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The mediator was called at the request ofLocal 8, and the Milwaukee Ballet agreed, said David Lussier, the Milwaukee union's secretary-treasurer. The unionm represents the 46 members of the orchestrza that performs with theMilwaukee Ballet. Ninetgy percent of the union's members rejectec a 1.5 percent wage increase after learningv that ballet management wanted to add prerecordexd music to its shows inFebruary 2007. Undeer the union's current two-year contract, which expires in June 2007, wagea are negotiated every year, Lussier said. The union is seekingt a 3.5 percent wage increase in a counter-proposa l and also is seeking reconsideration of usint recorded music for theFebruary shows.
Sincd September 2003, musicians' wages have increased only 1 percent, he Amy Marshall, the Milwaukee Ballet's executive director, said the proposal to add prerecorde d music was determined by the naturw of the work tobe performed. The ballet'ss 2006-2007 season includes four performances, Feb. of "Premieres of Passionate Dance," a trio that includes a world premiere of a work by choreographef Margo Sappington that requiresrecorded music. The issue of usinf prerecorded music is a recurring theme at the Milwaukee Ballet and balletzs acrossthe country. Many new works are created to musid that's already recorded.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Select committee phone-hacking report: what they said about key figures - The Guardian
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The Guardian | Select committee phone-hacking report: what they said about key figures The Guardian News International executives sought to "buy silence" and downplay the extent of phone hacking at the News of the World over two years of evidence before parliament, a committee of MPs has concluded. The cross-party culture, media and sport committee ... What does the Select Committee report mean for Murdoch's empire? News Corporation Statement on UK's Parliamentary Select Committee on Culture ... Murdochs Await Parliament's Judgment With Select Committee Report |
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Restaurant outlook dampens - Houston Business Journal:
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A total of 60 percent of operators saw loweer May sales compared to ayear ago, whilew 26 percent said sales were up. The associatiomn also says restaurant operators reported negative customer traffid levelsin May, the 21st consecutives month of traffic declines. "Despite the softer salesz outlook, restaurant operators remained relatively optimisticv that the economy will improvre in themonths ahead," the Association said. "Thirty-four percen t of restaurant operators said they expect economivc conditions to improve insix months, down slightl from 37 percent who reported similarlyy last month.
" After reaching a 10 monthb high last month, the group says restauranyt operators have scaled back plans for capitaol expenditures in the coming months, with 41 percent planning to spensd money on remodeling or down from 46 percent last month.
A total of 60 percent of operators saw loweer May sales compared to ayear ago, whilew 26 percent said sales were up. The associatiomn also says restaurant operators reported negative customer traffid levelsin May, the 21st consecutives month of traffic declines. "Despite the softer salesz outlook, restaurant operators remained relatively optimisticv that the economy will improvre in themonths ahead," the Association said. "Thirty-four percen t of restaurant operators said they expect economivc conditions to improve insix months, down slightl from 37 percent who reported similarlyy last month.
" After reaching a 10 monthb high last month, the group says restauranyt operators have scaled back plans for capitaol expenditures in the coming months, with 41 percent planning to spensd money on remodeling or down from 46 percent last month.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
GM files for bankruptcy protection - Denver Business Journal:
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Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem Inc., a New York-based affiliats of the Detroit automaker, was the firstr GM affiliate to seek bankruptcy protectiohn Monday morning throughthe U.S. Bankrutpchy Court's Southern District of New York, according to coury records. The restructuring will enablw GM to emerge as a viable entity undef the brand namenew GM. It also will give the federaol government, which plans to make availableabout $30 billion of federal assistance to support the restructuring, a large ownershipo stake in the company. Two area companies were amongt the list of creditoresin GM's filing: New York-based Bank of New York with claims of $176 and Downtown-based US with claims of $9.
6 For a list of creditors, see GM's . According to a release from theWhite House, the company plans to announce todayt that it will close 11 facilities and idle another GM had already announced in May .
Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem Inc., a New York-based affiliats of the Detroit automaker, was the firstr GM affiliate to seek bankruptcy protectiohn Monday morning throughthe U.S. Bankrutpchy Court's Southern District of New York, according to coury records. The restructuring will enablw GM to emerge as a viable entity undef the brand namenew GM. It also will give the federaol government, which plans to make availableabout $30 billion of federal assistance to support the restructuring, a large ownershipo stake in the company. Two area companies were amongt the list of creditoresin GM's filing: New York-based Bank of New York with claims of $176 and Downtown-based US with claims of $9.
6 For a list of creditors, see GM's . According to a release from theWhite House, the company plans to announce todayt that it will close 11 facilities and idle another GM had already announced in May .
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Unemployment rate falls in Allegheny, Beaver counties - Nashville Business Journal:
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and Industry released seasonally adjusted unemploymentt figures forthe state’s countiews and metropolitan statistical areas on Tuesday. In Allegheny the unemployment rate fellfrom 6.6 percenrt in March to 6.5 percent in April. Beaver County’ went from 8.2 percent in March to 7.9 percentg in April. The improvements in Allegheny andBeaved counties, however, were not enough to boost the seven-countyh Pittsburgh MSA, which saw its seasonallgy adjusted unemployment rate increasd from 7.2 percent in Marcjh to 7.3 percent in April. Pennsylvania’es unemployment rate held steadyat 7.
8 When making comparisons, the Departmen t of Labor and Industryh uses seasonally adjusted figures in order to account for cyclical hiring differences that don’t reflecft changes in the overall Employment in the seven-county Pittsburgh area continuesz to be stronger than many other In addition to bestingf the state by half a percentage unemployment in the Pittsburgh MSA is 1.6 percentages points lower than the United States as a which has seasonally adjusted unemployment of 8.9 percent. Here is the breakdown across the state: Stat e College: 5.7 percent Lebanon: 6.7 percenf Altoona: 7.2 percent Pittsburgh: 7.3 percent Philadelphia: 7.9 percen t York-Hanover: 7.
9 percent Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton: 8.3 percengt Erie: 8.4 percent Scranton-Wilkes-Barre: 8.6 percenty Johnstown: 8.7 percent Reading: 8.7 percent Within the Pittsburgy MSA, unemployment ranged from 6.5 percent in Alleghenyh Countyto 9.8 percent in Armstron g County. Here is the breakdown by county: 6.5 percent Butler: 7.3 percent Washington: 7.6 percent Beaver: 7.9 percent Westmoreland: 8.1 percent Fayette: 8.9 percent 9.
8 percent
and Industry released seasonally adjusted unemploymentt figures forthe state’s countiews and metropolitan statistical areas on Tuesday. In Allegheny the unemployment rate fellfrom 6.6 percenrt in March to 6.5 percent in April. Beaver County’ went from 8.2 percent in March to 7.9 percentg in April. The improvements in Allegheny andBeaved counties, however, were not enough to boost the seven-countyh Pittsburgh MSA, which saw its seasonallgy adjusted unemployment rate increasd from 7.2 percent in Marcjh to 7.3 percent in April. Pennsylvania’es unemployment rate held steadyat 7.
8 When making comparisons, the Departmen t of Labor and Industryh uses seasonally adjusted figures in order to account for cyclical hiring differences that don’t reflecft changes in the overall Employment in the seven-county Pittsburgh area continuesz to be stronger than many other In addition to bestingf the state by half a percentage unemployment in the Pittsburgh MSA is 1.6 percentages points lower than the United States as a which has seasonally adjusted unemployment of 8.9 percent. Here is the breakdown across the state: Stat e College: 5.7 percent Lebanon: 6.7 percenf Altoona: 7.2 percent Pittsburgh: 7.3 percent Philadelphia: 7.9 percen t York-Hanover: 7.
9 percent Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton: 8.3 percengt Erie: 8.4 percent Scranton-Wilkes-Barre: 8.6 percenty Johnstown: 8.7 percent Reading: 8.7 percent Within the Pittsburgy MSA, unemployment ranged from 6.5 percent in Alleghenyh Countyto 9.8 percent in Armstron g County. Here is the breakdown by county: 6.5 percent Butler: 7.3 percent Washington: 7.6 percent Beaver: 7.9 percent Westmoreland: 8.1 percent Fayette: 8.9 percent 9.
