To help explain Amazon.com Inc.'s shut down of their affiliate program in California, the debate over the new sales tax law and the current petition, Next Media Animation, a Taiwanese subsidiary of Next Media, has produced a short animation entitled "Amazon takes on California over sales tax." Animated Californian voters are shown checking "YAY!" in support of a tax-free online market. more ›

A new law requiring online retailers to collect California sales tax from shoppers has stirred up controversy, and now Amazon.com Inc. is saying they are looking for voters to take the matter to the ballot. more ›

If you were planning on leisurely filling out your one-click holiday shopping list this year, too bad. Amazon.com is running way behind. Or maybe they are blackmailing you into joining their new membership club, Amazon Prime. If you place an order today, December 8th, and pay for 2-day shipping, you can't trust your items will arrive by Christmas, much less in time for Hanukkah. They warn you: more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

As you might have guessed, we're pretty big into gaming over at my house -- our console set-up includes the both generations of the Xbox, not one but TWO PS2's (one for the living room, one for the bedroom), a Dell XPS with a wide-screen monitor (for PC gaming), a Nintendo Gamecube, a Nintendo 64, an SNES, and a Gameboy -- oh, and possibly a Sony PSP floating around somewhere. Our 50" big-screen is optimized for the best gaming experience, with surround-sound Bose speakers and wireless networking. more ›

So you've been bowled over by our Best of the Year lists, but do you demand more? Scratch that, do you crave more? Because if you do, you're in luck. Here's a round up of some of 2007's more creative year-end round ups. more ›

If you're like me, you notice great gift ideas while surfing the web in April. Then one day you realize it's already December. In fact, it's a week before Christmas and you forgot to order anything. more ›

Online book retailer Amazon.com announced today that they have purchased an original, hand-written and hand-bound copy of J.K. Rowling's "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," a book of children's stories that plays a major role in the plot of "The Deathly Hallows." The book, one of only seven made, was auctioned off in London at Sotheby's for 1.95 million pounds. Proceeds from the auction are going to The Children's Voice Campaign, a charity that benefits needy and institutionalized children worldwide. The book was expected to fetch only about $100,000 -- clearly Sotheby's was underestimating the Potter fanbase. more ›

I probably wouldn't have pointed to Amazon.com as a champion of progressive thought and equality, but what do I know? Gaywired.com reports that Dana Rudolph, publisher of Mombian.com, was interested in entering an Amazon.com contest that offered a prize of $25,000 in college tuition. The recipient of the prize could either be the winner or the winner’s immediate family member, which the website categorized as “his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and... more ›

Ahead of the Wednesday holiday, the DVD pickings this week are awfully, awfully slim. When the first season of a Sci-Fi channel TV show is the bestselling new DVD on Amazon.com you know you're looking at a fairly dreary list of new titles. A few of them, though, do merit interest either because they're pretty good (Puccini for Beginners) or pretty awful (the Corey's Dream a Little Dream 2). If you're looking for some original Grindhouse double features (not that prettified Weinstein company crap), two twin bills go on sale today. Aside from that, it's a barren week. Next Tuesday looks more promising. more ›

We're pretty stoked this summer to be on an ultimate frisbee league team with the Los Angeles Organization of Ultimate Teams, or LAOUT (get it? LAyout?). This week was the first week for the summer league where games are played at Balboa Park in Encino and Oakwood Park in Venice. It's fascinating to see a group of strangers from all over LA get together, play, win (of course, go Team Tan!) and hang out... more ›

If Santa stiffed you and didn't get that Nintendo Wii system you asked for, you still have another chance this year to buy one... and then break your television or yourself. Amazon.com will be taking orders for the ridiculously popular new video game system this morning some time between 7am and 11am, their website says. Wii Available for Purchase 12/29: The Nintendo Wii will again be available for purchase on Amazon.com on 12/29, Friday... more ›

We are rapidly approaching the season where we have to go out there and shop for our family and friends. Maybe you're like LAist and hate shopping, maybe you're like the rest of the world and find some pleasure in crowded parking lots, lines at the registers, and hours spent wrapping and shipping off presents. If you're like us you praise Jah for Internet shopping that allows you to avoid lines, get your crap... more ›

Sometimes you need to clean yourself up, get serious, and move in with daddie for a few months before you head to Latin America for a new gig. The District bids Jenna Bush adios. D.C.-based television shows have an elderly audience and DCist has Butterstick the panda bear a birthday bash. more ›

It's a moment every writer either dreads or dreams of — the appearance of your very own fan base. more ›

This week Oprah takes on Osama. If you're thinking the Queen of Daytime might bring something soft and fuzzy to the table, no way. She's not telling Osama to keep a dream journal. She's going hard news, for two whole episodes. In fact, she's fearmongering up a storm: What should you be worried about? she demands. Meet the man who met Osama Bin Laden! How vulnerable are we to another attack?!? OMG, is the sky falling? more ›

We're already obsessed with allconsuming and 43things, the tag-friendly websites created by the robot co-op (and funded by Amazon.com) meant to help you keep track of what you and others are doing, attempting and consuming, but 43places might be even cooler. Smooth, glossy and elegant, 43places integrates flickr photos into this shared experience of travel and adventure. What we love about flickr is the fascinating way it allows us to see the world through other people's eyes. What we're loving about 43places is how it really focuses that by location. This is how others (with cameras) truly see the places they live, visit and love. more ›

8. Dynamite Road (KLAVAN, ANDREW) more ›

The Inland Valley's Daily Bulletin reports that "Some of the estimated 40,000 Sri Lankans living in Southern California prefer to vacation in their native country this time of year" putting many of them in the path of Sunday's huge earthquake and tsunami in the region. more ›