Honoring fallen heroes
Security is at the very root of any functioning economic system. And it pains us to see our law enforcement agencies under so much stress. In Oakland, four police officers have died in the line of duty, after a routine traffic stop turned into a shooting spree. In our region, the streets are becoming more Read More →
If everyone bought local, who would buy our stuff?
We’re all in favor of local communities showcasing their products and encouraging chamber of commerce members to do business with each other. But we’d add a strong cautionary note to the proliferation of “buy local” initiatives that are cropping up across the Tri-Counties. Buy local has a nice ring to it. It’s meant to encourage Read More →
Charter: You are the weakest link
Once again, Charter Communications has demonstrated that it remains the weakest of links in a chain of balkanized cable operations in our region. The St. Louis-based company, controlled by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, is headed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after skipping a debt payment amid a $1.5 billion loss for the fourth quarter. Charter, which Read More →
Stem cell research advances business
The Obama administration’s decision to open the door to federal funding for embryonic stem cell research has long-term benefits for the region. Already, University of California, Santa Barbara, researchers have indicated they will receive millions of dollars in funding for new therapies. These will give a boost to some early-stage projects that are the direct Read More →
TARP wears out welcome
There’s a range war happening in the West over the government’s draconian demands on local banks in return for TARP funding. Already, large banks such as Northern Trust and Wells Fargo have indicated they would like to give the money back. Smaller banks as well have put the government on notice that restrictions on pay, Read More →
Give bankruptcy judges right to impose sanctions
Now that the Obama administration has opened the door to reducing the home mortgage interest deduction for taxpayers earning more than $250,000 per year, we’ll throw another idea up against the wall and see if it sticks. Jeff Dinkin, a Santa Barbara attorney, has suggested that people who file fraudulent applications for mortgages or speculate Read More →
CLU snags quite a team
California Lutheran University scored quite a coup in late February when it lured the University of California Santa Barbara’s Economic Forecast Project team to Thousand Oaks. It marks a bold move for CLU’s relatively new president, Chris Kimball, who seems to have made a quick study of the political and economic landscape of the Tri-Counties. Read More →
