Geffen and Spielberg, Lincoln Place, Mary Mapes on Dan Rather and a whole bunch of other topics covered today. Click to go on in.

Geffen and Spielberg plan to bolt Paramount

Moguls will ankle the studio as soon as they can, Claudia Eller says. LAT

Big win for Lincoln Place tenants

They can stay in their rent-controlled Venice apartments, a state appeals court rules. Problem is, most were already evicted. What happens to them is unclear, along with a lot of other details. LAT, Venice Paper

Snake bite in Palos Verdes

Ten-year-old Sebastian Leon was bitten by a young rattlesnake in his rolling Hills Estates backyard and needed fifteen doses of antivenin. "Baby snakes are notorious for releasing all their venom on the victim at once," said the doctor. Breeze

Chancellor admits to 'bungling' Chemerinsky firing

UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake won't go into details, either in his apology to the faculty at Irvine or in an interview with the Times. The UC Regents approved Chemerinsky's appointment without controversy. LAT

Mary Mapes supports Rather suit

The anchor's producer defends the Bush national guard story they did together, blames conservative attack bloggers for obscuring the content of their report, and says Rather had no choice but to file a massive lawsuit against CBS. HuffPost

Fidler's instruction could give Spector an out

If Phil Spector is convicted, he has pretty strong grounds for a reversal on appeal due to the judge's changing jury instructions. Or so legal experts think. Food writing comes to court, in the LAT:

It was the sort of problem faced by a cook standing over a stove trying to make gumbo for his wife's birthday. After two hours, he tastes it and discovers that he has put in too much garlic. He tries to pluck out some of the garlic or mask it with several splashes of hot sauce. He won't know for a while whether it will work.

Fidler spent most of three days trying to fix the problem, finally deciding to nullify the problematic instruction and issue a new one in its place.

Fight over anti-gang tax

Councilwoman Janice Hahn wants voters to decide if property owners should be taxed $30 a year to fund anti-gang measures. Controller Laura Chick says she'll fight it. DN

Jena rallies in Los Angeles

Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood was closed briefly, and students walked out of Locke High School. AP, LAist, NBC4

SAG president reelected

Second term for actor Alan Rosenberg, who got just 47% of the vote in holding off a challenge from Seymour Cassel. LAT, Variety

With Dodgers almost done, Kent lashes out

Surly second baseman nearing retirement seems to blame the young players for not being professional enough. Jon Weisman compares the accounts, which differ. DodgerThoughts

20 years of Cirque de Soleil in L.A.

I think the first tent went up downtown. Anyway, Larry Mantle today talks with the general manager of the latest Cirque show to come to town. AIrtalk on KPCC (89.3 FM) about 10:40 am.

New area code overlay in Orange County

When 657 starts up, callers will have to dial 1 and the area code before all local calls. LAT

Contributor credits

Native Intelligence contributor Erika Schickel converses with author Steve Almond in this week's CityBeat.

LA Observed on KCRW

What I learned on my summer vacation — including that Los Angeles will never be a great walking city — today at 4:44 pm on KCRW (89.9 FM) and KCRW.com.