Business

The word "terrain" comes from the Latin "terranum," meaning "of the Earth." It's the same root for the word "terrier," which is a kind of dog. And that brings us to the GMC Terrain. A glitzed-up version of the AKC-registered Chevy Equinox, the GMC Terrain confronts all the bad old ways of GM -- the badge engineering where vehicle clones are sold under several brands, the redundant product planning, the weird fascination with shiny objects, the wheedling of customers -- and embraces them with open paws.

Taking borrowers at their word for how much they earn was a major cause of the mortgage meltdown. That practice may also be why an Obama administration program has struggled to convert temporary loan modifications into permanent ones. The government said Thursday that it would overhaul the program by requiring homeowners to document their incomes before trial modifications are granted. Borrowers previously could have their interest rates lowered and the terms of their loans extended on a trial basis without providing pay stubs or other financial documents.

You'd be hard-pressed to find an artist who lives her life more openly than Fantasia Barrino. In the six years since she became the third "American Idol," Fantasia -- who, like Bjork or Madonna, needs no last name -- has published a bestselling memoir, starred in a top-rated Lifetime movie about her life, and now has invited cameras into her house for a VH1 docu-series, "Fantasia for Real," which premieres Monday. The way she sees it, her life is a "testimony," a way to help others even when it means sharing deeply personal and painful aspects of her life, such as her functional illiteracy or that she was raped at 14. But this time, when the 25-year-old single mother, who won America over with her rendition of on the "Idol" stage, opens her doors to public scrutiny again, Fantasia hopes to help herself most of all. The last couple of years haven't been kind.

Toyota Motor Corp. launched a major new recall Thursday, saying a mechanical problem could cause the gas pedals to stick and cause unwanted acceleration in 2.3 million of its vehicles, including recent models of its popular Camry and Corolla sedans. Most of the vehicles targeted by the new recall were also included in a separate recall of 4.3 million vehicles late last year involving floor mats that could jam the accelerator pedal open. In issuing its latest recall, Toyota has for the first time acknowledged that a mechanical problem could cause its vehicles to accelerate out of control.

During a routine test on its Sienna minivan in April 2003, Toyota Motor Corp. engineers discovered that a plastic panel could come loose and cause the gas pedal to stick, potentially making the vehicle accelerate out of control. The automaker redesigned the part and by that June every 2004 model year Sienna off the assembly line came with the new panel. Toyota did not notify tens of thousands of people who had already bought vans with the old panel, however. It wasn't until U.S. safety officials opened an investigation last year that Toyota acknowledged in a letter to regulators that the part could come loose and "lead to unwanted or sudden acceleration."

Despite growing worries about a future surge in inflation, consumer prices barely budged last month and fell for all of 2009 -- the first annual decline in more than half a century. The latest report on the consumer price index, released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, increases the likelihood that Federal Reserve officials at their next meeting later this month will stand pat on their policy of setting interest rates at near zero for "an extended period." In recent weeks, there have been increasing signs of a split at the Fed over how soon the central bank should begin tightening credit and monetary policy to avoid a future outbreak of inflation.

The video game industry got a shot of good news Wednesday before what's expected to be a final dose of bad news on 2009 today. Activision Blizzard Inc. said sales of its blockbuster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 have exceeded $1 billion worldwide since it launched Nov. 10. Though the Santa Monica publisher didn't specify how many units it had sold, that's probably close to 15 million based on the 8 million units the game sold in its first...

Toyota Motor Corp.'s sudden-acceleration troubles mounted Wednesday, with the automaker adding 1.1 million more vehicles to an already massive recall even as it came under increasing fire for its handling of the problem. The new attention was triggered by Toyota's unprecedented decision this week to halt sales and production of eight models, including its popular Corolla and Camry sedans, until it could figure out how to stop their gas pedals from getting stuck and causing runaway acceleration.

Toyota Motor Corp. has taken the unprecedented step of halting sales and production of eight models -- including its top-selling Camry and Corolla -- saying their gas pedals can get stuck and cause runaway acceleration. Industry experts could not recall any time in recent history when a carmaker had stopped both production and sales of so many models at once. Tuesday's move follows two recent recalls aimed at preventing Toyota-made vehicles from surging out of control, which has been blamed in at least 19 deaths and scores of injuries over the last decade, more than for all other automakers combined.

