SAG-AFTRA taps Nielsen for post-strike streaming data

SAG-AFTRA has tapped audience measurement company Nielsen to provide streaming data that will inform how the performers union enforces certain terms of its new contract with the top studios. Nielsen announced Thursday that it will function as the official third-party provider of streaming viewership numbers for the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio

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Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group facing layoffs

Allen Media Group, the company owned by TV mogul Byron Allen, is set to undergo a significant round of layoffs that will affect all divisions of the business. “Allen Media Group is making strategic changes to better position the company for growth that will result in expense and workforce reductions across all divisions of the

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Hiltzik: Why were USC and Columbia so wrong about protests?

Students are massed peacefully on campus, making politically charged demands on university presidents. The police are summoned, leading to mass arrests and even to violence — and to the collapse of confidence in the administration. You may see the punchline coming: This picture isn’t drawn from USC and Columbia University of the present day, but

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Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish expected to leave the company

Paramount Global Chief Executive Bob Bakish is expected to be ousted from the company, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Bakish’s departure comes as Paramount’s future hangs in the balance. The company is currently in a 30-day exclusive negotiating period with tech scion David Ellison, whose Skydance Media has teamed up with investment

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Hiltzik: The revival of network neutrality

In the midst of its battle to extinguish the Mendocino Complex wildfire in 2018, the Santa Clara County Fire Department discovered that its internet connection provider, Verizon, had throttled their data flow virtually down to zero, cutting off communications for firefighters in the field. One firefighter died in the blaze and four were injured. Verizon

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Harvey Weinstein conviction overturned: Hollywood outraged

Harvey Weinstein’s accusers and opponents of sexual violence in Hollywood and beyond are speaking out against the reversal of the disgraced movie mogul’s rape conviction in New York. Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino and others who have accused the former Hollywood producer of sexual misconduct condemned a New York court of appeals’ decision on Thursday to

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Why Disney is doubling down on its parks business again

Over the decades since Walt Disney opened his first theme park in 1955, the company’s tourism business has ballooned to an enterprise worth tens of billions in yearly sales, with sprawling locations in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Today, the Burbank entertainment giant is doubling down once again. Disney plans to invest

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FDA approves ImmunityBio’s bladder cancer treatment

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a new treatment for a type of bladder cancer. The treatment, which will be sold under the brand name Anktiva, is intended for some patients suffering from certain types of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, according to an FDA statement announcing the approval. News of the FDA action

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Hiltzik: A new union victory at Chattanooga

Until Friday, the phrase “union victory at Chattanooga” could mean only one thing: the defeat of a Confederate army by forces under U.S. Grant at the Battle of Chattanooga in late November 1863. No longer. On Friday, the United Auto Workers scored a decisive victory at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., as workers voted

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California exodus of home insurance companies continues

Two more insurers are pulling out of California’s troubled homeowners insurance market, straining a marketplace that already has seen the pullback of several other companies that have cited increase costs related to wildfire risks. Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. submitted filings to the California Department of Insurance stating they will

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Sesame Workshop writers reach deal, avert strike

Writers Guild of America members employed by Sesame Workshop have struck a tentative contract deal with management, averting a strike after negotiations stalled over compensation and union representation for the nonprofit organization’s animation and social media staff. The bargaining unit of 35 — which includes the “Sesame Street” writing staff — and Sesame Workshop settled

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California officials exclude prisons from new workplace heat rules

After last-minute objections from state officials thwarted plans to implement protections for workers in hot warehouses and other indoor facilities, California’s workplace safety agency is trying again to adopt the measures before the summer heat arrives. At a March 21 meeting, the state board overseeing workplace safety standards was primed to approve the landmark regulations.

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News publishers’ alliance calls on feds to investigate Google

The News/Media Alliance, a journalism trade organization and advocacy group, on Tuesday asked federal government officials to investigate Google after the tech giant said it would limit links to California news outlets in its search results. The alliance, which represents publishers in the news and magazine industry, said Google’s actions appear “to either be coercive

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How ‘miracle’ weight-loss drugs made health disparities worse

The American Heart Assn. calls them “game changers.” Oprah Winfrey says they’re “a gift.” Science magazine anointed them the “2023 Breakthrough of the Year.” Americans are most familiar with their brand names: Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound. They are the medications that have revolutionized weight loss and raised the possibility of reversing the country’s obesity crisis.

