What happens when you combine activism and flash mobs? For some UCLA architecture students, it's a series of performance games called "30 Seconds of Awesome." As Daimen Newton at Streetsblog LA explains, "this was a living and moving demonstration that demands open space and embraces the urban form similar to the more recognized events such as Park(ing) Day or Critical Mass." more ›

LA Angels defeat Boston Red Sox 4-3. With the game tied 3-3, Howie Kendrick hit an RBI single in the top of the ninth to give the Halos a 4-3 lead. The question would remain whether the Angels would let a one run lead slip away in the bottom of the ninth. After Kevin Jepsen got Jason Bay to strike out to lead off the bottom of the ninth, closer Brian Fuentes was brought in to face David Ortiz. Contrary to Wednesday night's proceedings, Fuentes would strike Ortiz out. Although Fuentes would give up a single to Mike Lowell, he got pinch hitter Rocco Baldelli to pop up to salvage a game for the Angels. more ›

If you see Shaquille O'Neal walking on a local beach wearing a pink Speedo three sizes too small, it wouldn't mean you're hallucinating. It would mean Shaq and teammate Phil Dalhausser lost a volleyball match to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. The two-mile Speedo walk is added incentive for the Cleveland Cav's new center (at 7'1", he's almost as tall as the net) to win Sunday in the sand. The event is part of a new series on ABC called "Shaq VS," which debuts on August 18. more ›

The games are a mix of "world-class players, top college stars and disguised AVP pros" in costumes as if it were Halloween. There's nothing like it and after we visited last year, we had to make sure we shared what was seen this year, thanks to three Flickr users (Nataline/metaphora, Mark Hoffmann and David J. Sullivan). more ›

They've now won two gold medals, can they both make baby Olympians now? In an interview with NBC's Bob Coasts, the answer is yes. Misty May Treanor told him that "We'd like to make beach volleyball players for the future." During the first week of the games, they said they both want to be pregnant next year with cautious plans (you know, priorities change when you have a kid) to return to playing afterwards. more ›

Shocking news of a knife-attack on two Americans affiliated with the Olympics on the prestigious event's first day have local reverberations, as the victims' identities have been revealed. According to Associated Press reports, Todd Bachman and his wife Barbara were stabbed midday at the Drum Tower (pictured), a popular tourist location, by Tang Yongming, 47, from the eastern city of Hangzhou. Following the stabbings, the attacker committed suicide by leaping from the second level where the incident took place. Mr. Bachman died from his wounds, and Mrs. Bachman was hospitalized with injuries. The status of their Chinese tour guide, who was also a victim of the attack, is not clear. more ›

Last Saturday at Dockweiler Beach was Lushness X, a volleyball tournament where uniforms and outfits are "highly encouraged." It's fair to say the tournament is a party, billed with rules that include make-out sessions (usually girl-on-girl), "corndogging" (pouring water on player and forcing them to roll in sand) and an occasional egging. more ›

A compendium gallery of teams related to the post and photos from LA's Wildest & Hottest Volleyball Tournament: Lushness X. All photos are by LAist photographer Tom Andrews. more ›

What do your game feces -- er, faces look like? Coach Wiener (a.k.a. Honor Student's David Neher) wants to know -- and then he wants to show you how to play volleyball. Like a man. A real manly man. A real manly man with a cowboy tie and a Carmen Miranda fruit headdress. more ›

Although it might not be a surprise to you that Manhattan Beach has the hottest volleyball tournament, we had only heard rumors of the infamous Six Man and didn't believe the unreal hype. Manhattan Beach hadn't let us down. On Sunday we showed you a sweet photo essay documenting the AVP pro beach volleyball tourney that they held down there, which led us to find out more about the Slo Motion Wave. But what... more ›

While the action on the sand was unscripted, the action around it was incredibly choreographed. AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) knows how to market their events. Yesterday the men's finals of the Manhattan Beach Open was held in the South Bay on the sands next to the Manhattan Beach Pier. AVP built a stadium in the sand, complete with corporate luxury boxes and flashy attention-grabbers everywhere you turned. The PA announcer joked with the players,... more ›