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Morning BuzzHow a nuke could ruin your day
A ten-kiloton blast at the Port of Los Angeles "would not only kill tens of thousands of people, but have devastating economic impacts across the globe," a Rand study concludes. Yeah, I guess it would be bad for traffic too.
Playing games with Superintendent search
Mayor Villaraigosa says the school board might be planning to offer a multi-year deal to its own superintendent candidate (when it finds one), as a way around mayoral control.
Schools are better, but...
Academic performance in the LAUSD improved for the sixth straight year, but the standardized test scores still place the district below average. Daily News
Louise Bryson to head Getty Trust
She moves up from vice-chair after the early departure from the board of John Biggs. Bryson is president of distribution at Lifetime Entertainment Services and general manager of the Lifetime Movie Network.
LAX failures a 'professional challenge'
That's nice and all, but the FAA still doesn't know why the instrument landing system has failed twice — and doesn't like being criticized about it. LAT, Breeze
AFTER THE JUMP: Muslims unhappy with Arnold now, L.A. sues to protect its sewage sludge, Ethics commission muzzled, Sploid goes dark, New York Times goes Hollywood, Angelides schedules an L.A. education announcement and Erin Aubry Kaplan advises Oprah and the rest to be more like Mike Douglas.
Politics
Muslim groups unhappy with Arnold now
The groups that criticized Mayor Villaraigosa for attending an Israel rally and disregarding their invitations are now after Gov. Schwarzenegger.
L.A. sues over Kern County's sludge ban
Los Angeles took its case to federal court, saying that the voters around Bakersfield who barred trucked-in sewage were being "arbitrary and irrational." LAT, DN
Ethics Commission told to bite its tongue
Did I read this right? When commissioner Bill Boyarsky tried to ask the City Ethics Commission staff whether the City Council's term limits and ethics measure for the November ballot might actually weaken ethics rules, he was told by a deputy city attorney that he can't ask questions like that — remember, he's on the commission.
Media
Sploid says farewell
The online tabloid created by Ken Layne for the Gawker empire folded its tent when no buyers took the leap.
NYT hires a Hollywood agency
Broder Webb Chervin Silberman will represent the paper in optioning stories for film and television. Todd Hoffman is the lead agent on the deal. The New York Observer says the relationship was inked back in June before Broder Webb was acquired by ICM.
Oprah could learn from Mike Douglas
That's according to LAT op-edist Erin Aubry Kaplan.
Noted
Look inside the Emmy swag bags
$2,500 worth of cosmetics, DVD's and See's candy, held in a bag that Cole Haan will sell for $400.
Today
Angelides announcement
The Democratic candidate for governor makes what his people are billing as "a major policy announcement" with Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell at 10 am at the Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood.
Ask Chief Bratton
The LAPD chief takes calls on KPCC's "Patt Morrison" after 2 pm.
Media heads on KPFK
Los Angeles Times reporters Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten, author of One Party Country: The Republican Plan for Dominance in the 21st Century, and Los Angeles Magazine senior editor RJ Smith (The Great Black Way: L.A. in the 1940s and the Lost African American Renaissance) guest with Jon Wiener between 4 pm and 5 pm on KPFK (90.7 FM).
Around LA Observed
Yesterday on News & Chatter
Judge at Angels game when murder verdict comes in
1,100 homes get OK in Santa Clarita
Douridas gets probation
1,100 homes get OK in Santa Clarita
Douridas gets probation
On the blogs
Native Intelligence: Freeway wheelies at 70 miles an hour
LA Biz Observed: Nelson Peltz talks to the Chandler family about Tribune
SoCal Sports Observed: Billingsley finds his control
Chicken Corner: Echo Park Historical Society holds its art-auction fundraiser in Silver Lake
Here in Malibu: Googling Malibu turns up some news
LA Biz Observed: Nelson Peltz talks to the Chandler family about Tribune
SoCal Sports Observed: Billingsley finds his control
Chicken Corner: Echo Park Historical Society holds its art-auction fundraiser in Silver Lake
Here in Malibu: Googling Malibu turns up some news