Monday shorts *

   • The contents page in Sunday's L.A. Times Magazine had a posed photograph of a faux prisoner in a faux cell, to illustrate a cover story on the Three Strikes law. LA.comfidential hears that photographer Mark Hanauer shot the pics in a jail set downtown at Entertanium Studios, which doubles as a sex party locale. Some, uh, action was overheard during the shoot.

   • We hear — but have not confirmed — that former Los Angeles Magazine editor Spencer Beck will soon be announced as the new editorial director at Modern Luxury, the Chicago publishing group that owns Angeleno, Riviera and the Front Desk tourist guides. He'll be expanding the empire to other cities, apparently.

   • If you were hoping to hear Molly Ivins tonight at the Central Library, don't go. She cancelled for medical reasons a few weeks ago, and a sign at the library emphasizes the reading won't be rescheduled. But Tracy Kidder speaks Wednesday and Lawrence Weschler on Thursday (that one is fully booked). Also Thursday, the Autry National Center hosts a reception for My California from 5 to 8 p.m. Added to next week's calendar: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks with Bill Maher for Writers Bloc on Monday at Temple Emanuel, and the L.A. Press Club throws in with Reason magazine for the second time this year in a party Wednesday at Maple Drive.

   • The Online News Association holds its fifth national conference in Hollywood Nov. 12-13, right after the election. AP president Tom Curley is the keynote speaker.

   • The local Society of Professional Journalists chapter won a "circle of excellence" award for promoting diversity, at the group's national convention this month.

   • Jay Leno's admission to Nikki Finke that he has never voted conservative and his mild chiding of President Bush has cooled the White House on having Bush or VP Dick Cheney appear on "The Tonight Show," the New York Daily News' "Daily Dish" says, citing "a source." Nikki?

* Updated through the day