May 17 - May 23, 2009
Friday, May. 22
Check out the Talking Points Memo offices in NY's Chelsea neighborhood. It may serve as a model for the Internet newsroom.
Some of the chi-chi boutiques on the Westside are closing their brick-and-mortar operations and becoming Web-only retailers.
Lots of projects are still in the planning stage, but much of the actual construction is being put off, mostly because of financial difficulties.
The state Supreme Court will issue its decision at 10 a.m. on the constitutionality of the November ballot measure that reinstated a ban on same-sex marriage.
April unemployment fell to 11 percent from 11.3 percent the month before. It's also 11 percent in the state, down from 11.2 percent in March. That's the good news.
Forget about federal aid to California, local officials not happy about Schwarzenegger's plan, Playboy up for sale, and SAG members duke it out.
Thursday, May. 21
Timing seems a little off considering the premium being placed on frugality these days, but if you so choose Bang & Olufsen has come out with a 103-inch plasma TV.
The state may have a chronic inability to form a government, like a certain boot-shaped European nation, but we can't help it -- we still like the place.
This business about California being too big to fail is not getting much traction on Capitol Hill - or the Treasury Department for that matter.
White House backs off on cutting off state funds, Superior Court hours to be cut, Mexican economy tumbles, and TV viewing is up.
Wednesday, May. 20
LAT columnist Mike Hiltzik says the theme of the governor's budget-initiative campaign - that gridlock could be solved by more gridlock and more borrowing - was one big lie.
I never thought I'd see Dennis Kneale almost speechless. But check out his CNBC exchange with Jeff Macke, who contributes to the network's "Fast Money" program.
American City Business Journals, which is also owned by Advance Publications, will take over the site now that Condé Nast has killed the glossy print magazine.
Unlike an earlier study that found selections by the CNBC host to be a money-losing proposition, this research draws a more positive conclusion.
The early reading is that Schwarzenegger will want to take out the budget ax and start cutting back - a lot. That puts the squeeze on the Democrat-controlled legislature.
Assigning blame after Tuesday's election, big sale at Albertsons, home prices are expected to keep falling, and Kogi banned in OC.
Tuesday, May. 19
Bravo is looking for "outgoing, exciting, strong, focused women who reside in and around the Beverly Hills area that want to share their lives."
April home sales were strong in the inland areas, but still sluggish in communities closer to the coast, according to the latest Dataquick numbers.
Sluggish holiday weekend expected, fewer workers taking time off, Council approves cost-conscious budget, and layoffs at William Morris.
Monday, May. 18
Last night's 4.7 shaker erupted along the Newport-Inglewood fault, which is the same source for the destructive 1933 Long Beach earthquake.
The Bev Hills billionaire had owned 53.8 percent of MGM Mirage, but a series of stock and bond offerings will reduce that holding to 39 percent.
Feds looking into what Madoff's big investors knew, magazine ads down sharply, Ryan Kavanaugh may be going after MGM, and Kerkorian buys more shares of MGM Mirage.
Sunday, May. 17
The 50 Wealthiest Angelenos collectively lost more than $32 billion, leaving L.A. with just 29 billionaires, the lowest total in five years.
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The funeral for Mark Lacter will be held Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12 noon at Hillside Memorial Park, 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles 90045. Reception to follow.
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