Photo by manmadepants via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Atlanta may have received top honors this time around, but Los Angeles and San Francisco linger at the back of the top ten list for worst commutes in the country, according to a report released by Forbes. And to that, they compare some LA vs. SF statistics: Commuting Efficiency: "Los Angeles checks in at 20%. In San Francisco, an extremely efficient city, 28%... [continue]

Yesterday, a Los Angeles City fire helicopter makes a water drop on a brush fire near the Griffith Observatory with the Planetarium and the telescope domes seen in the background. (AP Photo/Kevork Djanse) Yesterday's fire was knocked down quickly, but it started to bring back memories of last year, almost to date. The big 2007 wildfire charred 800 acres, but when yesterday's fire began, the Los Angeles Fire Department went aggressively after it, sending... [continue]

Flight of the Conchords hit Venice back in April, showing off their sexy skating skills for all the "Ladies of the World." And hey, there's no better place than Los Angeles to find all those worldly ladies -- this is one of the most diverse cities out there.... [continue]

UPDATE: Via Mr. Free's comment posted and the hotline: "ALRIGHT! THE SHOW HAS BEEN MOVED AGAIN FOR REAL... N. BROADWAY BETWEEN BISHOP & BERNARD" in Chinatown. Starts at 10:00 or 10:30, goes to 12:00 a.m.A tip from a reader regarding tonight's Mr. Free and the Satellite show that was mentioned in Tonight in Rock: "Bus show moved downtown! somewhere around 6th street warehouse. 10:00 p.m. Call the mr free hotline for exact location - 520-MOLY-HOE... [continue]

Mr. Free and the Satellite Freakout playing at the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge in Austin, TX during SXSW | Photo via their MySpace UPDATE #2: Via Mr. Free's Comment posted below: "ALRIGHT! THE SHOW HAS BEEN MOVED AGAIN FOR REAL... N. BROADWAY BETWEEN BISHOP & BERNARD" UPDATE: A tip from a reader, the show has moved. "Bus show moved downtown! somewhere around 6th street warehouse. 10:00 p.m. Call the mr free hotline for exact location... [continue]

Every since they opened last year, Fraîche in Culver City is popular. Some people think it's even one of those "it" spots, winning over the unlikely types who have hardcore Eastside pride or are apt to opt out on spending their paycheck for mid to high priced food experiences. Yet, everyone seems to be going to check it out at least once. And when you do, make sure to check out their excellent cocktails and... [continue]

Oh, you've got to love rumors, especially those that both anger and please people, depending on who you're speaking with. This rumor comes via a report during the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council* meeting last Monday night. During a Land Use Committee report, someone asked what the status was on the old Ventura Club building at Colbath and Ventura (just East of Hazeltine). Originally it was slated as a Walgreens, but after that got scrapped, the... [continue]

Earlier this afternoon, boingboing highlighted an incident that occurred involving Keith Garsee last night at a Metro Red Line station. He was taking photos when he was stopped by a Metro employee: "Hey! It's against the 9-11 Law to take pictures down here man!" It led to a little back and forth, then the loudspeaker came on: "Attention to the gentleman in the plaid shirt: You are not allowed to take photographs in the Subway.... [continue]

Cloud Cult plays at the Knitting Factor tonight | Photo via their MySpace Visiting from Minneapolis, the amazing orchestral-indie band, Cloud Cult of Minneapolis, will spread their magic tonight at the Knitting Factory. Complete with string instruments and two live painters, their tour is promotion of their latest album, "Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-partying Through Tornadoes)". From their MySpace: "Despite offers from major labels, Cloud Cult has chosen to remain independent, recording and releasing their... [continue]

In the latest of Los Angeles immigration raids by federal investigators, ICE raided a two-story house in South LA near Normandie and 103rd, arresting at least 61, according to KNX1070 live on the radio. Officials say a criminal investigation into smuggling led to the raid at the house, which was home to sixty or so people, all members of four families. One woman was pregnant and those detained are from Guatamala, Nicaragua and El Salvador.... [continue]

