Lindsay William-Ross

Map via Pleated Jeans Tsk tsk. There's nothing like taking a look at the big picture, and realizing why we should be ashamed of ourselves. California, it's our air pollution, according to this map and list from Pleated Jeans. Which, considering we could be Washingtonians who are really into animals (shame = beastiality), or Maine-ites (Mainers? Mainians?) with low SAT scores (shame = dumbest), or North Dakotans who come up short in the pretty...

Where's the beef in this Taco Bell Cheesy Beef Melt? (Photo by Like_the_Grand_Canyon via Flickr) In an era when advertising is based on honesty, and the fast food industry prides itself on serving only the highest-quality fresh ingredients in their thoughtfully prepared dishes, it is nothing short of shocking that OC-based Mexicasual giant Taco Bell has been slapped with a lawsuit alleging they're lying when they say their food uses "seasoned ground beef" or...

Nope! Is it West Hollywood, then? That's a big gay no, too. The honor goes to...Minneapolis this year, according to the Advocate, who have released their ranking of the 15 Gayest Cities in America, using what they call "a completely unscientific — but still strangely accurate" equation.

In case his eyebrow-raising (warranted or not) emcee gig at Golden Globes didn't leave enough of a lingering aftertaste of the Brit's trip to Los Angeles, Ricky Gervais has left his mark on the side of the Beverly Hilton. Or at least someone has, in his name. MELROSE & FAIRFAX points to a piece of vandalism declaring "Ricky Gervais was here" spied recently: "We can't verify whether this was truly done by Ricky or...

Parking perks for preggos: As make-believe as the baby bumps of these costumed Halloween revelers? (Photo by binaryLA via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr) Ladies, that lovely glow isn't the only potential benefit of your baby bump. Imagine if your expectancy netted you parking perks, like free parking at city meters? Don't throw out your NuvaRing just yet, Angelenas. The new law is actually on the table in New York City, but...

The woman who serves as a top staffer in the city's anti-gang program under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is on administrative leave today after her arrest at a Downtown club this weekend. A fight between Blanca Martinez-Navarro and her husband became a larger altercation involving security and law enforcement personnel at the Conga Room at L.A. Live early Sunday morning, and both the husband and wife left the nightclub in cuffs, according to KTLA.

Photo by James Bowe via Flickr It was a bright idea a century ago, but in 2011, California has another one: The 100-watt incandescent lightbulb is being phased out. "Beginning Jan. 1, the state began phasing out certain energy-sucking bulbs, federal standards the rest of the country will enact next year," the AP reports. That means the old bulbs we once knew, and used in abundance will no longer be made, and, eventually, no...

The bodies of two teenagers were discovered Friday morning in an empty Huntington Beach apartment, and today local authorities say their deaths were drug- or alcohol-related, reports the Daily Breeze. Found on the scene: An empty bottle of Four Loko, the booze-infused sugary energy drink that has been banned in some states. The deceased are a 15-year-old boy from Westminster and a 16-year-old girl from Huntington Beach. Authorities say they found "other evidence of...

Funds for attracting businesses to Hollywood, and to work on the Walk of Fame are part of the CRA's plans (Photo by jeanclaudephot.com via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr) With their funding on the chopping block under Governor Jerry Brown's proposed state budget, State Controller John Chiang has announced his auditors were beginning reviews of 18 redevelopment agencies (RDA) across the state in an effort to obtain facts on how RDA funds...

Jack LaLanne at age 71 Considered to be the pioneer of the modern fitness movement, Jack LaLanne died this afternoon of respiratory failure caused by pneumonia at his Morro Bay home, reports the New York Times. He was 96. A native Californian, LaLanne grew up in the San Francisco area. He turned to fitness and healthy eating as a teen. After earning a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, LaLanne opened a gym in Oakland, which...

Stafon Johnson was a senior at USC and a running back on the Trojan football team when a weightlifting accident in September 2009 brought his college career to a swift end, and now the former athlete is suing the school, according to ABC7. Johnson's larynx was crushed when the bar loaded with 275 pounds fell on his neck.

High School students line up at Gardena High last week for a security check (AP Photo/Nick Ut) A 17-year-old boy managed to not only bring a gun into Gardena High School last week, but allegedly accidentally discharge it from inside his backpack, wounding two 15-year-old classmates. Now the mother of Trendell Gholar, one of the victims, has sought counsel and says she will sue the Los Angeles Unified School District, reports KTLA. Gholar was...