Paxboy - been out of touch but re: yours of 31st - HK is not a "layover" just a 90 - 120 minute stop for refuel and recrew. HK is pleasant and restaurants etc available. LAX is in my experience an appalling experience and I would go any other route to avoid it! Once out of the a/c you end up in a single large room with no access to anything other than a grumpy coffee machine, and you still have to go thru' the "third degree" with the immigration people.. Maybe that's changed in the last couple of years, but....
HK is the far easier and more comfortable transit in my experience.