8 percent
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Murdoch quizzed on private lobbying of UK leaders - Fox News
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Globe and Mail | Murdoch quizzed on private lobbying of UK leaders Fox News LONDON â€" James Murdoch's behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign spilled out into the public domain Tuesday as documents detailing his close ties to the British establishment were examined by a judge-led inquiry into media ethics. The nature of the Murdoch ... James Murdoch's behind-the-scenes lobbying puts British Olympics minister in ... Murdoch quizzed on private lobbying of UK leaders in media ethics probe James Murdoch Denies Improper Lobbying in BSkyB Takeover |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sisters of Mercy leave Dungannon Convent - Tyrone Times
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Tyrone Times | Sisters of Mercy leave Dungannon Convent Tyrone Times Saturday April 14 was a day tinged with great sadness in the town of Dungannon as it marked the day the Sisters of Mercy departed from the Convent that had been the nuns' home for 118 years. That's the bad news, the good news being that they will still ... < /p> |
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Mass. companies try community outreach for hires - Boston Business Journal:
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"Recruiters are realizing now that they really have to use some creatives methods toattract employees," said Businesses are increasingly reaching out in ordedr to pull in, said Hentz, and are tappinf community-based groups to find talent. Hentz said her companyu has developed a connection with several professional and ethnic-based groups in the statew and now often relies on social networkingt sites to find qualified She suggests companies also consider payingb at least a portion of an employeexs membership to professional networking organizations, a move that has becomee especially attractive to younger "People really need to think about Millennial and how they have been involved in a lot of sociall networking groups before she said "They want to continue that as part of Reaching out in the community has given new life to recruitinbg for positions that have becomed difficult to fill at Boston-ba sed utilityu provider Nstar.
The stability and good compensation that came with a job workint the line for a localo utility company once made it a populadr option for highschool graduates. But in the last decade, applicationds have dropped. "We've seen a decline in the number of people who can meet the saidChris Carmody, the company's vice presiden of organizational effectiveness, who said the drop-off is a due to a combinatiohn of factors. Younger workers, she don't find the utility as attractive as previousgenerations did.
And the overheasd line work is physically Carmody said about 60 percentof Nstar' s workforce will be eligible to retire within the next 10 Faced with a seriouss outflow of employees, they've developede a program with to identify and trainh future workers early. Students are often recruitee through vocational high schools and go on to earna two-yea r associate's degree that includes intensive on-sit training with Nstar line workers. Graduatesd are guaranteed a job when they completewthe degree.
The program, whicbh began with just a handful of is now entering itsthird year, and Nstar is now selectinhg its next class from more than 220 "We have definitely put into place some intensive marketingg and outreach efforts with this," said "But through this growth I thinki we've seen that the word is gettintg out." Nstar is also working with otherr area colleges on similar initiatives, including , and . The diningv services division on the campues at in Franklin has been engaged in a partnershippwith , a human services agency that provides programs for developmentallyy disabled individuals, for the past year.
Michael Ward, the dininy services general manager, said HMEA has placed several clientsas part-time employees in the dining hall too perform such tasks as dish room work or maintenances in the dining common Tapping into a community resource to fill the positionzs has provided Ward not only with an opportunity to employ challengecd individuals eager to work, but it has also a delivered a reliabls group of workers. "They guarantee us a certainj number of peopleevery day, and they provide them with transportatio n to get here," said Ward. "As a part-time this is ideal.
" Osram Sylvania's Hentz said communitt relationships not only provide companies with a chancse to find talent but also with a chance to give back tothe community. "If you want to be a good you have to be a good partner she said. Ward, who is organizing an upcoming HMEA said making the partnership with HMEAa give-and-take has enhances the relationship tremendously. "This experiencd has been nothingbut positive," he
"Recruiters are realizing now that they really have to use some creatives methods toattract employees," said Businesses are increasingly reaching out in ordedr to pull in, said Hentz, and are tappinf community-based groups to find talent. Hentz said her companyu has developed a connection with several professional and ethnic-based groups in the statew and now often relies on social networkingt sites to find qualified She suggests companies also consider payingb at least a portion of an employeexs membership to professional networking organizations, a move that has becomee especially attractive to younger "People really need to think about Millennial and how they have been involved in a lot of sociall networking groups before she said "They want to continue that as part of Reaching out in the community has given new life to recruitinbg for positions that have becomed difficult to fill at Boston-ba sed utilityu provider Nstar.
The stability and good compensation that came with a job workint the line for a localo utility company once made it a populadr option for highschool graduates. But in the last decade, applicationds have dropped. "We've seen a decline in the number of people who can meet the saidChris Carmody, the company's vice presiden of organizational effectiveness, who said the drop-off is a due to a combinatiohn of factors. Younger workers, she don't find the utility as attractive as previousgenerations did.
And the overheasd line work is physically Carmody said about 60 percentof Nstar' s workforce will be eligible to retire within the next 10 Faced with a seriouss outflow of employees, they've developede a program with to identify and trainh future workers early. Students are often recruitee through vocational high schools and go on to earna two-yea r associate's degree that includes intensive on-sit training with Nstar line workers. Graduatesd are guaranteed a job when they completewthe degree.
The program, whicbh began with just a handful of is now entering itsthird year, and Nstar is now selectinhg its next class from more than 220 "We have definitely put into place some intensive marketingg and outreach efforts with this," said "But through this growth I thinki we've seen that the word is gettintg out." Nstar is also working with otherr area colleges on similar initiatives, including , and . The diningv services division on the campues at in Franklin has been engaged in a partnershippwith , a human services agency that provides programs for developmentallyy disabled individuals, for the past year.
Michael Ward, the dininy services general manager, said HMEA has placed several clientsas part-time employees in the dining hall too perform such tasks as dish room work or maintenances in the dining common Tapping into a community resource to fill the positionzs has provided Ward not only with an opportunity to employ challengecd individuals eager to work, but it has also a delivered a reliabls group of workers. "They guarantee us a certainj number of peopleevery day, and they provide them with transportatio n to get here," said Ward. "As a part-time this is ideal.
" Osram Sylvania's Hentz said communitt relationships not only provide companies with a chancse to find talent but also with a chance to give back tothe community. "If you want to be a good you have to be a good partner she said. Ward, who is organizing an upcoming HMEA said making the partnership with HMEAa give-and-take has enhances the relationship tremendously. "This experiencd has been nothingbut positive," he
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Anzac Services start at dawn - Cowra Guardian
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Anzac Services start at dawn Cowra Guardian Participants are asked to form up in Bartlett Street, from where they will March to the Cenotaph in Brisbane Street, for the Dawn Service at 6.00am. Following the service light refreshments will be provided for ex-servicemen and women and invited ... Anzac Day services on the Monaro |
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Children
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million to to fund research in therapie like bone marrow and cordblood transplantation. The gift from Doloresx Jordan — on behalf of her late husbandrand brother-in-law — will help the research center create an endowed chair for a stem cell researcher while establishinb the and Cellular Therapies That could help compete for money from the the state’s taxpayer-backed stem cell research fundinfg agency — as well as other government agencies and privatwe funders. Bone marrow and cord blood transplantation s are used to treat a variety of including leukemia and sicklewcell anemia.
Future cellular therapy researchat Children’zs may focus on treatments for diabetes, lung Crohn’s disease and brain damager caused by oxygen shortages during said Dr. Bert Lubin, the center’s senior vice “Fund-raisers often talk about ‘transformative’ giftsx and sometimes exaggerate the importancse of aparticular gift. In this case, it is no exaggeration to say that the Jordanj family gift is truly transformativee for the research programat Children’s,” said Brad Barber, Children’ chief development officer, in a press release.
Dolores Jordan’s husband, Hanabul Jordan, owned a Hayward constructionb business, and his Lowell, ran the family’s cattle ranch in Dublin. The sale of the Jordanb family’s ranch funded the gift. The family previously donated morethan $420,000 to Children’s Hospitakl programs, including 1999 and 2000 gifts for the hospital’s bloodr and marrow transplant program.
million to to fund research in therapie like bone marrow and cordblood transplantation. The gift from Doloresx Jordan — on behalf of her late husbandrand brother-in-law — will help the research center create an endowed chair for a stem cell researcher while establishinb the and Cellular Therapies That could help compete for money from the the state’s taxpayer-backed stem cell research fundinfg agency — as well as other government agencies and privatwe funders. Bone marrow and cord blood transplantation s are used to treat a variety of including leukemia and sicklewcell anemia.
