Closer Brian Wilson Narrows Potential Suitors, Said To Have Affinity For Los Angeles

Reliever Brian Wilson #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on June 1, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (credit: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Former San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson is said to have narrowed his decision for potential suitors down to a final “three or four” clubs.

Among the clubs said to be of interest are the Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A number of scouts watched Wilson work out at UCLA last week. The 31-year old hurler underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2012, and last played in the majors on April 12 of last year.

Some scouts, however, are reporting that Wilson is “getting close” to being ready for major league pitching again.

Wilson threw for scouts during Spring Training, but his lack of an overwhelming performance indicated he was not yet ready for major league action. Instead, he opted for more rehabilitation and decided he would not throw for scouts again until he felt he was confident enough.

Wilson has said that he hopes to join a serious contender, and has been described as having an affinity for Los Angeles.

The first-placed Dodgers, meanwhile, are looking for bullpen help, and took part in watching Wilson’s throwing session at UCLA.

A source says that Dodgers reliever Jose Dominguez, who was placed on the DL last week, may be returning to the minors soon. It is unknown whether this is in connection with the club’s interest in Wilson.

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Public Relations Vacancies In Los Angeles Projected To Balloon

If the Bureau of Labor Statistics‘ occupational outlook is on the money, employment for those specializing in the field of public relations is forecast to balloon by the year 2020, with a greater acceleration than the norm for all occupations. An expected 21 percent labor spike for public relations managers is being spurred by a growing need for organizations to beef up their public image as they utilize the advantages of high-information social media and other manipulative platforms.

Wolcott Company President Denis Wolcott (photo courtesy of Denis Wolcott)

“In the Los Angeles area, companies and public relations agencies are looking at entry-level positions for individuals with strong writing skills and a solid understanding of social media and the digital landscape,” said Denis Wolcott, president of The Wolcott Company, a prominent media relations provider. “For mid-level positions, they are looking for individuals with success in leading projects and programs, a strong awareness of the competitive landscape, nationally and internationally, and some level of expertise in a particular field, such as consumer products. There are also occasional executive and senior manager positions that definitely require a strong record of success in leading teams, growing accounts and being results oriented.”

The former print journalist, whose enterprising father was once president of the Public Relations Society of America, said businesses in the greater L.A. region are already seeking competent candidates for enviable public relations career assignments.

“Public relations is tied to the economy like many other professions. As the economy has rebounded, so have jobs,” said Wolcott, whose industrious company currently handles the communicative necessities for such corporeal entities as the Port of Long Beach, UCLA and Pardee Homes. “Add in the rise of social media, I know that companies, whether they are Fortune 500 firms like The Walt Disney Company or public relations agencies with a large local presence, such as Golin Harris International, are constantly posting openings or recruiting prospects from others.

“Also, smaller public relations shops are opening up all the time.”

The public relations guru, with some 20 years of expertise under his belt, advises job prospects to pay close attention to those pivotal areas that are fast developing from a simpler to a more complex stage of progress.

“Technology also is blending with entertainment, so it’s important to have skills in both. Digital history is a huge area that covers a range of industries,” said Wolcott. “Health care is another growing field for public relations, particularly as our population grows and becomes older. And to be able to manage all that is around the Affordable Care Act will be a plus.”

Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.

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School Districts Embracing Technology To Improve Education In Los Angeles

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School districts worldwide are gearing up for the launch of the new national education standards in fall 2014, including the Los Angeles Unified School District which has plans to purchase 660,000 iPads so that every student and teacher can enjoy the benefits of software designed specifically to help facilitate the learning experience. In recent years, social and mobile has began to take precedence in the way people are searching for information and staying in touch with friends, family and loved ones. People everywhere are trading in their laptops for smartphones and tablets as everything moves to the “cloud.” It’s no surprise to learn that even kids in Los Angeles are being introduced to educational software, causing the field of software engineering to be a very lucrative one for years to come.

Vice President of Web Applications Tommy Vo (photo courtesy of Tommy Vo)

As the vice president of web applications for a very fashion-forward tech company, Tommy Vo is responsible for the design, implementation and maintenance of scalable web applications to support his company’s mission to provide custom solutions for brands and retailers. After earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science from UC Riverside, Vo found himself falling into the field of software engineering in which he plans to make some major contributions to society one day.

What are some of your biggest responsibilities in your current position?

“My background in computer science led me naturally to software engineering because the theories and concepts I learned are useful in designing and creating software,” says the software engineering professional. Vo feels that his education in computer science ties in very closely with what he is doing now because it gives him a deeper understanding and better insight as to what good software design should look like.

How has your education helped contribute to your overall success?

“My education has helped me become successful by giving me the knowledge necessary to tackle complicated problems. By knowing the fundamentals of computer science, efficient solutions that have the potential to be scaled up can be created,” says the South Bay resident.

What was the most memorable class you took when earning you degree?

Vo says the class he remembers the most would have to be his compiler class because it was one of the most challenging classes he had to take. “I learned a lot about how code is turn into a running computer program, which helped me understand what’s happening behind the scenes when I write code, and how that code is translated into something the machine can run on,” he says.

What are some words of wisdom you can offer others who are career focused?

Be as involved as you can be with the open source community. It’s a great way to learn from others in the form of joint collaborations. Vo recommends visiting GitHub and offer to contribute to a project. “This will give you the opportunity to work with real code and learn what it is like to collaborate with different people for a project.”

Niki Payne is a freelance writer covering all things Entertainment in Los Angeles. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

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