February 3 - February 9, 2013
Saturday, Feb. 9
There were a few contrarians last fall, but they were drowned out by the cheers, as often happens in the Wall Street world of bullish group-speak. In other words, analysts are just like you and me: vulnerable ninnies.
Friday, Feb. 8
They're guessing that NY flight operations could be back sometime on Saturday, but that's not the same as a normal schedule. Boston will likely stay closed until at least Sunday.
For Korean Air, it's an obvious (if very expensive) way of becoming an L.A. icon. It will be cool to look at,of course, and it'll enhance the downtown skyline, but does it make sense?
Might not surprise you that Tokyo is in the top spot, and that places like Sydney, Oslo, Paris and Zurich are not far behind. What does seem surprising is L.A. being tied with NY as the most expensive city in the U.S.
Thursday, Feb. 7
During still another mayoral debate, a tenacious Austin Beutner (who knew?) kept asking the candidates for specific ways of closing the city's $1-billion budget deficit - and he got the usual double-talk that has become the hallmark of this very beige campaign.
The property runs along the western portion of Bel-Air, within walking distance of the two-block commercial strip on Moraga - right off the San Diego Freeway
Did you realize that as of last month there were 16 people left in the world who were born in the 1800s? Or that If you add up annual profits of the entire airline industry going back to 1948, you get a loss of $32 billion?
Truly one of the uglier structures you'll come across: black, bulbous, and completely out of proportion with its surroundings. Old-timers might remember that the Wilshire and La Cienega building was formerly a branch of Great Western Savings.
The combining of two big carriers will sometimes means fewer flights and higher fares, although the impact at Los Angeles International might be more limited than at other locations
Wednesday, Feb. 6
Where did he get the idea that plastic would be molded into plates and cups right before serving - and then melted down after the meal, to be molded for the next meal? Yikes!
The decision to release just two films this year instead of three means all sorts of operating adjustments that could result in cutting as many as 500 positions at the Glendale-based studio.
The moniker is silly and boosterish, but there's no denying the growth of media and technology businesses in Santa Monica, Venice, El Segundo and Culver City.
Mortgages? Meh! More California homes were bought with cash in 2012 than any previous year - and by a lot. In L.A. County, one out of four sales were in cash.
Even assuming no one challenges the changes in court (and you can be sure someone will), the process is certain to drag out several more years - and that's before they break ground. It could easily be a decade or more before the runway gets moved if the runway gets moved.
Tuesday, Feb. 5
Attention must be paid to a candidate who proposes to hire 2,000 police officers and 1,000 firefighters - and who doesn't have a coherent plan on how to pay for it.
The Bay Area, including SF, San Jose and Oakland, is the nation's sixth-largest TV market and yet it finished 28th among Nielsen's 56 local metered markets. Baltimore was number one. So what gives?
L.A.'s City Controller continues to be the most disappointing candidate in the mayor's race. In desperately seeking the support of public unions, she is exhibiting zero backbone or vision - just obnoxious brown-nosing.
She's 30-year-old Lynsi Torres, who with little formal management training and no college degree, took control of the iconic burger chain after several family deaths.
Monday, Feb. 4
If L.A.'s billionaire philanthropist had to do it all over again, he would spend more time with his sons. He'd also improve on his penmanship. For a guy we all think we know pretty well, he offers some revealing snippets.
Too much talk of bullish times is often seen as a bearish indicator- that the market has, in effect, peaked out. Dow was down 129 points.
The Mouse House will relocate its people to the Burbank studio lot and to various properties in Glendale. The move will be complete by the time Disney's lease is up at the end of next March
The increases aren't anywhere near as sharp as what we saw last October, but the recent quarter-a-gallon bump is getting some attention.
The Ravens victory over the 49ers set a record for highest overnight ratings in Super Bowl history, according to preliminary Nielsen numbers.
Sunday, Feb. 3
This is dangerous terrain for a guy who got it so right in last November's election. I mean, what if he's wrong?
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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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