Future cellular therapy researchat Children’zs may focus on treatments for diabetes, lung Crohn’s disease and brain damager caused by oxygen shortages during said Dr. Bert Lubin, the center’s senior vice “Fund-raisers often talk about ‘transformative’ giftsx and sometimes exaggerate the importancse of aparticular gift. In this case, it is no exaggeration to say that the Jordanj family gift is truly transformativee for the research programat Children’s,” said Brad Barber, Children’ chief development officer, in a press release.
Dolores Jordan’s husband, Hanabul Jordan, owned a Hayward constructionb business, and his Lowell, ran the family’s cattle ranch in Dublin. The sale of the Jordanb family’s ranch funded the gift. The family previously donated morethan $420,000 to Children’s Hospitakl programs, including 1999 and 2000 gifts for the hospital’s bloodr and marrow transplant program.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Voting begins on King Soopers contract offer - Pittsburgh Business Times:
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Voting on the five-year offer by membersa of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 will continu ethrough Wednesday. Union leaders are not makingg a recommendation to their memberas on thecontract offer, which the unio complains would cut pension benefits by an averagse of $100,000 -- a conclusion disputex by management. “It’s a good contracyt in a normal economy. It’z a great contract in this economy,” King Sooperd spokeswoman Diane Mulligan saidlast week. She said roughlhy 65 percent of workers woulxd get raises underthe company’s King Soopers is a Colorado unit of Cincinnati-based (NYSE: KR).
Colorado worker s for two other grocerychains Pleasanton, Calif.-based (NYSE: SWY) and Idaho-based (privately held) — continue to negotiate separatee deals with their employers. If King Soopers workers rejectgthe chain’s latest proposal, they will continue workin g without a contract until an agreement is reachecd or a strike is called. Their contracty expired May 9.
Voting on the five-year offer by membersa of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 will continu ethrough Wednesday. Union leaders are not makingg a recommendation to their memberas on thecontract offer, which the unio complains would cut pension benefits by an averagse of $100,000 -- a conclusion disputex by management. “It’s a good contracyt in a normal economy. It’z a great contract in this economy,” King Sooperd spokeswoman Diane Mulligan saidlast week. She said roughlhy 65 percent of workers woulxd get raises underthe company’s King Soopers is a Colorado unit of Cincinnati-based (NYSE: KR).
Colorado worker s for two other grocerychains Pleasanton, Calif.-based (NYSE: SWY) and Idaho-based (privately held) — continue to negotiate separatee deals with their employers. If King Soopers workers rejectgthe chain’s latest proposal, they will continue workin g without a contract until an agreement is reachecd or a strike is called. Their contracty expired May 9.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Coherent, Inc. Announces Live Webcast of Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2012 Results - Sacramento Bee
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Coherent, Inc. Announces Live Webcast of Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2012 Results Sacramento Bee By Coherent, Inc. SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 12, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Coherent, Inc. (Nasdaq: COHR), today announced that it plans to report its second quarter fiscal year 2012 results after market close on April 26, 2012. |
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Andy Murray treating Olympics like a Grand Slam - Albany Times Union
goldenayreyg1666.blogspot.com
Globe and Mail | Andy Murray treating Olympics like a Grand Slam Albany Times Union By STEVE DOUGLAS, AP Sports Writer LONDON â€" Andy Murray believes the tennis tournament at the London Olympics will be viewed by the sport's top players as a fifth Grand Slam on this year's hectic calendar. The fourth-ranked Briton lists Wimbledon and ... Murray treating London Olympics like fifth Slam Andy Murray treating Olympics like Grand Slam |
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Survey: CEOs still foresee negative conditions - Denver Business Journal:
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“This quarter’s results reflect a continuing weak set ofeconomicd conditions,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chairman of Businesds Roundtable and chairman and CEO of “Conditions while still negative — appear to have begunh to stabilize.” The Washington-based association of CEOs represents a combinedx work force of nearlyt 10 million employees and more than $5 trilliomn in annual sales. When asked how they anticipatd their sales to fluctuate in the next six 34 percent said saleswill increase, and 46 percent predicted a decrease. That is a sunniee forecast thanthe first-quarter outlook survey, when 24 percent predicted higher sales. Fifty-one percent said their U.
S. capital spending will fall in theseconed quarter, and 12 percent said it will Forty-nine percent expect their U.S. employment to decrease in the next six up fromthe first-quartere outlook survey, when 71 percent predicted a drop in employment. Six percentg anticipate their employee baseto increase. Member CEOs estimatede that the nation’s real gross domestic producft will dropby 2.1 percent in compared with the CEOs’ first-quarter estimate of a 1.9 percentr decline. The outlook index which combines member CEO projectionsfor sales, capitall spending and employment in the six months ahead expanded to 18.5 in the seconf quarter, up from -5 in the first quarter.
An indecx reading of 50 or lower is consistent with overaloeconomic contraction, and a reading of 50 or highe r is consistent with expansion.
“This quarter’s results reflect a continuing weak set ofeconomicd conditions,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chairman of Businesds Roundtable and chairman and CEO of “Conditions while still negative — appear to have begunh to stabilize.” The Washington-based association of CEOs represents a combinedx work force of nearlyt 10 million employees and more than $5 trilliomn in annual sales. When asked how they anticipatd their sales to fluctuate in the next six 34 percent said saleswill increase, and 46 percent predicted a decrease. That is a sunniee forecast thanthe first-quarter outlook survey, when 24 percent predicted higher sales. Fifty-one percent said their U.
S. capital spending will fall in theseconed quarter, and 12 percent said it will Forty-nine percent expect their U.S. employment to decrease in the next six up fromthe first-quartere outlook survey, when 71 percent predicted a drop in employment. Six percentg anticipate their employee baseto increase. Member CEOs estimatede that the nation’s real gross domestic producft will dropby 2.1 percent in compared with the CEOs’ first-quarter estimate of a 1.9 percentr decline. The outlook index which combines member CEO projectionsfor sales, capitall spending and employment in the six months ahead expanded to 18.5 in the seconf quarter, up from -5 in the first quarter.
An indecx reading of 50 or lower is consistent with overaloeconomic contraction, and a reading of 50 or highe r is consistent with expansion.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Harder tests = fewer passing - Columbus Dispatch
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Columbus Dispatch | Harder tests = fewer passing Columbus Dispatch Miami University and the University of Cincinnati will hold coinciding anti-violence rallies tomorrow at 5 pm after two Ohio men were attacked on March 24 while walking home from a drag show, apparently targeted because they are gay. |
Friday, April 6, 2012
Perry signs bill that includes $150 million for UTMB - Birmingham Business Journal:
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The university will use the funds to buildc anew 200-bed hospital tower adjacenrt to the existing John Sealy Hospital, restoring bed capacity to 550, as it was priotr to Hurricane Ike. In addition, tuition revenud bonds of $5 million will go to at HB 51 also establishes measures to enhancre and maintain the quality ofthe state’s designater and emerging public research universities, creates incentive programs and funding for higher education provides higher education fund allocations, and creates an interim committe to study the feasibility of trackiny specialized technology research Of the 62 national research institution s in the nation, three universities — , The and Texasx A&M University — are in Texas.
The Texas Highef Education Coordinating Board has designated seven institutionws as emergingresearch universities: the ; the University of Texazs campuses in Arlington, Dallas, El Paso and San ; and the University of North Texas. In HB 51 provides a performance incentive fundinbg mechanism for all ofthe state’s genera l academic institutions based on the averagew number of degrees awarded annually and an increasd in the average number of degrees awarded annually, with weightec consideration for at-risk students and critical fields.
The university will use the funds to buildc anew 200-bed hospital tower adjacenrt to the existing John Sealy Hospital, restoring bed capacity to 550, as it was priotr to Hurricane Ike. In addition, tuition revenud bonds of $5 million will go to at HB 51 also establishes measures to enhancre and maintain the quality ofthe state’s designater and emerging public research universities, creates incentive programs and funding for higher education provides higher education fund allocations, and creates an interim committe to study the feasibility of trackiny specialized technology research Of the 62 national research institution s in the nation, three universities — , The and Texasx A&M University — are in Texas.
