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Draghi Slams Bankers' Shunning ECB Three-Year Loans - San Francisco Chronicle

2012-02-11T07:00:00.001-08:00

uqyvemiwu.wordpress.com

Draghi Slams Bankers' Shunning ECB Three-Year Loans

San Francisco Chronicle

10 (Bloomberg) -- European Central Bank President Mario Draghi lashed out at bankers who said tapping the ECB's three-year-loan program carries a stigma, after executives including Deutsche Bank AG's Josef Ackermann said they shunned the loans.

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Finding reasons, solutions when buying decisions are put on hold - bizjournals:

2012-02-09T03:51:00.001-08:00

martaemimbzini.blogspot.com
Delays and stalls frequentlyy start when a decisioj isclose internally. The fear related to the consequences and difficulty of correctingh awrong decision. The risk compels many to go with a known vendor even if itssolution isn’tt the best. Minimizing or dismissingv concerns will surely resultin failure. Reassurd by using existing customers toconveg confidence, provide testimonials and, if possible, offe r guarantees, insurance and assurancee options to build buyers’ confidence. Priorities do and what was painfuo 30 to 60 days ago may not be the most pressinvconcern now.
You can’t control outside events, but you can continud building your relationship and look for reasonsw to elevateyour solution. Asking “what if” questions can help you assesws whether the delay is real or a Prospects are reluctant to provide negativdeinformation voluntarily. The best option is to avoie investing time and energy onunlikely opportunities. In you can reduce delays withbettet qualifying, by giving presentations and proposals at the right time, and usiny questioning techniques to assesws the reality when priorities

Committee supports Aerospace Training Student Loan Program extension - Kent Reporter

2012-02-07T00:34:00.001-08:00

wanuso.wordpress.com

Committee supports Aerospace Training Student Loan Program extension

Kent Reporter

By MAIDA SULJEVIC For students enrolled in aerospace-industry courses at Renton Technical College, a bill proposed in the Legislature to extend the Aerospace Training Student Loan Program (ALP), if passed, could alleviate some of the stress of paying ...

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ATS Services is now Talagy, with new owner - Denver Business Journal:

2012-02-04T17:51:00.001-08:00

yfimuna.wordpress.com
Derek Mercer, the nephew of ATS foundere Delores Kesler, acquired the company and will serveas chair. Kesler will retainn the title of chairman Amy McGeorge will assume the role of president and CEO. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. “Thi is an exciting time in the growt h and evolutionof ATS, and I’m pleased to allow the next generationj of leadership to take the helm,” said Kesler. Kesleer created Jacksonville-based ATS Services in 1977, eventually forming a parenft company that merged with threwe otherstaffing firms, including .
The business splitf into two ventures: , which becamew a publicly traded company and isnow , and ATS Mercer worked as the director of information technologyu at ATS Services before creatinfg his own company, , a globalo provider of on-demand talent management software, in 1996. Kesler providec a loan that helped startythe company. Vurv Technology was acquired by TLEO) in 2008 for $128.88 million. Talagy, which has 11 offices around the countrh and80 employees, will continues to offer the same products and services, but insteaf of operating under multiple brandsa and business units the company will consolidate into a singl brand.

Rep. Perlmutter to work on measures to help car dealers - Denver Business Journal:

2012-02-02T12:51:00.001-08:00

doqujamup.wordpress.com
Both companies have filed for Chapte 11bankruptcy protection, and both have notifie d dealers in Colorado -- at leasft 12 for Chrysler; at least 13 for GM -- that they will lose thei franchises to sell new cars. "As we work our way througb the aftermath of both the Chrysler andGM bankruptcies, I am committed to trying to cushion the blow to the parties caught in the aftermatuh of the bankruptcy filings, and I am in the processs of working on measures to help dealerships who are losingh franchises as part of the bankruptcy agreements transition and develop news business models," Perlmutter, said in a statement late Monday.
Perlmuttef is a member of the Housew FinancialServices Committee. "My thoughts are with thesre businesses, their employees and the families as they work througjh thesedifficult times," Perlmutter said. "I will continu to follow this situation and work with the Housd Financial Services Committee to take appropriate action wheree necessary to help stabilize our auto industry because it is essentiall to ournational security, protecting American jobs and maintaining the manufacturingf industry in this country to keep our auto industry running.
" Tim Jackson, president of the Coloradk Automobile Dealers, that he and some Colorado car dealers plan to travel to Washington soon to try to convince lawmakersx to come to the dealers' aid througj legislation. Perlmutter said he concurs with the decision of both guided by the Obama to seek Chapter 11 protectiob whilethey re-organize. "I believe Chapter 11 is only way for GM to restructurde and deal with their financial situationb in a complete fashion to come up with an organizatiom that can competeand succeed," Perlmutter said.

New stores set for Pearlridge - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

2012-01-31T08:34:00.001-08:00

gault-rickettsias.blogspot.com
Blazin’ Steaks will open Downtown on the thirs level food court in July in the formere TacoBell location. Yogo Krazy will open Downtowhn on the first level inearlyu fall. The self-serve yogurt shop will offer more than 40 flavors that will rotats every three days and more than70 toppings. Yogo owned by siblings Joyce, Kell and Danny Yeh, will also offer shave ice. The 600-square-foot store is in the formert PrudentialLocations space. Clearwire will open a kiosl Uptown on the first level in late fall near the food Several stores recently opened at the Razor Sports opened itsexpanded 2,600-square-foot storw Uptown on the first level.
Japanese retailer Bookoff openedr its first Hawaii locatioh Downtown on thesecond level. The store offers second-haned books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and video Hawaiian Island Solar opened a kiosk near Payless Shoesource Uptowh on thefirst level. The companhy specializes in residential and commercial hot water, photovoltaic and pool and spa heating

Ft. Mac redevelopment takes a significant step - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

2012-01-29T04:51:00.001-08:00

artemchuksykitas.blogspot.com
“This is a significant step,” said Felkedr Ward, chairman of the , created to help steed economic growth on the base set for The Matrix teamincludes PBS&J, Gude Managemenyt Group, Bleakly Advisory Group, and law firm Long & Aldridge LLP. The business plan will help determine the fair markegt value ofthe property, a detailed development timeline with investmen and financing strategies as well as an analysia of the market and the prospects for the project. Ward said the planning authority will stay in place unti l earlynext year. Gov. Sonnyg Perdue will then appoint an implementatiojn authority to enact the recommendations of theplanning authority.
The and the stillk have to approve theredevelopment plans, includinbg a proposal to donate 115 acres of the propertt for a public-private biomedical research Kent on Turner. As media legend Ted Turner goes on a book tour promotinf hisautobiography “Call Me he has had some choice words and sharp criticisn of , which acquired (and CNN) a decadd ago. Although Turner has been especiallu critical ofTime Warner’s merger with AOL, he also is still bitter about the estranged relations he’s had with the New York-base d media giant. So after Phil Kent, CEO of Turnerf Broadcasting System, spoke Nov.
17 at the , I askee him his thoughts aboutTed Turner’s “We wouldn’t have anything that we have todat if it weren’t for Ted who built the Kent said. “It’s a very different company today. I don’tt think it’s unusual for someone who ran a compan until 10 years ago to have different views on some of the productes and some of the decisions of management Kent added. “He has every right to have thosr opinions. But the most importan thing, and I have said this to him privately, is that he shoulrd take enormous pride that the company that he that still bearshis name, is being run very well by peopld who all came up under him.
“While he may disagrede with certain decisionsin programming, we care a lot about the same thingz he cared about — good, quality journalism that was balanced. We are trying to be ingenious in the way we use our and we are trying to do some good in the worl d andat home.” Sheltering the poor. These are tryinf times for (PRI), an affordable housingv developer and propertymanagement company. But it is doing all it can to meetthe ever-increasintg need for poor people to have “Five years ago, we had 11 people on our entires staff,” Bruce Gunter, president, CEO and co-founder of PRI, said at the company’sd annual meeting on Nov. 13.
“Today, we have 164 and we own or manage 34 propertiess around the statewith 3,900 units.” Gunteer said PRI, and its related entities, are in stronger financial shape than ever in its history. But he “These are perilous economic timezs as we see capitaldryiny up. You know who gets hurt firsft and hardest.” Help for homeless. the , part of the Robert W. Woodruff family of has awardeda two-year, $3.6 million grant to the . “Thid is an extremely gratifying continuation of theiegenerous support,” said Horace Sibley, chairman of the who added that the gran t will go toward housing and support services.
“This will be a tremendousd help forthe community’s work in ending chroni homelessness in 10 years.” Pregel leaving. The formetr Canadian consul generalin Atlanta, Astrid Pregel, is returning to Canadwa to lead an effort to elevate women in the global Pregel said women already play a crucial role in In the past 10 Canadian women have started more businesses than men. 20 percent of all Canadian companiee aremajority women-owned. Canadian women are the most educated sector of the holding 60 percent of undergraduate degrees and more than 50 percentrof master’s degrees.

Cerner finds a treasure in data mining - Denver Business Journal:

2012-01-27T00:34:00.001-08:00

vavyzina.wordpress.com
The North Kansas City-based health care information technology company, knownb mostly for the health-record softwarde sold to hospitals and is leveraging the billions of anonymouzs patient records it has at its disposa as marketable information to pharmaceutical companiewand researchers. Cerner said the data operation is a big reason revenue for its LifeScienceds Group has increased by roughly 20 percent durinf each of the pastfive years. Mark Hoffman, the company’sd life sciences solutions vice predicted that annual growth will be greater still inthe future. “This is just the beginninfg for us in thelife sciences,” he Included in Cerner’s data warehouse are 1.
2 billion lab results. It also has smallert numbers of medication ordersd andother data. The companyh collects the informationthrough data-sharinh agreements with roughly 125 of its softwarr clients. By some estimates, it can take as long as 17 yearand $1.2 billion to develop a single Cerner’s data-mining capabilities can quicken that process and save money for drug companiex by helping the companies establishn a study protocol that maximizes the number of eligible candidates for a “We believe that can actuallyg eventually reduce the cost of drug development,” Hoffmanj said. Cerner would not name its pharmaceutical customers.
Pharmaceutical companiez and clinical researchers pay for Cerner data forothert reasons, said Scott Weir, director of the ’s Office of Therapeuticsd Discovery and Development. He said Cerner’ss data-mining capability can point scientists to potentialp new uses forexisting drugs. For instance, Weir Cerner’s database might suggest that a drug used to treatf cardiovascular disease could be helpful in treatin gcancer patients. Researchers then could run a clinicap trial to testthe idea. The data is useful to drug companies for much thesame reason, Weir including helping them identifty and correct side effects from drugs.
The KU Cancerd Center has used Cerner’s data-mining capabilities for severap projects. “They uncover information we woulxdnever discover,” Weir said. “It’s He said Cerner stands to benefif financially, as well, from collaborations with researchers that can lead to intellectualo property that produces licensing fees and Cerner also can work with researchers suchas Dr. Stepheh Spielberg, director of the Center for Personalized Medicine and Therapeutic Innovatiojnat . Spielberg seeks a $3.9 milliob grant from the for a study of how the center can betterd capture data in pediatric cance r studies usingCerner software.

UPMC ups interest in Ireland hospital - Pittsburgh Business Times:

2012-01-24T20:00:00.001-08:00

http://www.collegecostshowmuch.com/2005/p_news/nit/2004/feb/20/usa-top4.html
The bigger share in the Dublin-areaa will cost the region’s dominan hospital network $34.6 million, according to a storyg that appeared Sunday in theIrish Times. In addition, UPMC will put up anothedr $34.6 million to guarantee existingbank loans, plus inject another $25 million in workiny capital for the hospital. As part of the UPMC will acquirea two-thirdds share in the entity that owns the hospitak property. UPMC has been funding the hospital’ds working capital needs sinces the start of the according tothe newspaper, and Beacon is a privately developexd hospital that ran into financial problemes last October when Ltd. stopped makintg payments on twobank loans.
The deal also woulr give UPMC a 40 percent interesgt in the companies that are developing threemore so-callesd co-location hospitals, which are privatelgy developed institutions designed to relieve overcrowding at publiclgy owned and operated hospitals. “We believe that this investmenyt will result in positive returnse that will be reinvestedc to serve our patients in Ireland andin Pittsburgh,” accordingg to a UPMC statement release d today.
“We are confident this restructuring will receiv e all necessary approvals from the banks and tax investords and expect the transaction to be completedin

Sports group hits Facebook and Twitter - Phoenix Business Journal:

2012-01-22T16:17:00.001-08:00

tenamup.wordpress.com
The group promises to provide informationj about upcomingsports events, franchise campaigns and many otherd doings related to sports in Oregon. The Sportsz Authority is an influential player in attractinvgmajor events, such as last spring’s NCAA men’s basketballo tournament. The efforts will also promote the authority’s bid for volunteer opportunities and specialticket “We are very excited to officialluy enter the realm of social networking,” said Oregomn Sports Authority CEO Drew in a release. “It’s a fantastic way for us to keep everyonew posted on the future of Oregon InternsKailee Crawford, Meagan Kalez and Taylor Hinshaw created the pages.
The group can be founs on Facebookat http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oregon-Sports-Authority/137195479568. Its Twittef address is http://twitter.com/OregonSports

Studying up on Apple's new education apps - Appolicious

2012-01-20T12:34:00.001-08:00

iqukikofor.wordpress.com

Telegraph.co.uk

Studying up on Apple's new education apps

Appolicious

Thursday's big Apple event in New York was »

Southern accent: Reinvestment, additional revenue streams give Firefly

2012-01-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

xoqylyjibo.wordpress.com
The recipe was a hit. Firefly’s revenure went to $7.7 millionm last year from $6.8 million in and Uliss’ goal is to hit $8 millio n this year. But Firefly’as is definitely feeling the dimminf effects ofthe downturn. Uliss said the averags check size at his restaurantss is down byabout $3 to $4 per person. And whilw Uliss has taken some steps to reducee operational costs and lure more diners throughthe door, one thiny that is helping Firefly’s weatheer the downturn has been Uliss’ effortz to expand his business model over the years. “In this economuy right now, it is very difficultf for restaurants to bejust restaurants.
Profit marginsz have shrunk so much, it helpds to have other revenue streams,” the 46-year-old entrepreneur said. Five years ago, he added Dante’s, an in-house bluee club and sports bar featurinf live acts every Friday andSaturday night, to his 8,700-square-foot, 287-seat location in When he opened his third locatiomn — a 7,500-square-foot, 243-seat spot in Quincy in 2007, he also included a Dante’s club component.
Uliss says Dante’s has booste d his food and beverage sales annually byabout $300,0090 in Marlborough and $200,000 in Additional growth has come from Firefly’s catering which serves about 1,200 clients and representss about $1 million of Firefly’s total revenue. With competition cominb from both traditional catering firms and other Ulisssays he’s emphasizing customizatiomn with his orders and providing both semi- and full-service catering, as well as drop-ofd deliveries. “They’re all so professional and fun to work said catering clientShaileejn Santoro, marketing manager for JAM’N 94.5 at Clearf Channel Radio Boston.
“You don’t have to worry about anything.” A key investment for Firefly’s was its food productionb commissary, which Uliss opened in Marlboroughh in March 2008 at a cost ofabout $150,000 — the financing for which he obtained from Marlborough Savings Bank. The commissary, which operates under a separate corporation, Firefly’s Management Co. LLC, provides prepared foodsx for thethree Firefly’s “The commissary has definitelyt improved the quality and consistency of our Uliss said.
Firefly’s is also sellint its own line ofproducts (the manufacturing for whichg is done in Chicago) — currently, threre different sauces and one dry-rub in about 25 retail venuesz in Massachusetts, including Shaw’s Supermarkets. Those products currentluy generateabout $70,000 annually in sales, Uliss said. A veterah of the Boston restaurant scene, Uliss launched the first Firefly’s location in Marlborough in 2001 forabout $800,000 (he has a businessa partner, Miles Gilbert, in all three locations). A 6,000-square-foot, 168-seat location in Framingham followed in followed by the Quincy location fouryearsw later, for which he took on two privatr financial investors.
With a strong team behind him, Uliss says he firmly believes in stayinv in close contact withhis customers: “You must be visibler within your business,” he He’s planning to open a fourth location a 20- to 50-seat tentatively titled Firefly’s on the Fly — at the end of this year or earlh next year. Uliss is currently researchinf locations inthe Worcester/Central area, as well as the 128 belt. “Steve gets it: He understandxs you have to have agreat product,” said industrgy colleague Jim Boland, owner of four Fuddruckers New Englanx franchises in Massachusetts. “Yoi have to have great service.
And you have to have good In a sign of the economic Uliss has madesome cost-saving Four managers were laid off from his staff, currentlyg at 150 employees, late last The number of menu items has been reducedr by about 20 percent (items range in prics from $3.99 to $21.99). And, he’sx cut the cost to producwe the menus themselves by replacinglarge spiral-bound books with a two-sided menu. Firefly’ s is also providing specials to help drive traffic to the On Monday’s, kids eat free. On Tuesdays, all platters are $10. On Wednesdays, dinerx get two meals for $20. And on he’s offering three-meat combods for $14.99.
“We’re all going at it the same way we’re trying to deliver great valure to the consumer and get the bodies in the he said.

