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Xi Jinping's day in LA, Herb Wesson politicizes the City Council, Richard Alarcon's bad week, why Stephen Colbert took off, the LAPL takes to Pinterest and remembering the heyday of Gold's Gym in Venice.
China's Vice President Xi Jinping will be joined by Vice President Joe Biden at the JW Marriott for meetings, a luncheon hosted by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and a gathering of governors hosted by Gov. Jerry Brown. In the evening Xi and Villaraigosa will attend the Lakers game. Tibetan groups have announced plans to protest outside LA Live.
City Council President Herb Wesson denies that gutting the districts of council members Bernard Parks and Jan Perry is payback. But, well, you know. "The council appears to be at war with each other...the incoming president is coming with his team, and rewarding his team and punishing others — specifically Parks, and to a lesser extent, Perry," says Jaime Regalado, emeritus professor of political science at Cal State L.A. LAT
Plus: Process "is almost perfectly devoid of redeeming qualities," says an LA Times editorial.
And:New maps due out Saturday. DN
Bad week for Councilman Richard Alarcon. The state Democratic party endorsed rival Raul Bocanegra for Assembly on a unanimous vote, and an anonymous website is running hits on Alarcon. PolitiCal
New Councilman Joe Buscaino endorsed City Attorney and fellow San Pedran Carmen Trutanich for DA.
Former City Council candidate Robyn Ritter Simon on candidate poseurs and the prospect of soon having no women on the City Council. CityWatch
Newt Gingrich's campaign bus broke down in West Hollywood, gets no respect. KPCC
A real estate agent and blogger thinks that West Hollywood city manager Paul Arevalo makes too much for such a small city.
Some LA Journalists were not too happy about Janice Min's slam at the quality of the local talent. Fishbowl LA
Gary Carter remembered as "former Fullerton News Tribune paper boy." LAT
Stephen Colbert has temporarily halpted production of "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central due to family circumstances, reportedly the declining health of his 91-year-old mother. NY Post
MSNBC parted ways with longtime Republican commentator Pat Buchanan.
If you're going to fly a plane into the restricted airspace around President Obama's chopper, you probably shouldn't be carrying a large amount of marijuana. LAT
The Los Angeles Public Library has ventured onto Pinterest by posting the some of the library's Ansel Adams photos we have been telling you about for awhile now. Pinterest
Muscle Beach and Venice: "In the 1970s, a new breed of American man emerged from the weight rooms of Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach. Led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, a clique of world-class bodybuilders — muscle-bound, steroid-fueled, bronzed like suntanned gods — pumped iron, chased girls, and changed the world’s exercise culture forever." Men's Journal