Sky

Brian Price, once a wrecking ball on UCLA's defensive line, has beaten long odds to return to the NFL after two off-season surgeries aimed at keeping his hamstrings attached to his pelvis, rather than breaking loose and coiling down the backs of his thighs. For Price, who will start at defensive tackle Sunday for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his excruciating recovery was a 10-step process. Meaning just two months ago, he could run only 10 steps. "You have these doubts in your head at times," said Price, a second-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2010 who, because of his congenitally malformed pelvis, spent the last half of his rookie season on injured reserve.

My Friend Malea Jillian , 9 Magic Pen Kids Laguna Hills Malea's hair is russet brown, the color of fresh potatoes. It falls in curls to her shoulders like Ruffle chips. Her laugh makes me feel silly - like clown pants on a summer day. Two caramel chocolates are her eyes. Her hair is scented with vermillion flowers. She is courage. Blossom on a Spring Afternoon Madison, 11 Meadows Elementary Valencia   When I retire outside on a spring afternoon, I watch that blossom and how it will bloom - pink and yellow, its stem straight.

In the remote northeastern corner of Guatemala, archaeologists have found what appears to be the 9th century workplace of a city scribe, an unusual dwelling adorned with magnificent pictures of the king and other royals and the oldest known Maya calendar. This year has been particularly controversial among some cultists because of the belief that the Maya calendar predicts a major cataclysm - perhaps the end of the world - on Dec. 21, 2012. Archaeologists know that is not true, but the new find, written on the plaster equivalent of a modern scientist's whiteboard, strongly reinforces the idea that the Maya calendar projects thousands of years into the future.

The annual solar eclipse in the West on Sunday might be considered a stage-setter for a another solar eclipse coming in the fall - and a reason to travel to Australia. Brownell Travel based in Birmingham, Ala., offers an 11-night trip that features the Nov. 14 total eclipse that will only be seen Down Under. The path of totality of the eclipse, which begins at dawn, is in the northern edge of the country. On the trip, participants will be near Cairns on a cruise to view the early-morning eclipse and later tour the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest on the northeast coast of Queensland.

The annual solar eclipse in the West on Sunday might be considered a stage-setter for a another solar eclipse coming in the fall - and a reason to travel to Australia. Brownell Travel based in Birmingham, Ala., offers an 11-night trip that features the Nov. 14 total eclipse that will only be seen Down Under. The path of totality of the eclipse, which begins at dawn, is in the northern edge of the country. On the trip, participants will be near Cairns on a cruise to view the early-morning eclipse and later tour the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest on the northeast coast of Queensland.

Poured-concrete walls, skylights and automated clerestory windows give an atrium feel to this restored contemporary in Malibu. Built in 1963, the house was originally created for Italian artist Rico Lebrun by Thornton Abell. The Los Angeles architect was recognized for his work in the Case Study House program, which designed models for low-cost modern housing after World War II. But the house was far from its '60s condition when it was bought by the current owners. "It took a year and a half to renovate the back part of the house," says Sandy Mastomonaco, who owns the home with her husband, John.

EXHIBITIONS The original exhibition "Women Hold Up Half the Sky" addresses the worldwide oppression of women and girls as the human rights cause of our time. Inspired by the critically acclaimed book "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide," by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, the exhibition documents stories from around the world through photographs and other visual art, sound installations and interactive gallery experiences of women who have changed their lives and started businesses with $2 loans.

In response to the "Sky for a Roof" article (Sept. 23), I can't believe the people of Capistrano Beach can't come up with a more humanitarian solution to the problem of the homeless, immigrant day workers. I suppose it's too much to ask those merchants whose businesses are being hurt by these poor homeless people to imagine what life is like for them, let alone be sympathetic. Their solution is so typical: "Shoo them away." Out of sight, out of mind. Although I don't have any answers (I am a student with limited resources as well as limited income)

When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Staples Center. On the air: NBA TV Records: Sparks 13-19, Sky 14-18. Record vs. Sky: 1-0 Update: This is the last game of the season for the Sparks; they and their opponent both have been eliminated from contention for the playoffs. The Sparks blew their postseason hopes after losing to San Antonio on Tuesday and will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and the fourth time in franchise history. When the teams played July 30, the Sparks won, 88-84.

The biggest full moon of the year Saturday (tonight) will bring the highest and lowest of tides too. And, according to NASA Science News , dogs may howl and the bright glare of moonbeams may keep you up that night. (If you don't believe me, watch the video above that explains it.) In fact, the "perigree moon," as it's known, occurs at 8:40 p.m. Pacific time when the moon in its orbit comes closest to Earth -- and only super-keen observers will be able to distinguish it from a regular full moon.

