Tuesday morning headlines

Stocks edge higher: Just four more days until the December jobs report. Dow is up about 65 points in early trading.

Oscar nominations: As expected, "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" lead the way with nine nominations each. (NYT, The Wrap)

Getting pedals fixed: Toyota is asking customers to wait for a certified letter before making an appointment. Unless, that is, they start noticing that their vehicle exhibits worrisome symptoms. Getting around to everybody will take weeks. (LAT)

L.A. budget cuts advance: A council committee signed off on a plan to lay off up to 1,500 workers and cut spending across the board - including for police and fire. Up to now, public safety had been off the table, but Councilman Bernard Parks said it's too big a portion of the overall budget not to be included. (Daily News)

Sony layoffs: All told, 450 people, or 6.5 percent of the workforce. Biggest impact will be in the home entertainment and information technology divisions. It's the second time in a year that Sony Pictures has cut its workforce. (LAT)

Super Bowl sell-out: CBS has sold its final spot for the big game. There are close to 70 commercials, some of them topping $3 million. (AP)

Stunning ad decline: Newspaper classified revenue is down 70 percent over the last 10 years, from $19.6 billion in 2000 to roughly $6 billion in 2009. Wowser. (Poynter)

Film Company IPO: The indie movie producer is pushing ahead with its offering sometimes this month, looking to raise about $90 million. Film Company has produced just two movies. (LAT)

Gas prices dip: An average gallon of regular in the L.A. area is $3.025, down a couple of pennies from last week, according to the government's report.

Lacter on radio: This morning's business chat with KPCC's Steve Julian looks at L.A.'s deteriorating budget situation and the struggles faced by small banks. Also on kpcc.org and on podcast.