Business

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Web Buzz: Thursday February 13, 2014

A lot of chatter today about the surprise (too most of us) announcement that Comcast has struck a deal to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion. Wall Street big money guys are thrilled with the deal, but consumers are worried about higher rates and a deep drop in customer service. What’s the impact on Hollywood? Deadline has that. Celebrity […]
Thursday, February 13, 2014

Call-out: The Burbank Leader to remove all city news racks

Outside news racks for The Burbank Leader have been disappearing from the city streets for some time. I have been critical of that fact in the past. Now the word from the editor, Dan Evans, is that all the Burbank Leader news racks will be history soon. Bad news. Terrible idea. The reason, Evans says, it’s “theft.” In a recent […]
Monday, February 10, 2014

Web Buzz: Interesting reads

“The Lego Movie” is the number one film in the country, after earning an estimated $69 million at the domestic box office. The animated  film got made on a $60 million budget. George Clooney’s new film, “The Monuments Men” opened in second with around $22.7 million. More on the box office here. Aaron Sorkin talks about Philip Seymour Hoffman — how […]
Sunday, February 9, 2014

New website lists salaries and pensions of CA public employees

The new website Transparent California is a real eye opener for taxpayers. The salaries and pensions of many of the city, county, and state employees in the Golden State for 2011 and 2012 are listed.  Some are not on the site for various reasons. Glendale, Newport Beach, Inglewood, and City of Industry are “refusing to produce” the required data, according […]
Wednesday, February 5, 2014

CVS to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products

The first national pharmacy chain announced today it will put the brakes on the sell of cigarettes and tobacco products. CVS has 7,600 stores nationwide — three of them here in Burbank. On October 1, 2014, CVS will no longer sell any tobacco products at any of its retail stores. “Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy […]
Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Magic Johnson one of the new owners of the Los Angeles Sparks?

Since early last month, fans of the Los Angeles Sparks have been waiting, petitioning,  and praying for a Southland miracle to rescue the team from limbo. The WNBA team got blindsided when previous owner/former NBC executive, Paula Madison, and her family investment group, abruptly walked away from the team — tossing the ownership reins back to the league. Now NBA […]
Friday, January 31, 2014

Ground breaking for new Burbank hotel

Burbank is one step closer to getting a new hotel. Yesterday, a ceremonial ground breaking was held for the $40 million SpringHill Suites by Marriott on San Fernando Boulevard between Providencia and Santa Anita Streets adjacent to Downtown Burbank. Executives from R.D. Olson Development and  Marriott International joined some City of Burbank officials for the event, according to a news release. […]
Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker teams up with Hallmark

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker is known for her sense of fashion and unique style. Parker is now using those assets in a deal with Hallmark — but it’s not a TV project. This month, the greeting card giant introduced the Sarah Jessica Parker collection — an assortment of greeting cards, stationery, gift bags, and gift wrap. “I’m excited to be involved […]
Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Super Bowl 2014: $4 million TV ads and opera singer Renee Fleming

Now that the playoffs are over and the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos are headed to Super Bowl 2014, there is a lot of chatter on the Internet about other aspects of that big game. Those Super Bowl commercials are always popular and are costing more than ever. Fox is televising the event and  has sold out all the TV […]