Wall Street Journal
Give to ‘minority-led’ charities, or else.

In 2006, Publix Supermarket Charities donated almost $30 million to causes that included Habitat for Humanity, the March of Dimes and United Way. But Al Piña isn’t satisfied. Mr. Piña, the chairman of the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition, believes Publix isn’t giving enough to people of color who donate to other people of color. Welcome to the latest trend in racial extortion. (more…)

Andrew S. Ross
SFgate.com
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Might a media company based in Northern California follow the Tribune Co.’s example and be the next to seek some “breathing space” from its debts, i.e., file Chapter 11? No way, said Gary Pruitt, CEO of Sacramento’s McClatchy Co. Talking to a reporter after his presentation Tuesday at the UBS Global Media and Communications conference in New York, he said McClatchy is “not facing anything close to what they have been. I was disappointed about the bankruptcy filing, that’s all I can say.” (more…)

Seniors urged to check Part D prices and coverage during open enrollment to avoid surprises.

By Melissa Evans, Staff Writer
contracostatimes.com
Posted: 12/03/2008 11:04:27 PM PST
Updated: 12/04/2008 10:32:40 AM PST

Fifteen dollars a month doesn’t sound like a lot of money - except if you’re living on a fixed monthly income of about $1,650, and rent, food and energy costs are soaring, too. (more…)

By Orson Aguilar
http://www.colorlines.com

A new compromise from foundations might be cause for some optimism.

The everyday challenges faced by the people in many neighborhoods seem far removed from the American Dream these days: the lack of good housing and jobs, poor health, immigration raids, the foreclosure crisis, failing schools and all-too-common homicides. (more…)

By Matthew Vadum
spectator.org

Businesses that politicians deem vital to the national interest aren’t being allowed to fail in America today, and the bigger they are, the more help they get from the government. So it’s not much of a surprise that the fine points of yet another bailout package are being worked out behind closed doors, this time for Citigroup. (more…)

beyondchron.org
by Scott Sabatini

Review it on NewsTrust
Earlier this summer, Countrywide Financial’s most famous troubled customer received an altruistic bailout that saved his home. Now months later, despite attention from the highest levels of government, hundreds of thousands of anxious homeowners are still waiting for their reprieve. (more…)

LegalNewsline.com
BY SCOTT SABATINI

WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Beleaguered homeowners received a powerful boost when President-elect Barack Obama said confronting the housing crisis will be one of his first orders of business upon taking office in January. (more…)

Washington Post
By Karen Gullo and David Scheer

Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) — U.S. prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating Wachovia Corp.’s mortgage lending and disclosures to investors, U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello said. (more…)

legalnewsline.com
BY SCOTT SABATINI

Oakland, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Just a month ago, when the terms of the largest settlement in home mortgage history were announced, many hailed the settlement as the first significant step to providing needed relief to homeowners buried in rising interest rates and declining property value. (more…)

The Wall Street Journal

Your post-election day editorial attack on community organizers (”The Latest Charity Shakedown,” Nov. 5 – See Below) is inconsistent with the Journal’s recent strong support for transparency and scrutiny of the Wall Street firms that have helped cause the economic meltdown. (more…)