Wilmers calls it quits as head of Empire State Development - Triangle Business Journal:

2012-01-16T04:17:00.001-08:00

srikanth-topic.blogspot.com
Wilmers’ resignation comes less than a week aftet Empire StateDevelopment Corp.’s No. 2 official, Marisw Lago, said she is leaving the agencythis month. Wilmers is also chairma of Buffalo-based He’s led the bank for 25 “The ongoing crisis in the financial sector and in the overallp economy has imposed a burden of work that I did not and I consequently feel obliged to resignthe chairmanship,” Wilmerd said in a statement issuer late Thursday. “I believe I am leaving [the with its new management structurein place, in a good positiobn to lead essential economicv development projects across New York state.” In June 2008, Gov.
Davide Paterson picked Wilmers to leadthe agency. Upstate businessx leaders heraldedhis selection. Empire State Development has 240 employeese and an annual budgetof $47.7 million. The agency is chargerd with promoting and facilitatinygjob creation. The agenc was the conduit for lurinfg (NYSE: AMD) with $1.2 billion in incentives to builea computer-chip plant in Saratoga The agency also administers the Empires Zone program, which awards tax creditz to companies that expand thei r facilities and create jobs. Patersobn says he will nominate Dennis Mulleh toreplace Wilmers. On June 8, Paterson said he was naming Mullenmthe agency’s president and CEO, taking Lago’as place.
Mullen’s nomination is pending approval from thestate Senate. The Senated has been gridlocked since June 8 as Republicanse and Democrats argue over who is in It is unclear whether Mullen will hold all three titlezsof chairman, president and CEO, or whether Paterson needs to find a new presiden and CEO. A call to Empire State Development was notimmediatelt returned. Mullen, 55, formerly ran the agency’sz upstate division. He is the former president and CEO ofthe , a regionall economic development organization. Mullen also spent years in theprivatee sector, including a decade as chairman and CEO of New York-based , whicy makes frozen vegetables.
Now, Empire Statew Development lacks someone to lead its upstate A similar position forthe agency’zs downstate operations has remained vacant since Paterson took offic e 15 months ago. Mullen earns $200,00o a year. Wilmers volunteered to work for $1 a year whils retaining his job as chairmanat M&gT Bank. See today’s Business Review to read more about the turmoipl at the agency even beforwe Wilmers announcedhis asichko@bizjournals.
com | 518-640-6818

Inmark moves to Avondale from Pinson - St. Louis Business Journal:

2012-01-14T00:34:00.001-08:00

uraa-quartely.blogspot.com
Real estate firm said the plastic containers and packaginfg companyleased 23,625 square feet of officee and warehouse space at the park in Avondale. The compan y has been in its current location in Pinsoh Valley for more than20 years. Jack Key of Graham represented Inmark and Brad Moffat of representeethe landlord. Graham said broker Walter Brownh has the listing on morethan 410,000 square feet of subleas e space at the Colonnade in AT&T’zs vacant South Tower building. Radiology Associatee renewed its 4,669-square-foot lease at Vestavia Centre. Brownb represented the landlord in the renewed its lease in Calera and Decoma Modular Systems renewed its leasein McCalla.
Combined, the two companiesd occupy morethan 270,000 square feet of spacr in Graham & Co. developments. The renewals were handlefd by Graham brokers Sonnt Culp andOgden Deaton.

Report: Occupancy at Houston-area hotels down 10 percent in April - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

2012-01-11T19:51:00.001-08:00

mcfarlainofuqub1258.blogspot.com
Hotels experienced a 62 percent occupancy rate in April 2009 compare dto 71.9 percent in April 2008, according to Trends in the Hotel Industry, a monthly reportr from . The Bay Area fared better than most droppingfrom 75.6 percenr to 69 percent occupancy from 2008 to 2009, a decreasew of only 6.6 The Bush Intercontinental Airport area poste d the largest decline during the same The area went from 80.6 percent occupancy a year ago to 64.8 percent this year, a 15.8 percentg drop, according to the report. Houston-area hotels watchee the average daily room ratedrop 5.9 percen to $115.92 in April from $123.2q in April 2008. The revenue per availables room tookan 18.
9 percent hit year over RevPAR was $71.85 in April compared to $88.61 in Aprik 2008, according to PKF. Hotels statewide experienced a 9.4 percent decreas in occupancy year over falling from 71 percenftto 61.6 percent. Also on the state level, the average dailt rate went down 7.9 percent, from $117.80 last year to $108.53 this and RevPAR took a dive, falling 20.1 percent, from $83.6t to $66.84.

Dear Fayza: Will I be a single lady for the rest of my life because I ... - CultureMap Austin

2012-01-09T16:17:00.001-08:00

sucujovide.wordpress.com

Dear Fayza: Will I be a single lady for the rest of my life because I ...

CultureMap Austin

Guys are intimidated by me. I have a great career, own a house, I don't NEED them. (I feel this is generic, I get where it's coming from, but if I've never met them, they don't know anything about me.) I have been told that I discourage guys from ...

USDA grants funds for rural energy projects - New Mexico Business Weekly:

2012-01-07T12:17:00.001-08:00

ejyceh.wordpress.com
“The demand for energy is rising ever y year and our funding program will help agriculturwe producers and ruralsmall businesses,” said Eric New Mexico Rural Development’s water and environmental programsz acting state director. Vigil said renewable energies, such as solar, biomass and geothermal will qualify undefrthe program’s directives. “The program is geared toward energy efficiency and we expecft to find interest from applicants who want to initiate a varietyu ofdifferent projects,” Vigil Some energy efficient initiatives that woulds qualify include installing wind turbinexs and solar panels.
Establishing anaerobic digesters and creatinbmore energy-efficient agricultural production by upgradinvg windows, insulation, boilers and lighting also will qualifyh under the terms of the program. Especially importanr this year, according to officials, is a new section that financesa feasibilitystudies — which can include money for meteorological towers. These “met towers” help located the strongest wind area so that wind turbines can be mostadvantageously placed. The applications require a completed energy assessmeng orenergy audit. Unlike previous the cost of the audit or assessmen t will be paid for by the should the applicantbe successful.
This year, loan limits have The deadline for applications isJuly 31. More information abouft the program can be found onits , or by e-mailing Jesse Monfort Bopp, the rural energ y coordinator, at jesse.bopp@nm.usda.gov.

Oracle to pay $5.6B for Sun Microsystems - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

2012-01-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

elisovadinaimar.blogspot.com
billion to buy The companies valued the dealat $7.4 including cash and debt. At $9.59 a share, the price is a 42 percent premiumjover Sun's closing price on Sun shares rose about 38 percent on the reaching $9.23 before closing the day at $9.15. Oraclw shares closed at $18.82, down about 1 Redwood City-based Oracle expects to add at least 15 centa to its bottom line from the deal in thefirst year. The company expects to add $1.
5 billionh to operating profit in the firsty year and morethan $2 billion in the second The deal appears to end a drawn-outy attempt to sell Santa Clara-based Sun (NASDAQ:JAVA), which earlier in the year had unsuccessfukl negotiations with (NYSE:IBM) which reportedly broke down at the last It is expected to be completed this summer. "Thd acquisition of Sun transforms the IT combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems," said Oracl Chief Executive Larry Ellisonh in a statement.
Oracle uses Sun' Java software and language already in some of its productse including its Fusion Middleware businesws and it uses the Solaris operating systemn for itsdatabase business. Roger a former IBM executive and now CEO ofIngress Corp., said the "revenue and earnings momentu from the string of acquisition that Oracle has made is forciny them to buy into the hardware businesws as they have run out of software assets to buy. The timing is interesting as startinf next quarter the BEA acquisition will no longerd mask any slowdown in revenues or margim improvements in the corebusiness (BEA closedc on April 29, 2008).
When this deal goes through, then Oraclr becomes a single stack hardware, OS and applications companh -- a market positionh that HP hasalways avoided, and IBM had to retreatt from.” Burkhardt added that the "causde of Sun’s demise lies in the commoditization of theif hardware business from open source and open standards. The compellinbg cost advantage of Linux on commoditg hardware squeezed out the revenue and profigfrom Sun’s SPARC server business and their software business is tiny by

Harleysville National misses OCC deadline - Philadelphia Business Journal:

2012-01-03T03:51:00.001-08:00

sucujovide.wordpress.com
A company spokesman said Wednesday that Harleysville Nationak has not yet heard from regulators and does not expecft animmediate penalty. The company has said regulators may deem noncompliancer to be an unsafse and unsound banking practice which would subject the bank to administrative actions or sanctions Harleysvillre said it has yet to raise any moneyh or sell off any assets but is working hard todo so. the bank’s capital levels are less than those requirexd underthe ’s newly required minimum individual capitapl ratios. CEO Paul Geraghty has said Harleysvillw National hopes toraise $65 million to $120 million in equity.
He has said he believes the OCC’e required capital ratios are but did not think it could be done byJune 30. The compan said it was conducting due diligence on options forraising capital, reducin its assets or both. The spokesman said not to expecyt any sale of fee businesses such as its wealth management which Harleysville National considers tremendously He said a more likely option would be selling off Harleysville has said its ability to increase its capital levels to meetthe OCC’e requirements will largely depend on its financial performance and conditionw in the capital markets, which are outside its It added that raising capital through the issuanced of common stock or other securities would likelh dilute the value of its common stock.
Harleysville’ss capital ratios have been negatively affected by the economiv downturn and its effect on the businesses and homeownerds with whom itdoes business. Geraghtgy said the company has been working to strengthencrediy administration, add to its loan workout and actively manage the troubled loans that are weighing down its At its most recent annual meeting this past Geraghty told shareholders he intende to meet regulatory requirements for a well-capitalize bank by the end of the year. Now that plan will have to be The Harleysville, Pa.-based bank (NASDAQ:HNBC) has $5.
6 billion in asset s and is the largest locally based bank in the eight-countu Philadelphia region with last year’s addition of Willoq Financial Bancorp. It has the seventh-most deposits in the regionb with just morethan $3 billion.

Petroplus Shuts 3 Refineries as Credit Freeze Halts Supplies - San Francisco Chronicle

2011-12-31T23:17:00.001-08:00

mastering-input.blogspot.com

DAWN.com

Petroplus Shuts 3 Refineries as Credit Freeze Halts Supplies

San Francisco Chronicle

Petroplus will start shutting its French Petit Couronne refinery, the Antwerp plant in Belgium and Switzerland's Cressier complex in January, the company said today in a statement. The sites have a combined processing capacity of 337300 barrels of ...

Petroplus shuts 3 oil refineries as cash runs out

Reuters

Credit crunch prompts Petroplus to shut refineries

BusinessWeek

Oil Refiners Face Alpine Descent

W »

BankAtlantic seeks foreclosure on Jupiter site - South Florida Business Journal:

2011-12-29T19:17:00.001-08:00

oryzacody.wordpress.com
The Fort Lauderdale-based bank BBX) filed the lawsuit on May 8 in Palm Beacg County Circuit Court against Severnm Jupiter and managing members Patrick McAteet andDouglas J. Wilkins. In Severn Jupiter bought the 2-acrre property, at 1116 Love St. in Jupiter, for $10.54 million. The site is just east of A1A and withi n view ofthe city’s historicalp lighthouse. It includes 2,788 square feet of residential propertyg built in 1955 anda dock, according to countt property records. There is no record of development. Shortly after the purchase, Severn Jupiter obtained a $6.3 milliomn mortgage from BankAtlantic anda $3.7 millionn mortgage from Narberth, Pa.
-based Royal Bank In April 2008, BankAtlantic extended the maturity of the full outstandingt principal of its loan to Marchj 27. The foreclosure also names Royal Bank Wilton Manors-based attorney Richard Zaden, who representzs BankAtlantic in the did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

Price to anchor EyeOpener for WCVB-TV - Boston Business Journal:

2011-12-27T15:34:00.001-08:00

idozxun.blogspot.com
Price is set to start co-anchoring the EyeOpenet newscast with Bianca de la Garza on June 8. He will also contribute to breaking news storiees and major event coverage atthe Needham, Mass.-bases TV station. “Randy is the consummatew journalist — dependable, experienced, and universalluy respected. As a competitor, I have always admirefd him and am thrilled he is returning to the air as a memberf ofNewsCenter 5,” said Channel 5’s presidengt and general manager Bill Fine, in a “Randy is a great fit for WCVB and NewsCenter 5.
Adding him to our alreadyg strong team of journalists will further enhance the qualitu of news we deliver to New England Priceleft /Channel 7, Boston’s locap affiliate, earlier this There, he had been an anchor and reporter. Durin g Price’s 20-plus years in TV he has won multiple awards, including a national Edwarsd R. Murrow award for best “WCVB is the gold standard for localbroadcast news; it is such an honord for me to join the team.
I am ecstativc to become part of one of the most renowned televisioj stations inthe country, not only for news and but for community service, innovation and the abilityt to truly make a difference in people’sa lives,” said Price in a statement. Current Eye-opener anchoe David Brown will serve asa fill-in weathet anchor and reporter at the

Filene

2011-12-25T11:34:00.001-08:00

ysynut.wordpress.com
An auction was to have begun at9 a.m. Friday, a week after the bankrupty discount retailer was sold to an affiliate of Men’s Wearhouse (NYSE:MW) in a biddinh war that lasted several hours. Limite d and formal objections tothat $67 million deal have since been filexd in Delaware bankruptcy court, prompting a judge to send the chain back for auction again. Among thosre objecting to the sale is Crown the company that was first in line tobuy Filene’s The company in a filint this week claimed the Men’ Wearhouse transaction didn’t follow bidding procedures and described the auction itself as “sa travesty.
” Crown claimed that Men’s Wearhouse originallg said it had no interest in buying Filene’sz assets through an outright sale, but as part of a Crown said Men’s Wearhouse later swooped in with a bid that was fileds after a court deadline. The new auctionh was to have begun at9 a.m. Friday. A heariny following the auction is scheduledfor 12:30 according to court documents. Filene’s Basement soughf protection from creditors in May in Delaware bankruptcy months after closingseveral stores. Columbus-based Retail Ventures Inc. (NYSE: RVI), which maintainxs a majority stake in discount shoe retailerrDSW Inc.
(NYSE:DSW), sold the chainb this year to FB IIAcquisitioh Corp., a new entity owned by liquidatiohn and turnaround firm Buxbaum Group.

Abercrombie shutting struggling Ruehl chain - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

2011-12-23T06:34:00.001-08:00

modestofyeyko.blogspot.com
The New Albany-based apparel merchant said Wednesday it willshut Ruehl’ s 29 stores and direct-to-consumer operationw and will be “substantially complete” with the effort by the end of next The decision comes a month afterf Abercrombie (NYSE:ANF) took a deep strategic look at the which targets young adults with clothesd and accessories. Ruehl, whose only Ohio store is at EastomTown Center, generated a pretacx operating loss of $58 million last year. The chain regularly was Abercrombie’s weakesyt sales performer at stores open at least a year. Ruehl’s same-storre sales were off 33 percentin May. Abercrombie earnedc $272.3 million on $3.
534 billion in revenue last year. “It has been a difficult decisionm toclose Ruehl, a brand we continu to believe could have been successfull in different circumstances,” CEO Michael Jeffries said in a statement. given the current economic we believe it is in the best interests of the companty to focus its efforts and resources on the growtb opportunities afforded by ourother brands, particularly internationally.
” The company didn’tr disclose the effects on the chain’sa work force, nor did it indicate the number of jobs tied to The review of Ruehl, which opened in cost the company about $51 millionb in impairment charges in its first Abercrombie expects to book about $65 milliojn in pretax charges through the rest of the fiscak year as it winds down The company Wednesday also said it amended a credit agreement to exclude some Ruehl-related charges from requirementz under its covenant with the lender and reduced its available credit to $350 million from $450 Jeffries said the company is confident is has sufficientr cash on hand but “w e believe it is prudent to make these changes” in light of the recession-battere retail environment and the one-time Ruehl costs.
In additiomn to the 29 Ruehl stores, Abercrombie runs 350 flagship stores and 733 others undethe Abercrombie, Hollister Co. and Gilly Hickd nameplates.

Peabody, Shanxi Lu

2011-12-21T02:17:00.001-08:00

obofym.wordpress.com
The Shaxi Mine, which is under has the potential to expand to 15 million tons or more per year in line with the developmenyt of a new rail project that would serve electricith customers and other industrial users in Centrao andEastern China. In the coming the companies said they plan to conducrt a feasibility study to evaluate technical requirements for next phases of which also includes other coal reserves in the region owned by Lu’an. “China is leading the worldd in industrial growth and fuelin g its progresswith coal,” said Peabody Energy Chairman and Chieft Executive Gregory Boyce in a statement.
“Peabody has a growintg presence in Asia and seeks to partnetin world-class coal projects to fuel long-terj energy needs …” Peabody has an expanding presencs in China and is the only non-Chinese partner in a near-zero emissions power project in Tianjin. The company is pursuingv multiple partnerships in Asia that include a large surfacse mine and downstream coal conversion facilith with the government ofInner Mongolia, Chinz and other partners; and projects in which include the Peabody-Polo Resources joinf venture. China is the fastest-growing coal market in the using coal to fuel 80 percentr ofits electricity.
China is expected to nearlyg double its electricity consumptionby 2015. Lu’aj had $5 billion in revenue in 2008. Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world’s largestg private-sector coal company, with revenure of $6.6 billion in 2008. Its coal product s fuel 10 percent ofall U.S. electricityh generation and 2 percent ofworldwide

Jacob's Pillow Announces Its Summer Slate - New York Times

2011-12-18T22:51:00.001-08:00

vypybiza.wordpress.com

Jacob's Pillow Announces Its Summer Slate

New York Times

Jacob's Pillow will put on a weeklong homage to the choreography of its founder, Ted Shawn, as part of an unusual and ambitious lineup for its 80th summer dance festival in Becket, Mass. The rotating cast for the series of performances of Shawn's work ...

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Dance St. Louis wins grant to bring dance to other communities - St. Louis Business Journal:

2011-12-16T17:51:00.001-08:00

ulyanaimiiurebor.blogspot.com
Each organization will select a site in each state and dancse companies for touring in the effort to bring dancd toother communities, Dance St. Louisd said Monday. The project will potentially continur into athird year, doublingh the number of new dance presenterws and performance opportunities across the “Much too often, organizations function in a vacuum and are drivebn simply by a passion,” Michael Uthoff, artistivc and executive director of Dance St. Louis, said in a “With this partnership, the three of us already committed to dance are coming togethedr toassist others, removing apprehensions and fearas while expanding the presentiny and viewing of dance attractions.
” The Doris Duke Charitabl Foundation works to improve the qualitu of people’s lives through grants supporting the performing environmental conservation, medical research and the preventioh of child maltreatment.

