While the Great UCLA Versus USC Debate may never reach a resolution (those damn Trojans are too hard-headed and engorged with pride to recognize true superiority when they see it), all Californians can hold their heads up with pride thanks to our excellent universities. I don't know if you noticed the recent Washington Monthly ratings of the nation's top schools, but they're giving the U.S. News and World Report a run for their money.... more ›

Heading into their World Cup semifinal match, there were questions about whether the US women's soccer team could handle their formidable international competition. At the end of the match, Brianna Scurry's netminding wasn't enough -- and the hopes of Americans were kicked to the curb. The year was 2007. And 2003. And 1995. It's easy to forget how many times this story has played out unless you watch Dare to Dream (77 mins, unrated), a... more ›

Marlins 6, Dodgers 5 - The Dodgers could only briefly enjoy their five run inning. After erasing a 3-0 deficit with two out in the fifth, the Blue Crew eventually turned into the Blew Crew. Takashi Saito botched just his second save of the year, and Florida scored the winning run in the top of the 10th. The Dodgers loaded 'em up in the bottom half of the frame, but couldn't get anybody home. Yankees... more ›

The US Postal Service this week implemented their newly inflated rates, again. And to distract us from the fact that the government agency is sticking it to us despite continuing making hundreds of millions of dollars in profit, they rolled out the new Forever Stamp. The Forever Stamp allows you to buy a 41-cent stamp today and use it for a regular letter, like, say, a nice card to your favorite city-based blog with... more ›

Bruins 70, Trojans 65 - For the second time this season, LAist correctly predicted a barn burner. UCLA didn't have a lead until the final six minutes, when USC's foul trouble unraveled an impressive game from the matchup's traditional underdog. The Bruins went 23-31 at the line, compared to a mere 3-5 for the Trojans. USC kept it close until the final seven seconds, hitting a string of deep shots to pull within three. A... more ›

going up: gas prices. Start counting your mpgs. more ›

We're not sure exactly who will be competing at this weekend's Hip Hop Dance Championships in Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach but if they are anywhere near as exciting as the Japanese hip hop teams during Little Tokyo's Nisei Week (captured in a great flickr set by Oz Mendoza), it should be a good time. more ›

Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer Studios Inc. V. Grokster, Ltd.. more ›

We don't watch much in the way of local news but have they started running the daily earthquake forecasts yet? Last week, The US Geological Survey started issuing a Real Time Forecast map of California that is created by combining two types of information. First, a 'background' assessment is made of earthquake risk around California, by assessing the physical properties of various geological sites, along with the statistical behaviour of fault lines over long periods of time. Added to this are the anticipated knock-on effects of any seismological activity that has occurred over the previous days, months or years...so explains News @ nature.com. more ›