LA Biz Observed: January 27, 2013 - February 2, 2013 Archives

January 27 - February 2, 2013

Friday, Feb. 1

Weird tales of selling homes to the super-rich

Agent Jade Mills has seen a lot of excess and, well, strangeness, and she shares a few of her experiences with Curbed L.A.

Report: As bids for AEG are prepared, new names emerge

Westfield, the Australian-based shopping center giant and Steve Mnuchin, chief executive of Pasadena-based One West Bank, are taking a look at Philip Anschutz's sports and entertainment empire.

Dow tops 14,000

Sure, it's only a big, round number, but considering how far the market has come in three years (6547 on March 9, 2009), it's hard not to take note.

How the jobless report has turned ho-hum

A single government report is only a snapshot - a fuzzy one at that. January's results more or less confirm what we've been seeing for many months: An economy that is getting better, gradually.

Thursday, Jan. 31

California is considered a nice place again as bonds get upgraded

Well, nicer anyway. Standard & Poor's upgraded California's general obligation bond rating from A-minus to A, which is still two grades below top notch but certainly an improvement from the last past few years.

Time Warner Cable defends huge Dodger deal

CEO Glenn Britt tried to deflect any criticism of hosting a new Dodgers channel - and along with it higher cable fees - by emphasizing the potential cost savings of cutting a long-term agreement.

Traders favoring 'Argo' for best picture

Looks like a two-movie race, with the Ben Affleck thriller given a 59.4 percent chance of taking home the Oscar, according to the online trading site Intrade, and Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" running at only 34.7 percent. It falls sharply after that.

Wednesday, Jan. 30

Shocker! Greuel's 'waste, fraud and abuse' numbers are suspect

The City Controller claims that as mayor she would be on top of the city's management challenges because her office has identified $160 million in "waste, fraud and abuse." But even if that number were accurate, it doesn't address the city's systemic fiscal problems.

Local stocks are on a tear - but is it too late to get in on the fun?

Stocks actually fell today, but that still puts the Dow within 200 or so points of it's all-time high in October 2007. But what about now? Is the market about to peak out or is this just the start of an extended bull market?

Big bump in sales of California million-dollar homes

Nearly 27,000 of them sold in 2012, according to Dataquick, a 27 percent increase over a year earlier - and the highest sales total in this category since 2007.

What the hell happened to the economy?

Expansions are not supposed to contract. It makes people wonder about whether to hire or take vacations or buy cars. Not good. So this morning's headline number on fourth-quarter gross domestic product is bound to raise a few questions.

Tuesday, Jan. 29

Here's how to map L.A.'s separation of classes

The breakdowns for creative, service and working classes are not especially surprising, but the map's shadings offer a dramatic relief to what's become one of the most polarized regions of the country.

Slow jamming the debt news

Funny stuff from Jimmy Fallon, Brian Williams, and The Roots. Why can't Congress be this entertaining?

So what would happen if Villaraigosa left office early?*

Not to jump the gun, but in the event that the mayor is nominated to be Transportation Secretary (Ray LaHood resigned this morning), the City Council would almost certainly fill the vacancy by appointment. Here's the relevant charter section.

Boeing's troubles could be traced to McDonnell Douglas purchase

Seems as if the bean counters took control of the engineers (never a good thing), and the result was too much outsourcing.

Garcetti, Greuel keep talking, but say nothing

Boy, these two are BORING - and I'm afraid one of them is almost certain to be the next mayor. It's a shame, really, because in real life they're both pleasant, interested people who obviously care about the future of the city. But their campaign strategies focus on doing no harm rather than on how they would lead L.A.

Monday, Jan. 28

Don't get your hopes up for Barnes & Noble returning to West L.A.*

CEO of the struggling bookstore chain expects to close another 200 or so locations over the next decade. That would bring down the total to between 450 and 500 stores. Right now, only three stores are on the Westside.

Unexpected choice to run Warner Bros. Entertainment

Kevin Tsujihara, president of the home entertainment side and a key player in the company's digital strategy, apparently impressed Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes a lot more than many in Hollywood had suspected.

Dodgers formally announce new channel

Time Warner Cable will carry the all-Dodgers channel, to be called SportsNet LA, and become the main distributor in a long-term deal that is worth about $7 billion.

• Go to today's blog •

• WGA board approves deal, writers vote Tuesday

• Leo Greene, journalist with ALS was 62

• Catching up on City Hall move

• All in the family

• Words of Chairman Sam *

Mark Lacter funeral services

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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