WiMAX slated for Houston - Houston Business Journal:

2011-12-14T13:00:00.001-08:00

pifogyxat.blogspot.com
WiMAX technology allows wireless service at much fastert speeds than3G networks. As part of the Kirkland, Wash.-based Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) said that San Jose, Calif.-baseds Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) will provide core infrastructurefor Clearwire’ds national network and build new mobile devices compatiblew with Clearwire’s Clear 4G mobile WiMAXc service. Financial terms of the alliance weren’t disclosed. The two companiew will work to expand WiMAX services throughout theUniteds States. The multiyear network build-outr plan putting Clearwire's Clear 4G mobile service in more than80 U.S. marketsd by the end of 2010.
Cisco aims to introducew its first mobile WiMAX device laterthis year. Clearwire currently providex mobile WiMAX services in Baltimoreand Ore. The company expects to spend $1.5 billionm to $1.9 billion this year of the morethan $3 billioh it received from investors to launch WiMAX this year in citiesz such as Atlanta, Las Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphi a and Seattle. Launches next year are expected inNew York, Washington, Houston and the San Francisco If it succeeds, WiMAX will reac as many as 120 million people by 2010.

He's a good running back. - ESPN

2011-12-12T08:34:00.001-08:00

haygoodfoafyga1359.blogspot.com

USA Today

He's a good running back.

ESPN

"He's a good running back ... He does a good job for them," Urlacher told reporters when asked about Tebow. When asked what he thought of the passing of Tebow, who was 21-of-40 for 236 yards with a touchdown and an interception, Urlacher praised ...

Urlacher on Tebow: 'H e's a good running back'

USA Today

Tebow proving good guys do finish first

New York Daily News

Week 14 thoughts: Blaming Bears' loss on play c »

Ten banks allowed to repay TARP funds - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

2011-12-10T04:34:00.001-08:00

pabigy.wordpress.com
The Treasury Department did not name the 10 but said they were being approved for early repayment of the federal bailout funds under the Troubled Asset ReliefProgra (TARP) because the so-called stresd tests performed by the government revealed they were healthy enough to pay back the The department said the institutions have met the requirements for repayment establisheds by federal banking supervisors.
It notedc that many banks recently have raised equityh capital from private investors and haveissuesd long-term debt that is not guaranteed by the “These repayments are an encouraging sign of financial repair, but we stillo have work to do,” Treasuryt Secretary Tim Geithner said. More than 600 banks received a totap ofnearly $200 billion through the department’s Capital Purchases Program. About $2 billion of this moneyt was paidback previously. Under the program, bankes that repay their preferred stoco can repurchase the warrants that the TreasurytDepartment holds. Besides the proceedsd from the sales ofthe warrants, the departmenf also has received $4.
5 billion in dividend paymentas from program participants. Proceeds from the repayments to go theTreasurh Department’s general fund. They can be used to reduce the nationalo debt and can serve as a cushion in case the departmenr needs to respond to financial emergencied inthe future, the department said. The list of 10 bankd was not publicly disclosed, but many of the banks confirmesd separately in press releases that they receivec approval to buy back preferred shares sold to thefederak government, including two bankds with sizable Milwaukee-area presences: (NYSE: USB) and J.P. Morgan Chasr (NYSE: JPM). U.S. Bank was cleared to repay $6.
6 billion in TARP funds and Chase was approved to repahyall $25 billion in TARP funds it Locally based banks that received TARP fundd include and of Milwaukee, of Menomonee Falls and in Brookfield. M&I, the Milwaukee-area' s largest bank, was not amonbg the list of 10 banks approved to repay its TARP according tomedia reports. M&I said in May that it begab to sell stock in a sale that could raisr as muchas $350 million in proceeds, part of which the bank said it may use to repay a portion of the $1.7 billion capital infusion it received in November 2008 undedr TARP if approved by regulators.

Boeing bonuses to give a little boost to local economy - The Seattle Times

2011-12-08T00:34:00.001-08:00

ukatekexo.wordpress.com

Politico

Boeing bonuses to give a little boost to local economy

The Seattle Times

The $5000 signing bonuses in the new Boeing contract will make for some extra-nice holidays for the families of Machinists union members, and likely for at least some area retailers. But the payouts probably won't have ...

Machinists vote Wednesday on co ntract extension that could give Boeing years ...

Washington Post

Boeing workers approve 4-year contract extension

Seattle Post Intelligencer

Boeing Machinists Face 'Leap of Faith' in Landmark Wage Vote

BusinessWeek

CAPITOL BRIEFINGS: Wrangling continues over changes to workers' comp - Crain's Detroit Business

2011-12-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

yzirapogyg.wordpress.com

Hawaii perfectly placed to watch the December 10th total lunar eclipse - Hawaii Health Guide

2011-12-03T16:17:00.001-08:00

ikefageze.blogspot.com

CAPITOL BRIEFINGS: Wrangling continues over changes to workers' comp

Crain's Detroit Business

LANSING -- For a couple of months, business and labor, and Democrats and Republicans, have squared off over a wide-ranging workers' compensation bill in the Legislature. And as the business-backed bill heads toward action in the session's final weeks, ...

and more »

Hawaii perfectly placed to watch the December 10th total lunar eclipse

Hawaii Health Guide

Lunar eclipses have a rich role in history. According to Chinese folklore a dragon ate the moon during a lunar eclipse, and Christopher Columbus used a lunar eclipse in 1504 to scare the Jamaicans into giving him and his men ...

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CoBiz posts $16M Q2 loss, begins stock sale - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

2011-12-01T11:51:00.001-08:00

gault-rickettsias.blogspot.com
million, or 72 cents per share, in the seconsd quarter, as the weak economy continuedc to exact a toll on the officialssaid Monday. The loss compares with a profitof $4.2 or 18 cents per share, in the same quartedr a year earlier. Denver-based CoBiz (NASDAQ: COBZ) owns and Arizonqa Business Bank. The latest quarter’s results includd a $35.1 million pre-tax provision for loan and credi losses, or 150 percent of net charge-offws — which were $23.4 million for the period.
“We continue to take a conservativs posture in our provisioning forloan losses,” Chairmanh and CEO Steve Bangert said in a “Our second quarter provision brings our allowancew to loan ratio to nearly 3.9 one of the strongest in the industry. While I remainn confident in oursenior management’es ability to effectively respond to the current credigt obstacles, we felt it was prudent to continu building the allowance given the uncertainty in the economy.” Nonperforming assets ended the quarter at $93.9 million, or 3.7 percenty of total assets, up from $52.65 million or 2 percent of totaol assets on March 31.
Separately on Monday, CoBisz said it had begun a sale ofabou $45 million of its common stock. It will use the proceeds for general corporate including supporting the capital needs of itsbank subsidiary, expanding possible acquisitions and working capital needs. Last CoBiz announced it had hired Colorado and Arizonqamarket presidents, , to oversee bankingh operations in each market. “We remain focusecd on building our franchise durinhg these challenging times and want to ensurd we are positioned to take advantagde of unique market opportunities that we expecy willpresent themselves,” Bangert said.
“Too that end, we recentlyt announced the hiring of Coloradpo and Arizona market presidentw who will oversee all banking operationx in theirrespective markets, provide direction for future growth and free up some of our existinf resources to focus on high quality business development opportunities. We will also continue to dedicate appropriate resources througbh our Special Assets Group to address resolution ofproblemj loans.
”

Chinese VP meets with Myanmar armed forces chief amid concerns over Mekong ... - Washington Post

2011-11-29T08:17:00.001-08:00

acklinegymejac1362.blogspot.com

The Age

Chinese VP meets with Myanmar armed forces chief amid concerns over Mekong ...

Washington Post

BEIJING â" China's vice president met Monday with the head of Myanmar's armed forces amid concerns over the safety of shipping on the Mekong River and just days before a breakthrough visit to the long-isolated country by US Secretary of State Hillary ...

Beijing -Naypyidaw Summit, ahead of Clinton's historic visit to Myanmar

AsiaNews.it

China VP meets with Burma armed forces chief

Asian Correspondent

Warren Buffett sells remaining Constellation shares - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

2011-11-27T03:17:00.001-08:00

ycoguqi.wordpress.com
Buffett, his company (NYSE: BRK.A, and that company’s subsidiarhy , are each no longer stockholderss inConstellation (NYSE: CEG), according to a form with the Securitied and Exchange Commission filed Monday. They have been slowlh divesting the stock over the past weeks and owning 7.3 percent in February and 6.3 percent last The sale ends the relationshipp between the investor and Constellation, one of two Fortune 500 companies in Baltimore City. Iowa-based MidAmericann got a 10 percent stakee in Constellation whenits $4.7 billion bid for the companyt made in September was rejectefd three months late.
That offer came afterd a cash crunch led to a steep declindin Constellation’s stock price over several days and some investors feared Constellation spurned the offer in favor of a deal to sell 49.99 percen t of its nuclear business for $4.5 billion to French firm , whic h had also been in the biddintg for the company in September. For the Constellation had to pay $175 million in breakup fees and $418 millio for stocks. It also had to repay a $1 billion loan from Buffetrt with 14percent interest.
A decisiobn on whether the deal with EDF requires Maryland approval is expected in a The deal is expected to closethis

Musical chairs: Milwaukee arts groups see leadership changes - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

2011-11-24T23:51:00.000-08:00

http://paullechien.com/how-to-find-art-related-jobs.html
The , the , the Milwaukeed Chamber Theatre and the have seen changee of their top business leaders in thepast year, whilr key executives at the and the have left or are preparing to leav their posts. The also is under new leadershipp after a year without a All thischange isn't necessarily bad, said Cristy herself new at her job since becoming presidenr of the United Performing Arts Fund in She believes turnover at the top in the arts industrh can spur creativity and growt as new leaders reconsider strategies and operations.
"It's an opportunitt to create different relationships," Garcia-Thomas Milwaukee's arts industry remains healthy, she said, in part because of diversre leadership that includes local veterans such as Tim Shieldas at the and Rob Goodmanat . The new leadershipl also doesn't reflect newcomers. Dennis Buehler was named executivee director of the Milwaukee Ballet in July vacating the same position at the Sharon Lynnd Wilson Center for the Artsin Brookfield. Jonathan a local arts executive who has serveds with the and the Milwaukere Institute ofArt & replaced Buehler at Sharojn Lynne Wilson.
MIAD recently hirex national arts education institution veteran Neil Hoffmanhas president, the only Milwaukee newcomer among the new Meanwhile, Milwaukee native David former director of marketing and corporatwe giving for a California nonprofit, has fillesd a long-vacant managing director position at the Milwaukes Chamber Theatre. Buehler said such changs is routine for the industry hereand "It's just the nature of thesee kinds of nonprofits," he said. Buehler's position at the Milwaukese Ballet has been restructured from the post held by formee executive directorAmy Marshall.
The job now includes a greater focuz on fundraising and while delegating some financial and operationsx management to a newly hiredbusinessz manager. The arrangement frees up artistic directofr Michael Pink to focus on theartistic side, givint up some "general director" duties he took on in the Buehler said. The move from the Wilsonh Center to the Ballet came at a turning pointr in theWilson Center's history. The organization recently acquired its building from the city of While the center still carries some debt from developmen t ofthe $13.
5 million facility, which openefd in January 2002, new executive director Jonathan Winklee said he will primarily focuw on strategy and development of Winkle most recently served as vice president for institutionapl advancement at MIAD, but he also has been executived director of the Knoxville (Tenn.) Symphony Orchestra, and vice presidenr of community engagement for the Milwauked Symphony Orchestra. Winkle said he will work specifically on solidifyin g theWilson Center's stature as a suburban centetr for performance, education and visual making it a key feature of the arts community betweenb Milwaukee and Madison.
Part of that task will be to strengthe the Wilson Center brand by elevating theWilson Center'zs own presenting series and by refining educational The center wants to "dispell the notion that education in the arts is only for Winkle said. The center's relative novelt y remains a challenge. "Therer are many, many people who know nothinvg aboutthe center," he David Todd, new managing director at the Chambef Theatre, most recently worked as director of marketinh and corporate giving for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliatd inOrange County, Calif.
His prioe experience includes marketing managefr for in Los Atthe Chamber, his responsibilities will include buildinh the donor and audience base through the expansion of sponsorships, he said. "Ther biggest challenge I'm facing is funding sources," Todd New leaders have yet to be namexd for two other major arts the Milwaukee Art Museum and the SkylightOpera Theatre. In May David Gordon announced he will retiree from the Milwaukee Art Museuby March. And Christopher Libby left the Skylight last June to becom e managing director ofthe .
Skylight marketing director Valeriew Woods saidthe board's search committee is taking time to find the righ fit for the Skylight, which blendsd opera and musical theater. EDITOR'S NOTE: Aftedr deadline for this article, the Milwaukese Art Museum announced , executive directo r of the San Jose Museumof Art, as the successor to David Gordon.

Marine Corps assignments varied for Girardin - Rockdale Citizen

2011-11-22T19:51:00.001-08:00

grihanovveimavox.blogspot.com

Marine Corps assignments varied for Girardin

Rockdale Citizen

Seven of the 10 boys entered military service: three in the Marine Corps, three in the Navy, and one in the Army. "Our brother in the Army caught the worst of it at family reunions," Girardin said with a grin. ...

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Todd Shipyards Q4 income sinks - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

2011-11-20T16:17:00.001-08:00

ivyhofy.wordpress.com
million, or 28 cents per dilutee share, from $3.5 or 63 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue fell to $33.2 million from $36.3 milliomn in 2008. For fiscal 2009, net income fell to $4.8 or 83 cents per diluted from $6.6 million, or $1.16 per share in 2008. Revenue fell to $113.5 million from $139.2 million a year The sole analyst who covers the companhyexpected fourth-quarter earnings of 21 centd per share and revenue of $26.u8 million, and fiscal 2009 earnings of 75 cents per share and revenuew of $107.1 million.
Officials at the Seattlew shipyard (NYSE: TOD) blamed the lower revenues on “lower new constructiomn volumes, lower Navy volumesw due to the lack of amajor (aircraft) carrier and the establishment of a $3.1 millio n reserve during fiscal year 2009 associated with questioned subcontractor costs incurred durinb our 2005 project on the Navy aircraf t carrier USS John C. Stennis.”

Thousands grieve for rapper Heavy D - USA Today

2011-11-18T12:51:00.001-08:00

ulyanaimiiurebor.blogspot.com

New York Daily News

Thousands grieve for rapper Heavy D

USA Today

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs attends the viewing and wake service for Heavy D on Thursday at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon,NY Sean "P. Diddy" Combs attends the viewing and wake service for Heavy D on Thursday at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon,NY ...

Heavy D's funeral draws music, entertainment notables to Mount Vernon church

The Journal News | LoHud.com

Obama sends note for Heavy D funeral

W »

Report: Justin Bieber paternity suit dropped - CBS News

2011-11-16T08:51:00.001-08:00

titus-neither.blogspot.com

CTV.ca

Report: Justin Bieber paternity suit dropped

CBS News

TMZ is reporting, without citing sources, that the 20-year-old woman who claimed Bieber fathered her infant son has dropped her paternity lawsuit. Mariah Yeater "quietly dismissed" the lawsuit last week, according to the website. ...

Report: Mariah Yeater Drops Paternity S uit Against Justin Bieber

Celebrity Baby Scoop

Paternity suit against Justin Bieber dropped

680 News

Grandmommy Issues

E! Online

Charlie Baker quitting Harvard Pilgrim - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

2011-11-14T05:00:00.001-08:00

vilyfijohy.wordpress.com
"Leaving the company is not an easy decisionjfor me, but there is no middle I am either the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim or I’m building a campaign organization. I cannotr do both," Baker said in a statement releasedWednesday morning. In a fairwell Baker thanked Harvard Pilgrim'sw staffers and touted the organization'a successes over the years. "Bugt I also recognize the terrible financial and operational strain that will face state and local government in theyearxs ahead. I know both sectors pretty well — better than I would say — and I believ I can bring ideas, energy and leadership to the taska that face state government in theyears ahead.
” a Republican, is a formerr state secretary of administration and finance. CFO Brucwe Bullen will be interim CEO atHarvard Pilgrim.

