How to determine your bank's financial health

Paulson discusses a rescue plan with the mortgage giants' chiefs, who may have to step down, sources say. >>

It began with a dizzy spell. Before long, though, what really had my head spinning was the inscrutable way that healthcare providers and insurers put a dollar value on medical services -- and how that leaves patients unable to determine a fair price for any treatment. >>

The president of Playmates Toys Inc. abandoned work on a PhD in psychology years ago to pursue a business career. But the son of Polish Holocaust survivors never thought he'd land in the toy world. >>

So does Chris Johnson, a denim detective who sniffs out fakes so that major designers can sue the people who sell and profit from them. >>

Employers slashed 84,000 jobs in August, steeper cuts than analysts expected. >>

On-demand flights from a choice of 40 airstrips in Southern California start in October at prices that depend on number of passengers and other factors. >>

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Like any globe-trotter, capital sometimes gets weary or fearful and just wants to go home. >>

The unconventional video game could usher in a new golden age for the once undisputed industry giant, which has slipped in recent years. >>

A sharp drop in prices is cited, along with the resetting of ARM loans in California and Florida. >>

A major consideration for plans to reduce pollution at the Los Angeles and Long Beach facilities was whether enough haulers would apply. >>

SECURITIES

GE says it may face civil action >>

A day after a bearish plunge, broader U.S. indexes are mixed and foreign markets dive. >>

The walkout affects factories in Kansas, Washington and Oregon. It doesn't involve the aerospace giant's Southern California operations. >>

Silver State Bank's insured deposits will be assumed by Nevada State Bank. >>

The Parent's Television Council is trying to ground the CW television network by encouraging advertisers to boycott CW shows because of a scene in the opening segment of its newest hit, "90210." >>

Accused of 'unsound practices,' the lender has raised fresh capital and lost its chairman. >>

Wilmington, N.C., which is scheduled to make the switch Monday, is in Hanna's path. >>

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The company cites the Nordstrom experience. Then again, the customer service reps aren't unlike those at Apple Genius Bars . . . >>

Altria Group Inc., the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, is in talks to buy UST Inc., the largest U.S. snuff producer, for more than $10 billion, people with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday. >>

How to spot true blues

Want to know if your new dungarees are truly True Religion? Here are some tips to help you separate the bona fide jeans from the fakes: >>

A trip from Santa Monica

Miwok Airways hopes to provide a more efficient alternative to traveling within Southern California. Here are some comparisons of various modes of travel for a Santa Monica resident planning a trip to San Diego on Monday. Prices represent last-minute fares, and distances don't include travel to a train station or airport. >>

Booking a flight on Miwok Airways will be similar to reserving a taxicab but with a twist -- the ability to tap into an Internet social network. >>

The attorney general of New York has accused the firms of using deceptive practices to market their products. >>

Federal aviation officials said Friday that they were investigating 17 cases in which 11 air carriers did not comply with government safety directives. >>

Cyriac Roeding completes a 6-week world tour in which he traveled to such places as Nepal and Brazil to witness how people use their mobile devices. >>

Data show the economy is still weak and could worsen if foreign markets continue to fade. Investors now view falling commodity prices with fear. >>

Discounters such as Wal-Mart and some teen chains do well amid back-to-school shopping, but department stores and apparel retailers suffer as consumers scale back. >>

What's he eating for lunch? Is she showing up for class? What subjects are they weak in? Software is helping unravel the mystery. >>

The luxury builder's CEO predicts a turnaround -- after the foreclosure inventory is sold. >>

The adrenaline-charged thriller starring Nicolas Cage is expected to rake in $10 million and to lead the box office this weekend. It's the sole major release hitting the nation's multiplexes. >>

It's been hard to avoid Barack Obama's distinctive red, white and blue "O" logo on display ads as you tool around online, particularly on news sites. In contrast, the star logo of his Republican presidential rival John McCain's campaign hasn't shined as brightly across the Web. >>

The bargain retailer is expected to announce some price increases at a news conference Monday. >>

THE ECONOMY

Mortgage rates decline across board >>

The storied restaurant chain signs up for the last available space in the downtown development. >>

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The U.S. service sector grew unexpectedly in August for the first time in three months as new orders improved and inflation moderated, a private trade group said Thursday. Tempering the good news, another report found the ranks of the jobless increased last week. >>

The Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings Thursday on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections. >>

The department-store chain says it was stripped of valuable real estate, which was later leased back at higher rents. That 'led to Mervyns' bankruptcy,' the firm claims in a lawsuit. >>

Representatives from Boeing Co. and the machinists union met with a federal mediator Thursday as the clock ticked on an unusual two-day contract extension after union production workers soundly rejected a contract offer and voted to strike. >>

The average cost of a new vehicle in the second quarter was $25,632 -- a 2.3% decline from the year-earlier period and the steepest drop recorded in the bank's 41-year-old survey. >>

Co-CEO Bill Thompson will hand the reins to the star investor, who recently returned from a stint managing Harvard's endowment. >>

Projector has always looked forward, but this seems like the time to rewind. >>

August was another rough month for retailers, who reported disappointing back-to-school shopping season that picked up only in the fourth week. Consumers battered by high gas and food prices continued to trim discretionary spending, causing weak sales at stores open a year or more. Discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. continued to soar past expectations as shoppers stocked up on necessities while shunning department and apparel stores. >>

The bank regulator now says that about $541 million in customer accounts weren't insured, down from an initial estimate of $1 billion. >>

Keeping tabs

Technology being deployed in schools across the country allows parents to keep tabs on what their children are eating for lunch, how many times they're late to class and just how poorly they're doing in algebra. Here's an overview of some of the more popular programs: >>

The Dow inches up, but broad indexes slip. Weak economic data tussle with falling commodities. >>