Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Thursday 6.13.13

Politics and government

Why is California so hard to govern? One reason is that we're suffering from Hiram Johnson's daddy issues, and this Father's Day is as good a time as any to confront them, writes Joe Mathews. Zocalo

Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti will talk to Reddit users tonight at 7 p.m. Instead of Reddit's traditional ask me anything approach, Garcetti writes, "please share your ideas on how to create jobs and solve problems in L.A." More than 350 comments have been posted in advance. Reddit

Los Angeles County has produced a short, animated video to educate the public where the $25 billion county budget comes from and where it all goes. Vimeo

A ruling that struck down parts of a parcel tax that voters passed to support local schools will stand after the California Supreme Court decided not to review the case. The decision could have consequences for school districts in Los Angeles County. Contra Costa Times

Glendale city officials approved a $5.3 million construction contract to expand the Alex Theatre, "an improvement project officials say will make the historic venue more competitive as it is weaned off an annual government subsidy." News-Press

Media and books

Soledad O’Brien has signed an overall content development deal with HBO and also will join the network’s award-winning sports journalism program Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. THR

In the third episode of “Big Shots With Giselle Fernandez,” she sits down with Vicente Fox, the former President of Mexico who now spends a lot of time in Los Angeles. Los Angeles

Patt Morrison, subbing for Larry Mantle as host of KPCC's "Airtalk," did a segment on the FBI file on the supposed dirty lyrics of "Louie, Louie" with UC Irvine scholar Jon Wiener. KPCC

The Best Newspaper Correction You’ll Read Today: an apology for linking aliens to Scientology. BuzzFeed

The limited-release documentary "Hating Breitbart" has the biggest gap on Rotten Tomatoes between the critics score and the audience score. THR

Death of the Spec Script: the ten highest screenplay sales ever. IndieWire

Turkish director Belmin Söylemez is in the thick of civil unrest as her new film debuts. Cultural Weekly

Ellen Page did a Guest DJ Project set for KCRW.

More news, notes and observations

Phil Jackson showcases his Zen at Glendale's Alex Theatre. News-Press

The number of Americans who consider themselves multiracial has grown faster than any other racial group nationwide, new Census Bureau data reveal. LAT

Surf Air, a membership-only airline based in Santa Monica, made its first flight Wednesday from Burbank to the Bay Area. The airline offers members unlimited flights up and down the California coast for a monthly fee of $1,650. LAT, MSN Money

JesusSaves_half-biola.jpgA replica of the original downtown “Jesus Saves” neon signs has been unveiled at Biola University. The sign was first lit on Feb. 17, 1935, when Biola was located downtown. Release

The impossible 405 detour maze. LA Weekly

Can the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium be saved? The Argonaut, plus interview with the son of architect Welton Becket

Jimmy Kimmel will interview Kobe Bryant at the Nokia Theatre on Aug. 15 as a benefit for the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Foundation and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Sports Spectacular. ESPN LA

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti is a hockey man at heart. Fox Sports West

The Dodgers lost 8-6 to the Diamondbacks, with no recurrence of the beanball war from the night before. Yasiel Puig did not play due to soreness from the previous game. ESPN

The Dodgers acknowledged the truth of a news report that they will open next season in Sydney, Australia on March 22-23, 2014.

Press release of the day

Releases from two different PR people about a design tour of the San Fernando Valley refer to the geographic place as "LA Valley." As in: "This intrepid tour begins at Griffith Park Observatory and heads north to LA Valley, exposing guests to the many treasure across the city - from an abandoned art deco airport to a movie prop house and more..."


More by Kevin Roderick:
'In on merit' at USC
Read the memo: LA Times hires again
Read the memo: LA Times losing big on search traffic
Google taking over LA's deadest shopping mall
Gustavo Arellano, many others join LA Times staff
Recent Morning Buzz stories on LA Observed:
Thursday news and notes
A little bit of mid-week reading
A few links from a few different places
Let's talk about anything but the weather
A few links from here and there
A couple of links from a couple of places
A bit of news from a few places
Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14