Refi rally for TexasLending.com - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

2011-11-12T01:34:00.001-08:00

meaning-sarajevo.blogspot.com
As many as 120 loan underwriters, accounting professionals, loan loan closers and clerical positions payingfbetween $30,000 to more than $100,000 a year will be said Kevin Miller, president, CEO and founder of TexasLending.com. The jobs will be added beginningv in August and will be phased in during the next six tonine months, he The company has 160 employeeds now, down from 180 at the peak of the Northh Texas housing boom two yearzs ago. Low mortgage rates and Miller’sa expectation of climbing home sales are spurringthe company’se growth, he said.
“We expect rates to be low for the next year and a then we expect home purchasint to be strong after thatin Texas,” he said. The locaol housing market certainly has a lot of groundto recover. New-homwe sales in the Dallas-Fort Wortn area were down 40% for the firstr four months of the year compared to the same period in and salesof pre-owned single-familu homes were down 24% during that according to housing market analyst Davidx Brown, director of the Dallaas office of Metrostudy. Ther e were 4,191 new-home closings and 18,4432 resales in the area through April, he said. Brown expectse 2009 sales to trailk year-ago numbers for the remainder ofthe year.
“We do expec t to begin to see some modest recovery in terms of transactions beginningin 2010, assuminyg we see the national economy begib to turn around and we see the jobs picturr begin to improve,” he said. Abougt 70% of TexasLending.com’s businesw today is refinancing, compared with 40% to 50% at this time last Miller said. TexasLending.com closes $60 million to $80 millionn in monthly loan volume now, or about $850 million Miller said. With the additional employees, Miller’e goal is to reach $3 billion to $4 billiom in annual loan volume in the next five he said.
The company provides residentialk mortgage loansin Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Missouri and Colorado, servicing all of them from the Dallas For the week ending May 22, mortgag e loan application volume nationwide was up 28.5 % compared with the same week one year according to a weekly survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinancings made up 69.3% of the mortgags activity. Loan volume in Texas was $11.7 billion in the firsyt quarter ofthis year, down slightlg from $12.4 billion in according to the Texas Mortgage Bankers Associationj statistics.
Mortgage industry employment in Texas fell by more thana 30% from 2007 to but has since stabilized, said Scott Norman, vice president of the Texas Mortgage Bankera Association. Norman said he’s heard anecdotally that the surge in refinancings is prompting mortgage lenders to add but he did not have specific industryhemployment numbers. To make room for new TexasLending.com has signed a leaswe for 69,000 square feet in its existinbg location at 4100 Alphza Road inDallas — more than triplr the size it currently occupies, said Ben Hautt with the commercialo real estate firm Stream Realtt Partners LP.
Hautt recently left Stream’s Dallas offices to launch the company’s office in Atlanta, wherer he is managing partner. TexasLending.com will beginh moving into its expandedc spacein August, after the completio of renovations that are now under way. Aftedr expanding, TexasLending.com will occupy all of the fourth and fifth floor and part of the first floof inthe 11-story building, Haut said. “It’s an expansion, and today that’s not something you see a lot Hautt said. “They’re thriving in the current economy.” The 227,000-square-fooyt building at 4100 Alpha Road is part of The an 11-building office complex north of Interstate 635 off Midwah Road.
The asking leasr rate for the space isabout $16.50 per square foot. Hautt and Stream Realty colleagues Ben Sumner and Chad Henningsrepresented TexasLending.com in the lease, and Buddyg Tompkins and Seth Thatcher of commercial real estate firm GVA Cawley represented the landlord. Hautt said TexasLending.com searched the market before deciding to expand within itsexisting building. Nationwide, not many residentiall mortgage lenders areadding staff, despitw low interest rates and new federal tax credits for home said Jim Ryan, an equities analyst with Morningstar Inc. who followss real estate service businesses.
“Generally, that does buck the It looks like they’re gearing up for a turnaroune and they want to get ahea d ofthe curve,” said who does not follow TexasLending.conm because it is privatelgy held, but commented generally on residential mortgage industry conditions. Expanding now coulxd be risky if interest rates rise and home sale s continueto slide, Ryan Although borrowing costs remain near record lows, interest rate have risen slightly in recenty weeks. The rate increases are likely to continuer if theoverall U.S. economy continuexs to improve, said Dana Johnson, senior vice president and chiet economistfor Dallas-based Comerica Inc.
Even with the slight uptick in rates, the mortgage industrt is likely to see strong activity as fallingy prices make homesmore affordable, Johnson In that respect, adding mortgage industry jobs in the next severa months makes sense, he said. “There was a big pullback when a lot of mortgagee lenders went out of business after the subprime Johnson said. “I can certainly understand why some people woule view it as an opportunity to be a stront player when mortgageactivity

Reactions to Joe Paterno's retirement - ESPN

2011-11-09T21:34:00.001-08:00

oryzacody.wordpress.com

Globe and Mail

Reactions to Joe Paterno's retirement

ESPN

Stephon Morris, Penn State cornerback, on Paterno's announcement to players: "I've never seen players get that way. I've never seen coaches get that way. I've never seen coach get that down before." Nick Saban, Alabama coach: "It's a terrible, ...

A range of reactions to Paterno's departure | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-11-09

Philadelphia Inquirer

Local reactions to Joe Paterno's firing at Penn State

NOLA.com

Inactions of Paterno, McQueary breed disparate reactions

PennLive.com (blog)

Huffington Post -SB Nation -Globe and Mail

Artists can be in cahoots with business - ITWeb (blog)

2011-11-07T17:51:00.001-08:00

ogyhejowy.wordpress.com

Artists can be in cahoots with business

ITWeb (blog)

Most corporate arts sponsors choose to work through NGOs and steer away from one-on-one relationships with artists. But an unlikely local pair has joined forces to show that art and business can be more intimate and successful than that. ...

Adopting growth strategies - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

2011-11-05T14:51:00.001-07:00

oryucyjofec1482.blogspot.com
While cutting costs, the firms also are focused ongrowingt revenue, even more challenging givem today’s economy. In the past, two or thre firms competed for work, but now it’z not unusual to see six to 10 people vyin fora client, said Tim Kemper, managing principakl of the Atlanta office of the city’s sixth-largest accounting firm. “Everybody’ s getting more aggressive,” he Reznick Group, which has about 1,40 employees nationally and about 200in Atlanta, is focused on sectorxs it sees growing, such as the renewable energy The firm is targeting 8 percent to 10 percenft growth this year, compared to 15 percent in the “You can’t just be a generalisr anymore.
You’ve got to create that reputation in those niche industries,” he said. Deep industry specialization is necessary and is an elemen t increating value, said Brad office managing partner of the Atlanta/Birmingham practice for Deloitte LLP, Atlanta’s largest accounting firm. “You don’t have the luxury of sending generalists inthe field,” he said. “Ivf you are more of a specialist inthe business, you can become more effective and more You also have a greater abilith when you are providing advisory to provide more relevant and effectivre advice.” Accounting firms also are reiningy in costs as they focus on adding clients.
LLP, for example, decided last year to terminate which CEO and managing partner Dan Simmd saidimpacted “marginal” staffers who should have been let go severao years ago but were neededr because of the volume of work. “In priot years, you rarely ever cut anybodg unless they werejust really, reallyy bad performers,” said Simms, whose firm is Atlanta’sd fifth-largest. He adds that the firm will take anotherr look at staffing in theseconsd quarter. Firms also are evaluatinvg expenditures and making cuts totravell budgets, including trips for training and and contracts with suppliers and vendors.
“I thinjk 2009 and 2010 are going to bedifficultf years,” said Paul Paris, managing principal with LLC. “Youi have to manage your busineszsvery closely.” The firm started looking six months ago at cuttingy costs in areas that would not affect the overall marketing of Aarons Grant Habif, Paris said. The firm, which has abour 60 employees, also is not planning on addinbg staffthis year. For Reznick Group, salaries have increasedf by 6 percent to 8 percent over the last compared to 10 percent to 12 percent in the The firm has reduced travel as well as cutting those and other overhead costs by 10 percentg in theAtlanta office.
It doesn’t plan to add additional staff thisyear (after bringing on 18 junior-level associatesx recruited as students). Last year it acquireed TidwellDeWitt LLC, consolidating its offices with those in Atlantaz and Birmingham. A significant step is to increase Reznick’ market share in Atlanta by targeting privately held companieds in the areaseekinv assurance, tax and advisoryg services, Kemper said. Most of the business has come from outsidewof Atlanta. “Given the market and the way itis now, everybod y is very uncomfortable about where they’re going to be in the next 12 Kemper said.
“But what they do need is an adviser who has been throughu it and also has access to capital inthe marketplace.” In addition to renewabled energy, the firm is focusing on sectords such as commercial real estate and construction, segmentsx Kemper said have not lost business, but aren’t expected to either. Additionally, the firm will focus on health care, financiak services, manufacturing and professional Like withlaw firms, Deloitte, which adjusted its U.S. workforce last year but expect s a net increase in personnelthis year, is positionin itself and shifting resources to what it views as growth including government, energy and Branch said.
Habif, Arogeti & Wynns sees opportunities centered around consulting relatex to litigation due to the drop in the stocm market andqualified plans, Simmss said. The revenue-driven focuws has resulted in AaronsGrant & Habif increasing the number of employees responsible for generating businesss and its marketing and networking efforts. “The opportunities that we’vre landed recently are companiezs that are switching fromlarger firms; firms that are not givinf them the service,” Paris said. “They don’t want to necessarilyy pay the fees, but if they are paying the they are absolutely demanding the or they’re leaving.
”

UTMB wins community service award - Houston Business Journal:

2011-11-03T11:00:00.001-07:00

hyhekim.wordpress.com
The hospital is being recognize d for itsinnovative program, Continuum of A Mental Health and Substance Abuse Model for Galveston and Brazoris Counties. With the help of federal grantr funding, UTMB created an innovative partnership with other communityand faith-basec social services organizations to brinh desperately needed mental health and substancs abuse services to adultss and teens, thereby reducing their visits to UTMB emergencty rooms. In one year, the savinga amounted to nearly $700,000, with potentia savings estimatedat $3.7 "UTMB's program is a stellar model for other healtg care providers to follow," said Dr. Dan Stultz, president and CEO of THA.
"By filling the gap in mentak health services, UTMB has improved the quality of life for hundredesof individuals, while demonstrating cost savings over the long The award was presented during THA's 2007 Leadershilp Conference Oct. 16 in Austin.

How To Delegate Social Media (And Other Things) - Small Business Trends

2011-11-01T07:17:00.001-07:00

gault-rickettsias.blogspot.com

How To Delegate Social Media (And Other Things)

Small Business Trends

By Small Business News Thoughts on how to delegate. This post is about delegating social media efforts, but it could be about delegation in almost any part of your business. At some point you will most likely need to get others to handle some of your ...

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Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Company Profile | TMO Company Information

2011-10-30T02:51:00.001-07:00

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Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the worlrd leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make theworld healthier, cleaner and safer. With 2008 revenues of $10.r billion, we have approximately 34,000 employees and serve over 350,00p0 customers within pharmaceutical and biotech hospitals and clinicaldiagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and governmenr agencies, as well as environmentalp and industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two premie brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher we help solve analytical challenges from routine testing to complex researcyhand discovery.
The Thermo Scientific brand represents a completre rangeof high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratort equipment, software, services, consumables and reagents to enablew integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific providee a complete portfolio oflaboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and servicesz used in healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. we offer the most convenient purchasing optionw to customers and continuously advance our technologiee to accelerate the pace of scientific enhance value for customersd and fuel growth for shareholders andemployees alike.

Neighborhood Community of Newnan seized - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

2011-10-27T23:34:00.001-07:00

hyhekim.wordpress.com
, based in West Point, Ga., will assumre all of Neighborhood Community’s $191 million in total deposits, and will take on $209 millionj of the failed bank’sw assets, according to a release. Neighborhood Community’s loan and deposity customers will automatically become CharterBank The FDIC and CharterBank entered intoa loss-share transaction, a methosd that is becoming a common vehicle for the FDIC to unloadc failed banks. Under the deal, the regulator will absorb losses on as muchas $171 millioh of the assets purchased by CharterBank.
The deposiyt insurer stated in a release the deal will be the leastt costly forthe FDIC’s insurancr fund and will minimize disruption for loan The FDIC estimates the cost of the failurre to the insurance fund will be $66.87 million. Neighborhood Community opened inApril 2000, and operatesd four offices throughout the soutuh metro in Newnan, Tyrone and Peachtree City. The branchesx will re-open Monday as CharterBanko branches, and will permanently become CharterBank Robert Johnson, CharterBank CEO, said the acquisition was an extensioh of his bank’s West Georgia markef closer to Atlanta, along the Interstate 85 corridor.
CharterBanl is headquartered nearthe Alabama/Georgiaw border along I-85, and operates branche throughout the border region. The bank operates five branchess inWest Georgia, and has $800 millioh in total assets. Johnson said his bank woulsd continue to look at other distressed banke along the corridor toadd branches, deposits and loans as a path for “Customers should know that it will be business as usual for both theird deposits and loans,” Johnson noting two branches will be open tomorrow for The list of Atlanta-area banks felled by bad bets on real estater loans continues to As of first quarter Neighborhood Community reported $163 million in totao loans, but one-third of those loans were in some stagee of delinquency, default, foreclosure or repossession by the bank.
The bank reportes only $5.2 million in total equity, which could not absorvb the potential losseson $15 million in foreclosede real estate, and $31 million in loans that appearef unlikely to be repaid. At the time of its the bank had a Texas Ratio of346 percent. The ratio has becamre a common industry metric inthe S&k Crisis, and measures total loan problema to equity capital, or the size of the bank’x problems with its abilit y to absorb the losses. Most Georgia banks that have failed have reportes a Texas Ratio higher than300 percent. Earlieer Friday, state banking regulators seizedVillaz Rica-based Community Bank of West Georgia.
No biddefr was found for Community Bank’s operations — one branch in the Atlanta suburhb — and the bank will be

Helwig Carbon venture purchases Pennsylvania firm - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

2011-10-25T19:34:00.001-07:00

ofycagvezi.blogspot.com
Formerly known as Speer SGL Carbonproduces electro-graphite materials used for carbon brush manufacturing. “This strategic acquisition solidifies our position as a fullg integrated manufacturer and securesz our future asa high-quality provider of all types of electrical carbomn products worldwide,” Helwig Carbon chairman Jeffrey Koenitzerr said. “The availability of these well-known graded of carbon is now assured for the benefir of our customers andthe long-term security of our employees.” Helwig Carbon Products is a privateluy owned manufacturer of carbon brushes, brushholders, and mechanicao carbons located at 8900 W. Towee Ave. in Milwaukee.
Helwig serves customers in a ranger of industries includingpower generation, transit, paper, motor repair and mining. “This will ensures the reliability of these materials for years to come and shoul d allow us to be more competitivein high-volum e markets,” said Jay Koenitzer, vice president of marketint at Helwig Carbon.

Insurance underwriters to meet in Denver - Denver Business Journal:

2011-10-23T15:00:00.001-07:00

cahijisebi.wordpress.com
The conference will take place at the Sheraton Denver Hotep downtownfrom Aug. 29 to 1. The Malvern, Penn.-based Chartered Propertyt and CasualtyUnderwriters (CPCU) is an insurancer trade organization. For the first time, CPCU will open its conference registrationto non-society members. “The society must venturs outside its comfort level and embrace the futurw by expanding its base of potential CPCU President Marvin Kelly said in a Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and curren state Insurance Commissioner Marcy Morrison will be speaking at differentt sessionson Aug. 31. Other speakeres include mountaineer and survivalist Aron Ralston and retirefdArmy Lt. General Russe L. Honore.
A charity golf tournament will be held at the Fox Hollowa Golf Course in Lakewoodeon Aug. 28. Organizers are in the process of planningga “Denver Discovery Walk” in the downtown area aroundf the Sheraton Denver, which would also take place on Aug. 28. For more contact the CPCU at www.cpcusociety.org.

American Airlines to cut 1,600 jobs - Dayton Business Journal:

2011-10-21T11:34:00.001-07:00

mastering-input.blogspot.com
American Airlines, a subsidiary of Fort Worth-base d (NYSE: AMR), said 1,200 fligh attendant positions will beaffected nationwide, alont with 300 airport services stafff members and 50 cargo service Flight attendant cuts will be made on a basixs of seniority. As is customary in most layoffs, American said voluntaruy exit packages will be offereed to employees who may want to retire American Airlines is one of the largest airlineds flying out ofthe .
In a lette to American employeesreleasec Thursday, the company’s Senior Vice President of Human Resourcex Jeff Brundage said, “These reductionzs come as a result of our effortas to 'right size' our operation and respond to the weaker demand for travel by reducing our schedule, includingh seasonal changes, and addressing lower-than-expected Brundage in his letter added that the cuts coincidd with CEO Gerard Arpey’s announcement that the airlinre will be cutting its capacity by 7.5 percenrt due to lower consumer travel demands.

SAIC Awarded Contract by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - PR Newswire (press release)

2011-10-19T07:34:00.001-07:00

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SAIC Awarded Contract by National Institute of »

U.S. jobless rate hits 9.4 percent - Jacksonville Business Journal:

2011-10-17T03:51:00.001-07:00

tulusenoveb.blogspot.com
The BLS said the unemploymenr rate continuedto rise, increasing to 9.4 percenft from 8.9 percent. Steep job losses continuedf in manufacturing, while declines moderated in construction andseverakl service-providing industries. The number of unemployed persons increasecdby 787,000, to 14.5 millionh in May. Since the start of the recession inDecembef 2007, the number of unemployed people has risen by 7 and the unemployment rate has grown by 4.5 percentage Unemployment rates rose in May for adult men (9.8 percent), adult women (7.5 whites (8.6 percent) and Hispanica (12.7 percent). The jobless rates for teenagersa (22.7 percent) and blacks (14.9 percent) were little changedr over the month.
The unemployment rate for Asiansxwas 6.7 percent in May, not seasonally up from 3.8 percenty a year earlier. Among the the number of job losers and people who completedc temporary jobs roseby 732,000 in May, to 9.5 This group has increased by 5.8 million since the start of the The number of long-term unemployedf – those jobless for 27 weeksz or more – increased by 268,0000 over the month, to 3.9 and has tripled since the start of the The BLS’ May report said the joblessw rate for management, business and financial operations hit 4.6 up from 2.7 percent last and the rate for professional and related occupations hit 4.2 percent, up from 2.5 percen last year.

Ethics case unlikely to affect Kline's teaching job, school says - Kansas City Star

2011-10-14T23:34:00.001-07:00

burwellmitubaes1369.blogspot.com

Ethics case unlikely to affect Kline's teaching job, school says

Kansas City Star

The outcome of the ethics case against former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline probably will not affect his ability to teach at the Liberty University School of Law. That was the word Friday from law school dean Mathew Staver after a ...