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Hiltzik: A transgender sanctuary law under attack

In 2022, when legislation outlawing gender-affirming medical treatments erupted in mostly red-state legislatures across the land, California enacted a law creating a sanctuary for those whose treatments were blocked by the lawmakers. SB 107, which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom that September, provided a safe harbor for people from those states who

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Sardinia yacht rental – What to do on a yacht trip around Sardinia

Sardinia yacht rental The captivating Mediterranean island of Sardinia beckons yacht enthusiasts with crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches, and a rich cultural tapestry. With a Sardinia boat rental, you can explore the stunning seascapes, alluring grottoes, and spectacular hiking trails that define this enchanting region. Whether you prefer to spend your Sardinia yacht charter exploring the

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CinemaCon 2024: Margot Robbie to produce ‘Monopoly’ movie

“Barbie” star Margot Robbie’s production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, has boarded Lionsgate and Hasbro’s “Monopoly” movie based on the classic game of the same name. Lionsgate revealed Robbie’s involvement in the already-announced project Wednesday during a presentation of the studio’s upcoming film slate at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara are also attached

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Why Biden is getting little credit for the resilient economy

WASHINGTON —  As President Biden struggles to sell Bidenomics to skeptical voters, he’s facing the all-too-real consequences of stubbornly higher inflation, but he’s also battling human psychology. And both of those factors may be especially strong in California. Most economists agree that the American economy during Biden’s presidency has made a remarkable recovery from the pandemic.

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Los Angeles Times names Terry Tang as executive editor

Terry Tang, who has been leading the Los Angeles Times newsroom since late January on an interim basis, has been formally named executive editor. The Times’ owners, Dr. Patrick and Michele Soon-Shiong, made the announcement Monday. Since being tapped as interim executive editor, Tang moved rapidly to reorganize the newsroom, form her own leadership team

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Angelina Jolie motion heats up Brad Pitt’s winery lawsuit

Angelina Jolie’s legal team filed a motion Thursday to acquire Brad Pitt’s communications stemming from an “all-encompassing” nondisclosure agreement he wanted that purportedly tanked the sale of his ex-wife’s share of their Chateau Miraval winery to him. The former Hollywood power couple’s protracted legal dispute over the winery — and its legacy for their six

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Hiltzik: A pointless proxy fight at Disney

Now that the smoke has cleared from the most expensive proxy fight in corporate history — the $600-million battle between investor Nelson Peltz and the management of the Walt Disney Co. — we can take a breath and ask the question often heard at the end of a bad movie: “What the hell was that

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WME is using AI technology to combat celebrity deepfakes

As advancements in artificial intelligence proliferate, talent agencies are bulking up their defenses to protect Hollywood stars against misleading, manipulated images or videos that can put them at risk. The rise of generative AI and “deepfakes” — or videos and pictures that use a person’s image in a false way — has led to the

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Why isn’t it easier to install a heat pump in California?

The nation’s electric utilities have voiced overwhelming support for reducing carbon emissions. Eighty percent of U.S. electricity customers are served by a utility with a 100% carbon-reduction target, according to the Smart Electric Power Alliance, and utility executives have touted their sustainability plans at the U.N. Climate Conference, Davos and beyond. So why is it

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AMC Entertainment shares drop amid box office slump

AMC Entertainment shares plummeted Thursday after the theater chain indicated in an SEC filing that it might sell up to $250 million worth of its stock. The Leawood, Kan.-based exhibition giant said it was considering selling the stock to offset its poor box office revenue during the first fiscal quarter of 2024. Hours after the

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AI companies are courting Hollywood. Do they come in peace?

Artificial intelligence is coming to Hollywood — but is Hollywood ready for it? OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is meeting with entertainment industry players, including executives at talent agencies and film studios, to demonstrate and explain its latest technology, Sora, which conjures videos based on what users describe in text. It’s a delicate dance for

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Georgia film tax credit bill fails to pass

Georgia lawmakers have rejected a bill that would have limited how much the state can spend on tax incentives for film and TV production, reaffirming the increasingly popular production hub’s position as one of California’s biggest rivals. The legislation died this week after easily passing through the House in February, according to the Associated Press.

