LAO raises questions about resources land acquisitions.
The State of California needs a better system for determining how much it pays for resource conservation lands, the Legislative Analyst's Office concluded in a lengthy report issued in October. Although the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) does not say directly that the state has overpaid when it bought forests,...

Bond mutual funds: more basics.
After a brief side step into the difference between savings and investments last month, we return to the question of mutual funds as a source for funding higher education. In August, we focused on stock mutual fund types. This column is about debt or bond mutual funds. ...

6 way to avoid the financial potholes of life.
If you have your personal finances under control and in great shape, read no further. If you're confident and happy with the state of your finances, don't waste your time here. On the other hand, if you'd like to improve your financial situation, avoid some of themore...

Private water companies.
Private water companies should be eligible for Proposition 50 bond funds, according to a recommendation from the Legislative Analyst's Office. In a May 14 report, the LAO found that legal and tax issues could be resolved, so the issue is one of policy for the Legislature. Proposition 50--a $3.4...

MA: succesful Dr. entitled to plaintiff's bond: two year delay not fatal to physician's claim. (Medical Malpractice Cases).
CASE FACTS: Lois Hamilton brought suit for medical malpractice against three physicians, one of whom was Dr. Steven Dawson. The plaintiff alleged that Dr. Dawson, a radiologist had been negligent in interpreting a mammogram performed on her in 1986, resulting in a failure to diagnose and treat her breast...

Housing, bonds top lawmakers' list: Overhaul of state habitat planning process receives early approval.
Consensus may be rare in Sacramento, but nearly everyone agrees on one thing this year: proposals that cost money are doomed. The state budget deficit appears to get larger every day, so the issue is going to be where to reduce spending, not where to add money....

The long and short of it: are socially responsible money funds a good deal for investors?
Socially responsible investing (SRI) has been taking a pounding in the mainstream financial media. The Wall Street Journal, Money and Forbes, among others, are running columns with headlines like "Good Intentions, Bad Results" and "It's Not Easy Being Green." These articles typically portray social investors, who won't invest in polluting...

Screened IRAs and 401Ks.
Saving Up for a Green Retirement Putting money aside for retirement is an important part of planning for your future. Like most people, you probably want to make sure there's enough to live comfortably after you've stopped working. By choosing an IRA or 401K from the growing...

Treasurer's report.
Despite some turbulence in the financial markets, most notably the sub-prime mortgage crisis, the Melville Society had a respectable year in 2007. The Murray Endowment has posted a positive YTD return of 3.4%, the Cohen Fund has posted a 7.0% YTD return, and the Society's autumn solicitation of membership...

Hong Kong's elite buy major assets.
Hong Kong's elite consumers are getting wealthier--and acquiring major assets. This is the central conclusion about these high income Hong Kong residents, which appears in the results of the PAX media survey conducted by the global market research firm Synovate. The results were released on October 2, 2007. The...