November 16 - November 22, 2008

Saturday, Nov. 22
This is not a great time to walk off your job, but does that mean much to the 80,000 SAG members who barely make any money as actors?
The new owner is Minneapolis-based US Bancorp, which suddenly becomes a much bigger player in California and Arizona.
Friday, Nov. 21
Forget plastics, the real action these days is arranging going-out-of-business sales.
Louis Verdad was one of L.A.'s hottest designers, but he had little idea of how to run a business.
NY Federal Reserve Bank President Timothy Geithner will be nominated for the post, according to several news reports.
L.A. County unemployment in October was at its highest level level in more than 12 years.
Gas prices are way down, DVD sales are sliding, Kaiser gets four-star rating, and no progress in SAG talks.
Thursday, Nov. 20
WSJ reports that Citigroup executive are looking into the possibility of selling the financial giant or auctioning off pieces.
The NYU professor has predicted with confounding accuracy that the markets will keep going down.
Markets went south after it became clear that a possible deal to bail out the automakers was not imminent.
A Superior Court judge has granted a plaintiffs' motion to certify a class to seek damages against the Pasadena dating service.
Word of a possible compromise that would bail out Detroit's Big Three has the stock market moving back up.
The next time you're brave enough to open your brokerage statement, think about Angelo Mozilo, Bruce Karatz and Chad Dreier.
Oil falls below $50, IATSE cuts three-year deal, slip in MTA and Metrolink ridership, and workers paying more for deductibles.
The Dow is down more than 150 points in the first 30 minutes of trading. I suppose it could be...
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Downtown's retail/entertainment complex is set to open a bunch of restaurants throughout December.
The Mouse House will be releasing five movies in the super-sharp format, starting with "A Christmas Carol."
Guess Wall Street is signing onto the warnings being delivered by U.S. automakers.
So says GM CEO Rick Wagoner who told lawmakers today that there would be no choice but to liquidate.
The Pasadena online dating service has reached a settlement with the New Jersey AG's Office over a discrimination lawsuit.
Thousands of Toyotas, Nissans and Mercedes are sitting at the Port of Long Beach with no place to go.
It's bad enough when you profit on other people's misery. But flaunting that success brings you into a whole different league.
Living is lots cheaper, holiday air travel expected to tumble, MOCA in financial trouble, and auto show opens amid gloomy times.
Tuesday, Nov. 18
The L.A. billionaire is looking at a Bev Hills location to display works from his charitable foundation and personal collection.
Exports have been one of the few bright spots for L.A.'s economy, but the October numbers point to a global downturn.
L.A. County homes sales jumped 52.6 percent in October from a year earlier, but the median price fell 29 percent, to $355,000.
Car talk on Capitol Hill, Countrywide loans not easy to modify, Steve & Barry's to close, and Rose Bowl may move to cable.
Monday, Nov. 17
Gas hasn't been cheaper since Nov. 6, 2006. But is that such a good thing?
Among the potential candidates: News Corp. COO Peter Chernin, former AOL head Jon Miller, and formereBay CEO Meg Whitman,
The paper's Sunday sports magazine had been scheduled to come out four times in 2009, but then came the worsening ad climate.
Conservative pundits desperate to shift blame for the mortgage mess away from those "greed is good" types have been sinking...
Japan slips into recession, Grand Avenue project faces more delays, new look for LAX, and Sam Nazarian gets into hotel biz.
Sunday, Nov. 16
The former Broadcom CEO and co-founder admitted that he did really bad stuff, felt like a liar and was not fully functioning.
East West Bancorp, Nara Bancorp and Broadway Financial are all receiving capital infusions from the Treasury Department.
© 2003-2015   •  About LA Observed  •  Email the editor
LA Observed blogs
News & Chatter
LA Biz Observed
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.
More From Mark Lacter:
Native Intelligence
Business Guides for Companies – Effective business articles that will improve your business.
SoCal Sports Observed
After 22 years of loyalty, Baylor is unceremoniously shown the door.
Bill Boyarsky
Echo Park blog
Jenny Burman
Before I lived in Echo Park, there was a tiny 1920s bungalow-cottage-standalone house on N. Occidental in Silver Lake. I...
Malibu blog
Here in Malibu
I don't know why it's taking me so long to choose the new platform for this blog. Well, that's not...
We get email