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An abbreviated batch of politics, media and news notes today.
If Gov. Jerry Brown wanted to, he could go straight to the voters without having to purchase Republican support for his tax extension proposal. Contra Costa Times
Brown has said his strategic guidebook for decades has been a slim, 2,500-year-old volume: "The Art of War" by Chinese general Sun Tzu. SF Chronicle
The Times acknowledges "considerable public skepticism about the long-delayed project: to build a heavily subsidized office building at Vine and Selma in Hollywood with the involvement of the CRA. LAT
Rick Orlov's Tipoffs: election aftermath. DN
Los Angeles police last week joined a growing list of law enforcement agencies across the state in changing policies for impounding vehicles of unlicensed drivers, a shift prompted by complaints that illegal immigrants were being unfairly targeted at DUI checkpoints. LAT
Sharon Waxman of The Wrap calls rival Nikki Finke a "stenographer" for William Morris Endeavor in comments on the site. The Wrap
Gregory Rodriguez highlights Highland Park graphic designer Amy Inouye and artist Stuart Rappeport for their efforts to mount Chicekn Boy on top of their studio. LAT op-ed column
Metrolink plans to launch its first rush-hour express trains to downtown Los Angeles, cutting the longest travel times by about half an hour each way. LAT
Add Upland to the roster of cities mired in financial scandal. LAT