Lisa Brenner

"Austerity" is the most looked-up word of 2010, but "App" is the American Dialect Society's pick for the top term of the year, notes KFI. The tech-y abbreeve for a cell phone or computer software program won extra exposure with the slogan "There's an app for that," app stores, and according to the official press release, “One of the most convincing arguments from the voting floor was from a woman who said that even her grandmother had heard of it.”

Interior, Gensler (Gensler/AEG) The New York Times has weighed in on the mounting hysteria surrounding two opposed proposals to build a stadium in L.A. for a pro-football team. Notes the NYT, "Los Angeles has not had an N.F.L. team since the Raiders and the Rams left town 16 years ago. But now it may have the next best thing: a bruising fight over how to reclaim the game." Majestic Realty Company is proposing a...

Photo by cyan79 via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr In a move that seemingly goes against the belief that "safe and prosperous communities start with clean streets," a top financial advisor to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recommended this week that Los Angeles diminish by half its graffiti-removal budget "as part of a round of short-term cuts," reports the LA Times. The proposed cut would last through the remainder of the fiscal year, saving the...

Further evidence that the ground is made of swiss cheese, rescue crews pulled a 200-pound Mastiff to safety early Saturday morning after he fell into a large, backyard sinkhole in San Luis Obispo County at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Friday, reports KTLA. Owners told authorities the sinkhole, estimated at 20 feet deep and 3 feet wide, was located near the site of an old concrete well. Technical Rescue Teams, fire crews and a veterinarian...

Photo by TheeErin via Flickr And they're off!! WIth a goal of filling and fixing up to 15,000 road hazards this weekend, approximately 50 city road repair crews have been deployed across Los Angeles repairing potholes and pavement deterioration caused by recent, heavy hitting rain. Reports the Beverly Hills Courier, "'We hope to make between 10,000 to 15,000 small asphalt repairs, including potholes, pop-outs and skin patching,' Bureau of Street Services Director William Robertson...

Today in privacy news: If you get arrested in California, the police can search your phone without a warrant. "The California Supreme Court allowed police Monday to search arrestees' cell phones without a warrant, saying defendants lose their privacy rights for any items they're carrying when taken into custody," reports the San Francisco Chronicle. In a 5-2 ruling the state court decreed that police are permitted to seize, open and examine anything of importance they find on the arrestee.

Photo by Marcin Wichary via Flickr The U.S. tax filing season has begun and to celebrate, the IRS announced Tuesday that taxpayers will have three extra days -- until April 18, 2011 -- to file their 2010 returns! Has the The Internal Revenue Service become atypically generous? Nah. There's a holiday on April 15, Emancipation Day. According to msnbc, "The agency also said that it would not be ready to process returns carrying itemized...

Photo by colin.brown via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Following the last wave of crime alerts, and set against a low, 1967-era murder rate for Los Angeles, the Crime L.A. database has posted alerts for six neighborhoods based on data from Dec. 22-Dec. 28, the most recent seven-day-span of available information. A significant increase in violent crime was reported in three neighborhoods with Highland Park having the most unusual spike. 7 incidents were...

In addition to rescuing princesses in a "high"-concept stoner quest, participating in the prequel Ape-ocalypse, co-hosting the 2011 Oscars and possibly being nominated for 127 Days, the once geeky freak James Franco is now also in talks to direct two, big-deal literary works. This high-brow arc, however, has not compromised the man's sense of humor. He also has a Three's Company installation planned for Sundance. Expect a full LAist report from that front line....

Photo by Andy Kennelly via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, a 38-year-old San Clemente man was walking along the San Clemente pier Monday evening saying he was going to jump off at the edge and commit suicide, reports the OC Register. Deputies received a distress call at 6:04 p.m. that a man was in the water and yelling for help. "He kept getting knocked into the...

Photo by filmerp via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Winter is here in all its frigid blustery glory and with SO MUCH WEATHER Manhattan Beach Patch has put together a list of tips to help you surf your turf, safely. Water temperature "is holding steady at 55-57 degrees," according to the Patch folks, and that means full-wetsuit and booties season. Air, water temperature and swell size can "sometimes be unpredictable despite official reports,"...

Tonight in Extra, Extra!! Snow in Echo Park, another way that Fast Food kills, NYE DUIs, Kanye vs Muppets, Angry Birds domination, OC daughter kills mother with car and MySpace might have a lot more space in their offices. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.