Paul Davidson

It was announced today that Dick Clark, legendary host and pioneer of "American Bandstand" and a bunch of other shows you probably could care less about, suffered a stroke earlier this week and was recovering in a Los Angeles hospital. Doctors say that Clark should be back "in the swing of things" and healthy enough to use his unique magic to make a huge ball of light fall to the ground in New York...

With Chanukah just around the corner (we're just waiting for the sun to set), LAist wanted to do their part in using the digital technology of the Internet to provide all our readers with the most comprehensive, full-featured Big Menorah Guide ever. For example, there's a wonderful Big Menorah standing tall on the second floor of the Fashion Square Mall -- somewhere inbetween the pretzel shop and a T-Mobile kiosk. Worshippers who would like...

Back from the Holidays, LAist brings you yet another look at people and coffee and buzz-like activity (we're going into our fifth month, people) as it relates to Los Angeles. This week, LAist took a trip to the hip and happening and happy and horror-filled location that is Hollywood -- more specifically, Sunset Boulevard where there's more billboards per capita than in any other place in town. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf #16 7915...

Our wonderfully cool buddies over at NBC4 report this morning that "according to new census figures, California leads the nation in registration of sport utility vehicles, with nearly 2.8 million of the gas guzzlers in 2002." LAist's good friend and regular all-around nice guy, Louis Kincannon (who just happens to be the Census Bureau Director) says that these figures add up to about 24.2 million SUV's, or one for every eight licensed drivers. To...

As LAist is a big fan of the art that is called "weblogging" or "blogging" or "meandering prose", we'd like to take a moment today to point out that the 2004 Weblog Awards are now officially open for voting. Although nominations ended on December 1st, and the contest is no longer accepting new blogs to add to the list -- a quick visit to the site provides a long list of well-received weblogs for...

Although addressing today's concerns about the AIDS virus and how all areas of society are coping with it in their attempts to find a sure-fire cure is dire, it's almost more important to identify the history of the disease. AVERT is an international HIV and AIDS charity based in the UK, whose goal is to "avert" HIV and AIDS worldwide. In addition, of course, to their charity-based work, their site offers up a comprehensive...

The Los Angeles Times has confirmed LAist's suspicions this morning in a report that confirms our worst fears -- "Southland gripped by high-winds and near freezing temperatures!" Some of the horrific results we can, apparently, get ready to experience include (a) the cold, (b) gale-force winds that could cause tree-limbs to fall to the ground, and (c) scattered trash cans and swirling debris. Is Los Angeles really, "gripped by high-winds and near freezing temperatures?"...

It's happening already. With Thanksgiving literally hours away and Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa mere days from occuring, the normally dedicated attitudes of workers citywide has slowly been overtaken by a strange blank stare some may have seen in the movie Day of the Dead in which oblivious zombies take over a town and start eating each other. The same goes for Los Angeles during the holidays. Being a town filled with transplants from all over the country...

About four months in the works, The Coffee Buzz continues its quest to put a finer point on neighborhoods, the people who frequent them, and the coffee they drink. And this week, LAist travels to yet another in-mall coffee haunt, taking us to the... Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf #15 14006 Riverside Drive Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM Saturday 8:00AM - 8:00 PM Sundy 8:00 AM...

On the heels of The Grove's Holiday Tree Lighting Extravaganza as reported in yesterday's edition of LAist -- Jews from all around the Southland have united together to present something just as awe-inspiring for those uninterested in candy canes, Chris Kringle and really-big foliage. The big news broke recently in an article on the well-regarded Press Telegram that at first glance appeared to be a simple, informative article on the significance of the menorah...