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Sure, it's chilly out there. But that's not all. Lots of other news to talk about on a (somewhat late) Friday morning. What's the greatest word in the dictionary? Where in L.A. did a French Islamic radical get converted? Click to enter the Morning Buzz.
Talkers
Bears repeating, if just for the oddity
It will be cold tonight, and not just by L.A. standards. "We've had jet streams on steroids coming out of the Gulf of Alaska, but this is much colder air. This is a massive mountain of zero to sub-zero cold air. This is a huge mass of air, not just a jet stream. This is the big breakout that really is the signal for the beginning of winter." LAO yesterday. LAT
Politics
LAPD transparency
With furor building over the secret decision to clear an officer in the Devin Brown shooting, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton called for changing state law to ensure that more openness. Plus, Erwin Chemerinsky files an op-ed. LAT, LAT editorial, DN
Tough act to follow
Marc Haefele looks at the list of candidates for L.A. County CAO and doesn't see anyone who can fill the shoes of the departing David Janssen. CityWatch
Villaraigosa on David Beckham
The statement from the mayor's office begins:
“G o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o a l ! !”
Photo op
Mayor Villaraigosa drops in on the South Korea Consulate at 1 pm to sign a memo of understanding designating the block marked by Wilshire, Vermont, New Hampshire and 6th Street as a "Superblock" where development will promote international trade and culture with South Korea.
Fighting rumors
City Animal Services chief Ed Boks has added a rumor-debunking page to the department's website.
Media
LA Weekly copy desk finds "best word ever"
They say it's "spatchcock" and here's what it means.
Face of French Islamic radicalism has L.A. ties
Kémi Séba realized his direction in life while listening to Tony Muhammad preach at the Nation of Islam's Mosque #27.
Noted
L.A.'s biggest concentration of Jews
In the Valley, of course. Jewish Journal
LAT correction on Dowie
The Times says it misreported a fact from Doug Dowie's sentencing hearing earlier this week. His attorney asked the judge for probation, not a sentence of thirty months in prison.
Today
Harry Shearer
He guests on Patt Morrison to talk about his new book, Not Enough Indians, toward the end of a special 1 pm to 3 pm edition.