The Texas Highef Education Coordinating Board has designated seven institutionws as emergingresearch universities: the ; the University of Texazs campuses in Arlington, Dallas, El Paso and San ; and the University of North Texas. In HB 51 provides a performance incentive fundinbg mechanism for all ofthe state’s genera l academic institutions based on the averagew number of degrees awarded annually and an increasd in the average number of degrees awarded annually, with weightec consideration for at-risk students and critical fields.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Senators skeptical about expanding Federal Reserve
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The leaders of the Senate Banking Committee agreed that regulatory reformswere needed, but they were skeptical abougt giving the additional powers. Under the administration’s the Federal Reserve would be given the responsibility tosupervisew “the largest, most complex and interconnected and be “the first responder in a financiao emergency,” Geithner said. Sen. Chrisd Dodd, D-Conn., who chairs the Senate Bankin g Committee, questioned why the Fed should be given more powe r when many experts question its tracjk record on itscurrent responsibilities.
Its propose d new role as the regulator of systemif risk also could conflict with its primary role of settingmonetary policy, he said. Sen. Richard Shelby, said it was unrealistic to expect the Fed to handle so many and that its structurer is not suited for the role of a systemicvrisk regulator. Plus, he said, Congress has not spent enoug h time discussing the concept of systemic risk andhow -- or if -- it can be Geithner said he saw no conflict betweenn regulating systemic risk and setting monetaryy policy. The additional authority that would be given the Fedis “quitr modest, and builds on their existing authority” to supervise financial institutions, he said.
The administration’s plan would transfee the Federal Reserve’s consumer protection responsibilitiees to anew regulator, which would take away some authority and removd “a distraction” from the Fed. “I wish consumer protectionh had been more of a distraction at the Dodd responded. Dodd strongly supported the administration’s proposal to create a Consumefr FinancialProtection Agency.
This new regulator woulcd look out for the interests of consumers of financia products and writerules that, in Geithner’s words, “promotd transparency, simplicity and Existing regulators “turned a blind eye” to the subprime mortgages and that caused the financiakl crisis, Dodd said. “It was regulatory neglecr that allowed the crisisto spread,” he said. “Let’ds put a cop on the beat so thisspectacular failure” is never repeated Critics of this proposal contend it would needlesslu add another layer of government regulation and coul d stifle innovation in the financial sector.
Dodd, showed little patience for objections from the financiakl industry onthe proposal. The people who created the nation’s economic crisis are arguing thatconsumerxs shouldn’t be protected, he contended. “What planet are you livint on?” he said.
The leaders of the Senate Banking Committee agreed that regulatory reformswere needed, but they were skeptical abougt giving the additional powers. Under the administration’s the Federal Reserve would be given the responsibility tosupervisew “the largest, most complex and interconnected and be “the first responder in a financiao emergency,” Geithner said. Sen. Chrisd Dodd, D-Conn., who chairs the Senate Bankin g Committee, questioned why the Fed should be given more powe r when many experts question its tracjk record on itscurrent responsibilities.
Its propose d new role as the regulator of systemif risk also could conflict with its primary role of settingmonetary policy, he said. Sen. Richard Shelby, said it was unrealistic to expect the Fed to handle so many and that its structurer is not suited for the role of a systemicvrisk regulator. Plus, he said, Congress has not spent enoug h time discussing the concept of systemic risk andhow -- or if -- it can be Geithner said he saw no conflict betweenn regulating systemic risk and setting monetaryy policy. The additional authority that would be given the Fedis “quitr modest, and builds on their existing authority” to supervise financial institutions, he said.
The administration’s plan would transfee the Federal Reserve’s consumer protection responsibilitiees to anew regulator, which would take away some authority and removd “a distraction” from the Fed. “I wish consumer protectionh had been more of a distraction at the Dodd responded. Dodd strongly supported the administration’s proposal to create a Consumefr FinancialProtection Agency.
This new regulator woulcd look out for the interests of consumers of financia products and writerules that, in Geithner’s words, “promotd transparency, simplicity and Existing regulators “turned a blind eye” to the subprime mortgages and that caused the financiakl crisis, Dodd said. “It was regulatory neglecr that allowed the crisisto spread,” he said. “Let’ds put a cop on the beat so thisspectacular failure” is never repeated Critics of this proposal contend it would needlesslu add another layer of government regulation and coul d stifle innovation in the financial sector.
Dodd, showed little patience for objections from the financiakl industry onthe proposal. The people who created the nation’s economic crisis are arguing thatconsumerxs shouldn’t be protected, he contended. “What planet are you livint on?” he said.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Downer of a year: 2008 disappoints many on mortgage brokers list - Business First of Louisville:
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The outlook for the industry is with most brokers concerned thatratees — now near historic lows will rise. At Business First’sa deadline, rates on conforming 30-year loans had risen sharplh in just afew days, averaging 5.4 percent at mid-week, according to data from Bankrate.com and MarketWatch.com. That rate is up from a nationall average ofabout 4.85 percent for much of May. Towarde the end of consumers began refinancing, accordinhg to mortgage lenders interviewed by Business But refinancingalone won’t revive theirr business, brokers said.
Refinancing is lucrativr for brokers when interest ratesare low, “but you can’t depende on it” in the long term, said Don Rupert, presidenyt of Mortgage Network Inc., whicgh is No. 10 on the current list, up from No. 11. “Th mortgage business is cyclical enough without depending on refinancing.” On the 2009 Rupert’s company was among the minority of broker s who reported making a higher percentage of new mortgages than refinancings for 2008 — 85 percentf new, 15 percent refinancings, in his case. LLC, owned by Mohama d el-Ashawah, reported a similar new/refinance ratio, with 70 percent new mortgages closed in 2008 and 30percent refinancings.
No mortgagd brokerage reported a sharper decline in volume and valuee thanKentuckiana Sunrise, which dropped to No. 18 on the 2009 list from No. 8 in 2008. The valu e of Kentuckiana Sunrise’s loans closedf dropped 87 percent in 2008to $10 millionn from $75 million in and the number of loans decreased 67 to 165 from 500. El-Ashawah said that whilwe demand for mortgages remained fairlyh constant despite the realestate downturn, Kentuckiana Sunrise couldn’t get capita to lend.
After capital markets tightenedin 2008, capital from private sources and banks dried up and “yoj couldn’t get anyone to lend you said el-Ashawah, who added that his companty never made subprime loans. That left his brokerage firm with one sourcde formoney — federal government-backeds mortgage makers such as and . And that moneuy got increasingly expensive, he said. Pohn, of Firsrt Residential, sees better times ahead for his company and for the economy has a wholre if government regulators can find amarkeft equilibrium.
First Residential closed $160 million worth of mortgages during both April and May and is on track to match or exceed its 2006 total ofabour $1 billion, Pohn said. But at the getting borrowers qualified for loans has gone from bein ga no-questions-asked situation in 2006 to taking “an act of in 2009, he said. The nationalk mortgage market has “overcorrected,” he Now, there are peoplre trying to buy homeswho “deserve but the market is so scared and they’r e restricting credit way too he said. Pohn puts the blame squarely on the mortgagr industry itself after home loan standardx went outthe window, startinf around 2006.
The outlook for the industry is with most brokers concerned thatratees — now near historic lows will rise. At Business First’sa deadline, rates on conforming 30-year loans had risen sharplh in just afew days, averaging 5.4 percent at mid-week, according to data from Bankrate.com and MarketWatch.com. That rate is up from a nationall average ofabout 4.85 percent for much of May. Towarde the end of consumers began refinancing, accordinhg to mortgage lenders interviewed by Business But refinancingalone won’t revive theirr business, brokers said.
Refinancing is lucrativr for brokers when interest ratesare low, “but you can’t depende on it” in the long term, said Don Rupert, presidenyt of Mortgage Network Inc., whicgh is No. 10 on the current list, up from No. 11. “Th mortgage business is cyclical enough without depending on refinancing.” On the 2009 Rupert’s company was among the minority of broker s who reported making a higher percentage of new mortgages than refinancings for 2008 — 85 percentf new, 15 percent refinancings, in his case. LLC, owned by Mohama d el-Ashawah, reported a similar new/refinance ratio, with 70 percent new mortgages closed in 2008 and 30percent refinancings.
No mortgagd brokerage reported a sharper decline in volume and valuee thanKentuckiana Sunrise, which dropped to No. 18 on the 2009 list from No. 8 in 2008. The valu e of Kentuckiana Sunrise’s loans closedf dropped 87 percent in 2008to $10 millionn from $75 million in and the number of loans decreased 67 to 165 from 500. El-Ashawah said that whilwe demand for mortgages remained fairlyh constant despite the realestate downturn, Kentuckiana Sunrise couldn’t get capita to lend.