After leasing her West Hollywood house out last year, "Gossip Girl" actress Kelly Rutherford has returned it to the market at $1.099 million. The Spanish bungalow, built in 1926, features a living room with fireplace that opens to a sky-lighted dining room, an updated kitchen, two bedrooms and 13/4 bathrooms. The deck contains a bar and a built-in barbecue. Rutherford, 43, plays husband-hopping Lily van der Woodsen on "Gossip Girl" (2007-present). She was also in the series "E-Ring" (2005-06)

NEW YORK -- Warning of a possible disaster if something isn't done soon, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is pushing lawmakers to make it easier for wildlife officials to cull Canada geese and other birds near New York City airports, where two jet-bird collisions have been reported in the last week. “We cannot afford to sit back and wait for a catastrophe to occur before cutting through bureaucratic red tape between federal agencies,” Gillibrand said Wednesday as she proposed  the legislation , which focuses on the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge near  John F. Kennedy International Airport.

When he was running for mayor seven years ago, Antonio Villaraigosa promised to make L.A. the greenest big city in America. Yet when it comes to local solar-power development, it's not even the greenest city in Los Angeles County. Rooftop solar panels make a lot of sense for L.A., not only because the city is so frequently sun-splashed but because local power development is the easiest and cheapest way to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, since one doesn't need to build power lines to carry electricity here from desert solar plants or mountain wind farms.

There is something about bright lights and loud noises that attract the child in all of us. And when they come from the heavens, they're fodder for even our adult selves. Take meteor showers, for example. Over the weekend, the Lyrids made their annual spin through the local skies, igniting the usual flashes, as they've done for some 2,600 years. This time, they also seemed to have caused an explosive boom heard in some parts of California and Nevada. This year's show was a bit more spectacular than in the past, because the moon was in a new phase -- meaning the sky was darker than usual, creating a nice, rich background that showcased the celestial sparks.

HANA, Hawaii - I came to play in a jungle, dance under a waterfall and swim with giant turtles in a tranquil sea. But at the end of the long, winding road to Hana, the thing that pleased me most was staring at the star-filled sky. Not to imply that Maui's road to Hana (pronounced HAH-na) isn't impressive. The treacherous 52-mile highway, which Sunset magazine calls "the most beautiful road in the world," wins accolades from many who make the journey. Verdant rain forests hug the sides of the mountainous road, waterfalls tumble into crystal-clear pools, beaches of black onyx meet a cobalt-blue sea. And for those searching for thrills, Hana Highway (Hawaii 360)

John Charles Ward would take flight in the half-light before dawn, when he could race down the runway without headlights and ascend into the cloaking embrace of an overcast sky. This feature requires that JavaScript be enabled and the Flash plug-in be installed. Third of four parts J ohn Charles Ward would take flight in the half-light before dawn, when he could race down the runway without headlights and ascend into the cloaking embrace of an overcast sky. Soaring above the crowded California freeways in the single-engine aircraft, he'd relax, pour himself a whiskey and Seven and plan his hopscotch route to Pennsylvania.

The story so far: Jeremy and his dad are having fun describing the whale in the sky while traveling along the San Diego Freeway. * "Dad, what else do you know about your whale in the sky?" asked Jeremy. "Well, it has a name, just like you named our cat 'Pepper.' " "You're confusing me, Dad." "My whale is called the 'Spirit of America' and has many ancestors and relatives. They've been named 'Columbia,' 'America,' 'Enterprise' and 'Europa.' " "Those are strange names for whales!"

Daniel Cavanaugh was standing in a Virginia Beach, Va., convenience store parking lot when he noticed the F/A-18 Hornet. The Navy jet appeared on path to land at Naval Air Station Oceana. But Cavanaugh instinctively knew something was wrong. It was flying awfully low. And the jet seemed slow and sluggish -- unusual for such a powerful piece of machinery. "He just got real low like he was going to land," Cavanaugh said of the pilot. Then, suddenly, "he dropped out of the sky. " Cavanaugh described what happened next to Virginia TV station WTKR:  "Boom.

James Murdoch's resignation as chairman of satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting comes ahead of a government report expected to be critical of his handling of the ethics scandal at News Corp.'s British tabloids. Murdoch, in announcing his decision Tuesday, alluded to the ongoing investigations into alleged phone hacking and police bribery by News Corp.'s the Sun and the now-closed News of the World. Problems at the tabloids last summer derailed the media conglomerate's plans to take control of Britain's dominant pay-TV provider, in which it holds a 39% interest, with a $12-billion purchase of all outstanding BSkyB shares.