The Great Southern California ShakeOut was officially announced today where millions of Southern Californians will “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” (register at www.ShakeOut.org) as thousands of emergency responders statewide take part in the largest-ever earthquake response drill called "Golden Guardian." The hypothetical magnitude 7.8 earthquake will rupture the San Andreas Fault at 10 a.m. on November 13. more ›

The media has been reporting various small quakes over the last week. But is that really something to worry about? "It’s not uncommon for Orange County to experience several microquakes every week," Sciencedude Gary Robbins said at the OC Register in a brief about the three recent microquakes in Orange County. His statement goes for all of Southern California -- small quakes happen all the time. A daily viewing of the USGS' recent earthquake map shows this or event better, the agency has gotten hip to Twitter and publishes a feed called "socalquakes." They also publish "Earthquake News," which combines shakes worldwide and headlines. more ›

Hollywood studios are not the ones behind the latest script detailing a massive future earthquake hitting Los Angeles. This time, it's scientists and other quake experts... over 300 of them. Specifically, the U.S. Geological Survey and California Geological Survey have collaborated to write a script, to be released tomorrow to a House subcommittee, "detailing the devastation California would likely face if it were rocked by a monstrous 7.8-magnitude earthquake," according to the Associated Press. The plausible three-minute shaker will play out with results like this: more ›

Ruby, the 46-year-old African elephant who has been a mainstay at the LA Zoo for years, is retiring. In an announcement today, LA Zoo officials and Mayor Villaraigosa said that while the decision was a difficult one, it is the right one for Ruby. more ›

Naveen Andrews loves Los Angeles: It kind of has an element of rootlessness, and it attracts rootless people. more ›

The controversy surrounding the so-called "Hot Coffee" mod that allows you to see sexy material in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has come to a boiling point. In an unprecedented decision, the Entertainment Software Rating Board Wednesday changed Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ rating from M for "Mature" to AO for "Adults Only" and advised retailers like Wal-Mart and GameStop to stop selling the game. more ›

Your morning begins with Good Day L.A. where Steve Edwards jumps to every scene of violence and mayhem across the city and the world while Dorothy Lucey and Jillian Barbarie horrify you with gossipy pop culture hijinks and bad local fashion; you read every news blog you can find so you know what to be afraid of; You turn on 24 where for three years running, LA has been a hotbed of successful terrorist action; then, finally, you turn on a video game where you play a homeless guy in the City of Angels on a day in which every possible disaster has happened. Simultaneously. more ›

According to showbiz trade paper, Daily Variety, the Screen Actors Guild is currently in the final stage of negotiations with major videogame companies to form a new contract which covers compensation and other benefits for that talent and replaces the one set to expire this Friday. The current contract has been extended twice before but will not be extended a third time. If negotiations break down or a new agreement is not reached, it could lead to a strike against videogame companies by SAG and its sister union, AFTRA. more ›

[Be sure to check out the coverage of San Fierro over at SFist!] more ›

While the results of the presidential election may not be known just yet (despite what Fox News is reporting), two local measures have been decided by LA voters. more ›

LAist has a question for our readers: more ›