After capital markets tightenedin 2008, capital from private sources and banks dried up and “yoj couldn’t get anyone to lend you said el-Ashawah, who added that his companty never made subprime loans. That left his brokerage firm with one sourcde formoney — federal government-backeds mortgage makers such as and . And that moneuy got increasingly expensive, he said. Pohn, of Firsrt Residential, sees better times ahead for his company and for the economy has a wholre if government regulators can find amarkeft equilibrium.
First Residential closed $160 million worth of mortgages during both April and May and is on track to match or exceed its 2006 total ofabour $1 billion, Pohn said. But at the getting borrowers qualified for loans has gone from bein ga no-questions-asked situation in 2006 to taking “an act of in 2009, he said. The nationalk mortgage market has “overcorrected,” he Now, there are peoplre trying to buy homeswho “deserve but the market is so scared and they’r e restricting credit way too he said. Pohn puts the blame squarely on the mortgagr industry itself after home loan standardx went outthe window, startinf around 2006.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Embarq, CenturyTel complete $11.6B deal - East Bay Business Times:
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Buyer (NYSE: CTL) completed its $11.t billion stock and debt purchasse ofEmbarq (NYSE: EQ), the companies announced early The combined company, , will be based in La., and potentially have $8 billionj in annual revenue. It has more than 2.1 million broadband customers, 440,000 video subscribers and 7.5 milliobn access lines in 33 states. Embarq shareholders are two-thirds owners of the combined company, having received 1.37 CenturyTelk shares for each Embarq share they The deal included CenturyTelassuming $5.8 billion in Embarwq debt. The two brands will be convertedd graduallyto CenturyLink, a process expected to conclude latere this year.
“The completion of this merger is a significant event forour customers, communities, investorsa and employees,” CEO Glen Post III, who had been head of said in the release. “CenturyLino has the advanced networks, the people and the financiap stability to deliver the reliable and innovativd services that our customers want and We look forward to this exciting new chapterf inour company’s history.” CenturyLink will keep “a significant in the Overland Park area, though that locatio n wasn’t among the regional operating headquarterxs listed: Las Vegas; Wentzville, Mo.; Orlando, Fla.; Wake N.C.; and La Crosse, Wis.
Embarq now employw about 2,800 in the down from 4,500 when it spun off from S) in 2006. That drop reflects the sale of Embarq’s logistics unit earlier this year and continual job cuts as the companhy has attempted to keep a lid on costs in anindustrgy that’s losing core customeras to mobile phones. The recession has accelerateddthat trend, and observers say that could mean deeperr and faster cuts than originally anticipated as the companiesx integrate. By joining, the rural phonwe companies expect to saveaboutt $400 million a year in operatint and capital expenses by 2011. They expect combined operatinfg cash flow of morethan $4.2 billionh and free cash flow of about $1.
9 CenturyTel expects to continue its curren annual dividend of $2.8o a share. The combination is expected to add to free cash flow per sharwin 2010. Shares continue to trade under CenturyTel’s ticker symbol. Embarq CEO Tom Gerke will served as executive vice chairman of the CenturyLinik board and oversee regulatorhy and governmental relations andhumann resources. Embarq ranks No. 3 on the Kansas City Business Journakl ’s list of area public companies.
Buyer (NYSE: CTL) completed its $11.t billion stock and debt purchasse ofEmbarq (NYSE: EQ), the companies announced early The combined company, , will be based in La., and potentially have $8 billionj in annual revenue. It has more than 2.1 million broadband customers, 440,000 video subscribers and 7.5 milliobn access lines in 33 states. Embarq shareholders are two-thirds owners of the combined company, having received 1.37 CenturyTelk shares for each Embarq share they The deal included CenturyTelassuming $5.8 billion in Embarwq debt. The two brands will be convertedd graduallyto CenturyLink, a process expected to conclude latere this year.
“The completion of this merger is a significant event forour customers, communities, investorsa and employees,” CEO Glen Post III, who had been head of said in the release. “CenturyLino has the advanced networks, the people and the financiap stability to deliver the reliable and innovativd services that our customers want and We look forward to this exciting new chapterf inour company’s history.” CenturyLink will keep “a significant in the Overland Park area, though that locatio n wasn’t among the regional operating headquarterxs listed: Las Vegas; Wentzville, Mo.; Orlando, Fla.; Wake N.C.; and La Crosse, Wis.
Embarq now employw about 2,800 in the down from 4,500 when it spun off from S) in 2006. That drop reflects the sale of Embarq’s logistics unit earlier this year and continual job cuts as the companhy has attempted to keep a lid on costs in anindustrgy that’s losing core customeras to mobile phones. The recession has accelerateddthat trend, and observers say that could mean deeperr and faster cuts than originally anticipated as the companiesx integrate. By joining, the rural phonwe companies expect to saveaboutt $400 million a year in operatint and capital expenses by 2011. They expect combined operatinfg cash flow of morethan $4.2 billionh and free cash flow of about $1.
9 CenturyTel expects to continue its curren annual dividend of $2.8o a share. The combination is expected to add to free cash flow per sharwin 2010. Shares continue to trade under CenturyTel’s ticker symbol. Embarq CEO Tom Gerke will served as executive vice chairman of the CenturyLinik board and oversee regulatorhy and governmental relations andhumann resources. Embarq ranks No. 3 on the Kansas City Business Journakl ’s list of area public companies.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Ingabire Trial - Genocide Ideology Laws Face Revision - AllAfrica.com
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Ingabire Trial - Genocide Ideology Laws Face Revision AllAfrica.com Although the Justice Minister, Tharcisse Karugarama, had announced plans to revise the controversial law in 2010, the text is still yet to be debated in Parliament. On 13 April, the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on Victoire ... |
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Melo now the Knicks' lone star - New York Daily News
cicugaha.wordpress.com
New York Daily News | Melo now the Knicks' lone star New York Daily News The Carmelo Anthony-Amar'e Stoudemire pairing hasn't been working, and still you have to think that the Knicks would much rather have that problem than be where they are today: Facing life without their No. 2 scoring option when the playoffs roll ... Knicks Power Rankings: Winning Ugly Amare's bad back hamstrings Knicks |
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Kentucky sets up matchup with Louisville and Kansas will play Ohio State in ... - Washington Post
afyfojahejus.blogspot.com
USA TODAY | Kentucky sets up matchup with Louisville and Kansas will play Ohio State in ... Washington Post The Final Four is set. In one game Saturday, Kentucky will play Louisville in an intrastate rivalry that puts Cardinals coach Rick Pitino against the school he once coached, then later alienated by returning to the Bluegrass to lead its archrival. UK v. UofL in Final Four sets state into frenzy Louisville sets up potential epic showdown vs. Kentucky in Final Four March Madness thoughts: Kentucky's victory sets up a classic in the Final Four |
Friday, March 23, 2012
Dollar General sales soar in recession - Dayton Business Journal:
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Earnings for Dollar General (NYSE: DG), released came in at $81.85 million in the quarterf whichended Jan. 1, compared to $55.39 millio in the same quarter of 2007. Revenue for the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based discount retaile r was $2.85 billion, up 11.2 percentg from the year-ago Same-store sales increased 9.4 percent in the with increases in both customer traffic and the average Forthe year, the privately held compan y reported income of $108.2 million on sale of $10.46 billion. CEO Rick Dreiling said in an earningx call Tuesday that the retailer has manageed to turn the economic downtur n into an opportunity because of thediscount retailer’sa position in the market.
The companty attributed some of the gains to improvements in distributionand transportation, as well as highef average markups. “During the year, we grew expanded gross profit and reduced our by successfully implementing programws to improve our store operationsx andmerchandising efforts,” Dreiling said in a companyy release. “Importantly, we were able to achieve thes improvements despite the increasingly difficulteconomicx conditions. We are pleased with the current momentum in our and we intend to focus on driving continued success in Dreiling also reported that sales wereup 15.1 percenf last month over February 2008.
Dollar General operates more than 20 storexs in theDayton area.
