Last week's LA Times article about the Tupac shooting of 1994 (occurring just two years before his murder), led to a lot of chatter about the rapper's death and those who may have been involved. The finger was now being pointed at Sean "Diddy" Combs, who maintained he was not involved. more ›

Though the mystery has never been solved, many have attached Sean "Diddy" Combs and Christopher Wallace (Biggie Smalls/The Notorious B.I.G.) to the 1994 attack and 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur -- sparking an East Coast/West Coast rap war, leading to Biggie's 1997 murder and escalating the "no snitching" policy into law. The accusation even came from Tupac himself after the attack in 1994. more ›

Some good news in the ongoing saga to save 1520 Sedgwick, better known as the Birthplace of Hip Hop. Today Senator Schumer, who has been lobbying on behalf of the tenants to preserve the building's affordability, announced that "the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development rejected the proposed sale to developer Mark Karasick because current rents could not be sustained if the sale had gone through." The move doesn't insure that the building’s owner won't still opt out of the Mitchell-Lama program, however. more ›

Rudy Giuliani may have exited the presidential campaign, but that doesn't mean he's disappeared. For starters, we hope those Rudy Giuliani campaign staffers who gave up their paychecks feel good about this: According to the Washington Post, Giuliani's campaign paid his firm Giuliani Partners $60,000 in rent and paid Giuliani Security & Safety $300,000 for security. We don't understand why he stopped running - it's a perfect way to convert donations into revenue! Well, his lawyer told the WaPo that Giuliani "recused himself from taking profits. His portion would be donated to charity." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg's trip to the University of Oklahoma to caucus with a bipartisan group of current and former politicians and grouse about Washington gridlock only fueled the fires of speculation that he is preparing a Presidential run. People are already strategizing about who his ideal running mate would be. Bloomberg is sticking to his (anti-)guns, however, and still claiming that he is not a candidate. But his pollster told the LA Times that our Mayor is seriously considering a run and will make a decision in the next two months. more ›

Today, we come together with hope and determination, with a determination to stop politics as usual which seeks to divide us for political gain. We come together to resurrect that kind of bipartisan statesmanship that united us as Americans to win the Cold War. We come together to appeal to all presidential candidates to tell us how they plan to bring us together. Hear our plea! Bring us together! Bring us together! Bring us together and the American people will assure our future. We also have the joint statement from the participants (including former elected officials such as Bill Cohen and Christie Todd Whitman as well as current senator Chuck "Often mentioned as a running mate for Bloomberg" Hagel) after the jump. more ›

A poignant week for LAist as they lose their trusted and amazing editor Tony Pierce to the LA Times, but what a blast his last week was. He shared his 25 Favorite CDs of 2007 and wrote a great review of just a good movie, No Country For Old Men. At UCLA, thousands of students celebrated the end of their quarter by running around campus in their undies (lots of photos in a two-part photo essay, one, two). That wasn't the only photo essay either: Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy friends and Star Trek actors all joined in at the Writers Strike and KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas brought two nights of amazing bands that included Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park (Part I), Modest Mouse, Muse, Spoon and The Killers (Part II). Not only is L.A. a great music town, it has just been named the best city for bookish types. For those who are looking for something a little more active, American Gladiators are back (yes!) and if that's not enough, how about a Christmas gift of action and adventure? more ›

Oprah Winfrey introduced one of her favorite things people at what the NY Times called "the largest spectacle of the campaign cycle" - the Oprah for Barack Obama rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Winfrey said, "For the very first time in my life, I feel compelled to stand up and to speak out for the man who I believe has a new vision for America," and told the audience of 15,000 said, "I am... more ›

Musical theater star and lounge singer extraordinaire Robert Goulet died yesterday of pulmonary fibrosis while awaiting a lung transplant in an L.A. hospital; he was 73. more ›

The LA Times invaded the Big Apple to investigate the amazing fund-raising power of Hillary Clinton in Chinatown. The leading 2008 Democratic contender was able to raise $380,000 during one April fund-raiser - and back in 2004, John Kerry was only able to raise $24,000. more ›

What’s worth watching on food-relatedTV this week? more ›

Thought Governor Eliot Spitzer and Senator Hilary Clinton appeared at a press conference to discuss health coverage of New York children, they had to answer questions about campaign donations they accepted from fugitive apparel executive Norman Hsu. Clinton received $23,000 from Hsu and announced that she would donate the money to charity after revelations that Hsu has been wanted in California for defrauding California investors since 1991. Hsu has fled to Hong Kong but has been living in New York as a high-profile donor since 2003. Guess when those cases grow cold, they stay cold. more ›

