August 1 - August 7, 2010
Friday, Aug. 6
The City Council voted 10-0 to extend the tax holiday after a big push by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Company says that Hurd had filed "numerous" inaccurate expense reports, some of which were made to an outside contractor. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Just in case you're thinking about a late-summer vacation, Moscow is worst, and NY and Washington are on the top 10. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Quite a disconnect between today's bleak employment report and the throngs waiting to get into the refashioned Santa Monica shopping center. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Producers aren't even showing scripts to potential cast members out of concern about having them wind up on the Internet $MTEntryExcerpt$>
One is a variation on congestion pricing, where metered parking rates will be raised or lowered according to demand. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
The job hole created by the recession is massive - and there's little indication of a strong uptick. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is spending much of the day trying to show that the employment report isn't as bad as it seems. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Waters defends her actions, state and local government jobs being cut, Boeing shuts down OC facility, and Mexicana stops selling tickets. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Payrolls fell by 131,000 in July, though a large portion was of was the result of temporary Census workers being let go. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Thursday, Aug. 5
The consensus from a Bloomberg survey of economists is for a loss of 65,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment edging higher.
$MTEntryExcerpt$>
My wife gives me a hard time because I don't love making calls - or receiving them, for that matter. Turns out I'm not alone. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Filers in the Central District of California (that's us) were in the hole by an average of $375,875 last year.
$MTEntryExcerpt$>
Developers behind a plan to replace the Wilshire Grand with a retail/office/hotel complex want the city to establish a sign district in that part of downtown. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
The Times finally runs an item on the identity theft case involving Donald Bren - and fails to note that the story was first reported by another publication.
$MTEntryExcerpt$>
Live Nation's executive chairman has been posting some not-so-flattering tweets about music columnists and concert-goers. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
At last, someone takes a closer look at how the Dodgers owner has been able to bankroll his business operations... $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Lackluster times for retailers, hopeful job news for California, new hotel fee sought in L.A., and Jackson estate up for sale. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Wednesday, Aug. 4
Not the Clinton prosecutor - the NY money manager who is alleged to have scammed dozens of celebrities out of tens of millions of dollars. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
The city's Board of Referred Powers has postponed a hearing on the selection of a concessionaire for the airport's retail, food and beverage operations. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
This would be for a $1-billion hotel, office and retail complex that would replace the Wilshire Grand hotel. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Many of the lease-holders from the government's Cash for Clunkers program want out. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Sidney Harman will have a tough time keeping the newsweekly alive, but so far he's a class act next to the jerky Sam Zell. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Several of Socal's wealthiest people have signed on to the call by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to give the majority of their wealth to charity. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
More Californians lose jobless benefits, spending remains sluggish in July, L.A. pension worries mount, and counterfeit scam busted. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Tuesday, Aug. 3
One potential buyer of the giant bookstore chain is an investor group led by its chairman and founder, Leonard Riggio. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Study shows that the NY metropolitan area has 667,200 people holding $1 million or more in investment assets. L.A. is second highest. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Not a huge surprise considering that the carrier had been slashing flights all over the country. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
My weekly business chat with KPCC's Steve Julian looks at the ongoing public pension crisis and the stunning payouts for... $MTEntryExcerpt$>
The more prices fall, the more likely people will expect them to fall and at some point the cycle is hard to stop. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Santra Bullock lands in the top spot, according to Forbes, at $56 million. Reese Witherspoon ranks second. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Houlihan Lokey concluded that the leveraged buyout by Sam Zell would have left Tribune with too much debt. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
The L.A. representative who is accused of conflict of interest finds time to accuse the Treasury Department of conflict of interest. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Countrywide settlement approved, Mexicana cancels LAX flights, Long Beach loses Boeing work, and Roski gives lawmakers free Lakers tickets. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Monday, Aug. 2
Socal's beloved burger chain could be in for a fight. The Virginia-based Five Guys Burgers & Fries has just opened... $MTEntryExcerpt$>
...She was making a few dollars in this 1995 Mutual Savings Bank commercial. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Somebody stole the the OC honcho's $1.4 million federal tax refund check, set up bank accounts under Bren's name, and withdrew nearly $1.1 million. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
As expected, Congressional investigators have accused L.A. Congresswoman Maxine Waters of violating House ethics rules. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
What's up with the market? This is August - I thought investors were heading for the hills. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Most workers would be ecstatic about paying 5 percent of their monthly health care premium. But not L.A. city workers. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
CEO Ray Irani is finally getting some heat for his outrageous compensation. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Almost 23 percent of their time is spent on social networking sites and blogs, up from 16 percent a year ago $MTEntryExcerpt$>
The airline, which was downgraded by U.S. regulators because of safety concerns, could file for bankruptcy. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
Sidney Harman has reached a tentative agreement with the Washington Post Co., parent of the financially struggling newsweekly. $MTEntryExcerpt$>
BP to start plugging, why Maxine Waters is in trouble, state lawmakers return to work, and beware bacon lovers.
$MTEntryExcerpt$>
© 2003-2015
About LA Observed
Email the editor