Thursday morning headlines

Stimulus impact for California: Between infrastructure work, healthcare for the poor, higher unemployment benefits, and individual taxes cuts, you're looking at around $63 billion, according to a liberal think tank. One of the projects cited by the LAT is a $5 million upgrade to the SM Pier.

What meltdown? More than $18 billion in bonuses were handed out to Wall Streeters, the sixth-largest haul on record (and as much as in 2004). Some bankers took home millions last year even as their employers lost billions. (NYT)

"My life sucks": That's SAG President Alan Rosenberg telling Sharon Waxman how he feels about being pushed aside by the guild's national board. "I’ve seen all my hard work of the past three and a half years amounting to nothing. The liars and manipulators have won," he said. That's not quite how SAG moderates would put it. From The Wrap:

to defend the ousted national executive director, Doug Allen, lauding him as “extraordinary” and “the best thing that’s ever happened to our union.” “Yeah, I’m angry,” he said. “Sad. Disappointed. The last two days I feel sort of isolated. I’m shut out from planning meetings. I feel isolated from the operations of the union.” Indeed he is. Within a few hours Rosenberg’s replacements at SAG and counterparts at the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers jointly announced two days of meetings on Feb. 3 and 4 in Sherman Oaks.

YouTube close to deal: The William Morris Agency wants to place its clients in made-for-the-Web productions. The Google-owned video site has been trying to buff up its offerings in recent months as a way of attracting advertisers. From the NYT:

YouTube’s audience is enormous; the measurement firm comScore reported that 100 million viewers in the United States visited the site in October. But, in part because of copyright concerns, the site does not place ads on or next to user-uploaded videos. As a result, it makes money from only a fraction of the videos on the site — the ones that are posted by its partners, including media companies like CBS and Universal Music.

Kimmel instead of "Nightline"?: ABC executives are talking about placing him in the 11:35 slot, opposite Conan and Dave, unidentified sources are telling the NYT. Network honchos deny any such plan is being considered. Lots of potential infighting between news and entertainment.

"Mall Cop" has legs: Audience tracking surveys were apparently way off in forecasting the BO performance of the silly Kevin James comedy. With more than $67 million in ticket sales so far, "Mall Cop" could hit the $100 million mark. Something about moviegoers wanting to root for the underdog. (LAT)

JetBlue starts LAX service: Flights to Boston and NY begin in June (the airline already flies out of Long Beach and Burbank). The new flights will originate at Terminal 6 and use 150-seat Airbus A-320 jets. (Daily Breeze)

Pac Sun appeases investors: The OC-based retailer will lay off management staff and reduce inventories. Stock has taken a thumping in the past six months. (OC Business Journal)