Just last week Jeremy Blake's body was identified after being found off the coast of New Jersey. In July he and his girlfriend committed suicide one week apart from each other, and since then stories of their lives, fears and final days have surfaced. more ›

What’s worth watching on food-related TV this week? more ›

What’s worth watching on food-related TV this week? more ›

What’s worth watching on food-related TV this week? more ›

The USDA may relax standards for organic foods, and allow 38 different spices, colorings and other nonorganic ingredients to be included in foods labeled organic, according to the LA Times. Organic food advocates are seeking to stop this action, calling it a blow to the organic movement and claiming that it caters to moneyed food producers who want the benefits of the organic label without any of the work involved. more ›

Holy smokes! Giant fish on the MTA, Paris Hilton in jail, then out, then in again, Al Gore, goatses, blumpkins, Matt Damon, and baby art critics! It's been a busy week across the Ist-A-Verse, and here's a smattering of what's been going on. more ›

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We're guessing most of you are hungover from St. Patrick's Day. We are too. But still, we're going to muddle on through our green haze and give you (drum roll please...) this Week In -ists. more ›

Bruni joins the chorus of unenthusiastic reviews for Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, awarding it no stars. The best he has to say is that chef/owner Tim Love "seems dedicated to getting first-rate cuts of meat" (which the kitchen then overseasons). more ›

Julia Moskin sits in for Bruni again this week, gives two stars to the new dining room at the Morgan Library. It's eccentric, she says--open only during museum hours, which means that it only serves dinner on Friday nights, and even then only until 9pm. But "there's no institution that joins a menu and a museum as seamlessly." more ›

If you're the Republican mayor of New York City, who do you have breakfast with? Why, the Democratic candidate for Mayor of DC, of course! DC City Council member Adrian Fenty met up with Hizzoner this morning to discuss the Mayor's overhaul of the NYC public school system. Apparently Fenty may be interested in taking over the DC school system when he's elected (Fenty's the presumptive mayor), although Bloomberg's education record is decidedly mixed. Note to Fenty: In order to follow the Mayor's plans, be sure to end social promotion, hire McKinsey consultants to run things, and live and die by tests. more ›

Well, do a dance on Audrey Hepburn's grave - the Gap credits the black skinny pants with helping their sales last month, no small part due to the Audrey Hepburn and AC/DC commercial. One Gap manager in Staten Island tells the Daily News, "We can't keep them in. It brought in the mother, the grandmother, the granddaughter. Little kids come in and try on a size 0." And a mother who bought the pants for her daughter said, "I'm going to rent 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' for her so she can get a feel for Audrey's elegance.'" Huh, ever think of renting Funny Face, the movie that Audrey is actually dancing in? more ›

- Look for Grub Street, the just launched New York Magazine food blog, to have an interview with newly anointed NYT Dining editor Pete Wells on Wednesday. more ›

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. more ›

- Expect to see Chinatown Brasserie cozy up for its Frankie Close-up Wednesday. While we are not in practice setting the line on things like this, seems like a two star job. Just a question on which way it may lean. more ›

- Think you know about Salt? This LA Times article featuring Zuni Café chef Judy Rodgers is a must read for any home cook who wants to see a big salty 180. (reg. may be required) more ›

"don't draw howls from animal rights groups as do the more prevalent horse-drawn carriages," as an LA Times (!!) writer for AM New York reports. Regulation would bring training and licenses, as well as capped fares, which would interesting - apparently some pedicab drivers can make bank ($2000 during peak weeks!) while others can charge through the nose to gouge tourists. Pedicabs were quite popular during the transit strike - even in spite of the higher prices. Apparently the rule of thumb is $1 per block - keep that in mind, anyone can't find a cab apres theater and needs to get somewhere else. more ›

Also entering its fifth year, Stereogum.com has been named Best Music Blog by Spin, Teen People and Forbes. Even Newsweek thinks it's hot. The site examines music through the prism of popular culture, and with over 500,000 unique visitors a month, it's safe to say it's the place for "indie yuppies" to discover the latest buzz bands. Site founder Scott Lapatine was recently ranked USAToday.com's 76th Top Person of 2005. Scott will be joined on the decks by co-bloggers Jim Jazwiecki and Jed Teres.