As new media consumption goes mainstream, so goes the geekfest; this week's Twiistup includes panels featuring the likes of Brooke Burke (of Wild on E! and Dancing with the Stars fame) discussing her new-found success as an online entrepreneur and Chamillionaire (he of the many mixtapes and much Patron) talking digital music. Since 2007, Twiistup, has served as both a memorable party for the entrepreneurs and media savants and a matchmaking event for select SoCal startups and wide-eyed venture capitalists. But this week Twiistup, now in it's sixth version, is expanding to add a day-and-a-half conference with top speakers to complement a night of open bar mingling. more ›

This is just so "out there" on so many levels. A city subcontracted anti-gang worker nicknamed "Bow Wow" was arrested Friday after a January 5th incident where a Bone Thugs-n-Harmony member was robbed and beaten in Universal City. more ›

If live, work or are traveling today, here's a reason to plan ahead, or at least know why you'll be stuck in heavier traffic during the evening rush hour tonight. Westbound Century Blvd. will be closed from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. with drivers being diverted north to Aviation, then west on Arbor Vitae to Airport heading south and back on westbound Century. Eastbound lanes exiting LAX will not be affected. But why is this happening? After the "living wage" ordinance in 2007 that jacked up minimum wage for hotels near LAX, hotel management at the LAX Hilton sued the city. Therefore, Hilton workers will be protesting and pressing for their higher wages. Also: Saturday is looking to be a heavy traffic day with at least four large events, mostly sporting, around the city. more ›

Sen. John McCain will appear in Los Angeles later today -- first mucking it up with Jay Leno in Burbank then at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills -- following persistent questions about his noticeable absence from the Southland. more ›

The National Enquirer is at it again. After last year's "love child" scandal (aided by Huffington Post) that eventually died down, today, the Enquirer leads with this, claiming that "Vice Presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards was caught visiting his mistress and secret love child at 2:40 this morning in a Los Angeles hotel." They say that their reporters waited around until they saw Edwards leaving, approached him, but Edwards wouldn't talk and ran into the bathroom for 15 minutes until security ousted the writer and photographer. The story was so huge today, that a link from Drudge apparently crashed the National Enquirer's website. more ›

Not so fast hotel builders and Bevelry Hills politicians. Residents who fought (see the protest photos here) to keep the Beverly Hilton from turning into a new huge hotel/condo project have gotten their issue qualified for the November ballot, according to LA County who counted and verified the petition signatures. The Beverly HIlls city "council could decide to put the issue before the voters, or repeal the resolution which was the subject of the referendum petition," says the Beverly Hills Courier. more ›

We interviewed Mike Davidson, CEO of Newsvine, at the EconSM conference at the Beverly Hilton today. We discussed everything from how anyone can make a cit-journalism hit on Newsvine (and take 90% of the revenues), to the details of the 13-month-old Web site's re-launch this week to Davidson's longing for the now-shuttered Mort's Deli in Pacific Palisades, where he grew up. This interview is not rudely cut-off, despite the distraction of the pool area below.... more ›

Britney. Lindsay. Paris. I hope you read LAist. You could learn something.... more ›