The Vernon-based company has lost some of its shine from earlier years, what with operating margins narrowing to 16.7 percent last year from 33.2 percent in 2005. Still, the brand remains well known.

Even by L.A. standards, this one is a jaw-dropper. With four bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and stunning views of pretty much everything, the 15th floor property is part of the 143-unit W Hollywood residences complex.

Maybe it's an outlier, maybe it just reflects a race that always seemed closer than what several of the polls indicated.

Formerly home to the Howard Hughes aerospace factory, the massive land parcel had been nearly given up for dead. But timing and opportunity can work wonders in real estate.

He must be getting a good chuckle over how his interest in the Tribune papers - especially the LAT - is being all but ignored.

Is it useful technology or more of a gimmick? Can it take the place of a smart phone or will it prove too distracting when I need to avoid that pile of dog poop that's in front of me?

House Speaker John Boehner inadvertently said it best: "We have spent more than what we have brought into this government for 55 of the last 60 years." Talk about sustainability.

Cancelling TV ad buys with two weeks left until the election is certainly not a great sign for Controller Wendy Greuel. Neither is ponying up $100,000 or your own money or having to rely on ads from the Police Protective League and the DWP's powerful union.

The disparity is striking between, say, the beach cities and portions of South L.A. County.

Airlines are generally cutting back on departures - and filling up planes - as they try to re-calibrate their business model in the face of skyrocketing jet fuel costs.

We have two winners!

That's about one-quarter of the nation's undocumented population, according to a USC study that's being released as Congress considers immigration reform amid all sorts of political cross-currents.

Another big milestone that's remarkable considering the economy's steady but lumbering growth (especially on the jobs front).

Cooking eggs and pancakes takes up valuable grill space, and they're best prepared at a lower temperature than burgers. They're also more labor intense. Still, the company's CEO hopes it can happen.

Turns out that voters were sold a bill of goods in 1996 when they passed Proposition 215, which was all about decriminalization, not legalization. Big difference.

Musk is interested in an autopilot type system for his Tesla electric cars, and he's had early discussions with the folks at Google.

Bryan Shaw agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and he will disgorge about $1.3 million in illicit trading profits.