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Pot-Fed Pigs Grow Bigger, Tastier and Probably Mellower

With Los Angeles voters deciding on three ballot measures today (D, E and F) regulating marijuana dispensaries, here's some food for thought: Pigs fed marijuana stems, roots and leaves on a farm outside of Seattle grew 20-30 pounds heavier. (And happier, too?) "They were eating more, as you can im ... More >>

Pork Contamination in IKEA's Moose Lasagna

This past weekend Swedes woke up to news of a pork contamination in the moose lasagna previously sold at their local IKEA stores -- in addition to 18 other European countries. Reuters reported that a little over 17,000 packs of the frozen entrees were quietly pulled from shelves after they were foun ... More >>

Lawsuits Allege Subway's Footlong Sandwiches Aren't Really a Foot Long

Recently a teenager in Australia discovered that his Subway "Footlong" sandwich did not measure up to 12 inches; it was, rather, a mere 11. Which, on this side of the hemisphere, is the sort of discrepancy that forms the basis for both great Stephen Colbert bits and false advertising lawsuits. And ... More >>

AEG's Asking Price Is $10 Billion?

The L.A. company that wants to build a stadium downtown is selling out. And if this report is true, it wants $10 billion for the whole shebang. Anschutz Entertainment Group, the locally based conglomerate owned by Denver rich guy Phil Anshutz, runs Staples Center, LA Live and the Nokia Theater, ow ... More >>

Dole Sends Businesses Packing to Japan for $1.7 Billion

Yesterday, fruit conglomerate Dole Food sent two of its major assets winging across the Pacific. As reported in Reuters, Dole has sold its packaged foods and Asian fresh produce businesses to Japanese company Itochu Corp. for the handsome price of $1.7 billion. The deal gives Itochu exclusive righ ... More >>

Disney Bans Junk Food Ads Aimed at Kids

The Walt Disney Co. announced yesterday that it will ban some junk food ads on its television channels, radio stations and websites aimed at children by 2015, Reuters reports. Disney is also starting its own "Mickey Check" label for food it deems to be nutritious, to help promote certain healthier f ... More >>

Scientists Decode the Genome of the Tomato

In what gives us high hopes for the future of the tomato, Reuters reports that scientists in the Tomato Genome Consortium have decoded the entire genome sequence of a domesticated tomato breed named Heinz 1706 that, yes, is the same breed used to make Heinz ketchup. The genome of its closest wild r ... More >>

Groupon Settles Lawsuit Over Expiration Dates How to Use Expired Groupons

Bought a $20 Groupon for $40 worth of cupcakes sometime over the last year or so, then promptly forgot all about it before the Groupon expired? Well, you can have your cake and eat it too: Reuters reports that the online deal company just agreed to an $8.5 million settlement in a nationwide class a ... More >>

Study: Regular Chocolate Eaters Are Skinnier

Katharine Hepburn once attributed her slim figure to "a lifetime of chocolate." Now a new study from UC San Diego has found that people who eat chocolate on a regular basis are indeed thinner than those who don't. The findings from the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, were publish ... More >>

Coca-Cola, Pepsi Will Modify Recipe to Use Less Cancerous Caramel Coloring

As if you need another reason to scale back on all that soda pop: NPR and Reuters report that Coca-Cola and Pepsi will change their recipe slightly to reduce the amount of 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), a chemical that, in high very doses, has been known to cause cancer in animals. In sodas, it's used t ... More >>

Iran Bans Barbies; Disgruntled Little Girl Calls Replacement Dolls 'Ugly and Fat'

L.A.-based toy company Mattell is facing some pushback from the Iranian government, re: the "destructive cultural and social consequences" that its freakishly perfect Barbie dolls have on the little girls of Iran. Reuters reports that the ban was unofficially passed in 1996, but that the "morality ... More >>

Marijuana Smoking For Middle-Aged Men Can Actually Improve Mental Sharpness, Says Study

