A recent poll suggests that America just isn't that into Los Angeles. The poll taken by Public Policy Polling surveyed 900 American voters from April 12 to 15 and asked them whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of 21 cities. more ›

Got a product that needs hawking? A recent poll suggests that Betty White is your Golden Girl. Reuters/Ipsos asked Americans the dubious question of which celebrity they most trust. White, continuing to ride a crest of late-career popularity, came out just ahead of Denzel Washington and Sandra Bullock. Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford, Kate Middleton and Morgan Freeman also made the top 10. more ›

Tonight Conor J. O'Brien, or Villagers rather, a critically-acclaimed, young Dubliner who is making waves with his Mercury Prize-nominated debut—2010's Becoming a Jackal—will be gracing the Hotel Café with his full band. Brooklyn-by-way-of-Athens indie folk/alt country troubadour Matthew Houck, who performs under the pseudonym... more ›

Outraised by $10 million and with polls taking a turn, now showing Prop 8 winning, opponents of the initiative that seeks to eliminate gay marriage on the November ballot sent out a "critical" e-mail this afternoon saying that their "worst nightmares are coming true." more ›

Found in Downtown Los Angeles more ›

A poll released yesterday by the Public Policy Institute of California showed that voters are split nearly evenly over Prop 4 (parental notification of minors having abortions), with 47 percent in favor and 44 percent opposed. Polls were similarly split in the past, when attempts were made to pass nearly identical measures (Prop 73 in 2005 and Prop 85 in 2006), and the initiatives were nevertheless defeated both times. more ›

A new Field Poll on Proposition 8, which proposes to limit marriage only between a man and a woman in California, says that it will fail by a slim majority (51%). In 2000, a similar proposition denying gay marriage was approved by 61%. Yes on Prop 8 people say the poll understates the support to ban gay marriage in the state (and others are calling them out their rebuttal). A May 23 poll by the LA Times and KTLA showed that Californians would "narrowly" reject same-sex marriages. So, what does all this mean? It means that there will be no telling how this prop will turn out until after election day. more ›

"Somebody forgot to tell Hillary Clinton the Democratic presidential race is over and Barack Obama won." more ›

Looks like the Academy Awards don't have the same in with Mother Nature and the big meteorologist in the sky the way the Tournament of Roses Parade does. more ›

Yesterday we launched a series of polls to see who you would give the Oscar to in the big four acting categories. Now let's look at the other sets of nominees who will be gnashing their teeth and squirming in their seats at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on Sunday at the 80th Annual Academy Awards. more ›

The 80th Annual Academy Awards are this weekend and it's time to break out the ballots and play the at-home game, which is probably second only in fun to making booze-enhanced color commentary from the couch for the red carpet arrivals. (We'll leave you to your own devices on that one.) more ›

• Don't forget: LAist Super Tuesday Election Party tonight at Seven Grand! Details and RSVP here.
• Did you have any problems voting in Los Angeles today? The Los Angeles Times and LAist report on problems in the precincts, especially for non-partisan voters.
• Is it still a long strange trip if it's only just begun? The last remaining members of the Grateful Dead are reuniting tonight in San Francisco to show their support for Obama.
• The HuffPost says that Obama AND Clinton will be the big winners on Super Tuesday...of course, that depends on what "win" means.
• Polls are closing one by one over the next few hours: so far Huckabee has won West Virginia and Obama has Georgia.
• If prisoners can vote, so can you! Even California's inmates have been swept up in election fever this year.
• Want to know about where LAist, your absolutely favoritest ever LA city blog, will be headed in the next year? Check out this interview with the your favorite cute n' cuddly Editor, Zach Behrens, over at the San Fernando Valley Business Journal (paid subscribers only, sorry, email Zach and harass him if this upsets you as much as it upsets me).
• Tired of election news? Why not take a break with this classic Disney cartoon from the 1950's: Willie the Operatic Whale. Why not, you know?

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Go on, grab a cup of coffee, meet those neighbors you never knew, and vote. Nearly 9 million voters are predicted to hit the polls today in California. A record. Don't miss out on the party. Later on, make the most of this Super FAT Tuesday at our party. more ›

Until 8 pm Tuesday // Barney’s Beanery // 3rd Street Prominade, Santa Monica // price varies. more ›

"If Barack Obama was a state," California's First Lady said, "he'd be California." more ›

Barack is on a roll. He doubled Hillary Clinton's vote count in South Carolina's primary election yesterday. And Caroline Kennedy's op-ed (titled "A President Like My Father") in this morning's New York Times is adding fuel to the fire as pundits across the ideological spectrum ponder the B.O. mo-mo like they haven't since Iowa, a long three-and-a-half weeks ago. more ›