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A TikTok ban isn’t what we need

The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill this month threatening to ban TikTok unless its parent company ByteDance sells the app. It may take the Senate months to address the legislation, which faces some opposition, so a ban is not imminent. But the relative success of this approach highlights the narrow, problematic pathway for

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Los Angeles office skyscraper faces foreclosure sale

Gas Company Tower, a prominent office skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles, faces foreclosure as landlords continue to struggle to keep tenants in their buildings. A notice of trustee’s sale for the high-rise on Bunker Hill was filed March 21 with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, setting the stage for a foreclosure sale as soon

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Hiltzik: The devastation of Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud

Based on the conflicting pre-sentencing reports submitted to the judge who will sentence Sam Bankman-Fried on Thursday on seven fraud counts, you might think this is a complicated case. After all, the submissions paint drastically different pictures of Bankman-Fried. His lawyers say, in effect, that there are no victims in the case, because no one

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Fast-food chains brace for California’s big minimum wage jump

Chipotle, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Jack in the Box and Shake Shack are planning to raise menu prices. Fast-food franchisees are laying off employees or cutting their hours. Smaller independent business owners, meanwhile, worry their workers will bolt unless they also increase wages. With California’s mandatory minimum wage for fast-food workers set to jump to $20 an

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Hulu on Disney+ launches Wednesday. What you need to know

Subscribers of both Disney+ and Hulu can now access Hulu content through the Disney+ app, as the Burbank media and entertainment giant launched its one-app integration of the two streaming services Wednesday. Known as Hulu on Disney+, the combined experience brings shows such as FX’s “The Bear” and Hulu Original “Only Murders in the Building”

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Hiltzik: The FDA and a bogus COVID treatment

“You are not a horse,” read a tweet posted by the Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 21, 2021. A fairly unexceptionable observation, one would think. But there was more to the tweet than a zoological judgment. The FDA’s goal was to advise individuals against taking ivermectin, a medication used to treat parasitic infections in

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Hiltzik: Why do Americans work so much?

G. Roger King, a lawyer with the lobbying organization for big corporate human resources officers, assured the members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that he and his colleagues were fully on board with the concept of a four-day workweek. His HR colleagues, he told the senators at a March 14 hearing,

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Prince Harry lawyer accuses Rupert Murdoch in hacking case

An attorney for Prince Harry accused Rupert Murdoch this week of knowing about News Group Newspapers’ alleged use of illegal tactics such as phone hacking to acquire information about the Duke of Sussex and others. Lawyer David Sherborne went after Murdoch on Wednesday during a three-day hearing in London’s High Court to add more allegations

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Hiltzik: Would you invest in Trump’s Truth Social?

The headline Trump news on Friday was that investors in Truth Social, his money-losing social media platform, voted to take it public at a valuation that could net the former president about $3 billion. There’s some press conjecture that the transaction will relieve Trump’s current cash crunch, which includes the necessity of his posting a

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Aerospace Corp. investing $100 million in El Segundo campus

Research and development lab Aerospace Corp. moved its headquarters this week to Virginia from El Segundo but reaffirmed its commitment to its South Bay campus by announcing a $100-million investment there. The federally funded nonprofit corporation, which supports government and private-sector space work, said there would be no “significant relocation of current employees” in the

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Long Beach Post layoffs hit striking staffers

The Long Beach Media Guild announced Friday that at least 60% of the bargaining unit received layoff notices shortly after newsroom employees moved to unionize and went on strike to protest the impending cuts. The unit, which is seeking voluntary recognition from its employer, the Long Beach Journalism Initiative, said that nine of its members

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How the DOJ’s lawsuit against Apple will affect consumers

Cheaper app subscriptions. Additional payment options. Greater freedom for app developers on the App Store. More consumer choice. Those are some of the possibilities that consumer advocates hope will come to pass for users of Apple iPhones, iPads and other products if the U.S. Department of Justice wins its long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against the Cupertino,

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Biden, EPA speed up plans to transition to electric vehicles

The nation’s slow transition to electric vehicles got a boost Wednesday when the Biden administration announced it had finalized the strongest-ever pollution standards for cars and light trucks. The Environmental Protection Agency rule, which would begin taking effect with model year 2027, would require car manufacturers to increase sales of electric vehicles while cutting carbon

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TKO Group to pay $335 million to settle class action suit

TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has agreed to pay $335 million to settle two class-action lawsuits brought by former UFC fighters, who alleged that the promotion firm engaged in anticompetitive behavior and underpaid its athletes. The lawsuits alleged that UFC bought out or undermined rival promoters, forced UFC fighters

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Warehouse to replace office complex in Santa Ana

In the hierarchy of commercial real estate, office space has long been king. Developers and landlords lived by the conventional wisdom that there was no better use for your square footage than business offices because they commanded higher rents than industrial spaces. Simple math, the thinking went. Well, not so simple anymore. At least in

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Hiltzik: Clipping the right’s wings in court

Some lawsuits are won by smart lawyers and some on the facts. But nothing spells success as much as the ability to pick your own judge. That’s the lesson taught by conservative activists who have moved in federal courts to overturn government programs and policies on abortion, contraception, immigration, gun control, student loan relief and