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/world_news/Cyclists_Illegally_Use_L_A_Freeway_Beat_Traffic'; Last Friday, Crimanimal Mass took their second bicycle ride on the freeway during drive-home rush hour (see a video of their first ride here). Whizzing by gridlocked cars, the demonstration, albeit illegal, raises questions. Good questions. One of the group's organizers, Morgan Strauss, 29, was quoted in the Santa Monica Daily Press (.pdf) this weekend saying that he “just wanted to raise questions about the transportation infrastructure. In a city ruled... [continue]

It's been nearly 30-days since the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a law that will severely affect taco trucks in unincorporated parts of the county. Trucks can park for 60-minutes, but after that, they face high fines and even jail time if they do not move to another location. Within a moments notice of hearing about the new law, two Occidental alumni with a penchant for taco trucks began a movement complete with... [continue]

Photo by ninjapoodles via Flickr On Monday night, Malibu took a big step for the environment: they forbid the distribution of both plastic and compostable carryout bags. It's the most aggressive plastic bag action to date for any Southland city, according to Heal The Bay. "Grocery stores, food vendors, restaurants, pharmacies and city facilities have six months to comply with the ordinance. Smaller sized retailers have one year until the measure is operative," the... [continue]

Photo Veeyawn by via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr No, the UCLA Undie Run did not happen this afternoon. A truck carrying women's underwear spilled onto the northbound 5 Freeway near the 134. KNBC noted that the stream of clothing did not affect traffic. No longer a Giant, Barry Bonds is just another Beverly Hills fuckup. "The U.S. attorney's office filed 14 counts of perjury and one count of obstruction," reports ESPN.... [continue]

One of the largest counterfeit currency rings in Southern California has been broken up after a three-month investigation leading federal agents to arrest five people. One of the caught suspects is a 35-year-old Sherman Oaks man, "who who allegedly cut the counterfeit bills and glued them together," according to the Daily News. The ring allegedly made and distributed between $5 and $6 million in twenty and hundred fake bills. ABC7 on-air news said the operation's... [continue]

View Larger Map A wildfire, dubbed as the "Big Horn Incident," broke out early this morning in the Bear Flat/Bighorn area of Mount Baldy has grown to 300 acres. Around 240 firefighters and five helicopters have been deployed to the area between the 5,800-foot and 6,200-foot levels of the 10,064-foot peak, according to the Associated Press. No homes are threatened yet, but six mostly empty vacation cabins were ordered to evacuate and the fire burns... [continue]

To help educate the public on the drastic decline of the honeybee population due to colony collapse disorder, Häagen-Dazs is giving away free samples of their Vanilla Bee Honey Flavor today from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. They have also set up an informative site called helpthehoneybees.com to explain their concern. "We rely on honey bees for one-third of our our food supply, so when honey bees are in danger, we're all in danger," the company... [continue]

Assemblywoman Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, second from right, being sworn in by her predecessor, Assemblyman Fabian Nunez, of Los Angeles, left, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger applauds during ceremonies at the Capitol in Sacramento. Second from left is Bass' stepdaughter Yvette Lechuga who held the bible used in the swearing in. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Today, Karen Bass, a local representative, was sworn in as the Speaker of the California State Assembly. She is the first... [continue]

Photo by david.nikonvscanon via Flickr Around 100 people's car tires were slashed over the night, leaving San Pedro residents with an unhappy morning surprise. It wasn't until people gathered at a local tire store that they all began to figure out what happened. Police are not sure exactly how many people were victimized, but one person is quoted in a Daily Breeze report saying they were "inundated" with calls. Several neighborhoods were hit, including... [continue]

Art Walk It's sort of like a mini Downtown Art Walk, but it's not Thursday. Tonight is the preview night of Art Seen 3's auction gala on May 17th that will benefit the AIDS Research Alliance. Unlike this weekend's event, tonight is free and is a block party on Main St. between 3rd and 4th Streets. Some 200 pieces will be showcased along with bands playing on the street. You can also get free HIV... [continue]