Fresh off her New Hampshire Primary win Tuesday night, Democratic presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton will be in Los Angeles today stumping for votes in anticipation of California's Feb. 5 Primary. more ›

While the presidential election is the sexy supermodel on the Feb. 5 California Primary ballot, there are three important propositions asking you to say Yes or No when you walk in to that polling place or mail in your vote. more ›

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Approximately 5,000 people came to the Gibson in Universal City and paid between $25-$250 to hear presidential hopeful (and TRAILS the California frontrunner, if you believe recent polls) Barack Obama explain why he's in the race. His speech brought tears from women, commanded several standing ovations, and even made this little kid near us shut his trap for 45 minutes. Bon Jovi wannabe's The Goo Goo Dolls played, James Brown wannabe Ne-Yo performed, and... more ›

While the rains yesterday helped alleviate some of the dryness under which southern California has been hampered, it did little to lessen the worries of those in fire-stricken areas. Streaming rivers of rain created mudslides and prompted officials to call for mass evacuations. Flash flood warnings remain in effect. But, hey, it's LA, and today was clear and beautiful. A woman who poisoned her Marine husband to buy a boob job with the insurance... more ›

The man responsible for killing a woman and her two young children in a street-racing accident last month has been tracked down and arrested in Mexico; Martin Marones is expected to be charged with three counts of murder. So many questions! Has "Heroes: Origins" been shelved? Or just "postponed" due to the writers strikes? Will we ever find out who's been offing the group of twelve? And what's up with this ADAM guy??? Two... more ›

Last week's devastating Agua Dulce/Santa Clarita Valley wildfire was started accidentally by a "male juvenile" playing with matches, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department announced Tuesday. The Buckweed Fire blackened over 38,000 acres, destroyed more than 60 structures, and led to an estimated $7.4 million in damages. On October 22, one day after the blaze began, a detective questioned a "boy" who "admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire," according to the Sheriff's... more ›

Somehow "The Tonight Show" scored a trifecta of controversy tonight as they were able to book the most punk rock of punk rock bands, the most conservative member of Congress, and the wackiest Scientologist all to appear on its air in the same hour. Tonight the Sex Pistols, Ron Paul, and Tom Cruise will all be in Burbank to tape the late night chat show. Strangely, whatever wire service the LA Daily News used... more ›

What do you get when you mix a sponsor (AOL Spinner), a holiday (Halloween), a label (DefJux), and a DJ (Juggaknot's DJ Boo)? Of course, a free mixtape. Peep: DJ Boo - The Definitive Jux Halloween Candy Before Dinner Mixtape [DOWNLOAD] Tracklist: Aesop Rock, 'Citronella' El-P, 'Smithereens' Rob Sonic, 'Rock The Convoy' Junk Science,'Do It Easy' Hangar 18, 'West Wing' Rob Sonic, 'Dead As Disco' Junk Science, 'Hey!' Hangar 18, 'Bakin' Soda' Junk Science, 'Jerry... more ›

Fires raged across Southern California for the second day in a row. Helicopters joined the effort as did a Boeing 747, according to NBC TV. Also, 250,000 San Diegans were told to evacuate their homes. LAist is on top of recent developments. Fires in the region always make me think of when NBC newscaster Chuck Henry reported on the forest fires in 2003. His news van caught on fire and he and his crew had... more ›

After the Trojans' plummet in the polls following the loss to Stanford and the release of the first BCS poll, many thought the team couldn't or wouldn't drop any further. Not so, as the AP is reporting that a chartered plane with 82 players aboard, headed to Indiana for tomorrow's Notre Dame game experienced an extreme drop while flying through a severe thunderstorm. Weather was so bad that the pilot had to abandon his first... more ›

According to an MSNBC online poll participated by over 16,000 people, Texas Congressman Ron Paul won the GOP Michigan debate in a landslide. Sister-station, CNBC, who hosted the debate also had an online poll but they, like Pajamas Media, took it down when they saw that the most conservative congressman in office was winning by such a wide margin. When asked who they thought was standing out from the pack, Paul, who favors the... more ›

How good is the USC football team? more ›

LA-based Pajamas Media hates their poll so much that recently it had to remove its winners so that the politicians that they're rooting for will have a chance. PJ Media, who has had a tragic history of fuckups, embarrassments, and going nowhere despite raising millions of dollars, have been holding online straw polls for months. After results of a poll that started the week of September 16th were tallied, anti-war Democratic presidential nominee Dennis Kucinich's... more ›