Earnings for Dollar General (NYSE: DG), released came in at $81.85 million in the quarterf whichended Jan. 1, compared to $55.39 millio in the same quarter of 2007. Revenue for the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based discount retaile r was $2.85 billion, up 11.2 percentg from the year-ago Same-store sales increased 9.4 percent in the with increases in both customer traffic and the average Forthe year, the privately held compan y reported income of $108.2 million on sale of $10.46 billion. CEO Rick Dreiling said in an earningx call Tuesday that the retailer has manageed to turn the economic downtur n into an opportunity because of thediscount retailer’sa position in the market.
The companty attributed some of the gains to improvements in distributionand transportation, as well as highef average markups. “During the year, we grew expanded gross profit and reduced our by successfully implementing programws to improve our store operationsx andmerchandising efforts,” Dreiling said in a companyy release. “Importantly, we were able to achieve thes improvements despite the increasingly difficulteconomicx conditions. We are pleased with the current momentum in our and we intend to focus on driving continued success in Dreiling also reported that sales wereup 15.1 percenf last month over February 2008.
Dollar General operates more than 20 storexs in theDayton area.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Survey: Employers cutting benefit costs - Business First of Louisville:
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“The responses indicate that as employerx develop benefit plans for 2010 they are lookin for ways to reduce benefit costs, without further reducing benefits,” said Marianne Fazen, executived director of the association. many responded that they plan to increas theirwellness programs.” • Thirty-five percent of employerds responded that they plan to increased their wellness programs. • Companied identified as its two biggest concerns limitedbenefitsx budgets, and limited merit budget and bonus About 68% of companies are concerned or very concerne d about limited merit budget and bonus pools, and aboutf 53% are concerned about limitexd benefits budgets.
• To weather the economicx downturn, almost half of respondents are auditinvg or planning to audittheir employees’ dependeny eligibility in order to reduce the number of individuals covered. And 41% plan to increasde employee costs of benefit while morethan one-third have reduced or are planninfg to reduce staff. About 89% of employers believe that workers will respond to the economicf downturn bydelaying retirement. Also, 83% of employersa say their workers are concerned aboutjob security, and 42% thinm their employees have been impacted by low The survey was submitted to the association's employer members and facilitatedr by in Houston.
The association's 900-plus members represent a broad cross-section of benefits professionaldsin Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana. Arkansas, Missouri and but are not limited tothose
“The responses indicate that as employerx develop benefit plans for 2010 they are lookin for ways to reduce benefit costs, without further reducing benefits,” said Marianne Fazen, executived director of the association. many responded that they plan to increas theirwellness programs.” • Thirty-five percent of employerds responded that they plan to increased their wellness programs. • Companied identified as its two biggest concerns limitedbenefitsx budgets, and limited merit budget and bonus About 68% of companies are concerned or very concerne d about limited merit budget and bonus pools, and aboutf 53% are concerned about limitexd benefits budgets.
• To weather the economicx downturn, almost half of respondents are auditinvg or planning to audittheir employees’ dependeny eligibility in order to reduce the number of individuals covered. And 41% plan to increasde employee costs of benefit while morethan one-third have reduced or are planninfg to reduce staff. About 89% of employers believe that workers will respond to the economicf downturn bydelaying retirement. Also, 83% of employersa say their workers are concerned aboutjob security, and 42% thinm their employees have been impacted by low The survey was submitted to the association's employer members and facilitatedr by in Houston.
The association's 900-plus members represent a broad cross-section of benefits professionaldsin Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana. Arkansas, Missouri and but are not limited tothose
Monday, March 19, 2012
North Carolina's $2B hog industry belted as farms fail - Phoenix Business Journal:
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Two culprits – overly large herdxs and rising costs due to higher grainpricews – have been shrinking the bottomm lines at many hog operations in North the nation’s second largesgt hog-producing state, behind only Iowa. To those factors can be addedd the recentswine flu, or H1N1 flu, the effects of which the industryt is only starting to tallyh up. “A lot of peoplew have just notrealized what’s been going on in the says Deborah Johnson, CEO of the , an industryy trade group.
Already, she says, “We are beginning to see some (hog leave the industry due to financial At three eastern NortnhCarolina operations, relief from the pressure will come from Chapter 11 or Chaptef 12 reorganization. Chapter 12 is a provision writteh into the federal bankruptcyt code in 1986 dealiny exclusively withfamily farms. Both Chapter 11 and Chaptee 12 allow a companyg breathing room to attempt a In theirreorganization filings, Bunting Swine Farms of Wilsohn listed assets of just under $1 milliojn and debts of $12.4 million; Perfect Pig of Newtonh Grove in Sampson County listed assetas of $9.
3 million and debts of $23 and of Enfield listed asseta and debts in the $1 million to $10 millionj range. All three are considered mid-level producing between 100,000 and 200,000 hogs a year. North Carolina farmers raise about 10 million hogs a year for Some farmersare independent, taking their product directlyy to the market. Other farmers operats under contract with one of the majorpork producers, such as Virginia-basedx , which in the past has had contracts with more than 1,00 0 North Carolina farms. Another prominent producer is , whichg has had deals with as many as 150 NortuhCarolina farms.
Recent developmentx at publicly traded Smithfield Foodsillustrate what’s ailing the The meat-producing giant, in a recentg U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reported lossesof $112 million for the nine months ending Feb.1, 2009, explaining that its costs per hundred weight of hog had rise n from $49 to $62, largely due to highedr grain prices. The company attributes the rise in grain coststo “the United States’ ‘corn to ethanol’ Meanwhile, as costs were climbing, the Smithfield manager s say, the market was glutted because a record numbers of hogs were slaughterex in 2008 and into 2009.
Demand for pork at the grocery store has been flat inrecenyt months. New retail numbers will begin to tell the effects of theH1N1 scare. While a final determinatiobn has not been the blame for the flu outbreak is being laid to hog farmaby some. In response to marke conditions, Smithfield has been closing someproduction plants, including one in Elon near and shaving 1,800 employees companywide. “The whole industry is feelingb pressure,” says Dr. Todd See of Looking down the road, graih prices have started to moderatd in recentweeks and, Johnson says, the latest Northy Carolina herd is expected to be 3 percent smaller than last year’s.
Nationwide, the movement toward smalleer herds might be even more pronounced thanNorth Carolina’sa 3 percent, says Christine McCracken, an analyst with Cleveland Research Co. “Aq lot of these (hog producers) have been losing moneg for 18 months,” she “And that’s a long time.”
Two culprits – overly large herdxs and rising costs due to higher grainpricews – have been shrinking the bottomm lines at many hog operations in North the nation’s second largesgt hog-producing state, behind only Iowa. To those factors can be addedd the recentswine flu, or H1N1 flu, the effects of which the industryt is only starting to tallyh up. “A lot of peoplew have just notrealized what’s been going on in the says Deborah Johnson, CEO of the , an industryy trade group.
Already, she says, “We are beginning to see some (hog leave the industry due to financial At three eastern NortnhCarolina operations, relief from the pressure will come from Chapter 11 or Chaptef 12 reorganization. Chapter 12 is a provision writteh into the federal bankruptcyt code in 1986 dealiny exclusively withfamily farms. Both Chapter 11 and Chaptee 12 allow a companyg breathing room to attempt a In theirreorganization filings, Bunting Swine Farms of Wilsohn listed assets of just under $1 milliojn and debts of $12.4 million; Perfect Pig of Newtonh Grove in Sampson County listed assetas of $9.
3 million and debts of $23 and of Enfield listed asseta and debts in the $1 million to $10 millionj range. All three are considered mid-level producing between 100,000 and 200,000 hogs a year. North Carolina farmers raise about 10 million hogs a year for Some farmersare independent, taking their product directlyy to the market. Other farmers operats under contract with one of the majorpork producers, such as Virginia-basedx , which in the past has had contracts with more than 1,00 0 North Carolina farms. Another prominent producer is , whichg has had deals with as many as 150 NortuhCarolina farms.
Recent developmentx at publicly traded Smithfield Foodsillustrate what’s ailing the The meat-producing giant, in a recentg U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reported lossesof $112 million for the nine months ending Feb.1, 2009, explaining that its costs per hundred weight of hog had rise n from $49 to $62, largely due to highedr grain prices. The company attributes the rise in grain coststo “the United States’ ‘corn to ethanol’ Meanwhile, as costs were climbing, the Smithfield manager s say, the market was glutted because a record numbers of hogs were slaughterex in 2008 and into 2009.
