Based on Maia's comment to this latest post on Cathy's blog, by Lewis Fein, it sounds like the end is very near. Much of the blogosphere, even those who disagreed with her politically, is mourning already (happily, I only saw one mean-spirited tribute). She will leave a hole in it, and in Los Angeles journalism, that won't be filled soon, or perhaps at all.

For those who didn't know her, and want to get a sense of her, read Amy Alkon's post:

At the party at Debbie and Morgan Gundel's to celebrate her remission, she announced, "I just want to let everyone know having cancer hasn't made me a better person."

She also has a link roundup.

Mark Steyn:

She’s a very funny writer on a whole range of subjects and she ought to be a lot better known. She’s especially funny on the subject of The Los Angeles Times, whose current despond can be most easily explained by the fact that they’d never dream of hiring her but they’re happy to have all those unreadable plonkers who’ve been tying up prime metro/features/lifestyle real estate at the paper for decades.

Here's a profile by Luke Ford. And Matt Welch has some pictures, recent and not so recent. Emmanuelle (his much better half) has one from childhood.