Given the schizophrenic state of marijuana studies, we wouldn't blame if you just ignored the nerds and continued on with that joint. It makes you drive better. It makes you crash. It makes you insane in the membrane. It makes you slightly sharper. Huh? That's right. That's the latest contentio ... More >>

Food News Roundup: Recalled Cheese, Sushi Robots 2011's Most Obnoxious Chefs

Flickr/techneCheese from Sardinia, not Michigan​San Francisco Chronicle: Hyper-local markets provide a big economic boost. CHOW: The Most Obnoxious Chefs of 2011. Sorry, Ludo. At least you're in good company. Eater LA: Beverly Hills. Sushi. Robots. (More fun in the new world.) The New York ... More >>

Food News Roundup: Giant Rabbits, Making Cider in Burgundy, Holiday Roasts The Glutton in Winter

Anne FishbeinSotto chefs Steve Samson and Zach Pollack​Forbes: 30 mover-and-shakers under 30 in the food and wine industry. (Congrats Jordan Kahn and Zach Pollack.) The Salt, NPR's Food Blog: Why Are We More Hungry In The Winter? Los Angeles Magazine: This year's top 10 restaurants in L.A. ... More >>

Occupy L.A. Eviction: Is LAPD Restricting Coverage With Last-Minute 'Pool Media'?

[Update, morning after: Awesomely, the "pool" reports turned into a sort of crowd-sourced feed; LA Weekly reporter Gene Maddaus says he received constant email updates throughout the night from news outlets with soldiers in the pool. So it seems the chosen ones didn't adhere to the LAPD's silly, une ... More >>

Occupy L.A. Raid: LAPD Moves In To Clear City Hall Camp [Live Video]

​With reporting from Dennis Romero. Occupy this awesome Ted Soqui slideshow of the night's festivities here.Tonight's the night for the LAPD raid of Occupy L.A. Updates from the top. Images and live video after the jump.1:05 p.m. [Wednesday] LAPD Officer Bruce Borihanh says there were 292 tot ... More >>

Cholesterol Study: Eat More Cheese, Less Butter

Flickr/_gee_cheeses​Sorry Paula Deen, but a group of Danish researchers say that when it comes to cholesterol, cheese is less harmful than butter. A new study led the scientists to believe that cheese does not hurt cholesterol levels as much as other animal fats. Researchers at the Universit ... More >>

Under Fire: Journalists in Combat review

Monday Morning Food News Roundup: It's National Bologna Day!

SpecialKRB / FlickrNot Oscar Mayer bologna.​It's National Bologna Day. Not the day we honor the Northern Italian city famous for its ragù, but a day to honor pressed, sliced tubes of meat. Let the lunchmeat reign -- and rain. It's also National Food Day! [LA Weekly] Drinking whiskey in the ... More >>

[Updated] Cars, Pedestrians Crossing Mexico-U.S. Border Stuck in Tijuana After Scaffolding Collapse

ReutersThe hellish line to San Ysidro just got worse.​Update: The wait time at the Otay crossing into the U.S. is over two hours, both in car and on foot. The southbound lanes into Tijuana have been re-opened, but border officials Tweet that they will not be "processing pedestrians or vehicles ... More >>

Scientists Discover Obesity "Master Switch" Gene: And No, It Does Not Control Your Car Window

Flickr/Jeremy Brooksa drive-thru window view​ Yesterday Reuters reported that scientists have found a so-called "master switch" for obesity. And no, it is not the lock button on your car door window. Although given that the line of cars recently stacking up to order drive-thru at the first br ... More >>

Where the Elite Meet to Cheat and Cause Fiscal Defeat

Food News Roundup: Breakfast With Stalin, Safe Sushi Eating Locally (With 100 Miles of Rope)

-- L.A. Winemaker Finds Identity In Graffiti Art. [Neon Tommy] -- Ways you can do more to eat locally. (Our favorite: "Tie one end of a 100-mile rope to your house and the other end to your waist to ensure that you only eat within that radius.") [The Onion] -- 9 Foods to Help You Sleep. [The Da ... More >>

