http://www.laobserved.com/biz/ Mark Lacter's Los Angeles business news and commentary for LA Observed Copyright 2013 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:04:55 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.25 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Los Angeles business Mind-boggling (and kind of sad) on several fronts, not the least of which is that according to the Weekly he did it publicly during an Oscar party. (Someone should tell him not to job hunt in a crowd.) http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/did_villaraigosa_rea.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/did_villaraigosa_rea.php City Hall Thu, 23 May 2013 13:04:55 -0800 If city officials still don't know how many dispensaries are operating in the city, how on earth will they enforce a ballot measure that restricts the number to 135? http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/good_luck_policing_n.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/good_luck_policing_n.php City Hall Thu, 23 May 2013 08:20:39 -0800 That would be attorney Ron Galperin, who easily defeated City Hall insider Dennis Zine for a job that reminds me a little of a newspaper ombudsman: Broad discretion in critiquing how the place is run, but little or no authority to force the real honchos to make changes. http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/will_anyone_pay_atte.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/will_anyone_pay_atte.php City Hall Wed, 22 May 2013 13:55:33 -0800 Well, it's the budget, of course, which is still $100 million or so in the red because the city has to keep paying out those out-sized pension and health care benefits. http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/first_order_of_busin.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/first_order_of_busin.php Business Update on KPCC Wed, 22 May 2013 10:08:02 -0800 Google's database of 5.2 million books published between 1500 and 2008 provides some interesting clues about word usage - and perhaps about attitudes. http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/words_can_speak_volu.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/words_can_speak_volu.php Life Tue, 21 May 2013 11:50:41 -0800 Several out-of-town budinskis have called the campaign an embarrassment, which was certainly not the case. Let's just say that the race, like so many others these days, was a missed opportunity http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/what_happened_with_l.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/what_happened_with_l.php Campaign 2013 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:40:00 -0800 Here's another explanation for the improving fiscal outlook: Property is gaining in value. This is good news for local governments, as well as for homeowners who are seeing the value of their properties creep back up after several down years http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/la_assessed_valuatio.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/la_assessed_valuatio.php Real estate Fri, 17 May 2013 16:37:48 -0800 Government is needed a lot more in bad times than in good times. With the economy getting better, albeit slowly, that reliance is not only starting to recede, but it's being replaced by more money coming in. http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/whatever_happened_to_5.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/whatever_happened_to_5.php Economy Fri, 17 May 2013 13:58:18 -0800 That's still up from 1991 when it was just 57, according to a Gallup survey, and much of the increase came after the recession. Those still in the workforce expect to retire well past 61. http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/average_retirement_a.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/average_retirement_a.php Economy Fri, 17 May 2013 10:12:58 -0800 April's unemployment rate was 9 percent, down from 9.4 percent the previous month and the lowest level since late 2008. http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/big_drop_in_californ_2.php http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/05/big_drop_in_californ_2.php Employment Fri, 17 May 2013 08:38:12 -0800