Morning Buzz: Wednesday 12.15.10

Mark Zuckerberg is Time's man of the year and a new member of the California Hall of Fame, plus red-light cameras, a new school year for LAUSD and The Tasting Kitchen gets noticed.

Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg was named Time's man of the year. Time
Plus:Zuckerberg, Pat Brown, Barbara Streisand, Betty White and Serena Williams were among the honorees inducted in the California Hall of Fame. Bee
LAPD officials defended the use of automated cameras at intersections to catch drivers running red lights and questioned why there is little consequence for violators who ignore the citations. LAT, DN
Ordering his deputies not to talk to the L.A. Times is just the latest in a series of missteps by Sheriff Lee Baca and his department, Steve Lopez opines. LAT
The LAUSD board voted to move the start of the school year to August 15 and accept advertising on campuses. LAT, DN
Front-page columnist Doug McIntyre writes in the Daily News that it's on Mayor Villaraigosa's head that L.A. "is quickly becoming 'The Capital of the Third World.'" DN
Controller Wendy Greuel and outgoing DWP commission president Lee Alpert guest on today's "Off the Presses" on L.A. Talk Radio.
Fox News staffers got their marching orders on climate change during last year's Copenhagen summit from Washington managing editor Bill Sammon, whose memo reminded them "we should refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question." Politico
Times reporter Garrett Therolf, activist Daniel Heimpel and others talked about the departure of children's service chief Trish Ploehn on KPCC's Patt Morrison show.
Michael Fleming, executive director of the David Bohnett Foundation, was appointed by President Barack Obama to the newly created White House Council for Community Solutions. Via release
The Tasting Kitchen in Venice was named one of Alan Richman's top 10 new U.S. restaurants. GQ