Food News Roundup: Martha vs. Letterman, Deep-fried Worms Homemade Nutella

screenshot of YouTube CBS videoDavid Letterman​ -- Martha Stewart hits David Letterman in the face with a cheese ball. ("You're a strong wonderful woman, and I'm an asshole.") [Eater] -- Croatia's own Chocolat. [Reuters] -- Shrimp Without Guilt: BC Spot Prawn Fishery Provides Sustainable Ind ... More >>

Cows In Space: Scientists Working to Make Meat in Laboratories

Santa Monica farmers market​ Meat is more trendy than cupcakes these days, with all standard apologies to Morrissey. Consider the seemingly permanent bacon trend, the rising popularity of butchery, happy whole pig farm-to-table excursions, and local butchers who generate so much interest that ... More >>

G20 to Address Rising Food Prices

Flickr/John Rohana grocery aisle in Korea​ How long has it been since you thought groceries were cheap? Everyone has noticed the increase in food prices, and now the G20, a group composed of the heads of state of 20 of the world's largest economies, is poised to do something about it. Accord ... More >>

The Jerk: Steve Martin Tweets From Jury Duty, Possibly In L.A. (But Is That A No-No? ... Well Excuuuuse Him)

He's tall, judge, he's tall.​Steve Martin has been tweeting funny observations from jury duty -- possibly in Los Angeles -- this week. Tweeted The Jerk: "Defendant running for exit. Not to escape, but out of disgust. Judge wearing NOTHING under his robes. We are adjourned until tomorrow." And ... More >>

The Turkey Hotline: An IQ Test for The Holiday-Challenged

Flickr/tuchodi​ Every year, it seems, Butterball does more than produce turkeys. The company also mans the Turkey Talk-Line, a hotline for those with holiday turkey issues. Reuters, bless them, recently ran a story called "Are you smarter than your turkey?" -- in which they called up the hotl ... More >>

The Gossip's Beth Ditto Gets Her Catwalk Model On for Jean Paul Gaultier

ReutersBeth Ditto: Goddess​Hundreds of thousands (millions? we hope not) of young women around the world starve themselves every day with dreams of becoming a professional model and one day perhaps walking down the runway during Paris fashion week wearing a glamorous designer concoction. And ... More >>

Russian Circus Act Cruel to Fish, People as Well

Charlie Brewer/FlickrFish at Sydney Market​ Restaurants can be circus acts. You know the type: massive, splashy, loud, with iffy, over-priced food and, more often than not, some off-putting, over-wrought theme. Still, even Ninja New York can't hold a candle to a real circus act, especially o ... More >>

American Apparel Looks To Corporate-Turnaround Firm To Change Fortunes

Dov Charney​Reuters reported this week that financially struggling clothing maker American Apparel was in talks with a restructuring firm in an effort that could save the hipster brand from bankruptcy. Sources told Reuters that American Apparel chief Dov Charney was in talks with the corporat ... More >>

The French Fry as Economic Ruler: Germany Braces for Shorter Fries

Anne FishbeinFrench fries at Church & State​ French fries have always been prized for their uniformity and length -- see Michael Pollan on the potato and McDonald's -- but the size of your fries is determined by more than just aesthetics. (Your size matters joke here _______.) According to the ... More >>

Attorney General Jerry Brown To Investigate Astonishing Salaries Earned By Some Bell City Officials

​Attorney General Jerry Brown on Thursday announced that his office would investigate the sky-high salaries of some Bell city officials, according to KNX 1070 Newsradio. Brown's announcement came as the Bell City Council went into a closed session meeting that could result in the firings or r ... More >>

Restaurant In Australia Fines Customers For Food Left Uneaten

Anne FishbeinSushi is more expensive with penalties attached​ Restaurants throw out a great deal of food every day, with much of it coming from diners' own unfinished plates. According to a report from Reuters, one Australian restaurant is trying to change that. Chef Yukako Ichikawa, from the ... More >>

