Nigeria

Dan Walters, Dean of State Political Reporters, v. Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UCI Law School

The dean of California political reporters, Dan Walters, didn't like the idea of UC Irvine opening a law school six years ago and, in his syndicated column Monday, expressed vindication for that view thanks to a Los Angeles Times story that reports several law school graduates can't find jobs while ... More >>

Park City's Breakouts

The movies to know from Sundance—and the year ahead

UCI's First Law School Class Has a Better Cali Bar Exam Passage Rate Than All But Stanford

The end of our October blog post on University of California at Irvine School of Law students helping Nigerian activists present a case to the U.S. Supreme Court mentioned that the local school has its critics.The blasts to the law school and its founding dean, Erwin Chemerinsky, began in 2009, but ... More >>

Give Ginger Baker Some Slack?

Great drumming almost excuses Mr. Baker's dickishness

UCI Law School Professor and Students Fight for Nigerian Activists in U.S. Supreme Court

When the U.S. Supreme Court opened what's billed to be a contentious new term Monday, UC Irvine School of Law students were there.But the future legal eagles were not in Washington, D.C., to observe the proceedings as bystanders but to help one of their professors argue a case before the Supremes.

'Ornette: Made In America': The Shape of Docs to Come

Shirley Clarke's jazz classic broke ground still untraveled

New Music: Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra's 'Last Odyssey'

There's something geographically astounding about a Costa Mesa-based record label putting putting out a band from France who specializes in the fiery polyrhythms of Ethio and Nigerian funk. That's pretty much the situation when it comes to Ubiquity Record's latest signee, Afro Latin Vintage Orc ... More >>

Maggi: The Condiment That Every Culture Thinks Is Theirs

Sriracha may inspire crazy blog posts and foodie adoration; but when it comes to world domination, it's got nothing on Maggi. PRI's The World has a great story about the stuff in the distinctive genie-like bottle. The brand is so ingrained in just about every culture in every part of the world, it's ... More >>

Phillip Jacob Shinen, Alleged Online Huckster, Has Been Quite Busy on the Interwebs

You'll find Phillip Jacob Shinen all over the Interwebs, offering riches to those who join his assorted online ventures. The 32-year-old has one ad at the top of a site warning visitors about the old Nigerian email scam. "This is not MLM"--a multi-level marketing Ponzi scheme--"or a Scam, these are ... More >>

The Best Of Coachella: Sunday, April 15

See also: *The Best Of Coachella: Saturday, April 14 *Top Ten Awkward Coachella Dance Move GIFs Wow, that was fast! In a whirlwind of top-notch performances from legends and buzz bands alike, pool parties, and rain, Coachella's first weekend is over. Here are our scribes' favorite moments from Su ... More >>

San Clemente Resident Convicted of Pittsburgh PA Rape

A former San Clemente resident was found guilty this month of rape, burglary and making terrorist threats in Pittsburgh, PA.In Sept. 2010, Akaninyene Efiong Akan--a mechanical engineer originally from Nigeria--climbed into a woman's apartment window, spit in her mouth, promised to kill her if she co ... More >>

Eric Dondero, Now Blasting Ex-Boss Ron Paul, Used to Beat Up the Register's Steven Greenhut

​Ron Paul's former aide Eric Dondero blogged over the holiday weekend that his former boss was anti-Israel, isolationist on foreign policy, uncomfortable around homosexuals and out of touch with black and Hispanic cultures. Naturally, that kicked up a shitstorm as Paul continues to poll well in ea ... More >>

New Artists Just Added to SXSW's 2012 Lineup

Mary Bell/OC WeeklyDelta Spirit at BuskerFest in Long Beach in 2010​South By Southwest revealed a whole slew of new acts confirmed to play at official showcases during the annual music and film conference in Austin. This is the third list of musicians to be released. The venues and dates they ... More >>

Legendary Vibraphone Player Roy Ayers On Being One Of The Most Sampled Artist in Hip-Hop

Roy Ayers​A music veteran whose legacy stretches from jazz to hip-hop, Roy Ayers is a legendary vibraphonist who, after a career in jazz, shifted to funk, R&B and even a bit of disco. His résumé includes collaborations with Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, the soundtrack to the Jack Hill ... More >>

Locals Push Bill Spreading Religious Freedom

​A Santa Ana-based group pushing for religious freedom worldwide has launched a new advocacy campaign aimed at beefing up the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and, with it, U.S. foreign policy. Turmoil in Nigeria, the Middle East, Northern Africa and Pakistan--including the burning of ... More >>

Why Do Mexican Farm Workers Take a Shit in the Fields?

[¡Ask a Mexican!] And why aren't more Mexis part of the middle class?

