U.S. News & World Report ranks UCLA Medical Center No. 1 in Calif., No. 5 nationally

The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center was given a nod of approval in the U.S. News & World Report annual ranking.

The UCLA Medical Center was named the best hospital in California and the fifth best hospital in the country when the list was released on July 16.

Gov. Brown signs hands-free driver texting into law for 2013

California drivers will now be able to send or receive text messages behind the wheel, as long as they are hands-free and voice-activated, under a bill Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law today.

Assembly Bill 1536, which will go in effect Jan. 1, 2013, gives California motorists the same rights with text-based messages as voice calls.

UC faces possible 20.3 percent tuition increase if Gov. Brown's tax initiative fails

The UC Board of Regents will consider the possibility of a 20.3 percent midyear tuition increase in the event Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax initiative fails in November, according to documents released for the regents’ bimonthly board meeting next week.

Movie Review: "Savages"

Los Angeles has been-jam packed with “Savages” advertisements for what seems like months now. The artfully crafted six-panel poster that features rough- and tough-looking characters has surely drawn the attention of anyone driving by the bus stop or billboards. Face it, the movie looks rugged down to its core.

Unfortunately, the whole thing plays out like a sloppy, poorly written Quentin Tarantino film, and falls short of excellence by a long shot.