Guest Contributor

UCLA’s Chancellor Gene Block recently took part in a video for the It Gets Better project. In the video, Chancellor Block joins students and professors in expressing their support for the LGBT community and discussing resources available at UCLA. On Nov. 29, 2010, USC released its own It Gets Better video. Since no article about UCLA and USC is complete without mentioning the cross-town rivalry, feel free to take this opportunity to share which video you preferred.

Los Angeles is home to many things "unliterary." Hollywood celebrities, the porn industry, and paparazzi perpetuate this fact. So, when held against definitive bookish cities Seattle, New York, and San Francisco, LA’s literary credibility falls understandably short. But Central Connecticut State University’s recent list of 75 national literary cities banished Los Angeles to number 61. LA’s literary rating fell behind those of Miami, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. No offense intended toward Sin City, but this can’t be right.

Four Los Angeles City Councilmembers co-introduced a motion today that would transform L.A.’s toxic hotspots into “Green Zones.” The first-in-the-nation initiative would grant the low-income and heavily polluted communities of Pacoima, Boyle Heights and Wilmington access to economic assistance for cleanup efforts.

“The Chicago Bears get no respect.” We've heard the refrain a hundred times. You know why the Chicago Bears don't get any respect? Because the Chicago Bears don't deserve any respect. Yes, they have a pretty nice defense. Sure, they have one of the best return men of all time. That doesn't mean they belong in the NFC Championship game, much less the Super Bowl.

Step inside Ted Yeager’s black and white world of cacti and succulents on display now at The G2 Gallery in Venice. Photographed at nurseries in Malibu and Fallbrook as well as in his Encino backyard between 2007 and 2010, his collection of thirteen 8” x 10” framed film prints offers stunning shots of these desert plants. His exhibit is part of Nature LA, the gallery’s ongoing fine art photography series.

As a follow-up to last year's successful PolaroidParty LA celebrating instant film and the Polaroid 600 Series, ISM: a community project is ready to do it again with the book release of Still Developing: A Story of Instant Gratification. This limited edition compilation of photographs and essays as well as a rare Polaroid exhibition will be on display Saturday night at Deyermond Art + Books, an independent bookstore and gallery in Santa Monica.

Walmart announced today a five year plan to provide healthier and more affordable food offerings. The nation’s largest grocer promises to reduce sodium, sugar, and fat content in its own private brand, as well as working with suppliers to improve the nutritional content of national brands. Walmart also plans to work to reduce the price of fresh fruit and vegetables while adding a seal to help shoppers identify healthier options.

The push for a new NFL stadium took another step forward today when the Los Angeles City Council voted to form a committee to discuss the proposal, according to the LA Times. Committee members will meet with representatives from AEG to examine the downtown project’s viability and help to expedite the process.

Homeboy Industries, the local non-profit that provides rehabilitation and job training for ex-gang members, has experienced some financial turbulence of late, but with help from LA County and other community supporters, they're hanging tough. Today, the organization announced that Homeboy Tortilla Chips and Salsas will be sold at Ralphs stores in Southern California.

It's known amongst California snow birds that while San Francisco and Sacramento snow sport enthusiasts flock to Tahoe, Angelenos looking for more ski-able real estate flock to Mammoth. If your commitment is intact, the choice is clear: The five-to-sixish hour drive rewards you with Mammoth Mountain's over 3500 acres. I couldn't be more surprised, then, that it wasn't a local resort but Mammoth that took cues straight out of Los Angeles culture. Or could I?