On a recent winter night, while neighbors strung their Baldwin Park homes with Christmas lights, the Lams and their three children sat in front of a television set with rabbit ears sprouting out of the top. Wait a second -- rabbit ears? Is this 1950? No, it's almost 2010, and the Lams are a modern Los Angeles family that, like many in the region, are rediscovering the convenience -- and economics -- of the old-fashioned TV antenna. In the wake of the transition to digital television, Southland viewers are finding they can get nearly three times as many channels as they once could with an antenna.

Not long ago, people who wanted to generate their own green energy at home had to content themselves with rooftop solar panels. But new technologies -- and hefty government subsidies -- are now allowing homeowners to tap the wind, the Earth and other renewable sources in their own backyards. Call it the green evolution. The cost of heating and cooling with fossil fuels has nowhere to go but up, thanks to rising global demand and increased regulation of carbon emissions.

This month's makeover Who: Michelle Nicholson, 38, and Mike Nicholson, 33 Dependents: A preschooler and a child on the way Annual income: $104,000 Goals: To get out of debt and create stronger financial future Assets: $14,000 in 401(k) retirement account; $10,000 from a car sale Debts: $21,000 owed on credit cards Recommendations: The Nicholsons need to whittle their debt and rebuild their credit after losing their house last year in a short sale.

Re: "New budget trajectory for NASA," Feb. 4: Although many Constellation contractors would like to blame President Obama for the cancellation of the program, he is just facing reality. After President Bush proposed a return to the moon, Congress never adequately funded the project. A partially complete moon project has little value. What the Bush administration should have done is adjust the project to fit the budget or argue for more money. The Obama administration has proposed a technology development project for future exploration.

A rebuilt Westside home inspired by Rudolph Schindler and infused with an Icelandic sensibility has come on the market for the first time. Conceived by Tryggvi Thorsteinsson and Erla Dogg Ingjaldsdottir, the husband-and-wife architectural and interior design team behind the Santa Monica firm Minarc, the modern house is distinguished not only by its focus on energy efficiency, natural light and its use of experimental and recycled materials, but...

Shadowed by debt and a bad bet on real estate, Michelle and Mike Nicholson want a fresh start for their growing family. With their second child on the way, the Moorpark couple will need to move fast. The Nicholsons' finances are so precarious that a job loss or unexpected medical costs could spell catastrophe. "They're close to being in real trouble," said Stephan Goyette, a certified financial planner in Thousands Oaks who reviewed the Nicholsons' finances. "They're not at a point where they can't dig themselves out. But I don't want them to get to a place where they need to consult a bankruptcy attorney."

Dear Liz: I want to stop supporting the greedy banking industry by changing my checking account from a big bank to my local credit union. But I'm worried I will have to give up services I like, such as online banking and free bill payment. What will I give up if I use a credit union? Answer: You may not have to give up anything, and you may gain a few things, depending on how you bank. Credit unions are member-owned, which means they don't have to worry about making profits for shareholders.

When it comes to securities fraud, 2009 was either the best of times or the worst. Both arguments are made in the statistics. Last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the nation's top investment regulator: Sought 71 temporary restraining orders to halt misconduct and prevent further harm to investors. That was up 82% from 2008. Doubled the number of formal investigations of securities violations. Ordered wrongdoers to disgorge some $2.1 billion in ill-gotten gains, up 170% from the previous year.

Toyota sent a message to its beleaguered dealers Friday night saying they would be getting details of a plan this week to deal with brake-system problems on the 2010 Prius. But there was no word on what that plan might be, or whether there would be a recall. "We have communicated to our dealers that sometime next week we will provide more clarity on what our plans are for the Prius," said Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons. "We have several options available, and recall is one of them," he said.

Thinking of cashing out some equity when you refinance your mortgage? Sure, that used to be what millions of homeowners did when they needed extra money. But now get ready for the post-boom, post-crash trend: "cash-in" refis -- the opposite of cash-outs. "It almost sounds un-American," quipped Frank Nothaft, chief economist for mortgage giant Freddie Mac. After all, Americans have grown accustomed over much of the last two decades to tapping into their equity -- pulling out a chunk of cash and adding to their debt load -- when they refinanced their mortgages.

The gig: Creative director at Naughty Dog Studios in Santa Monica. That makes Hennig, 45, the person in charge of all creative decisions, including writing, casting and design, at the video game company, which is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment America. Her most recent game -- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, released in October -- has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide and garnered 15 nominations for Interactive Achievement Awards, the video game industry's Oscars, the most of any title this year.