Fans

For some people the Harry Potter books made for good beach reading, but for others they inspired a call to social activism. Andrew Slack, the 29-year-old director of the nonprofit Harry Potter Alliance, sits firmly in the second camp.

David Beckham let it be known Thursday that he has no intention of apologizing for his actions during the Galaxy's friendly match against AC Milan on Sunday night during which he confronted a group of disenchanted Los Angeles fans. In fact, Beckham said, it is up to some of those fans to change their behavior.

He didn't perform at Michael Jackson's funeral. He's more likely to play the Orange County Fair than the Staples Center. And he's commonly viewed as a quirky pop music footnote. No matter. At a Holiday Inn in Costa Mesa, more than 100 of his most ardent fans will gather to pay tribute to "Weird Al" Yankovic. Although it doesn't attract Comic-Con-size crowds, the day-long Al Fest offers immersion into the not-so-weird world of "Weird Al" fandom.

Amid a New Wave soundtrack, girls sporting side ponytails and neon, ruffled prom dresses walked into the parking lot of an old Circuit City on Sunset Boulevard on Saturday night in what amounted to a flashback to the '80s. The premises had been transformed into a "Pretty in Pink" prom-themed movie event and an impromptu homage to filmmaker John Hughes, the man who gave a voice to the teen generation of the 1980s and who died of a heart attack last week. The Hollywood "Almost Free" Outdoor Cinema screened the 1986 film, which explores love and the cruelty of high school cliques.

Far away from the criticism he has been taking in the States for being a part-time player with the Galaxy, David Beckham is taking criticism in England for being a part-time player for the English national team. Beckham recently became England's most-capped outfield player, breaking World Cup winner Bobby Moore's record of 108 national-team appearances. But critics have called Beckham's record-breakers "cheap," as he has earned them by coming off the bench in the second half. "It amazes me," Beckham said.

Will Fan had sprung for VIP tickets to Saturday night's Hard Summer event at the Forum in Inglewood. But before settling in for a night of dance music, Fan made a trip to the bar. Then the night went haywire. A back door of the VIP section, where tickets began at $125, flew open and fans ran in from the parking lot in what Fan described as a "stampede." "We saw about 200 kids run right through the bar area," said the 35-year-old Sherman Oaks resident. "It was a little scary.

What does relief sound like? Across Mexico on Wednesday, it was millions of soccer fans shouting "GOOOAAALLLL!" as their national team scored late in the game to defeat the formidable Americans, 2-1. Gracias a dios , disaster averted. Mexico, at any time, is passionate about the revered sport. Throw in the long string of bad news whipping the country -- a bloodcurdling drug war, a deadly flu epidemic -- and the patriotic emotions caught up in facing that big, powerful neighbor to the north, and you have the ingredients for obsession.

Women's Professional Soccer has survived its first season, and if that fact brings a sigh of relief from league officials going into Saturday's championship game in Carson, it is only natural. "You really can't overestimate what a huge task this is in the first season for any sports league," said Tonya Antonucci, WPS commissioner. Nearly five months have passed since the Los Angeles Sol defeated the Washington Freedom at the Home Depot Center in the league's inaugural game.

For thousands of Green Bay Packers fans in this waterfront town, Brett Favre has never been closer to their homes. Or further from their hearts. Just across the St. Croix River, half an hour by car, is downtown Minneapolis and the Metrodome, Favre's new home stadium. The decision by the 39-year-old star quarterback last week to come out of retirement and sign with the Minnesota Vikings was the final straw for millions of Packers fans. It left Hudson -- a picturesque community of about 50,000 that's 250 miles from Green Bay but only 18 from St. Paul, Minn.

Clippers guard Baron Davis arrived last month at Mumbai Airport in India and stepped into a taxicab. He immediately noticed how India's driving habits hinge more on aggressiveness and efficiency than conventional traffic signs. "A dog was walking across the street and the driver was going 70 [miles per hour] and not looking," Davis said. "The closer it gets, I'm in the back of the car screaming like 'Aghhhhh'! Then he goes right past the dog, laughs and says, 'stupid American.