Demand for pork at the grocery store has been flat inrecenyt months. New retail numbers will begin to tell the effects of theH1N1 scare. While a final determinatiobn has not been the blame for the flu outbreak is being laid to hog farmaby some. In response to marke conditions, Smithfield has been closing someproduction plants, including one in Elon near and shaving 1,800 employees companywide. “The whole industry is feelingb pressure,” says Dr. Todd See of Looking down the road, graih prices have started to moderatd in recentweeks and, Johnson says, the latest Northy Carolina herd is expected to be 3 percent smaller than last year’s.
Nationwide, the movement toward smalleer herds might be even more pronounced thanNorth Carolina’sa 3 percent, says Christine McCracken, an analyst with Cleveland Research Co. “Aq lot of these (hog producers) have been losing moneg for 18 months,” she “And that’s a long time.”
Saturday, March 17, 2012
US trade deficit widest in 3 years - CBC.ca
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CBC.ca | US trade deficit widest in 3 years CBC.ca The increase pushed the gap to its widest point in three years. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the current account trade deficit increased 15.3 per cent in the October-December quarter, to $124.1 billion. A higher trade deficit acts as a ... |
Thursday, March 15, 2012
U.S. Treasury underwater on Yadkin Valley, Capital Bank warrants - Triangle Business Journal:
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As of June 15, the cash-out prices on millions of sharee of common stock held by the government in warrant s from 10 North Carolina banks averaged 32 percent below the targetedpurchase prices, according to Subsidyscope, a new D.C., watchdog group. Take Elkin-basex , owner of in Durham, for example. As part of its Jan. 16 agreementr to participate in the federal Troubledr AssetRelief Program, or TARP, Yadki n agreed to give the government warrants for 385,99o0 shares of common stock at a strike price of $13.99. (A warrant is an option to buy sharees in a company at afixed price, called the strike price). As of that day, the warrantsa were worth $5.4 million.
Since then, Yadkin’s share prices, alongg with those of most otherfinanciap stocks, have headed downward. As of June 15, the bank was tradinb at $5.49, meaning that the Treasury is now in the holeby $8.500 a share, or negative 61 percent. Warrants once worth $5.4 million now come in at $2.1 million. Raleigh-based , in its TARP gave the government warrantsafor 749,619 shares at $8.26 apiece. With Capita trading at $5.74 as of June 15, the government findds itself in the holeby $2.52 a or negative 31 percent. Warrants worth $6.2 millio n last December now come inat $4.
3 At Cary-based , the government’s position on warranta for 833,705 shares was only 4 percenyt off the strike price as of June 15, the best showin g for all the North Carolina banks tracked by The watchdog group is a creation of the that updatesz hundreds of TARP warrant transactions dailh as part of larger effort to trac k the flow of federal tax dollars into the “We have a good research team behinrd the effort,” says Subsidyscops spokesman Jeremy Ratner. “We started by looking at subsidiees in thefinancial industry, but month by month we’ll be addingv more.
” Some other economic sectors that will receive attention are housing, auto productioj and the growing “green” movement. As for the group’s TARP truth in packaging requiresvarious disclaimers, and they includee the fact that the government has 10 yearas to decide whether to exercise its options to purchase the bank sharea contained in the warrants at the fixed If those share prices rebound and climnb higher than the strike price, the governmenty could find itself in the money when it exercises.
Unde TARP transactions, banks sold the Treasury Department chunks of preferre bank stock in exchange for capital The bank’s pay 5 percent interest on the money they a payment that figures into the overall net profit or loss to the government on any TARP deal. Providinfg the warrants was a secondar y part of the Since the government set up TARP last fall to stem the meltdowh ofthe U.S. financial industry, some 30 North Carolina banks have signed thedotted line, receiving – outsidd of the special cases of and $497 million. BB&T received $3.1 billion, whicb bank officials recently announced they will with the government realizing a gainof $92.
7 million in dividendsa paid out by BB&T. The latest Nortj Carolina bank to receive TARP fundsis Oxford’s Trust, an April 2006 startu with 34 employees and $148 million in tota assets. It received $3.19 million from TARP on May 1 an amount that CEO Thomas Combssays he’lkl leverage into $24 million in new lendingh over the next few months. The bank, he adds, hasn’rt maxed out on its TARP borrowinhg potential and will consider asking for more fromthe $95 billiom in federal money stilo uncommitted in the program.
While larger banksa may be scurrying to repay community banks, in all will continue to participate until economic conditions improve and their sharw prices rebound. Crescent State Bank receives $24.9 million under TARP – whicg CEO Mike Carlton says he’d like to repay “at the first opportunity.” But with bank shares depressed, he offering additional common stock to raise capital would dilute the holdings ofexisting stakeholders.
Moreover, he says, he’x not sold that the financial system is out ofthe
As of June 15, the cash-out prices on millions of sharee of common stock held by the government in warrant s from 10 North Carolina banks averaged 32 percent below the targetedpurchase prices, according to Subsidyscope, a new D.C., watchdog group. Take Elkin-basex , owner of in Durham, for example. As part of its Jan. 16 agreementr to participate in the federal Troubledr AssetRelief Program, or TARP, Yadki n agreed to give the government warrants for 385,99o0 shares of common stock at a strike price of $13.99. (A warrant is an option to buy sharees in a company at afixed price, called the strike price). As of that day, the warrantsa were worth $5.4 million.
Since then, Yadkin’s share prices, alongg with those of most otherfinanciap stocks, have headed downward. As of June 15, the bank was tradinb at $5.49, meaning that the Treasury is now in the holeby $8.500 a share, or negative 61 percent. Warrants once worth $5.4 million now come in at $2.1 million. Raleigh-based , in its TARP gave the government warrantsafor 749,619 shares at $8.26 apiece. With Capita trading at $5.74 as of June 15, the government findds itself in the holeby $2.52 a or negative 31 percent. Warrants worth $6.2 millio n last December now come inat $4.
3 At Cary-based , the government’s position on warranta for 833,705 shares was only 4 percenyt off the strike price as of June 15, the best showin g for all the North Carolina banks tracked by The watchdog group is a creation of the that updatesz hundreds of TARP warrant transactions dailh as part of larger effort to trac k the flow of federal tax dollars into the “We have a good research team behinrd the effort,” says Subsidyscops spokesman Jeremy Ratner. “We started by looking at subsidiees in thefinancial industry, but month by month we’ll be addingv more.
” Some other economic sectors that will receive attention are housing, auto productioj and the growing “green” movement. As for the group’s TARP truth in packaging requiresvarious disclaimers, and they includee the fact that the government has 10 yearas to decide whether to exercise its options to purchase the bank sharea contained in the warrants at the fixed If those share prices rebound and climnb higher than the strike price, the governmenty could find itself in the money when it exercises.
Unde TARP transactions, banks sold the Treasury Department chunks of preferre bank stock in exchange for capital The bank’s pay 5 percent interest on the money they a payment that figures into the overall net profit or loss to the government on any TARP deal. Providinfg the warrants was a secondar y part of the Since the government set up TARP last fall to stem the meltdowh ofthe U.S. financial industry, some 30 North Carolina banks have signed thedotted line, receiving – outsidd of the special cases of and $497 million. BB&T received $3.1 billion, whicb bank officials recently announced they will with the government realizing a gainof $92.
7 million in dividendsa paid out by BB&T. The latest Nortj Carolina bank to receive TARP fundsis Oxford’s Trust, an April 2006 startu with 34 employees and $148 million in tota assets. It received $3.19 million from TARP on May 1 an amount that CEO Thomas Combssays he’lkl leverage into $24 million in new lendingh over the next few months. The bank, he adds, hasn’rt maxed out on its TARP borrowinhg potential and will consider asking for more fromthe $95 billiom in federal money stilo uncommitted in the program.
While larger banksa may be scurrying to repay community banks, in all will continue to participate until economic conditions improve and their sharw prices rebound. Crescent State Bank receives $24.9 million under TARP – whicg CEO Mike Carlton says he’d like to repay “at the first opportunity.” But with bank shares depressed, he offering additional common stock to raise capital would dilute the holdings ofexisting stakeholders.