Villaraigosa Promises No Bankrupty For L.A. On His Watch

Mayor V.​Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says he will "guarantee" the city will not go bankrupt on his watch despite perilous red tape that will eat up most of the municipal budget's reserves by July. "There is no scenario, none, while I am mayor of Los Angeles where this city will eve ... More >>

The Great Wall of Chocolate: Chinese Chocolatiers Build A Replica of the Great Wall Out of Chocolate

The Great Wall of China was built in the 3rd century B.C. as a defense against invasion. Recently Beijing confectioners build another great wall, this time entirely out of chocolate. What this is a defense against is not clear. Maybe too much tofu, as the wall was built in an effort, according to Re ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Some Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- Does culinary school matter? [The Atlantic] -- Sci Fi foods we wish actually existed. [io9] -- Escapees from England's wild boar farms create local havoc. [Reuters] -- Simon Majumdar's Big Fat ... More >>

Think You Know Box Office? You Can Bet On It

hollywoodsign.org​Yesterday, betting on Hollywood hits and misses was just a fake-money game you played. But now putting actual money down on box office winners and losers is not so far away. At least according to the website Hollywood Stock Exchange, which has announced it plans to roll out a ... More >>

ESPN To Expand In L.A.: New Site To Be Launched Here

​ESPN, and we're not just talking about "The Ocho" here, is expanding its presence in Los Angeles by launching a regionally focused sports-news site Dec. 21, Reuters reports. ESPN/ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer said the sports network will likely roll out similar sites in New York, C ... More >>

Another One Bites The Dust: Washington Post Closes L.A. Office

​In yet another sign of the print media meltdown the venerable Washington Post newspaper on Tuesday announce it's closing its Los Angeles bureau along with its outposts in Chicago and New York. Some of the Posts top journalists (John Pomfret being one) made career stops at the L.A. bureau, a ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- Hershey and Ferrero collaborate on a bid for Cadbury. [NPR] -- Pies in the time of pumpkin famine. [NPR] -- Cannibals arrested for selling human steak to kabob house. [Reuters] -- Get ready for r ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- Let them eat tempeh. Silly parents, vegetarianism is for kids. [LAT] -- Does posting caloric content actually affect food choices? [NYT] -- Dispelling the myth: My big fat French women. [Reuters] ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- "100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do," part 2. [NYT] -- Pets on plates! Elizabeth Kolbert reviews Jonathan Safran Foer's lastest book Eating Animals. [New Yorker] -- After Gourmet: ... More >>

Take Back the Tap: Santa Monica Farmers Market Offers Free, Clean, Drinkable Tap Water

Photograph © China Photo/Reuters/CorbisThat's a lotta bottles.​With thanks to Chance of Rain for tipping us off, it looks like the Santa Monica Farmers Market is trying to set the tone for environment friendly water consumption, with a little help from Food and Water Watch. Yesterday, they h ... More >>

Supes Take Off Gloves, Take on Sacramento

After disentangling itself from the morass of feel-good decrees and distractions like the Wagner Wars, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to sue Sacramento if state legislators or the governor try to seize local redevelopment and highway taxes to shore up California's budget. As the budget c ... More >>

A Page from the Anarchist Cookbook: India Testing Chile Pepper Hand Grenades Where to Get Your Own Bhut Jolokias

Security forces in India have a plan to put chile powder in their hand grenades, according to a report last week by Reuters. Not just any chile either: no lame cayenne or ancho weapons for a country that grows the hottest chile peppers in the world.

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

Rain, Rain, Come Back Again The recent winter storms were awfully photogenic on TV but all that rain was just so much water under the Sixth Street Bridge. The state remains in a drought state and water rationing appears right around the corner for Los Angeles. ReutersA Bridge Too Ugly? Speaking of t ... More >>

Reuters' Image Problem

L.A. blog unmasks Hezbollah propaganda

Newsfreak

Memorial

To war reporters and Chasen's chili