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The Bruins settle for No. 2...wireless at LAX if you can afford it...pat on the back for Brad Grey...a doctorate for Villaraigosa...John Stodder addresses his blog audience...plus Cheryl Tiegs, Donna Barstow, Amy Alkon and Albert C. Martin Jr. Just slide your mouse down and click on MORE to turn the page...
♦ Hoops: UCLA couldn't get it done, losing 73-57 to Florida in the NCAA basketball final. So the Bruins are No.2.
♦ LAX to get wi-fi: But not free wireless, mind you. The airport commission signed a deal with T-Mobile that will cost travelers ten bucks.
♦ Pellicano sidebar of the day: In an interview with the LAT, Viacom poobahs gave a vote of confidence to Paramount chief Brad Grey "despite the unwanted attention the studio is getting from his links to indicted private investigator Anthony Pellicano."
♦ TV beat: KTLA has a new weathercaster: Lissette Gonzalez, apparently Miss Florida of 1998. RonFineman.com reminds that Channel 5's weekend anchor Lu Parker was Miss USA in 1994. Also: Former Channel 2 weatherman Anthony Williams (1995-2003) was appointed by Gov. Schwarzenegger to the California Science Center Board.
♦ Unique perspective: John Stodder recaps some of the subjects he has blogged about and says he will continue writing when he can during his federal trial in the Fleishman-Hillard case that begins today:
I've gotten so many wonderful notes of support and good wishes, and I'm so grateful for them. Many of these notes say something to the effect of, "You must be so stressed out." Well, the adrenaline is certainly pumping; I'm highly alert. But, no, I'm not stressed out. I'm a fortunate person. I have an amazing wife, a wonderful son, a brilliant and supportive family, and so many great friends. And, I believe our justice system ultimately will be fair. During the trial, which will last about four weeks, blogging here will be light. There might be a guest comment or two. I'm not going to use this site to address my case while it is going on. If I do post, it will be the usual stuff I write about. Whatever that is.
♦ Tribute: Mayor Villaraigosa receives an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Occidental College. This is also the day we told you was coming: Crash day in Los Angeles.
♦ As Jim Healy would say: Is it true that the publisher of the Los Angeles Times has approved putting an ad on the front cover of the Travel section?
♦ Souring on Hillary Clinton: Hollywood, that is.
♦ New blog: PopCultureFanBoy is all about the history of the Capitol Records building in Hollywood.
♦ Model traveler: Cheryl Tiegs dislikes flying Northwest Airlines so much that she has looked into taking the train from Los Angeles to Minnesota: "How long could it take — maybe two days?" Yeah, get back to us on that Cheryl.
♦ Book signing: West magazine cartoonist Donna Barstow will discuss her book Love Me or Go to Hell on Friday at Book Soup. Advice Goddess columnist Amy Alkon will be on hand to, I guess, dispense advice.
♦ L.A. obituary: Albert C. Martin Jr., whose family's century--old architectural firm designed the DWP building downtown, the Million Dollar Theatre on Broadway, the May Co. store at Wilshire and Fairfax and dozens of other notable buildings. Martin was 92.