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Norwich city clerk quits - Norwich Bulletin

2011-10-12T19:17:00.001-07:00

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Norwich city clerk quits

Norwich Bulletin

Norwich City Clerk Sandra Greenhalgh, left, swears in new members of the Norwich Fire Department Saturday, December 18, 2010, at the Norwich Fire Headquarters. By JAMES CRAVEN Sandra Greenhalgh, the Norwich city clerk under investigation for »

Target Corp. buys 10 acres at The Plant in San Jose - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

2011-10-10T15:17:00.001-07:00

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The chain department store has startefd construction ofa 138,000-square-foot store at the 646,000-square-footf retail center being developeed on the 55.4-acre site of the former General Electricv Motor Plant in San Jose. Target will join , , and PetSmarty among 10 anchors that will accoun forabout 500,000 square feet of retail space at the complex on the corner of Curtner Avenue and Monterey off Highway 87. According to the Sedwat Group ofSan Francisco, the center is expected to generatr some $243 million in annual sales revenue. In renovation is planned at the historic office building where GE employees once turned out agriculturalp and powerplant components.
The 17,000-square-foot structure originally builtg in 1948 will be reincarnated asa mixed-usse property with lower level retail and upper levekl office space. Ellis Partners has snagged Trader Joe'as to become a tenant at Palo Alto's Town & Country shopping center. A lease for 12,000o square feet has been signed, and the new storwe is anticipated to open some timein 2008. Town Country, originally built in 1950, is undergoing a comprehensive In planningthe renovation, Ellis has looked to retaib the aesthetic and feel that is respectfuk of the original 1950 Town Country concept, but bring it up to modern The $20 million dollart renovation, which will be completed later this year, includez new common areas, structural upgrades, new lighting, signage, as well as improved public area s and access.
Intimate outdoor gathering andseatinvg areas, kiosks, stacked stonew seat walls and briclk crosswalks will be added. Great Americwa Plaza sold for $42.7M Inc. said on Jan. 24 that it sold Greaf America Plaza tofor $42.6 million. Jones Lang LaSalle's Capital Marketzs group began marketingthe three-building, low-rise officw campus in Santa Clara on behaltf of owner, Great Americas Associates LLC, in Septembeer 2006. Great America Plaza totals 223,799 square feet on 9.5 acrew along Great America Parkway and sits oppositse the Santa ClaraConvention Center, Tech Mart and the Hilton Hotel.
The plaza sits within the "Goldebn Triangle" -- the area bounded by State 237and Interstate-880 -- in one of the most rapidly improvinfg real estate submarkets in the Bay Area, and is abou 75 percent leased and occupied. Downing Center sold for $28.25Mn Crow Holdings of Dallazs has bought the Downing Centerd in Los Gatosfor $28.25 The 72,000-square-foot center will reportedly be used for Crow Holdings' latesr fund, Crow Holdings Realty Partners IV LP. The center is leaseed in part to nationalcredit tenants, including a recently remodelede Safeway and, on an outparcel, Hollywood Video.
The center is locatedx at the southwest cornef of the intersection of Union Avenuee andLos Gatos/Almaden Road, one mile south of Highway 85 and two miles east of Los Gatoss Boulevard. has acquired about 10.3 acres in San Bruno to builds Merimont, a new residential community. The Palo Alto-based company said on Jan. 19 it acquired the land for abougt $30.5 million, and the homese are expected to be completedin 2009. Located at 2396 Evergreen Drivee (at Maywood Drive), the property was purchasedr from the San Bruno Park School Districtr and is the site of the formeer CarlSandburg School.

Biotech startups feast at ancestors

2011-10-08T11:34:00.001-07:00

http://www.helmitechnologies.com/tech_showcase/technology-showcase-mediasolv-com-inc.html
As life sciences companies close or pare startups arefinding high-priced equipmeny — in like-new condition — for pennieds on the dollar. For $30,000 — and, the promise to scrub the floof behindthem — Omniox Inc. has pickec up $1.5 million worth of equipment from dead or dyingv biotechs that simply wanted toquicklgy off-load everything from a little-used centrifuge to proteinj purifiers. The savings are significant fora five-month-old company funded by friends, family and a federa l grant of $250,000. “It’s the miracle of the said Omniox founder StephebCary .
Several Bay Area biotech companies have close d their doors or cut down to programs that quicklyy produce cash in the form of partnerships or amarketabler product. That’s mixed smart, out-of-work peoplr and the availability of cheaop equipment with a new frugalithy caused by a dearthof financing. “It’s an explosiver combination,” said Douglas Crawford, who works with several startup biotech atthe , or QB3. “Entrepreneurs are a scrappg lot.
” There’s been an uptick in biotech auctions nationally over the past six saidDon Cowan, president of LLC, a companuy that specializes in auctionin equipment from life sciences, semiconductor and other Sellers are recovering 10 to 50 centw on the dollar — much more than durinh the dot-com retreat, Cowan But unlike the dot-com bust — when Aeron chaird and recreational equipment dominated auctioh floors — the focus of life sciences auctionws is scientific gear. “You rarely see a Ping Pong a pool table or aFoosball table,” Cowab said.
The competition is increasinglty intense, said Omniox COO SallyAnn Reiss, to the point that she slappedpreprinted “Property of Omniox” labelws on equipment as she walked througj labs and negotiated deals. At QB3’s Garagre biotech incubator at the Mission Bay campus ofthe , San Francisco — wherew Omniox rents 130 square feet amonyg other startups — the hallway is linedr with the booty of Omniox’se bargain hunting. The company is sharing a larger deep freezer that it boughgfor $500 (brand-new price: $25,000) with another Garages company. “We spent two to three centse on the dollar forthe equipment,” Cary “That allowed us to do the science.
” A recessiob is a great time to start a company, said Broolk Byers of venture capital firm . “Lab space is Everything is negotiable,” he said. “By the time these companiea have acommercial product, in three to five years, we’rd going to be in a different economy,” Byers

Oddball 'cloned' human stem cells announced - USA Today

2011-10-06T08:17:00.001-07:00

http://jimsautoincsc.com/privacy.html

Los Angeles Times

Oddb »

M.D. Anderson researcher to make anti-smoking video game for Army - Houston Business Journal:

2011-10-04T05:00:00.001-07:00

vezasid.wordpress.com
Alexander Prokhorov, a professor of behavioralk science and a smokinf prevention andcessation expert, will be part of a study fundede by the to promote health and stress managementg among the men and wome n in the armed forces. A $3.7 million grant was awardedf to M.D. Anderson by the Peer Reviewedr Medical Research Program and the Department of Defense Congressionallty Directed MedicalResearch Program. The center will work with the in Fort Hood to developo and implementthe program. Studiew show that 38 percent of servicr memberssmoke cigarettes, while 15 percent use smokeless tobacco, Prokhorov said in a statement.
The prototyper for the interactive and educational videogamde is modeledafter “Escape With Your Life,” another tobacco-cessationj videogame developed through Prokhorov’s researcuh at M.D. Anderson. The Army pilog program will feature animations, video and interactive activities that provide facts abour smoking andtobacco use, as well as a soldier-designed Avatae that guides troops through the educational track. Some of the modulex will include educating participants on resistingfpeer pressure, coping with withdrawal symptoms and preventinyg relapses.

Globe peril leads ad buyers to eye options - Boston Business Journal:

2011-10-02T02:00:00.001-07:00

mytyhona.wordpress.com
A variety of locakl and national companies, however, continue to rely on the paper’sz scope to reach valuable target audiences. Last week’s threaft by the Times to shutter the Globe forced thosse advertisers to scramble to deal with the potential closureof Boston’s largest print outlet. “Probably most regular advertisers are at the very least examiningcontingency plans,” said Steve chief media officer at in “We always try to understancd what are the viable alternatives in the but probably that process has been dramaticall stepped up with (the New York posturing.
” Macy’s, one of the paper’es largest advertisers, would not say what the retailer’s plan is if the Globew shutters, although the clothing marketer advertises in a “variet of print and broadcast media that includes the Globew (and) ,” said spokeswoman Elinza Kazan in a statement. “As a retailer with stores in Downtown Crossing and the Greater Boston area, the Globe is a very important part of our marketingg strategy that allows us to communicate to our existin customer base and reach its even broadere readership.
Picking up a copy of the paper is a dailyu ritual forour customers,” she Globe advertiser Comcast, which has an integratedf media plan that includes TV, online and a varieth of print media, would not discuss future plans excepft to say that the Globe is a key part of the company’ws strategy. “We do business in most communitiee that theGlobe covers,” said Comcast spokesmam Jim Hughes. “We rely heavily on the Globd and Boston.com. We look forward to working with them in theyearas ahead.
” The dark cloud of a potentialo closure has not negatively affecteds advertising to date, said Globe spokesman Bob “We have seen no effect on advertisinb related to the recent news aboutg the Globe,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Wse have been gratified by the response of our advertisers who have expressexstrong support, many acknowledging that the economy is a challenged for everybody.” Globe revenue has fallen estimates Globe revenue, which also reflects circulation, will fall to $378 millionj this year from $442 million in 2008.
Analyst Craig Huber’zs 2010 forecast is for revenueof $350 Globe advertising managers this week began contacting local media executives to tell them about a planned rolloutt to the advertising community addressing issues about the paper’s business “They’re doing everything they can right now to make it said Lisa Adams, media director at Watertown-based , who represent Globe advertisers including Salem Five Bank. Adams has alreadyu come up with a loosre plan for Salem Five if thepapere closes. “I don’t see the Globe goinhg away,” said Adams. “But if it were to go we do have plans that have not been set in stonee atthis point.
We would develop a more detailed replacementg planif (the closure) were to happen.” media plannerr Neal Bocian, president and CEO of Neal Advertisinbg in Danvers, has a good idea of how he woulx reallocate ad dollars spent in the Globe if the paper were to In recent years Herb Chambers ran about six or sevenn pages of advertising each week. Now the auto dealere chain runs about a page and a half each Neal Advertising also handles advertisinfg forHerb Chambers. “I woule take that money and I would move it over to othet mediaWeb sites” like CNN.com or Bocian said.
“It’s sad, from a journalistic standpoint, when a paper goes out of business,” Bocianb said. Advertiser reactions this week also highlightee the steep decline ofthe Globe’s clout as an advertisingy medium in recent years.

Groups ask Feds to ban Facebook's 'frictionless sharing' - CNET

2011-09-29T23:00:00.001-07:00

1189126qun.blogspot.com

The Atlantic Wire

Groups ask Feds to ban Facebook's 'frictionless sharing'

CNET

A collection of advocacy groups today asked the Federal Trade Commission to ban Facebook's recently announced feature that and other information if users choose to enable it. In a letter sent to the FTC, ...

Groups ask US Feds to ban Facebook's 'frictionless sharing'

ZDNet Asia

The Inevitable Friction of Facebook's Frictionless Sharing

The Atlantic Wire

Spotify bows to privacy pressure as Facebook sharing meets friction

Financial Times (blog)

PR Newswire (press release) -The Hill (blog) -Los Angeles Times

UMMS going national in hunt to replace outgoing CEO - Baltimore Business Journal:

2011-09-27T20:00:00.001-07:00

vilyfijohy.wordpress.com
Notebaert, 64, who served at the helm of the region' s third largest health system forfive years, plans to retire by Aug. 1. UMMS boare of directors could name an interij leader later this summer after launchingg a nationwide search for a permanent Among the names being consideredc to serve in the temporary post areBob Chrencik, executivs vice president and chief financial officefr of UMMS; Jeff president and CEO of ; and Jamew Walker, president and CEO of , said Houser Speaker Michael Busch, who serves as a member of the UMMS boarc of directors. Walker said last year he plannex to retirethis June.
"We want this to be as seamlesas processas possible," Busch said about the transition in leadershio for the nearly $2 billion organization. Notebaert's offics declined to comment and directed inquiries to UMMS John Erickson, CEO of Catonsville-based LLC and chair of the UMMS boardx of directors, referred comments to the health system. Joan a spokeswoman for UMMS, said a nationakl search firm will be retained to find a replacemenftfor Notebaert. That search, she said, coul begin shortly. Notebaert's pending departurde took someby surprise.
"Hs had a lot of successes at UMMS," Busch During his tenure, patient admissions grew 34 percent and net incomed tripledfrom $28 million to $80 million. The UM medicall system also completed the acquisitiobnof Easton-based and the in Chestertown. He also helpec negotiate a deal in 2006 with the to sharde ownership ofthe . Notebaert also helpecd manage a $117 million expansion project at Baltimore Washington Medicalp Center expected to open this year andthe $57 million replacement building for Maryland General Hospital slated to open in 2010. Fundin g for the also increasexd to morethan $68 million underd his leadership.
Notebaert serves on the board and previously did a stint on the University of Baltimore County boardof visitors. But for Notebaert's exit is a welcome "He never understood that an institution like UMMS shoulds be part ofthe community," said Arnold Jolivet, managin director of the Maryland Minority Contractorx Association. "He was a divider that didn't bring peopled together." Jolivet sued UMMS in Augusyt 2007 for discrimination in awardint contracts forconstruction work. He said Notebaert and the boarx blocked minority businesses and small businesses from biddinbon contracts.
In March, a federal judgew ruled that UMMS must adherw to procurement guidelines as apublic entity. UMMS had argueds that the health system should be treated as a private In April, the Maryland Board of Public Works said a $9 millionh state grant for UMMS dependef on the board's participation in a minorityt business work group. Jolivet and others in the minoritybusinesw community, like Ackneil M.
"Neil" Muldroa II, president and CEO of Parker Muldroq & Associates LLC, said the next UMMS leade r needs to build relationshipswith minority-owned businesseas and small business Health care leaders said Notebaert's replacemeng also will need to balance the interests of its researchers and community organizations. "Thew next UMMS leader will need to be able to navigatre among the various demands bythe public, regulators, legislators, physician and the rest of its work force to delivedr high quality health care in an increasingly tougyh financial environment," said Nancy Fiedler, a spokeswoman for the .
UMMS is the region'x third largest health system with $1.9 billion in revenue in 2006. UMMS member hospitals include Baltimore WashingtonMedical Center; University of Maryland Medical Maryland General Hospital; ; Universityu Specialty Hospital and Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital.

Brooks Adams: Director of Coin an avid collector who knows language of dollars and science - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

2011-09-25T16:51:00.001-07:00

Dometic Refrigerators
“I go to thrify stores all the time,” Adams “It’s kind of an intellectual thing. When you find new you get to learnabout them, and I thinkk that’s what turns me on about it. And I love findinfg a deal.” Well, he’s come to the right job. The intersectiob of nanotechnology and biotechnology in areae such as drug delivery and tissue regenerationm is one of the sharpest cuttin edges ofmodern science, and his job with the new centet will be to connect academic researchers with industrgy and get deals done. (See related story, page 5) Coin, whicg is currently funded by a $100,000 planning grant from the , is awaiting a decisionh on $2.
5 million in startup funding from that It is being organizedby , UNC-Greensboro and and housed in the . He’ds just the guy to bridge that business-academic divide because he speaks the languages of both dollars and saysStephen Pham, who worked with Adamw at his previous job with in Virginia. Pham was the techir and Adams the money guywhen they’d meet together with potential partners, Pham says, but Adams never seems to be out of his “He just has a real understandinv of the product evolution process over the wholed spectrum,” Pham says.
“And he’s very He can go up to a company president and shake hands and chat withno hesitation, and he can talk with a youngt lab tech and make her feel like a part of the team right away. He just makes people Adams speaks otherlanguages too: French, German and Italian in various stages of fluencyy and rust, the result of a childhood and younbg adulthood spent living abroad. The Italian he learnedc as a 3-year-old living on the coast of Italyh is almost allgone now, he but his conversational ease apparently came early. “They say those are the formative he says, “and my mother said I wouldd wander the beach and talk to anyond and everyone.
” Adams’s father, who is now retired, was an obstetrician in Asheboro, and the doctors in the family include his grandfather, uncle and brother. But Adams says he didn’t care for the blood and guts of the famil business and instead spent his earl career in finance armed with an economicsw degree from and an MBA from Buthe couldn’t find much meaning for himself in the businessw of moving money around (though he quickly adds that he’s gratefup other people can), and took an opportunitg during some time spent as a businesw development consultant to sign on instead with a startupl biotech, Boron Biologicals.
He helped guide that company into the marketse for osteoporosis and glioma treatmentsz plusDNA diagnostics. It was a good business move intoa $1 billion-plud market, but it also connected with Adams on a personall level. “The objective in the pharmaceutical and healtnh care space is treating patients and giving peopl e longer and happier andhealthier lives,” he says. “It’sz good to be able to feel like you’rew contributing to that, even in a small The five years Adams spent with Cornintg in marketing and business development may be the most helpfuo experience to draw upon in hisnew role, he believes, becaus he spent time there building partnerships with academic researcherse for the specialty glass and ceramics giantf in new product fields like gene arrays.
For he was key to Corning’e agreement in 2000 with the Whitehead Institute for Biomedicalk Research at MIT to partner on new tools for gene discoveryu and disease diagnosisand treatment, says Tom Vasicek, who was his supervisoer at Corning at the time. It was a complicatef deal on both a scientific andcommercial level, Vasicejk says, but Adams was effective at helpin the university and his own compant see various issues from the other’s Part of his technique is combining a broacd range of knowledge with a lack of “He seems like he can walk into any situation with Vasicek says, “but he knowws what he doesn’t know and doesn’t out-step his That’s been part of his strategy in launching the Center of Innovatiojn for Nanobiotechnology or Coin sinces being hired on as its directore in January.
His first task has been designing a businessx plan forthe N.C. Biotechnology Center to secure $2.5 millionh in startup funding forthe operation. That has involvexd working with the technology transfer officere atWake Forest, UNCG and A&T plus industry and academicv planning groups to define a mission and operating plan. Among the key decisiones that group of planners has made is tofocuws Coin’s attention on targeted drug delivery and tissue areas that the Triad and the rest of the statwe have a variety of resources in that need coordination.
If the plan is Adams will be spending his time mining the universityy and company laboratories around North Carolins for ideas that mesh with one another and havecommercial potential, and steering the parties towardc deals that can bring new nano-powered productd to market and build up the state’s industrg in the process. It will be a differenft role than he’s used to, but Adamss is looking forward to seeinyg how far he cantake it. “oI guess when you get to age 50, sometimeas you think about doingvsomething different,” he “I’m from North Carolina, and the notion of beintg able to do something good and significanyt for my home really appeals to me.
”

Hawker announces furloughs, building closures - Washington Business Journal:

2011-09-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

balamatovaegede.blogspot.com
In a letter to all Vice President of Human Resources Rich Jiwanlal said the movess are partthe company’s ongoingb effort to “resize our compang to match the continuing declines in consumer demand.” One of the measures will be furloughs whicj will include both product line and plant specific requirements. The dates for the furloughss will beJune 29-Julgy 2, Nov. 23-25 and Dec. 21-24.
The letter informsw employees that if vacation or earned time off is not available to cover these days then the furloughs will be Hawker will also be relocatingits engineering, finance and supply-chaimn teams back onto the company’s primary This will allow it to closd two buildings “off-campus,” the letter states. There was no announcemeng regarding anyfurther layoffs. The company declined to give any more informationn atthis time.

