve was more like a blind curve for the Clippers' youngsters against Portland in the exhibition opener. After the Clippers' 28 turnovers, on the way to a 115-86 loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, you can fully understand the sentiment from Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro. "Lot of work to do with all these young guys," Del Negro said Wednesday in a telephone interview, after a team practice in Sacramento. Lot of work, indeed. That was the message resonating after the game in Portland, one with precious few bright spots.

Greg Taylor has risen to the rank of detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department ? but on a recent afternoon the 12-year veteran was passing out parking tickets. His first perp: a lithe West Hollywood woman with long blonde hair who parked her SUV in a spot for the handicapped. It's not that Taylor, who regularly investigates burglaries and thefts, has been demoted. Like most of the department's sworn personnel, he's now being forced to drop his regular duties and devote several hours a month filling in on routine patrols and low-level administrative tasks.

The people in the Bowflex commercials sure are pretty. If you have any doubt that these models did not get their muscularly sculpted hairless physiques using a Bowflex and its patented Power Something Technology, then Google "Bowflex casting" and you'll find talent agencies looking for ultra-lean gym rats with colored contact lenses to hock this soon-to-be coat rack for three easy payments of way too much money. Allegedly, this "home gym" is a "total-body solution," as if your body were some kind of math problem in need of solving.

Classical musicians never really know what's coming around the next bend in the road. You might be sitting around in your home or apartment, practicing, reading, loafing, whatever, and then the phone rings. It's your manager, and he puts it to you indirectly at first. "How's your Prokofiev Second doing?" That's how Augustin Hadelich, a rising star in the violin world, found out that he was going to make his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut at fabled Hollywood Bowl two summers ago this month.