Will anyone miss the Golden Globes?

Finally, one of the least meritorious award "competitions" in Hollywood is cut back to its essence: a press conference. But there's economic fallout. NYT, LAT, Variety, LA Biz Observed

Nicole Kidman's rep

That would be Linda McBigfatliarface. Defamer

Labor puts $1 million into phone tax campaign

"We are extremely concerned about where our communities could end up if these services are cut in a big way," says Maria Elena Durazo of the County Fed. Prop. S is on the Feb. 5 ballot. DN

City's expensive legal settlements

Los Angeles overpays by not taking care of issues ahead of time and being disorganized, an audit by Controller Laura Chick concludes. LAT settle

Airport commission did violate the Brown Act

DA Steve Cooley finds that the panel did not properly discuss LAX safety. But so what. Daily Breeze

Meruelo's mansion

Downtown's biggest landowner is building an 18,700-square-foot mansion in Whittier. Star-News

TV talker Courtney Smith goes on trial

The commentator and investment adviser Courtney Smith is accused of participating in a stock manipulation scheme that resulted in the loss of $130 million involving the now-defunct Van Nuys-based GenesisIntermedia, Inc. DN

Names of the ex-newspaper people in San Diego

Buyouts at the Union-Tribune. Voice of San Diego

Library, the book

Don Borchert's "Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library" tells tales on what it's like working in a small branch library in Torrance. He has put in thirteen years, and seen the library culture change into a place that babysits latchkey kids and accommodates a wide spectrum of society. LAT

Gilbert A. Harrison, former publisher was 92

The owner of The New Republic who sold to Martin Peretz in 1974 was a former editor at the UCLA Daily Bruin. NYT