EMC beefs up Mass. presence with Cambridge lab, MIT sponsorship deal - Denver Business Journal:

2011-09-21T10:34:00.001-07:00

iwyqaxewun.wordpress.com
The Hopkinton, Mass., storage and information managemenygiant (NYSE: EMC) said Wednesday the Media Lab sponsorshi is one of several initiatives coordinated out of EMC Research which will be locatedx at 11 Cambridge Ctr. in Cambridge, The center will house EMC’s security-business research lab, RSA Laboratories, as well as abour a dozen researchers, technologists and business leadersacrosa EMC’s business units. The company also has researc facilities in China andSanta Clara, Calif.
“Researchu and advanced technology groupsacross EMC, along with our globalp university research partners, are discovering and explorinf new technologies that will shape the futurw of digital information,” said Jeff Nick, EMC senio vice president and chief technology officer, in a “This is an incredible opportunity for EMC to brinyg together some of the world’s leading researchn minds and innovators in areas such as personall information management, information integration and cloud computing.” As a consortium sponso of the MIT Media Lab, EMC will be able to acceszs the center’s research on how people use and interac t with new technologies.
EMC said its initiall collaboration will be on new models for data ownership and interfaces for business transactions and health careIT initiatives. A consortium sponsorshil costs $200,000 per year for a minimum of three Sponsors receive full intellectual propert rights to technology developed at the lab during their The announcement comes a week after EMC and a groupl of universities and technology companies announcerd the development of a high performancde computing research facilityin Holyoke, Other tech giants have built dedicatedx R&D lab in Cambridge in recent years. (Nasdaq: MSFT), GOOG) and (NYSE: IBM) built research centerws in the city in the pasttwo years.

Ford will stop Claycomo F-150 production for a week - Portland Business Journal:

2011-09-19T06:17:00.001-07:00

adatynu.wordpress.com
The UAW Local 249 posted the informationj in a newsletter on its Web Local 249 Vice Presiden t Bobby Wyse confirmed Monday that the information is The production stoppage comes a week before an alreadscheduled one-week summer break for the entire plang starting June 29, a Local 249 spokeswoma said. The plant also is scheduled for a summer break durinb the weekof Aug. 17. Sales of Ford F-series trucka were 33,381 in May, up 16 percent from 28,7587 in April but down 22.3 percen t from 42,973 in May 2008. UAW Local 249 said the slighy increasein month-to-month sales enabled Ford (NYSE: F) to cancel the scheduled down week on June 22 at its F-15 0 truck plant in Mich.
, but the down week was left intact at the Kansas City Assembly Plant. “This is partially due to depleted funds forthe state’s Division of Unemploymenr in Michigan, making down weeks at less of an the Local 249 said in the newsletter. Loca l 249 added that sales projections continuw to be less than the five shifts at the two truckj plants can produce if they work full time throughj the 2010production year. Ford runs two shiftss at Claycomo and threein Dearborn.
Wyse said Ford is consideringb once again moving a shift fromthe F-150 side of the Kansasw City Assembly Plant and putting them to work on the SUV However, nothing has been determined so far, he A year ago, Ford moves about 800 workers from a second shifrt on the F-150 side of the Kansas City plant to a third shift on the SUV The employees were moved back to the F-15p0 side on Jan. 12. Ford Escape sales in May reaches 16,391, up 20.6 percent from 13,595 in April but down 7.2 percenr from 17,667 in May 2008.
The Kansas City Assembluy Plant also produces the Mercury Mariner and hybrix versions of the Ford Escape and Mercury Combined sales of hybrid versions of the Ford Mercury Milan, Ford Escape and Mercury Marinef reached 3,906 in May, a new company The old sales record of 3,4209 hybrid vehicles was set in April 2006. As of May, Ford’ds Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomp hadabout 3,900 hourly and 200 salaried

N.J. job losses slowed in June - Philadelphia Business Journal:

2011-09-17T02:34:00.001-07:00

igoeosysata1533.blogspot.com
New Jersey’s job couny fell by 2,100 to 3,931,200, and the state’sd unemployment rate edged up by 0.4 percentage point to 9.2 The national rate is 9.5 percent. In five of the state’s 10 privatd industry sectors lost jobs, four added jobs and one remainedx unchanged. “Job losses in New Jersey were less severe in June than in any montbh since the nationalrecession began,” New Jerse Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow said.
“Thwe job losses were moderated by significant employment gains inthe ‘othedr services’ sector, driven mainly by increased hiring at grant-makingt and nonprofit organizations creating jobs as a resultg of state and federal recoveryt efforts.” The largest over-the-month job losses were in leisurre and hospitality (2,600), professional and busines services (2,300), and financial activities The other services sectorsx gained 3,700 jobs, largelyt because of higher payrolls at employers such as grant-making organizations and industr y associations. Education and health services gained 1,20o0 jobs and transportation, trade and utilities gainef 900 jobs.

Week in review - South Florida Business Journal:

2011-09-14T22:51:00.001-07:00

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In February, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty approvesda 6.4 percent increase in workers’ compensation ratex in response to the state high court’d October ruling. Wednesday’s announcement follows Gov. Charlie Crist’s signing of a bill last week that caps feesin workers’ comp The bill essentially undid the court’s ruling in Emma Murragy v. , which would have allowed attorneys whohandle workers’ compensation casesd to collect more money. Under the new law, attorneyxs will be paid based on a set fee The rollback will save employersabout $172 million in insurancer costs, according to It effectively restores the 18.
6 percentr rate decrease that took effect Jan. 1, with a projected savingsx of $610 million for Floridz employers. After a rounx of cost cutting by a new management the parent corporation of hasregaineed profitability. BRCH Corp. earned $8,434 on revenues of $96 million in its fiscal third quarter endedMarch 31, improved from a $20.i million loss on revenue of $92.5 millio n for the same period of 2008, according to the nonprofit’s report to its The hospital’s board hired Jerry Fedele as CEO in October as his employer, Tenn.-based FTI Healthcare, worked on a consultinyg deal with the hospital to improves its operations.
Fedele immediately embarked on an expense reductiohn plan that included laying off 38 employeess andrenegotiating contracts. For its next step to reduce costs, the hospital’s executives are negotiating for more favorablee contracts with managed care plans and its oncology and infusionh therapyphysician group. Former Palm Beachg County Commissioner Mary McCarty will be spendint the next three and a half yearszbehind bars. McCarty, 54, was sentenced to prisohn in West Palm Beach federalk court and immediately takeninto custody. In March, McCarty pleadedc guilty to mail and wirefraud conspiracy.
She admittede in her plea to misusingy her position to personally enrich herself, her husband and their associates througjh a series of municipal bond transactions and throughh her receipt of gifts and gratuitiea from entities and people doingf business before the commission. She failed to reveal her financiao interests while advocating for numerous mattersz beforethe commission, and failed to file or filed incompletd or false disclosure reports to conceal her true financial interests from the Calder Race Course is getting into the gaming derby by breaking groun on an $85 million, 104,000-square-foogt casino with 1,225 slot The slot machine operations are expected to creatw 250 to 300 jobs at Calder, which is just soutj of the Miami-Dade/Broward countu line near Land Shark Stadium, home to the .
The Calder complex also will include three Track owner ChurchillDowns (NASDAQ: hopes to have the complex completed by early 2010, in time for the Supetr Bowl and Pro Bowl at Land Shark Stadium. , a privately held asset-tracking has moved its headquarters from Fort Lauderdalew to the technology incubator at in Boca The move should help the company leverage the expertise of nearbhy business development professionals withtechnology experience, co-owner and President Stevej Muntean said. BlackBox has nine employeea in Boca Raton and five more inBuenoas Aires, Argentina. The company hopesa to have 25 employeesby 2010, Muntean said.
BlackBox was a unit of Sunrise-baseds that Muntean and partnerd bought ayear ago, he said. BlackBox is one of 13 young companiexs currently at thetechnology incubator, EDC Executive Director Jane Teagued said. Floridians are spending, on average, $427 a year in hiddenn “swipe fees” every time they charge a purchase on theircredif card. It’s a figure a group of smalol business owners say credit cardcompanies don’t want but one that consumerd need to know. Credit card companies say the fees are simpl the cost ofdoing business.
Recently, tax officezs in Marion, Walton, Osceola and Brevard counties said they will no longer accept because therew was no room in their budget s to absorb the swipe fee The coalition noted thatbusinesses can’tt afford to say no to credit card purchases. The group s are pushing for legislation that woulcd either require credit card companies to reveal swipe fees or allow merchants to negotiate those thus leveling theplaying field. Bankrupt luxurgy homebuilder filed a plan of reorganizationn in federal bankruptcy court for itselft and about 130 of its wholl yowned subsidiaries.
Under the senior secured lenders will receive new firsy lien debt in the amountof $450 which includes a $150 milliohn payment-in-kind component and an initial 95 perceny equity stake in the reorganized company, WCI said in a news The remaining 5 percenrt would be shared by the company’es unsecured creditors, which would begin to increasre when the new debt is fully retired. Interinm CEO David L. Fry said WCI’s goal is to emergde from Chapter 11 by thethird quarter. He said the Sarasota-basedf company will continue to complete homes alreadyundedr construction, but has suspended all new home constructionb activity in Florida.

Missouri jobless rate resumes climb in May - Birmingham Business Journal:

2011-09-12T18:34:00.001-07:00

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The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 9 percentin May, up from 8.1 percentg in April. April’s 0.6 point decrease in unemployment nowappears anomalous, with the May increase part of an upward trend datinbg back to mid-2008, state officials Approximately 272,000 Missourians were estimated to have been joblesz during the month of May. Nonfarkm payroll employment decreasedby 3,700 jobs in May, markingh the smallest monthly decrease since employmentt began to drop sharply last November. Job losses were concentrated in manufacturing andconstruction (-1,600), which were partly offset by gains in healtj care and social assistance and local government (900).
Over the past year, employmeny dropped by 74,300 or 2.7 percent. The main exceptions to the downward trensd over the year have been private educationaplservices (2,500), health care and social assistance federal government (2,700) and local government (3,300). The nationa l unemployment rate in Maywas 9.4 Nonfarm payroll employment in May was down in St. Louiz by 4,100, led by automobiles industry layoffs and a cutbaci of federal employees following the end ofsome pre-20190 Census activities.

Key players tackle critical issues - Portland Business Journal:

2011-09-10T14:17:00.001-07:00

esivyjifag.wordpress.com
While some believe that Adams kept campaigningt after his 2004election -- he's an odds-onh favorite to win the mayoral spot outrightt in this spring's primary -- Cogenh seems to be seeking more subtle But on a commission doggef by controversy and with two lame-duck board members, his influence coulsd be significant. For the 300 employees of , all eyes will be on Brucer Colemanin 2008. As the interimm CEO of the Portland Webanalyticxs firm, he's been charged with turning the company arounx -- and quickly.
His stint is expecterd to last only six tonine months, after whicy a permanent CEO will be nameds or the company will perhaps be put up for WebTrends owner Francisco Partners brought Coleman into the fold in Novembet after abruptly ousting CEO Greg Drew and three othetr top executives. The San Francisco-based private equitt firm bought the company in 2005for $94 million. Privately held WebTrends has annual revenueof $80 million, but has been losingg market share to rivals. Coleman is expectef to turn that around, a task he's quite familiar with. He's made a careere of being an interim CEO, workinh at 15 companies in the past 18 beforejoining WebTrends.
In his first weeks on the job, Colemanb cut 40 accounting andmarketing jobs. He'e also been meeting with WebTrends employees and delving intocompany It's part of his effort to refocud WebTrends on its products, marketzs and business processes. Nautilus Inc. Roberf Falcone could achieve more next year than any member ofthis year' list. Then again, he coulxd be the biggest bust. Nautilus shareholders voted Tuesdayy on a proposal to give control ofthe Vancouver-based fitness equipment company to the activist group .
Sherborne subsequentlh claimed victory, but Falcone said it's too close to If Sherborne wins, Falcone is out as CEO, even thoughu he'll retain a seat on the board. If shareholders ultimately side with Falcone will be faced with the daunting challenge of rebuilding Wall Street's faith in the struggling company. Nautilue shares traded for morethan $20 two year ago, but crashed in the wake of slow sales, fallingf to around $6 recently after the compan recorded a $13.4 million loss in the thirx quarter.
Falcone, who took the CEO job in has made several moves to improvethe company' performance, including laying off 9 percent of work force and cutting expenses by more than $10 millio annually. He's also implemented an inventory reduction plan that shouldpump $20 millio n into the company's coffer s and put the company's Pearl Izumi fitness apparel business on the Official results of the proxy vote won't be knownm for at least two weeks. Oregon's burgeoning green economy couldreach $2.
5 billion within the next 20 years, and the statr is in position to become a leader in clean First, the various projects in the works are going to need seriouas cash infusion to get off the Many will be clamoring for fundzs from Nancy Floyd. Floyd is founder and managingg director ofSan Francisco-base Nth Power, a VC firm that managew over $425 million and has invested in 45 energy companies sinc its founding in the mid-'90s. Nth Poweer was one of the earliest firms investing in the alternativeenergyy sector. Investor interest in clean energhy and other sustainability business spurred a new angelkinvestment group, the Oregon Sustainability Angels Network, and fund earliedr this year.
Floyd, alongv with Dave Chen, have alreadyy said they'll be involved with the as yet unnamed which they hope will growto $1 million to inves t in three companies, with some left over for follow-onh investments.

Sunscreen, dogs figure in Baltimore newspaper

2011-09-08T09:51:00.001-07:00

vuwodu.wordpress.com
That’s the advice the Baltimore Sun offers its readerds in an online travel piec Mondayoffering “tips for a successful Denver family vacation.” “They don’t call it the ‘Mile High for nothing! If you’re from lower take it easy your first few days,” and drink lots of the newspaper advises. The city gets “mored than 300 sunny days a year,” the Sun so visitors should bring sunscreen, lotion and lip “Denverites love their dogs — and your pet will feel righ athome here,” the piece adds.
“There are plenty of pet-friendlgy hotels and places for Fidoto And, “Many Denver attractions offer discount pricing if you purchase ticketxs online or at King Soopers, a loca l grocery chain,” the Sun says. Among the Denvee attractions mentioned in writerJanna Graber’s , Jefferson County Open Space and the “stunninb Rocky Mountains.” .

Who Isn't Ready for Some Football? - Wall Street Journal

2011-09-06T04:34:00.001-07:00

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Reuters

Who Isn't Ready for Some Footb »

Kentucky farm revenue rises between 2002 and 2007 - Business First of Louisville:

2011-09-03T23:51:00.001-07:00

exceeding-commissioner.blogspot.com
Average per-farm revenue in 2007 was $56,586, the said in a news According tocensus data, overall farm salex increased despite declining tobacco revenue. Saled of tobacco, once Kentucky’s king declined 22 percent between 2002and 2007. The number of tobacco farms during that period declinex72 percent, to 8.113, and acres of tobaccp harvested declined 21 percent. The department pointed out that a federao tobacco quota and pricew support system were ended followinyg the 2004growing season. Without the government subsidies, some farmers exited farminvg and others began growingother crops, raising livestocik or entering the agritourism business.
The stats has helped support farmers in their diversification efforts with millionds of dollarsin grants. “That shows that Kentucky’a investments in agricultural diversificationare working,” Kentucky agriculture commissioner Richier Farmer said in the release of the overal l increase in agricultural revenue. According to the census, 89 percent of Kentucky’sz 85,260 farms in 2007 were run by individualor families. The average size of farms increasedr to 164 acres from 160 acrexsin 2002. The full report can be viewedat .

C.C. Myers clan branches out with new consulting venture - Portland Business Journal:

2011-09-01T18:51:00.001-07:00

cicugaha.wordpress.com
Co-owners Janelle and Clinyt Myers are now working onthe company’s first projectx since formally launching in September 2008. The company is acting as an environmentao consultant tothe $324 million Lincoln highwauy bypass project and it has contractzs with the Nevada Irrigation District in Grass The self-funded, woman-owned Sacramento business is focused mainly on publi c works jobs. In addition to project managementand consulting, MCS provides storm waterr management and engineering services.
MCS executive vice president Clinft Myers said what sets MCS apart from traditional consultinbg companies isthe principals’ experience in the construction Not a lot of consultantzs have such an expertise, he said. “We’re hopin that we can fill that he added. MCS has $100,000 in backlogb work. The company expects to be profitablse in the first quarterof 2010. Myers said MCS can help companiew that once framedhouses — work that has dried up in the regionn and across the country explore other opportunities, such as publi c contracts. The state wants to builxd more highwayrest areas, for he said.
Janelle experience in the industry dates back to 1990 when she helpeed starta woman-owned highway construction company focused on building barrier railsa in California, Nevada and New Mexico. She was on the boarxd of directors until the company was sold toRancho Cordova-basedc , her husband’s firm, in 2006. Cliny Myers worked as an engineer and projecyt managerfor C.C. Myers befores going back to schoopl fora master’s degree in real estatwe development at the . After receiving his the younger Myersran Today, C.C. Myers’ homebuilding companied — Myers Homes Inc.
, Myers Homes of Californi LLC (licensed in Nevada) and several subsidiaries — are estimated to be worth nothing due to the depressed housing market. C.C. Myers majority owned by its employees, is a creditotr in the Chapter 7 personal bankruptct filedby C.C. Myers last In these tough economic Clint Myers said MCS plans to help companiexs and government agencies find creativer ways toremove “fat” from thei r budgets and, on the environmental side, come up with “solutionsw that are more economically friendly while still preservingg the quality habitat that California has come to When the economy was strong, a developer looking to get a projec approved might, for example, buy expensive mitigationm credits to destroy a wetland on a project site in ordedr to speed it up.
But Myers said MCS coulf help such a developer find a lessexpensivee alternative, such as keeping the wetland and workinfg with the city to increase the lot MCS will compete for environmental consultin jobs with companies such as , a Sacramento-based subsidiarhy of The company declined to comment on the new MCS’ Web site went live last week, and it has Facebooj and LinkedIn profiles, Clint Myers “The people you have to appealk to for construction contracts are getting younger and younger,” he said. “We’rwe trying to find different ways to connecrt tothose people.” For now, the companyt has two employees, and a wildlife biologist on contract.
MCS plansx to hire a business developmenyt manager for marketing andpreparintg proposals. When it comes to business MCS will tap people who are retiredor semi-retired from the “With the family beinv in the construction industry for so long, there are a varietyg of people that we’ve known over the yeard who are now retired who are lookiny for something to do,” Clint Myerss said. “Our experience, combined with people we’re able to bringb in, can give us the ability to do somefairlty high-end consulting for businesses wanting to grow or Consultants also can assist companies transitioning from one generatio to the next.

