• Surge in unemployment claims is "unexpected." Are you kidding!?
• It's official: Daschle to lead HHS.
• Irony alert: Illegal immigrants used by cleaning firm employed by Immigration chief/head of Homeland Security Chertoff.

Any publicity is good publicity. Such is the case with Director Brian De Palma's newest controversy du jour, Redacted, which will see a limited run at the Alamo Downtown starting this evening. This film has garnered both praise and outrage from a varied panel of critics, earning the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival for De Palma and the scorn of conservative pundit Bill O'Reilly and the Boycott Redacted crew. more ›

As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice... more ›

LAist was comped front row seats by the Dodgers due to Malingering being struck by a foul ball last week, and she came back with some great photos, and earlier made fun of 4th of July on Venice Beach. But the biggest stories of the week was that the Mayor's Hot Tamale was revealed, and that a Kwik-E-Mart was erected in Burbank. Phillyist was busy doing the Fourth of July up right, exercising their... more ›

The -ists this week had politics on the brain. And what goes better with politics? Partying-- that's two great tastes in one. Oh, and Kevin Federline...can't forget about Kevin Federline. That's three great tastes in one. more ›

Tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse the Flicker Film Festival celebrates the creativity, passion and art of short filmmaking. The Flicker Fest is a great way for nascent filmmakers to get their works screened. All of the movies in competition are shorts that run no longer than 15 minutes and must have originally been shot on film. more ›