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Hiltzik: The TikTok frenzy in Congress

In just the last few days, a couple of developments involving TikTok have arisen to illustrate the right and wrong way to think about the rapidly expanding social media platform. The first was a devastating exposé that independent journalist Jonathan M. Katz posted there of a misleading story Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told during her

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Oakland seeks answers to street crime after police misconduct

OAKLAND, Calif. —  Along gracious, leafy College Avenue, you can luxuriate with a traditional Thai massage, slip into an artisanal cocktail at an Italian spot or claim a grain-free treat for your canine companion at a charming Mediterranean cafe. Privileged Rockridge hardly seems the sort of neighborhood that would generate grist for the crime blotter. But

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Congress is threatening to ban TikTok: What that means

The House of Representatives’ lopsided vote Wednesday in favor of a bill banning TikTok in the U.S. unless it is freed from Chinese control suggests the wildly popular short-video app could soon join Netscape and Myspace in the dustbin of history. But the situation is far more complicated than that. Policymakers agree that TikTok poses

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Hiltzik: The red states that love lead poisoning

Here are a few things we know about lead in drinking water: ◆ There is no known safe level. More than a decade ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ceased setting minimum acceptable standards for children’s blood lead levels. That was because scientific studies couldn’t identify any concentration that didn’t have “deleterious effects”

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Hiltzik: The SEC capitulates on global warming

Corporate managements nationwide undoubtedly breathed sighs of relief Wednesday, when the Securities and Exchange Commission approved a rule mandating their disclosures of greenhouse gas emissions and risks from global warming. That’s because the rule is much weaker than its original version, which was first published in March 2022. The final version removed provisions requiring disclosure

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The future of driverless taxi service comes to Los Angeles

Los Angeles commuters: Don’t be alarmed, but driverless taxis may soon become a more common sight on local streets. On March 1, state regulators gave Waymo, the self-driving taxi company owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet, the green light to expand its robotaxi service to Los Angeles County, clearing the way for the company’s expansion into

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Inflation isn’t really the problem. Housing is

Recently released government data hammered home what we have known for at least a year: A national housing shortage, not broad-based price increases, is driving inflation. Inflation over the past year was 3.1% — far less than in 2021 but still high enough for the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates elevated. However, unlike the

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How Netflix won the streaming wars

Four years ago, Netflix was faced with a formidable challenge to its dominance. Competitors including Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros. Discovery invested billions of dollars to chip away at Netflix’s market share by launching splashy shows on their own streaming services. For a time, it seemed that Netflix was vulnerable. The company lost subscribers

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Target launches $49 subscription service

Target Corp. will launch a paid subscription program next month that offers same-day delivery service, joining an increasingly large field of competitors betting that consumers will shell out annual fees in exchange for convenience. The membership program, Target Circle 360, launches April 7 for an introductory price of $49 a year and touts deliveries in

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New IRS Direct File program now available in California

If you’re a California resident and haven’t done your federal tax return for 2023, you now have another, more user-friendly option online: the free Direct File service from the IRS. It’s not for everyone, however. Instead, it’s aimed mainly at people with very simple annual tax returns. The tax agency launched the Direct File service

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Hiltzik: Vanguard stands firm against crypto

After Jan. 10, when the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the first bitcoin exchange-traded investment products, the biggest investment firms jumped into the pool with both feet, jostling one another to offer their clients, big or small, access to bitcoin funds. All, that is, except the second-biggest private investment management fund on the planet, Vanguard

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LADWP and Edison bills are rising. What you can do

If you are a Los Angeles County resident who gets electricity through the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power or Southern California Edison, you have probably been shocked by a recent increase in your monthly bill. Even more frustrating, your bill probably went up even if you haven’t changed how much power you use.

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California teens can now use their own Uber accounts

Forget a bike or the city bus, California teens can now grab a solo Uber ride to their desired destination with a new product launched by the company statewide Thursday. The company’s teen rides program allows children aged 13 to 17 to operate their own Uber accounts — hail their own transportation and order food

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Biden orders new cybersecurity measures at U.S. ports

WASHINGTON —  President Biden signed an executive order Wednesday that creates new rules to shore up security at American ports — and commits $20 billion to replace Chinese-made cranes that U.S. officials worry could be vulnerable to hacking and remote control. The executive order empowers the U.S. Coast Guard to respond to cybersecurity incidents at ports,

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Hiltzik: The new weapons against disinformation

