July 6 - July 12, 2008

Saturday, Jul. 12
The negotiating group for the media companies implied that the weak economy might require portions of its proposal to be pulled back.
It's only one of the most serious threats since the Great Depression. Trouble is it takes some doing to figure out.
Friday, Jul. 11
Federal regulators seized the troubled mortgage lender in what will become one of the largest bank failures in U.S. history.
It calls for a flat $3-a-month parcel tax, which would help fund after-school and job training programs.
The last remaining defendant in the long-running kickback case has agreed to plead guilty.
The Treasury Department is "not talking about nationalizing" Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the WSJ is reporting.
Markets getting whacked on Fannie-Freddie concerns, oil tops $147, SAG offers counter-proposal, and Cheesecake Factory sued.
Thursday, Jul. 10
Final arguments in the closely watched case that pits Mattel and rival toymaker MGA Entertainment.
First she needs to get the Council to put it on the November ballot - and then it needs a two-thirds vote.
Americans are still shopping, foreclosures piling up, Redstone spurns daughter (again), and Waldorf construction on November ballot.
Wednesday, Jul. 9
Proposed wage increases would be retroactive to July 1, but only if the union accepts the contract offer by Aug. 15.
It's not often that the LAT rates a restaurant "poor," but then again, there aren't many places more deserving.
Government has done pretty much all it can, what with the Fed cutting interest rates and consumers spending their stimulus checks.
The Air Force will reopen bidding on the multi-billion dollar tanker contract that Boeing had gone after.
SAG left alone by AFTRA vote, IndyMac is on life support, Lakers up ticket prices, and Steve & Barry's to file for bankruptcy.
Tuesday, Jul. 8
The deal would have 750 employees moving to Prospect Mortgage, which specializes in buying midsize residential lenders.
Er, does it mean anything that the price of crude has dropped almost nine bucks in the last two days?
The numbers should offer a little perspective next to the recent wave of ill-informed commentaries about the news business.
Well, at last check it was trading at 43 cents a share, though "trading" is probably pushing things.
L.A. home sales in June jumped 30 percent from the previous month, but they were down 28 percent from a year earlier.
Fed clamps down on exotic loans, value of property assessments increases, airline cuts LAX service, and overhaul for "Theme Building."
Monday, Jul. 7
Why were the severance packages for two top executives adjusted three days before the announced sale?
The Pasadena-based mortgage company is eliminating 3,800 jobs and has stopped taking loan applications.
This is the third straight week of declines, though the drop amounts to less than a nickel a gallon in the L.A. area.
An offer of nearly $1 billion was made - and withdrawn - for the largest office landlord in downtown Los Angeles.
Stocks are up (and oil is down), LAX work could slow, Countrywide workers may lose severance, and higher earnings for WGA members.
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