Jan Morton Heger Allegedly Pulled $898K Scam With Baja Resort, Ghana Oil Funds and African Gold Mines

​An attorney is scheduled to be arraigned in Santa Ana this morning on charges of stealing $898,000 from 11 victims in an elaborate investment scheme that involved a luxury resort in Baja California, oil fund loans from Ghana and African gold mine revenues in Ghanan and Nigerian banks. Jan Morton ... More >>

Into the Mystic

Cults and the uncertain futures dominate Sundance

Akaninyene Efiong Akan, San Clemente Resident, Tied to Rape in Oakland. No, the Other Oakland

​A San Clemente man is being held for a rape in Oakland.No, not the Oakland of A's, Raiders, Oak Town, Jerry Brown and Epic Beard Man fame, but the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania. Akaninyene Efiong Akan, a 29-year-old Nigerian, is charged with rape, burglary, assault and other crime ... More >>

TSOL Singer Jack Grisham: 'That's Right--I'm Supporting the Arts. I Got a Fucking Award For it. I'm An Award-Winning Artist.'

Danielle Bacher/ OC Weekly​Jack Grisham's life has taken more twists and turns than the PCH. The 49-year-old gained early notoriety as the lead singer of seminal Orange County punk rockers TSOL. After five years fronting the group, Grisham left amid rumors of substance abuse and acrimony from the ... More >>

[UPDATED:] 13 Things Possibly Going Through Don Bren's Mind During $134 Million Child-Support Case

​UPDATE: The jury made its ruling today (see end of post) . . . Irvine Co. chairman Don Bren is suffering the indignity of sitting in a Los Angeles courtroom and even--horror of all horrors!--testifying in the lawsuit brought by the multibillionaire's ex-lover/passing-acquaintance Jennifer Gold, w ... More >>

Chiddy Bang Talk the Hip-Hop Talk

Can the teenage rap duo live up to it?

Airing Dirty Laundry in Santa Ana

Laundry can be this awesome.​The coin-operated Lavanderia at the intersection of East Santa Ana and French Street, in downtown Santa Ana, has an old jukebox inside. Late Thursday night, Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" is playing over the repetitive squeak of a dryer as the clothing in it spins aro ... More >>

Classics Revisited: Fela Kuti, "the Best of the Black President"

​One of the most virulent agitators in the annals of popular music--he was regularly beaten and jailed by oppressive military regimes in Nigeria for speaking out against their oppression--Fela Kuti never ceased to use his music as a vehicle to mock and criticize his adversaries (sample song title: ... More >>

Crime Time: Is Tobias Fünke the "Blue Note Bandit"?

It's the Weekly's weekly crime round-up--now with more blatant Arrested Development imagery.Could Tobias Fünke be the "Blue Note Bandit" (Wednesday) or the man making "blown" offers (Thursday)?​TUESDAY, DEC. 1Nice Racks! After pulling over a silver 2004 Acura TL four-door at Newport Boulevard and ... More >>

Afrobeat Down

Alex's Bar

FBI: That Cute Home for Rent Could Be Latest Nigerian Scam

​So, you know those Nigerian criminals of "We've got a $1 million check waiting from your long lost Nigerian prince uncle" spam e-mail fame? They've come up with a new scam, warns the FBI. You can't believe your good fortune--you find a rental home in a nice area through a Craigslist classifi ... More >>

[Sound Guy] Fullerton's ArtiSans Label Brings Compassion to an Industry Traditionally Lacking Any

L.A. Weekly's Top Ten Dance Collections of 2008, Both Mixed and Unmixed

Any knucklehead with DSL and a laptop can now make an electronic track. With a half hour of clicking and fiddling, you can sample enough cheesy beats and mashups to clog arteries from here to Berlin. Simple dropdown mouse maneuvers can transform electro tracks into progressive house tracks (from dr ... More >>

Doctors Without Borders' Mary Jo Frawley Lives in OC, But Her Heart's in Sri Lanka, Somalia . . .

A Fresh Wave of Globally Minded Music Websites Will Broaden Your Horizons

[Sprawl of Sound] The Crosby's Grand Opening, Nigerian Music Not by Fela Kuti

Where in the World Is San Diego?

David Greig’s script is all over the place, which makes the potential for this Rude Guerrilla production so exciting

You're On With Jesus

Neil Saavedra brings God down to Earth

Ryszard Kapuscinski

Ryszard Kapuscinski, a great reporter and one of the finest writers of nonfiction, died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.  He was 74, and had lived a hard life, so perhaps there was nothing surprising about that-- but where he died was a little surprising.  He died in bed, in a hospi ... More >>

We have ways of making you subscribe

What a Rush!

A Commie in the Limbaugh Club

Xenophobia, the Musical

The closing of our cultural borders

Cross-continental fusion

Uncle Al amalgamates the world through sauce

Colonial Capitalism

Dollars and No Sense

Uncle Sam's Crude Solution

Vamos, Vamos a Reginas

Food, soccer and more of each

Manila Enveloped in Oklahoma Bombing Case

Take It in the Shorts

Filmmakers strive to create new OC scene

Hell on Wheels

Driving in OC, in your own words

Pissed-Off Christ