Oh, you didn't think we meant actual world peace, did you? We're talking about L.A. Lakers star Ron Artest, who is petitioning the court to change his name to the more mellifluous Metta World Peace. Alas, the big change has been postponed by at least three weeks. more ›

Sure, Twitter is free, and, if you can put up with some spammers, the occasional fail whale, and those annoying "promoted Tweets," at the end of the day, it doesn't cost you a damn thing to use it. However, if you use your Twitter powers for evil and not good, well, it could end up costing you like it did Courtney Love. more ›

It was a matchup that had to be played out in the Supreme Court and not the Coliseum, but the University of Southern California emerged triumphant over the University of South Carolina. The prize--not a coveted trophy or ring--is the rights to the interlocking letters of "SC," as determined by a ruling in a trademark case, according to the LA Times. more ›

Operators of The Must, a popular Downtown wine bar, were doubly surprised this holiday weekend when what they thought was a robbery turned out to be an allegedly unexpected eviction. more ›

With hundreds of recently cropped-up medical marijuana dispensaries slated to be closed down by city officials, there's a new wave of businesses devoted to delivering pot to clients. The Daily News takes a look into this popular, but unregulated, "homegrown" industry, and discovers the biz includes "enterprising farmers, business entrepreneurs and even a former Los Angeles pot dealer methodically switching her former clients to legal patients." It's not a new thing to have pot delivered, mind you, but some are heralding the uptick as a "game-changer" in the face of new regulations and the recent pot shop ordinance debacle at City Hall. But is this an illegal drug transport method? And what happens if California's voters legalize marijuana in November? more ›

It's big business when a celebrity dies--not just for the memorabilia hawkers, the slap-dash t-shirt makers, or the TV documentarians, but because the late celeb's business keeps local civil courts busy. more ›

The effort to legalize marijuana for recreational use has collected enough signatures to be placed on the 2010 ballot, organizers behind the initiative tell the Los Angeles Times. The prop, put forth by Richard Lee, is just one of four attempted initiatives to be put on the ballot. more ›

Here in Los Angeles the issue of legal medical marijuana dispensaries is still being debated by local leaders, as once again talks and decisions regarding our loop-hole laden laws have been postponed by the City Council. However, today in Riverside the Inland Empire Health and Wellness Center Medical Marijuana Collective, a non-profit organization, is opening its doors for the first time, according to CBS2. more ›

Director Roman Polanski is expected to be released on bail from a Swiss prison, and will be living in an Alpine chalet equipped with extensive security mechanisms, reports LA Now. The 76-year-old French citizen has been held in Switzerland since his arrest in late September on a warrant from Los Angeles associated with a 1977 rape case. more ›

It looks like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken the debate over marijuana to whole a new level, the Sacramento Bee reports: The governor was asked about a recent Field Poll [.pdf] showing that 56 percent of registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana to raise revenues for cash-strapped California. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has proposed legislation that would legalize the drug for recreational use, rather than just medical purposes. more ›

California's Supreme Court will hear arguments on Thursday regarding the legality of our controversial Proposition 8, which was passed by a small margin in November's election. Many of the same lawyers who spoke in the court just one year ago regarding extending the right to legally marry to same-sex couples are expected to return this week to explain "why California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage should stand or fall," according to cbs2.com. more ›

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Trojan protection comes in many forms. Now legally tipped: "College colors are now slightly more protected by trademark law: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Louisiana State, Ohio State, Southern Cal [that's douchebag sports announcer speak for USC], and the University of Oklahoma in a case involving T-shirts that used the colors but not the names or logos of major college football programs," US News' Paper Trail blog says via Inside Higher Ed. "The four schools sued Smack Apparel Co. over concerns that its designs could be mistaken for university-sanctioned merchandise." more ›

Hey, remember when we were all like "Hey LAist peeps! We're moving to Hollywood! In only thirty days! YEAH BABY!" and everything was going great and we got some good tips on movers (Delancey Street) and neighborhoods? And if you'd asked me if thought I was going to be able to make it by July 1st I'd be all like "YOU KNOW IT!!!" Yeah, well, as of eleven o'clock this morning, that was how... more ›