Going BioDiesel; BioDiesel My Ride; Trolling for Oil; Vegging Out; Spiny Forest; Slide Show'n'Tell; Longing for Llano; Hungary for Sausage; Double Jeopardy; Fast Food Dude-Revisited; Theater LAndscape; Reporter's Roundtable

Off-Ramp to the I.E. Special thanks to cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz for plugging our little show in his nationally distributed comic strip, La Cucaracha (click "enlarge" to see.) This week, Off-Ramp explores the Inland Empire. The nation's fastest growing community is home to one of the world's oldest orange trees, Chick-fil-A and more. Next week, Off-Ramp will be broadcasting live from LA Times Festival of Books. We'll be at Dickson Court North, Zone F, booth 601. Come vist, we'd love to meet you. -John (and Queena)

The documentary "The Ashes of Oakridge" takes us to a mobile home park in Sylmar devastated by wildfires.

What happens to comics and crosswords if newspapers die? Plus, billboard art, Eric Garcetti's first career, Norwegian datarock, the new waltzmeister, and a woodworking icon remembered. Enjoy!

Ed Asner on being a grouch, Cyber Frequencies, Garrison Keillor, samurai art and a start to finish run with the L.A. Marathon.

Happy Memorial Day!

This week, browse the Off-Ramp collection!

WWII fight for commemorative stamps; rocker Stew disses actors; homegrown Trekkie reviews the latest movie; Disney's rotten karma; Charles Perry and Miki Dora

Poet-provocateur August Kleinzahler reads from his latest book, "Sleeping it Off in Rapid City," and John tells us how to grow a Victory Garden.