Scooter Store to trim 200 jobs - Austin Business Journal:

2011-08-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

andreychukuze.blogspot.com
Founder and CEO Doug Harrison is blaming the move on a decisiomn by the Centers for Medicar e and Medicaid Services to cut reimbursement fees for power wheelchairsa and scooters by 28 percent and38 respectively. The agency implemented its latesf reimbursement scheduleon Nov. 15. Harrison said in a statement that theNew Braunfels-based compant had been in talks with both the agency and membersa of Congress urging Medicare to reverse its policy. However, he said the fees will stillk be reducedto "unrealistic levels." A call seeking comment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Washington, D.C., was not immediatelty returned.
Officials with The Scooter Stored contend that their situation is not uniqure inthe industry. Medicare's cuts also are affectin g other suppliersand mobility-equipment manufacturersa throughout the industry, Harrison The Scooter Store has been a distributor of wheelchaif and power-scooters since 1991. Medicare has historically paid for 90 percentr of the cost of the equipment forqualified

Ritz-Carlton Denver names new GM - Denver Business Journal:

2011-08-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

aplecheevlgupy.blogspot.com
Andrew Rogers comes to the 1881Curtiz St. hotel from the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Hawaii, where he oversaw the resort’sz $170 million re-launch. Before then, Rogerzs served as resort manager forthe Ritz-Carlton Club in St. U.S. Virgin Islands, and director of golf operations forthe Ritz-Carlton in Rose Hall, Jamaica. Beforew beginning his employment for in Rogers workedin ’s golf divisiohn at three separate resorts.
He holds a bachelor of sciencwe in marketing from Ferris Stat e University and has a wife andtwo “My family and I are excited to be in a city as wonderfull as Denver and I look forward to becomintg part of the community,” Rogers said in a news The Ritz-Carlton Denver property includes 202 guest rooms spread over 14 a spa and Elway’s Downtown restaurant.

Senate eyes 25-employee threshold for health mandate - Sacramento Business Journal:

2011-08-26T03:17:00.001-07:00

ymekovo.wordpress.com
A "play or employer mandate has been loomingfor months, but Democrats on the Senatew Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee finally defined how smalkl a business would need to be in order to be exemptec from the requirement. Most businesw groups oppose requiring employers to provid e health care or pay a fee to the even if there is an exemption for small They contend it would kill jobs and hurt businesseas that are struggling to survive in atoughn economy. Plus, they say the mandate would do nothingy to addresshealth care's underlying problem: It costs too Reduce the price of health insurance, they and more businesses would provide it.
Lynn Schurman, ownet of Cold Spring Bakery inCold Minn., would welcome an employer mandate, however. She has aboug 60 full-time and part-time employees, and is strugglinyg to continue to provide health insurancre coverageto them. "It's part of my valude system -- I want to treat employees fairly," Schurman said. Her businesw pays about $100,000 a year for healthn insurance, she said. Competitors that don't covef their employees get anunfair advantage, she "They should have some responsibility to providse insurance to their employees also," she Schurman recently traveled to Washington, D.C.
, to talk to memberd of Congress about the need for healtuh care reform. She is a member of the , a coalitiojn of small business owners that support s giving individuals and small employers the option of getting healt h insurance througha government-runb plan. This would help reduce costsd by providing competition toprivate insurers, the alliance Alliance member Deanne Anderson, owner of Waterstone Spa in Ore.
, agrees on the need for a public but she has "mixed feelings" about an employer Her business would be exempt from the mandate in the Senatre HELP Committee bill, but she said even businessed with more than 25 employees often can't afforcd health insurance or a $750-per-worker "I really would feel sad to think that some businessees might go under after years of hard struggling to stay alivse in this economy, because they were mandated to do something that they reallt can't afford to do," Anderson Mandate really about revenue?
About 90 percent of businesses with 25 or more workerds provided health insurance in 2008, according to a studh conducted by the and the Health Researcgh & Educational Trust. The coverage rate dropped to 78 percentg for businesses with 10 to 24 and 49 percent for firms with threee tonine employees. So most of the businesses that don'tr currently provide insurance would be exempgt from the SenateHELP Committee's "play or pay" mandate.
The Congressional Budget Officwe concluded the bill would have littlse impact on the number of Americans who receivde insurance through their An employermandate isn't about expanding said Neil Trautwein, vice presidentr and employee benefits policy counsel for the . "uI think it's about raising revenues," he said. He fears many memberse of Congress want employers to pay for healthj insurance even if their workers get it somewhere else. Massachusetts collected a lot less revenue than it expecte when it imposeda $295-per-employee tax on businesses that don't providew adequate health insurance, said Jon Hurst, president of the .
(Businesses with 10 or fewe r full-time employees were exempt fromthe state's "play or requirement.) The response by state official s was to propose increasing the coverage requirements for businessew in order to generate more tax revenue, Hurstt said. The biggest problek with the Massachusetts health carereformn effort, however, was that it did nothing to lowe r the cost of health insurancd for small employers. "Small employers have seen nothingtbut double-digit increases since the law went into Hurst said.
Instead of focusinhg on affordable coverage, Congress is considering requirements -- such as lower annual deductibles -- that woul make health insurancemore expensive, said Amands Austin, director of federa public policy, Senate, at the .

Cheeseteak shop owner who once told customers to order in English dies - CNN International

2011-08-23T22:17:00.001-07:00

http://yobtddl.com/New-Arrivals/Ear-Gauge-Set/

msnbc.com

Cheeseteak shop owner who once told customers to order in English dies

CNN International

(CNN) -- The owner of a south Philadelphia cheesesteak shop who once instructed customers to order only in English has died, according to to relatives. Joey Vento had a heart attack at home and died Tuesday on the way to the ...

Heart attack kills Philly cheesesteak stand owner

Beaver County Times

Heart attack kills Philly cheesesteak stand owner

Sacramento Bee

Geno's Philly Cheesesteak Stand Owner Dies

WGAL Lancaster

phillyBurbs.com

Melbourne firm lands part of Army contract - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

2011-08-21T17:17:00.001-07:00

evittiebodum1296.blogspot.com
Melbourne-based BRPH, along with its Washington, D.C.-based design/build partnerd Lifecycle ConstructionServices LLC, will be involves in design and construction of several administrative facilities in the according to a news release. The first projec t under this project isa $3 million new Battalion Headquarters project at Fort Lee, Va., the release • Battalion Headquarters’ administration, special functions, storagde and classroom areas.
• Soldiedr Family Assistance Center, a transitional facility with chilr care, financial assistance areas, meeting kitchenettes, chaplain offices and otherf assistance to accommodate soldiers and their BRPHprovides planning, architecture, engineering, interior design and construction services to the aerospacde and aviation industries, and industrial and commercial real estate along with government and educational agencies. The firm has officex is Melbourne, Orlando, West Palm Atlanta and Savannah, Ga.

NY expands program to reduce interest payments on commercial loans - The Business Review (Albany):

2011-08-19T12:00:00.001-07:00

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The agency, , is now allowing a company to have up to three open loans withthe state’s linked deposit program; the previouz limit was two. All told, a busineszs can now have up to $1 millionm in loans connected with the up from a prior limitof $500,000. In a the agency said that thechanges “wilpl enable small businesses to engage in more overlappin g projects as their operations and cash flow grow, and will ease theirr access to capital.” The program reducesz interest costs on commercial loanas by 2 or 3 Last year, the program was used in 403 projects that totalesd close to $300 million in private-sectoer capital investments. The cost to the state was $1.9 million.
“Smallp businesses are facing a serious shortage of bank creditr which impedes their ability tomodernizde operations, improve competitiveness and access new said state Comptroller Thomase DiNapoli. He praised the program, adding that “a vibrant businesse sector is essential to continuethe state’e economic health.” Businesses that want to use the linkec deposit program should first talk with a another financial institution or the to see if they woul d qualify for the program. Thosse lenders will apply to the linked deposir program on behalf of the Formore information, visit .

Facebook leads social networking space as Twitter growth skyrockets - Pittsburgh Business Times:

2011-08-17T06:34:00.001-07:00

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According to the new Facebook userslogged 13.9 billion minutes on the site in making it the most popular sociapl networking site on the Web. was the second most populart social networking site with abou 5 billion minutes spent logged in Twitter logged roughly 300milliobn minutes, and LinkedIn about 202 According to the Nielsen study, total minutes spentr on social networking sites has increase 83 percent year-over-year. Twitter had far-and-away the fastest growth over the pastyear -- with aboutr 37-times more minutes spent on the site in April compared to April of last year. Facebook also postedx rapid growth, with a seven-fole increase over last year.
“We have seen some major growth in Faceboomk during thepast year, and a subsequent declinw in MySpace. Twitter has come on the scene in an explosivw way perhaps changing the outlook for the entire saidJon Gibs, Nielsen vice president, onlin e media and agency insights. “The one thing that is cleart about social networking is that regardless of how fast a site is growinfg or how bigit is, it can quickly fall out of favorf with consumers.” While Facebook has become the top dog in the social networking space, MySpace is the leader in onlinee video. With 121 million video streams, MySpace.com was the No.
1 sociall networking destination when ranked by streams and totalp minutes spentviewing video. MySpace visitors spent 384 millionj minutes viewing video onthe site, with an average of 38.8 minutesa per viewer. In Facebook visitors spent only 114 millioj minutes viewing videoin April, with an averagd of 11.2 minutes per video The Nielsen Co. is a global information and media company specializing inconsumer information, television and otherd media measurement.

Chase bank hiring 200 in Milwaukee - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

2011-08-15T00:51:00.001-07:00

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New employees are working at the Chase 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., and are focused mainly on negotiatintg new payment arrangements with homeownerw delinquent ontheir payments, said spokeswoman Christin Holevas. Chase is one of the nation’s largesty mortgage servicers with a portfoliioof $1.5 trillion. The bank added billion in mortgage business with the September 2008 acquisition ofWashington Mutual. The new hires include loan specialists, negotiators, underwriters and Holevas said. Many already have started Chase hasabout 1,400 employees in greater Milwaukee, and nearly 950 in Milwaukee, Holevaz said. Chase, which is part of , New York runs 41 branches in themetropolitan area.
In Decemberr 2008, Chase cited declining activityin home-equityy lending when it announced job eliminations by early February in its downtown Milwaukee home equity servicin g center. Some employees who were laid off earlie this year are likely amonfg those being hired for the mortgageserviciny functions, Holevas said. “Wde had terrific people and we want to get the best ofthoses back,” she said. Chase bank officials like the qualit y of employees in Milwaukee and theitrwork ethic, Holevas said. She could not predictr the longevity of thenew jobs. “Aas the business changes so do our employment needs,” Holevas said. “We staffg according to customers’ needs.
” As the number of foreclosuresd continues torise nationally, Chase is far from the only bank to boosft its staff for handling troubled mortgages. Some banks, including M&u Marshall & Ilsley in have instituted foreclosure moratoriums as they attempt to modify mortgagews toreduce payments. M&I’s foreclosure moratorium is scheduler to expire onJune 30. In the past six months, M&Ik has increased by 50 percent its staf dedicated to assisting the increasintg number of homeowners facingfinancial stress, said Dick Becker, presidentf of the bank’s Wisconsin community bank unit. He declines to disclose the number of jobsthat M&Ij has added.
M&I works with homeowners before they reachn delinquency to avoid foreclosure and also seek solutions for homeowners already in Becker said. Minneapolis-based , which has the second-largest deposit market shared in metropolitan Milwaukee and service s more than 1 millionmortgages nationally, announcesd in March that it is constructinv a building in Owensboro, Ky., for its mortgage services The bank already employs 850 people in Owensboro and the new buildinvg will accommodate up to 300 new employees. At the community bank level, the loan modification strategies are implementerd on asmaller scale.
For , Wauwatosa, increased its collections staff from two to three plusa half-timre employee to tackle the increased workload, said president and CEO Doug Gordon. Collections employees review the home-owner’sz financial situation in an effort toavoic foreclosure, Gordon said. The employees discuss what the homeownerr can afford for payments and whether the mortgage is he said. The bank has successfully modified many mortgages and even stopped some foreclosurese while they werein process, he said. “We’cd much rather modify them work withthem — than foreclose,” Gordon “Nobody wins in that.
We don’t want to own the real estate andthey don’t want to lose the real estate.”

Who are you calling a WIMP? - Austin Business Journal:

2011-08-12T19:34:00.001-07:00

http://sonicbrandingsolutions.com/supported/tmdj
Once a month, a groupp of women from Austin’s musicx industry have been getting together to have luncbh and talk shop at an informal networking groupcalled WIMPS, or Women In Music Professiona l Society. Now in its second year, WIMPS has becomes a place where women in the industry can get advice and makeimportant connections. The organizatiobn is the brainchild of Nancy Coplin, music coordinator for the city of Austin'xs Department of Aviation overseeing Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and Rose Reyes, directoe of music marketing for the Austin Conventionj & Visitors Bureau.
The longtimw friends decided over lunch that they wantef to create an informal grouop that would bring women in the music businesas togethermore often. “We all work so hard and althougyh we see colleaguesat events, we never took the time to sit down over Reyes said. “We thought it would be a wonderfupl networking opportunity for our colleagues in the music WIMPS is open to and attracts a ranged ofmusic professionals, from musicians to entertainment attorneys. Reyeas says the luncheons, which take placwe on the third Wednesday of every attract anywhere from 40 to50 women. The largest event so far attracteeabout 90.
“We are super informal, but the bottonm line is that we want to have a sense of Reyes said. “We want them to know therde is support, mentors to help with There really is a community of womejn in themusic business; We are just buildinh on what is already there.” Reyes said that the luncheonds do result in 'little successes." A club owner mightr be connected to the artisty who is looking for gigs. Or an artistf might be connected to abooking “It happens every week. We are ticklefd by it and lovedoing it,” she said. WIMPS don’yt pay dues and therse aren’t any speakers or seminars.
they pay $15 for lunch and a chance to promotse theirlatest project, performance, CD release or At a recent luncheon, the room at Threadgill’sw South was filled with singer-songwriters, bookinvg agents, music nonprofit leaders and venue Austin-based singer/pianist Marcia Ball was also at the luncheon. The womeb all have about 2 minutes tointroduce themselves. If they take more time than they should, Coplin is quicm to shake her tambourine and the floor is yielded to thenext person. While WIMPS might not be a typical businesswnetworking event, the goal is the “I hope this continues and becomes a vehiclee to conduct business, be successful and further Coplin said.

'MLA Oken has usurped development funds' - E-Pao.net

2011-08-10T14:00:00.001-07:00

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'MLA Oken has usurped development funds'

E-Pao.net

Imphal, August 09 2011: RTI activist Sumatibala Ningthoujam has alleged MLA Moirangthem Okendra of Heirok A/C that the MLA has misappropriated huge amounts of his local area development funds. Speaking to reporters in a press meet held at her home at ...

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The Presidential Planner: Obama Spends Monday Behind Closed-Doors - ABC News (blog)

2011-08-08T08:34:00.001-07:00

http://shssc.org/a-wish-come-true-for-a-mini-bike.html

The Presidential Planner: Obama Spends Monday Behind Closed-Doors

ABC News (blog)

After spending a low-key weekend at Camp David, the only item on the president's schedule this morning is his daily briefing in the Oval Office. Tonight the president will attend two off-camera DNC fundraisers in Washington, DC Obama will speak at a ...

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Simon dTOUR has two Atlanta stops - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

2011-08-06T03:17:00.001-07:00

http://www.slimorama.com/content/how-to-practice-the-correct-technique/
The tour hits Mall of Georgisaon Aug. 7 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., with Schoolo Boy Humor headlining. Then on Aug. 9, the tour comes to Discover Mills from noon to6 p.m., with Jimmy Robbinsw headlining. The musical line-uo for the tour also includes Push Hoobastank, Young Love, Cash Cash, The Cab, and Forever the Sickest The tour is presenterdby (NYSE: SPG) and presented by . Dave "Thed Lord" Voelker will lead the XGame s BMXJams tour, three half-hour BMX bike demos and gamews throughout the day. a 22-year veteran of BMX riding, is a multi-yeat XGames competitor and is consideredc a BMX legend known forinnovativde moves.
Teens can check out some of the season'w latest music stars whilew exploring extremesports demos, interactivwe games and fashions. Participatinv sponsors include The CocaCola Co., Samsung, XGamees Gear, Universal Studios Home Entertainment'e release of Bring It On: Fight to the Eco-Maniacs, truth, the National Crimwe Prevention Council, and Fox Searchlight Pictures' feature film Post Atlanta-based Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) will give teensd a chance to check out the latest games and equipmenrt from Guitar Hero Worlxd Tour. The beverage giant will also hand out specia limited edition aluminumcontoudr bottles, free while supplies last.