In recent years, disinformation has seemed to be on an inexorable march across the scientific and medical landscape. Prominent politicians, up to and including the former president, have promoted useless drugs as supposed cures for COVID-19. Partisan attacks on the safety and efficacy of COVID vaccines have expanded into attacks on all vaccines. Established scientific

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L.A. County accuses Grubhub of misleading customers

The price of the turkey on rye half-sandwich from Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant in Los Angeles, purchased through the delivery app Grubhub, starts around $17. But at checkout, the costs mount. With additional fees and sales tax, the cost of a sandwich delivery can hit over $26.00. Plus tip. L.A. County says it amounts to an illegal

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L.A. ethics panel calls for tougher penalty for Moonves

The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission on Wednesday unanimously rejected a proposed settlement between the city and former CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves, saying a tougher penalty was warranted for the executive, who had been accused of interfering with a police investigation into sexual assault allegations against him. Moonves had agreed to pay an $11,250

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What does the Capital One-Discover deal mean for you?

Capital One Financial Corp. announced Monday that it had reached an agreement to acquire Discover Financial Services for $35.3 billion, instantly creating a financial behemoth should the deal be approved by regulators. The merger would combine one of the largest issuers of Mastercard and Visa cards with Discover’s network of cardholders. However, such a mega-merger

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LED-Neonbuchstaben

LED-Neonbuchstaben Wenn Sie Ihr Zuhause oder Geschäft dekorieren möchten, sind LED-Neonbuchstaben die perfekte Option. Diese Buchstaben haben eine Acrylbasis, die zu den Neon-LEDs passt, die helles, lebendiges Licht erzeugen. Das Beste daran ist, dass sie sich nicht erhitzen oder schädliche Gase produzieren. Sie sind auch eine gute Wahl für die Logoerstellung und beleuchtete Beschilderung. Ein

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Hiltzik: Big business wages war on taxes

It’s indisputable that the decline of state fiscal management in California began with the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. The tax-cutting initiative upended the tax structure that provided most of the revenues needed by localities and school districts, undermining the locals’ control of their own spending. It was sold to voters as relief for

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Disneyland characters move to unionize with Actors’ Equity

Disneyland’s costumed characters and parade performers have announced their intent to unionize. Calling themselves “Magic United,” cast members in the Anaheim resort’s Characters and Parades departments said Tuesday that they plan to unionize with Actors’ Equity Assn., which represents 51,000 professional actors and stage members on Broadway and in live theater around the country. Labor

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What to know about the creator economy in 2024

Half a trillion dollars. That’s how large the creator economy, currently pegged at $250 billion, is predicted to grow in the next four years, according to Goldman Sachs. While people have been making a living off of creating content for online audiences for nearly two decades, what was once a nascent industry is growing up.

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Hiltzik: Pseudoscience at the Supreme Court

If the effort to ban medication abortion now before the Supreme Court demonstrates anything, it’s that the damage caused in our society by junk science can be disastrous indeed. That’s the implication of the retraction of two scientific studies, announced Monday by the journal publisher Sage. The studies provided the purported rationale for a Texas

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The Tropicana will cash out its chips in April

The house does not always win. Starting April 2, the Tropicana Las Vegas will shut its doors to make way for a new baseball stadium and resort, nearly 67 years after the casino opened its doors. The 44,000-square-foot casino and 1,400-room hotel will be demolished and replaced with a 30,000-seat ballpark, the future home of

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Efforts brewing at UC Riverside and UCLA to evict Starbucks from campuses for ‘union busting’ activities

Two dozen UC Riverside students chanted “People over property” and carried signs that read “Crush the contract” and “Seize the beans of production” as they climbed four flights of stairs within the university’s administrative office Wednesday afternoon. The goal was to present Chancellor Kim Wilcox a petition with nearly 800 signatories calling on the school’s

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Tesla settles for $1.5 million after allegations of illegally disposing hazardous waste

An environmental investigation by the San Francisco district attorney’s office that began in 2018 and spurred similar inquiries throughout the state concluded Thursday, when a San Joaquin County judge ordered Tesla to pay $1.5 million for improperly disposing of hazardous materials. The individual efforts turned into one combined civil environmental prosecution by 25 district attorneys

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Hiltzik: An anti-LGBTQ+ judge stands up for DeSantis

On the face of it, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis achieved an important victory Wednesday in his two-year battle with Walt Disney Co., as a federal judge tossed Disney’s lawsuit contending that DeSantis moved against the company in retaliation for its criticism of an anti-gay state law. DeSantis certainly thought so. “The Corporate Kingdom is over,”

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