A backup guard, or a new bottle of phosphorus

The January 2008 edition of the USC Alumni Association e-newsletter makes note of that fact that Lakers owner Jerry Buss (Ph.D. '57) has given a $7.5 million planned gift to support education and research in the Department of Chemistry at USC.

No immediate reaction from chemically-dependent Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg, Paula Abdul, or any of the other glue-sniffers who were at Buss' Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies last year.

The cash is supposed to fund two endowed chairs in the chemistry department and an endowed scholarship fund for chemistry graduate students. Buss named the two chairs in honor of his former USC chemistry professors, Sidney Benson and David Dows.

Buss got his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wyoming in 1953, and then his masters and Ph.D. at USC at age 24. He has yet to achieve anything that the kids in "Weird Science" did back in the mid-80s, but our guess is Buss could get Kelly LeBrock at any stage or age in her acting career without flashing any beakers.