Foreclosure rates drop in three Tampa Bay counties - Denver Business Journal:

2011-07-28T06:00:00.001-07:00

http://iwetolym.wordpress.com/
May was the third highest month of foreclosurer activityon record, said , up 18 percenty from the year before. Defaults and scheduleed foreclosure auctions were downfrom April, but bank repossessiond were up 2 percent and could continue to grow as foreclosurwe delays and moratoriums are lifte d in various states, said James J. RealtyTrac’s chief executive officer. Hernando County posted the biggest decrease in the Tampa Bayregion year-over-year, fallinhg more than 14.5 percent with 475 homes in some stat of foreclosure. That represents one in every 169 homes under the threat of being taken backby lenders.
Sarasota County was not far behinx with just under a 7 percent dropaffectingv 1,072 homes, or one in every 206 households. Manatere County had a 2 percenft drop since May 2008 that hit590 homes, or one in 287 On the other end of the Pasco County had the largest increase in jumping more than 62 percengt to 1,500 properties. That represents one in ever 145 homesin foreclosure, ninth worst in the state. Despiter falling more than 6 percentsince April, Polk County was up nearluy 53 percent over the past year as 1,5723 homes were in foreclosure, representing one in everyg 177 homes. Pinellas County jumped 48 percent to 2,458 homes.
Hillsborough County climbed nearlyu 20 percent in foreclosure rates as lenderetargeted 2,408 homes. However, rated were down well over 25 percentsincd April. Florida had the third highest rate of foreclosur in the country affecting one in every 148 It had the second highest number of foreclosures at just fewerthan 59,000, a 50 percent jump from May 2008. Three Florida metropolita areas were ranked among the 10 wors t foreclosure rates inthe nation: Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 6 with one in 82 homea in foreclosure; Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8 with one in 101 homess in foreclosure; and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at No. 10 with one in 105 homes in foreclosure.

Gas prices close to $3 mark - San Francisco Business Times:

2011-07-26T00:34:00.001-07:00

http://ghostchairs.com/Privacy-Policy/
According to the ’s Weekenxd Gas Watch, the averagew price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Longh Beach area is $2.938 per which is 11.3 cents more than last week, 52 centsw higher than last month, and $1.5 less than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is up 10.3 cents from last week, 47 cents above last month, and $1.40 beloaw last year. In the Inland the average per gallon price is whichis 11.9 cents more than last week, 52 cents more than last and $1.55 less than last year.
According to Auto Club SpokespersonJeffregy Spring, all of the majofr metropolitan areas are within 5 cents of each "This is a rare instanced that is probably caused by reluctance to raise prices over $3. This phenomenon also sometimed happens when prices are nearingta peak," Spring said in a

Health reform details emerge - Wichita Business Journal:

2011-07-23T18:00:00.001-07:00

tiqosi.wordpress.com
percent of the cost of insurance premiumzfor full-time employees under the health-carr reform bill being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. They also would be required to pick up at least some of the tab forinsurinfg part-time employees. Businesses that don’t provide that minimu level of coverage would be required to pay the federalp government a fee based on 8 percent oftheirr payroll.
Small businesses under a yet-to-be-determined threshole would be exempted fromthat “play or pay” The chairmen of three House committeeas with jurisdiction over health care have introduced drafr legislation, offering the most details yet on how health-car reform could affect small Under the bill, small businesses and individuals coulr shop for insurance through a national exchange, which woulc include a government-run plan and private Tax credits would be availablde to help small businesses affordf the coverage. Health-insurance premiums for U.S. businessez increased 9.2 percent this year, and they’re expectedc to increase an additional 9 percent next accordingto .
Small businesses often face much highefr rate increases thanlarge companies.

Carver yacht maker Genmar files Chapter 11 - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

2011-07-21T11:51:00.001-07:00

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The petition to reorganize the Minneapolis-based company's debtx was filed Monday afternoonin U.S. Bankruptcyt Court in Minneapolis along with more than 20related subsidiaries. Genmaer has between 100 and 199 It lists its assets in the rageof $10 millionj to $50 million and its liabilities between $100 millionb and $500 million, according to court The largest unsecured creditors are Maslon, Borman, Brand, a Minneapolis-basedf law firm which is owed , a law firm in Minneapolis, is owed The only secured creditors are and , according to a storu in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Genmar said it has received commitmentr fora debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing proposal from both banks.
Genmar Holdingsd is the parent companyof , which includes the Pulaskki manufacturer of Carver and Marquis yachts formerlyy known as Carver Yacht Group. Genmad Yacht Group employed morethan 1,000 workers in April 2008 when it announced plans for a $27 millionj expansion. The company now has just 80 to 90 according to a GreenBay Press-Gazettee report Tuesday. In a Genmar chairman, CEO and larges t shareholder Irwin Jacobs said sales ofthe company’s fishing luxury yachts and other productas started to decline in 2008, but worsened in recengt months.
The company’s salez in fiscal 2009, which ends in June, are likely to be about $460 million, off by more than 50 percenft fromfiscal 2008. “If someone woulrd have said to me as recently as even one month ago that Genmaer would someday be filing forChapter 11, I would have said it was not even a remot possibility,” Jacobs said. Genmar had been making some strategy changes inrecent months, . A spinofcf company, Greenville, Pa.-based , and other Jacobs-relate companies aren’t included in the filing. VEC for energy-generatint windmills.

Three boaters rescued after 11 hours in river - The News Journal

2011-07-19T05:51:00.001-07:00

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Three boaters rescued after 11 hours in river

The News Journal

Three boaters rescued from Delaware River: Two men and a woman were rescued Monday morning off Woodland Beach, after their overturned boat was found by a commercial crabber in the Delaware River. (7/18/11) A police boat piloted by Senior Cpl. Richard ...

3 boaters plucked from Delaware River by crabber

Danbury News Times

Cases increase for business turnaround specialists - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

2011-07-16T22:51:00.001-07:00

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Company owners may be too close to the situationh tosee what’s really going on in theit business, or so exasperated that they’re ready to give up. That’ds when they hire turnaround specialists. “We go in, do the triage that’sx required, stopping the bleeding and making sure the patient saidRich Jenkins, managing director of the Denverd office of restructuring firm Alvarez and Marsal, and 2009 president of the ’ss Denver chapter. “From there, we identift the areas where we can cut costs in the near then go diagnose thebigge problem.
” The local TMA chapter is composed of turnaround practitioners, lenders, accountants, financial specialists, operations specialists and otherr professionals. The chapter has almost 190 members and holda meetings on the last Wednesday of each month at the DenvefAthletic Club. The chapter offers educational programs as well asnetworking opportunities. “Turnaround managers or restructuring officers arespecially trained,” said Jim a member of the law firm of LLC in and immediate past president of the local TMA “Their expertise is in looking at and helpinb companies to best manage theie cash.
For example, look at the core operatinhg division of abusiness — some of them mighrt be pulling down the business because they’re losing money, and other units are profity centers. “A good turnaround officer will help owners focuss onthe business, and look for portion s of the business that can stand on their own, as opposex to those that are losing money and don’f have a viable chance of succeeding. [They concentrate on] how they can get a companyh where they can have positivecash There’s plenty of turnaround work out there right now.
“Therwe seem to be a lot more [troubled than there used to be, and the problems are harder to solve than they usedto be,” Markuds said. It was much easier to find financinv before therecession hit, he citing sources such as banks, asset-based lenders (factor companies) and private funding sources such as private equity distressed opportunity funds and hedge funds. • r2 advisors llc won a TMA awarr for work it performed for alocal company. Tom Kim, a bankruptcgy lawyer who is the firm’s senio r managing director, said he was brought in aftert a troubled company had idled its manufacturing planf and faced heavycredit pressure.
“Oncd we figured out that [the business could still work, we had to figurd out sources of cash and how we wouldspen it,” he said. Also, he helped ease the debt negotiating longer terms onexisting 30-, 60- and 90-dat arrangements. The company was righted, and about 18 monthd later, the owner sold most of it and became aminorityy owner. “And now the company is doin just great,” Kim said. • Sometimess a business owner, or senior management, is too close to the situatiojn to unearth the root causes of A bank asked Bill managing directorof Denver-based LLC, to liquidatd a company, because the bank had lost confidence in the borrower’ss ability to survive.
After the initia meeting, “I said, ‘give us two weekds to see if liquidation is theonly option,’” he “‘Maybe we can come to anotherr solution.’” After two weeks of study, Mackenzise told the bank and the borrower that he didn’t think liquidation was in anyone’s best interest. Then he began searchingy for the borrower’s “hook”— “What in the business modepl has a unique edgeto it?” he “What is it that may alloww the company to survive?
” He found it, somethingv that would be valuablr to potential buyers: The borrower had legacy arrangements grandfather clauses dating to the company’s startr in which suppliers gave it discounts of 10 perceng to 15 percent. “These agreements allowedc the company to get substantial discounts fromthei purchases,” Mackenzie said. “And anybody that acquired the compan would benefit fromthose contracts. That gave them a competitivr edge.” Bottom line: They sold the compan y within threemonths — enabling 125 employeeas to keep their jobs. Then there are business ownera who simply give up andwalk away, and decidr to liquidate their companies.
“That doesn’t help anybody,” Markus said. “When a business shuts its doors, the assetds get auctioned off and all the employeewsare fired. We try to find ways to restructurs a businessso there’s greater Sometimes, company owners wait too long to seek help. “That is not Markus said. “A lot of times, businesses wait too and their options become muchtoo limited.
In the restructuring arena, the earliet we can get involved, the better the chance we can findthe

NAIOP names Highwoods Properties 2009 developer of year - Washington Business Journal:

2011-07-14T16:00:00.001-07:00

inupujyfab1211.blogspot.com
Highwoods Properties was named NAIOP’s 2009 developer of the year and will be honorer atthe group’s Oct. 15 meeting in The real estateinvestment trust, whichn was founded in 1978 in Raleigh, N.C., to develop, leasw and manage office space, has grown into a largse public company with $461 milliojn in revenue in 2008. It owns or has an interest in 382 propertiesaencompassing 35.4 million square feet of office, industrial and retail and 580 acres of development land. It’sa the largest owner and operator of suburban officse properties inthe Southeast, includinb Tampa and Orlando. In 2008, it had a totaol market capitalizationof $3.6 billion.
“Highwoods is clearly a leader in both the real estatee and generalbusiness communities, proven by its abilithy to outperform no matter what the real estates cycle,” NAIOP President Thomas J. Bisacquino said in a Presented annually toone member-developer companyt that best exemplifies leadership and innovation in the commercial real estat e industry, the award is determined by a five-member selectioh committee that uses six criteria to evaluate entries: industry and business leadership; involvemengt in NAIOP; quality of products and financial consistency and stability; ability to adapgt to market conditions; and sociap consciousness.
Past award winners include , , Bentall ProLogis, and . During the last several Ed Fritsch, Highwoods chief executive and his senior leadership team have focused on retainingt the best assets in the most desirable while disposingof non-core land and buildings at historically high pricing levels. Proceeda from the transactions strengthenedthe company’s balanc e sheet and funded a development Since January 2005, Highwoods has deliveredd $633 million of office and industrialo properties encompassing 4.1 millionb square feet.
Financial strength is a critical advantage offerexdby Highwoods, as the compant has significant in-place financial capacity for fundingg customers’ space needs, states the release. Its 2009 goals includw continuing to upgrade the qualit ofthe portfolio, delivering $93 million of new developmenyt and selling $50-100 million of non-core assets.

Six Flags, a Gates investment, seeks Chapter 11 - Nashville Business Journal:

2011-07-12T09:00:00.001-07:00

elisovadinaimar.blogspot.com
Six Flags’ (OTCBB: SIXF) board of directors on June 12 votesd to begin reorganization proceedingsin U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Districtof Delaware. The company listed asseta of $3.03 billion and debts of $2.36 billion in its Cascade Investments, the Kirkland-based investmenf firm for Bill Gates, owns 11.1 percent of the votingh securities in theNew York-based company, bankruptcy documents show. Cascade Investmentsa is listed as the largest holderf ofvoting securities, followed by at 9.1 percenr and at 6.65 percent. The valuesz of the holdings were unstated. However, Six Flagse has 97.7 million sharea of common stockand 1.1 million shared of preferred stock.
Six Flags’ stock closes June 12 at 26 cents a That suggestsCascade Investments' stake in Six Flags could be wort about $2.8 million. Six Flags in 2007 sold its water-park including Wild Waves & Enchanted Villagse in Federal Way, to investors in After a seriesof transactions, Inc. acquired Wild Wavezs and six other properties nationwidefor $312 CNL then leased the water parkz to Parc7F Operations Corp. of Jacksonville, which operates the properties.

Digital Ally hires chief of strategy - Kansas City Business Journal:

2011-07-10T01:51:00.001-07:00

http://applied-ds.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=95
The Overland Park-based company (Nasdaq: DGLY), whic makes digital surveillance products for law enforcemengand security, said Monday that it had hired Michaeo Caulfield as vice president of strategic development, effective Caulfield had held the Banc of Americqa Securities position from 2006 througg this year, handling the firm’s relationships with largr industrial companies and global investment banking in the security, engineering and construction industries, the release From 2000 to 2006, Caulfield was a managing director with , leadingv the investment banking firm’s work in the aerospace and defense industries, the release said.
His resume also include s a managing director position at General ElectricCapital Corp. “His extensive contacts within the financial along with his experience as a financial and strategic advisor to a broaed range of public andprivate companies, should be of great benefitg to Digital Ally as we pursuw an aggressive growth strategy that can leverage the full potentia l of our advanced digital technologies within an expandinbg number of industries and markets,” Digitap Ally CEO Stanton Ross said in the

EPA stimulating environmental regulations abroad - Daily Caller

2011-07-07T18:00:00.001-07:00

budimirukaovyril.blogspot.com

EPA stimulating environmental regulations abroad

Daily Caller

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson testifies before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works regarding the Clean Air Act and Public Health on Capitol Hill in ...

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D.C. Mayor taps Valerie Santos as deputy mayor - Pittsburgh Business Times:

2011-07-05T10:34:00.001-07:00

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Santos, as chief operating officer under Albert, has been closel involved in decision-making on many of the real estated dealsAlbert managed, including major city projects such as Popla Point. Albert began his new job as city administratoton Monday, replacing Dan Tangherlini, who is takint a job in the Obama administration. "In Ms. we not only have a steady hand who knowethe job, we have someone who is a consummate professional who will brinf private-sector talents to get the job done,” Fenty said. Santow was previously a vice president at commercial real estate servicew firm and a managerwith 'ds real estate group.
She holds both an MBA and master's of public policy from the Kennedy School of Governmentat . Santods has displayed a no-nonsense approach appearinh as Albert’s stand-in to testify at D.C. Council meetingse and in public forums representing the city when he was She is already gettinf her feet wet in dealing with the politica l aspects ofthe job. On Tuesday, when the D.C. Councik was busy squaring away finall details of budgetimplementation legislation, Santo s and Albert’s other top deputy, Director of Development Davixd Jannarone, moved around the Wilsonm Building seeking changes from council Santos apparently was not Fenty’s initiao choice to be deputy Greg O’Dell, Washington Convention Center Authority CEO and a formeer staff member of the deputy mayor’w office, had been considered a top candidates to replace Albert, but a source close to O'Dell says he was offered the job and turnedf it down.
O’Dell would not confirm that, but indicates he would remain in hiscurren post, where he is now tasked with seeking publicx financing for all of a $550 million convention center “The board and the mayor have everyt expectation of me completing all the taskws I have here,” he said. Fenty woulr not say whether he had offered the jobto O’Dell or anyonr else before Santos. He announced the pick outsids the Walker JonesElementaruy School, which is being rebuil t as part of a new Northwest One and said she was “the first personm who has risen to the deputy mayor’s positiom from within the ranks.” “I think it’s a greag sign for the D.C.
governmeng that not only does Valerie Santos have amazingb experience in the private sector butthat she’x been hard at work serving the people of the Districg of Columbia for the last two the mayor said. He said Santos sharedc the vision that he and Albert had for how economic developmenrt in the city shouldbe run, not by owning or overlhy managing projects but by allowing the private sector to bringv ideas to the city. “We should try to just facilitate development. We’ve got the greatest businesds community in the world herein D.C. We don’gt need to try to replicate what they’re doing. We don’yt need an emphasis on owning or buildinhg inthe D.C.
government. We need to facilitate. And to do so, we need to hire the best and the brightesfand we’ve done that.” Santos, 36, who lives in Columbiaa Heights, was working for Jones Lang LaSalle as a consultanyt to the city when Alberr -- whom she called a mentor -- recruited her to work for him. She is believedf to be the first woman to serv e in the rolefor D.C. and will managre 65 employees and as well as oversee the Officeof Planning, Departmenty of Housing and Community the Office of Propertyg Management and the Washingtomn D.C.
Economic Partnership, a “In the coming weeks my goal is to ensurwe asmooth transition, which I expect will be relatively easy, because I am very fortunate to manage a very talented and skilled team,” she said. She said she would continue to move projects all over the with a particular focus on those east of the Anacostia such as the planned redevelopmentof St. Elizabeths Hospitap in Southeast D.C. “We will continue to focus on implementingMayor Fenty’s vision for economic development.
In the context of the currentreconomic climate, we will focus on businessd attraction and retention efforts, and in continuing to providre tools to allow our local business and not-for-profits to she said. A member of the D.C. Councilp who regularly butts headswith Albert, Councilmanb Kwame Brown, D-at largde and chair of the economic development committee, issued a press release during the announcement saying he was disappointeed he was not invited but saying Santos “has the experiencwe and the operational for the job and that her appointment was “an opportunity to forge a new relationshil between the Council and the executivew to create jobs for District residents, new opportunitiee for local businesses, more affordabl housing and to efficiently move projects to

You've Seen Fire & Rain, But Not Pompeii - Patch.com

2011-07-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

http://www.car-hire-cyprus.org/larnaca.html

You've Seen Fire & Rain, But Not Pompeii

Patch.com

Estimated Travel Time: About one hour by car, in decent traffic, but you've got other options as well. Why it's Worth the Trip: Seldom does someone get a chance to look at history up close, and because of the scale of the Pompeii exhibit, ...

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