Friday desk-clearing

Mel Gibson cursed a professor at Cal State Northridge last night after a screening of Apocalypto,, which the professor had termed racist. ""He told her to 'F--- off lady, get a history book and read,"' said student Josue Guagan. DN
Sam Zell sweetened his offer for Tribune and now looks like he may be the buyer that some int he company want. Times editor Jim O'Shea reportedly told editors this morning that a Zell deal was likely. LAT, LA Biz Observed
Robert Krakoff, president and CEO of Nielsen Business Media — parent of The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard — died today in Boston. THR
Jenny Price has put the third installment of her popular Malibu beaches guide up at Native Intelligence.
Tom Hoffarth of the Daily News is "L.A.'s most astute sports-media critic," David Davis posts at SoCal Sports Observed, praising Hoffarth's review of the HBO doc on UCLA basketball.
Veronique de Turenne sits out the traffic by whale-watching from Point Dume at Here in Malibu.
Just to clarify an item from the Daily News in the Morning Buzz: City Council President Eric Garcetti is urging a boycott of the Hilton at LAX over its treatment of workers, not all airport-area hotels.