March 4 - March 10, 2012

Friday, Mar. 9
Q&A on jobs: Tepid recovery picking up steam - sort of
A different way of doing business is taking shape.
Rick Caruso's tax break
The L.A. developer has been trying for years to overhaul the old Miramar Beach Resort.
Hard-hitting journalism at the Sprinkles ATM
Sigh.
State, L.A. jobless rates show small declines
First time in nearly three years state unemployment rate was under 11 percent.
Herbalife responds to question about research and development
L.A. company says it's a different type of research.
Friday morning headlines
Broad job gains, mortgage deal provides added dividend, Americans resume borrowing, and Taylor Swift is tops.
Jobs recovery gaining speed
It's not just the 227,000 payroll jobs that were added in February - it's the upward revisions from earlier months that economists are spotting. The January jobs figure was increased by 41,000 and the December figure by 20,000. Overall, the economy has added an average 245,000 jobs over the past three months - that's significant. (NYT)...
Thursday, Mar. 8
Downtown may see its first high-rise break ground in 5 years
A Vancouver developer is finalizing plans to build a 32-story apartment tower at Ninth and Olive streets.
L.A.'s income distribution is about the national average
That might seem surprising given the area's enormous levels of wealth.
Read it and weep: Newspaper biz shows biggest job loss
That's based on industry growth rates between 2007 and 2011.
Beware of expectations - high and low - in advance of Friday's jobs report
Rule #1: No one knows what the numbers will look like.
Vegas is back baby!
Well, not completely, but Nevada gaming revenues are on the upswing.
Locals on Forbes latest list of billionaires
The world is filled with lots of extremely rich people.
Thursday morning headlines
Jobless claims increase, shaky support for tax measure, California tops in suspicious mortgage loans, and Hollywood union talks begin.
Wednesday, Mar. 7
More confrontations with airline passengers over electronic devices
Turns out that Alec Baldwin isn't the only jerk who refuses to turn off his phone or tablet. Numbers are sketchy, but flight attendants say that electronic devices have become the leading cause of unruly behavior by passengers. They just don't believe the machines can cause any problems, and, truth be told, there's only limited research on the subject, none of it conclusive. From the WSJ's Scott McCartney: Travelers who "think 'it's no big deal'...
If you're rich, where do you want to live? Where do you think?
California has the largest number of residents with a net worth of $2 million or more.
Stocks recover a bit
The Dow picks up some of its losses from Tuesday, gaining 78 points.
*How low has the Daily News sunk?
You'll be astounded.
Apple's new iPad
A faster machine and sharper graphics are the selling points.
Business Update on KPCC: Cities not out of the fiscal woods
L.A. will have a hard time giving out raises because its deficit is so large.
So far, higher energy prices not hurting the economy all that much
NY crude is trading at about $105 a barrel, which is well below the $144 level in 2008.
Wednesday morning headlines
Pickup in private employment, gas prices stop climbing, Apple announces new iPad, and new budget woes for L.A.
Tuesday, Mar. 6
L.A. Superior Court faces huge cuts
The measures include 300 job cuts and the closing of 50 courtrooms.
Where in the world would you go to disappear?
A former Sherman Oaks investment manager named Bruce Friedman tried France. The feds had been after him in connection with a Ponzi scheme that allegedly bilked investors of more than $200 million. Last year French police arrested Friedman in front of his hotel in Cannes, and in the months since he had been awaiting extradition to the U.S. Then, Friedman died. No word on how or when, according to the LAT. Frankly, the idea of...
Stocks get hammered
It all came apart today in what was by far the worst trading session of the year. The Dow, which was down sharply all day, finished down 203 points, to 12,759. Analysts will point to more rumblings out of Greece, but the market had been long overdue for a pullback as traders look to cash in on what has been a surprisingly bullish year so far....
Questioning Herbalife's research & development
Why won't the L.A.-based marketeer of supplement disclose R&D information?
The economics of good looks
Yes, it does make a difference.
Looks like a big night for Romney
He has a strong chance of winning Ohio, North Dakota, and Alaska, and is a virtual lock in Virginia, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Idaho.
Jon Stewart piles onto Rush Limbaugh
Metaphorically, that is.
Tuesday morning headlines
Gas prices stabilizing, concerns about college loans, scamster Bruce Friedman dies, and record year of lobbying.
Monday, Mar. 5
L.A. gas hikes slow down, up a nickel in the last week
Keep in mind that they were up 23 cents the previous week.
Big tuition hike protest in Sacramento
Thousands of students rallied outside the state Capitol this morning.
*All the advertisers that are sticking with Rush Limbaugh
Don't get too excited by the seven or eight sponsors that have pulled out - it's still a long list.
Boomers facing retirement blues
Too many retirees wanting to sell their investment portfolios will deflate prices.
Post-recession income inequality
This explains why retail's luxury sector turned around so fast after the downturn.
United-Continental merger means more routes out of LAX
Seven new destinations out of LAX, including Shanghai, Hilo, and Austin.
Monday morning headlines
Yahoo preps big restructuring, newspapers struggle on print side, big weekend for "The Lorax," and labor abuses alleged in Inland Empire.
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