Moreover, he says, he’x not sold that the financial system is out ofthe
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Vangent call center in Riverview to employ at least 600 - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
ofycagvezi.blogspot.com
The company is hosting a 9 a.m. ceremony at 100 Legacyy Park in Riverview, the 99,000-square-foot call center that Vangenf has subleased fromThe Arlington, Va-based information technologyt management and outsourcing company has hired between 50 to 100 employeess so far and expects to hire a totakl of 1,000 by Nov. 15, the staryt of Medicare’s open enrollment About 400 will be temporary employees and only workthrough Dec. 31. Vangent, which primarily worksw for thefederal government, has 6,009 employees who work in locations arounds the world, said Eileenb Cassidy Rivera, vice president of communicationsx and investor relations.
It has other centers, includiny offices in Iowa, Kentucky, Arizona and that also service 1-800-Medicare. The company because of its turnkehy operation and the large numberr of Hispanic workers who live in the Rivera said. There is a growintg number of Spanish-speaking Medicare beneficiaries, and “it’s nice to help them in theid native language,” she said. Businessexs interested in working with the companyy can register at by submittingh information through thepartners section. Jobs are posted througbh the site’s career section.
The company is hosting a 9 a.m. ceremony at 100 Legacyy Park in Riverview, the 99,000-square-foot call center that Vangenf has subleased fromThe Arlington, Va-based information technologyt management and outsourcing company has hired between 50 to 100 employeess so far and expects to hire a totakl of 1,000 by Nov. 15, the staryt of Medicare’s open enrollment About 400 will be temporary employees and only workthrough Dec. 31. Vangent, which primarily worksw for thefederal government, has 6,009 employees who work in locations arounds the world, said Eileenb Cassidy Rivera, vice president of communicationsx and investor relations.
It has other centers, includiny offices in Iowa, Kentucky, Arizona and that also service 1-800-Medicare. The company because of its turnkehy operation and the large numberr of Hispanic workers who live in the Rivera said. There is a growintg number of Spanish-speaking Medicare beneficiaries, and “it’s nice to help them in theid native language,” she said. Businessexs interested in working with the companyy can register at by submittingh information through thepartners section. Jobs are posted througbh the site’s career section.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
InFocus shareholders accept takeover offfer - Portland Business Journal:
vypybiza.wordpress.com
Hui’s planned acquisition of the Wilsonville-based projectotr maker was contingent upon a tender offet of at least 65 percent of outstanding The offerclosed Friday, with 91 percent of all outstandingh shares validly tendered or not The InFocus board on May 15 announced that it had accepted the $39 million, or 95 centz per share, deal offered by Hui’s , whiles rejecting an unidentified second bidder the board said failed to submitr a binding proposal despite three weeksx of negotiations. Huil said Tuesday the acquisition will close by the end of this After the shareschanger hands, he will merge InFocus into Imags Holdings.
Hui, who has said littld about his plansfor InFocus, is knowbn mostly as principal founder of computer-maker Inc, raisintg it from its infancy to a companu with revenue exceeding $1 He took eMachines private in December 2001 in a deal valueds at $152 million and three yeard later sold the company to in a roughly $290 million cash and stoclk deal. After being rebuffed in a 2006 attemprt to buy Gatewayfor $450 Hui acquired a 75 percent stakwe in Dutch computer distributor for an undisclosedc amount, though some published reports called it a $90 millionb deal. A year later, he sold his controlling interesr in Packard Bell to Gateway for anundisclosesd amount.
Among his current venturex is Fugoo, a start-up with fellow eMachines alumz that is developing a product to enable householdf appliances and other products to communicate via the is a partner inthe venture. InFocux is considered a pioneer in digital projection technology and was firsr to market with innovative digital But a deluge of Asian competitorse drove projectorprices lower, making it an unprofitablwe business for a small company like “InFocus is a great brand and I assign significant valure to the company’s extensive network of channekl partners, innovative history and productr leadership,” Hui said in a news release.
“oI look forward to working with the InFocuds management to return the company to a dominanf position inthe industry.” InFocuws CEO Bob O’Malley called Hui’se pending acquisition just anothet chapter in InFocus’ evolving “We will be able to shed the complexity of the publicx financial markets, prioritize longer-term objective s and focus on what matters most to our customerz — delivering innovative projection solutions.
” Thomazs Weisel Partners LLC serveed as financial advisor to InFocus and its board of and Garvey Schubert Barer acted as legal
Hui’s planned acquisition of the Wilsonville-based projectotr maker was contingent upon a tender offet of at least 65 percent of outstanding The offerclosed Friday, with 91 percent of all outstandingh shares validly tendered or not The InFocus board on May 15 announced that it had accepted the $39 million, or 95 centz per share, deal offered by Hui’s , whiles rejecting an unidentified second bidder the board said failed to submitr a binding proposal despite three weeksx of negotiations. Huil said Tuesday the acquisition will close by the end of this After the shareschanger hands, he will merge InFocus into Imags Holdings.
Hui, who has said littld about his plansfor InFocus, is knowbn mostly as principal founder of computer-maker Inc, raisintg it from its infancy to a companu with revenue exceeding $1 He took eMachines private in December 2001 in a deal valueds at $152 million and three yeard later sold the company to in a roughly $290 million cash and stoclk deal. After being rebuffed in a 2006 attemprt to buy Gatewayfor $450 Hui acquired a 75 percent stakwe in Dutch computer distributor for an undisclosedc amount, though some published reports called it a $90 millionb deal. A year later, he sold his controlling interesr in Packard Bell to Gateway for anundisclosesd amount.
Among his current venturex is Fugoo, a start-up with fellow eMachines alumz that is developing a product to enable householdf appliances and other products to communicate via the is a partner inthe venture. InFocux is considered a pioneer in digital projection technology and was firsr to market with innovative digital But a deluge of Asian competitorse drove projectorprices lower, making it an unprofitablwe business for a small company like “InFocus is a great brand and I assign significant valure to the company’s extensive network of channekl partners, innovative history and productr leadership,” Hui said in a news release.
“oI look forward to working with the InFocuds management to return the company to a dominanf position inthe industry.” InFocuws CEO Bob O’Malley called Hui’se pending acquisition just anothet chapter in InFocus’ evolving “We will be able to shed the complexity of the publicx financial markets, prioritize longer-term objective s and focus on what matters most to our customerz — delivering innovative projection solutions.
” Thomazs Weisel Partners LLC serveed as financial advisor to InFocus and its board of and Garvey Schubert Barer acted as legal
Friday, March 9, 2012
Yahoo! confirms WNY site - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
http://trilib.com/taxonomy/term/248
Yahoo!, Tuesday morning, confirmed it will be buildingthe 190,000-square-footr center that could employ, 125 people. Yahoo! has peggedf a 30-acre site in the park for the complex. Yahoo!’s decision is considered a major especially against a backdrop of a weakenedc economy where unemployment has increasec in past year in Erie Countyto 8.1 percen from 5.5 percent and in Niagara Count y to 9.3 percent from 6.6 “This is a big win for the community,” said Tom president and chief executive “We won the day.” Yahoo! was being courted by several statesd including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois for the All offered a handsome array of incentives.
“When a high tech company like Yahoo! picksw a community like WesternNew York, it’x like a lighthouse,” said Sen. Charleas Schumer, New York’s senior senator, who played a key role in Lockporyt landing thedata center. The region crafted its own aggressive incentive package including the offerin g 15 megawattsof low-cost hydropower that could save Yahoo!! an estimated $100 million over a 15-year also offered job training grants and othefr incentives. High level pitches also came from Gov. Davidc Paterson and Schumer. Schumer made persona l calls to Yahoo! CEO Carolp Bartz to push the region.
Kucharsk said it also helped that the region offeredxa half-dozen sites and not just a singularr location. It also helped that a friendship quicklhy developed betweenthe Yahoo! site selection team and the locapl economic development community. “We developed a nice relationshilp with them and that helped makethis happen,” Kucharsk said. “They were impressed that every timethey called, we coulxd assemble our team on a very shor t notice and give them the answers they Construction on the data center will begin in said David Dibble, Yahoo! senior vice The center will be open by May. Kucharski said therd is a myriad positives that will comefrom Yahoo!’ decision.
The BNE will use it in its outreach to other companies itis courting, he “It confirms our ability to attract high tech and high profilw companies,” Kucharski said. “To get a name company like Yahoo ! says a lot to the rest of the industriewsout there.” Yahoo! joins the ranks of , that have eithet opened or expanded back office operation in the region in recent years. “You add it into the mix of the some of the otherdcompanies we’ve landed and it becomes a very impressive list,” Kucharski said.
Yahoo!, Tuesday morning, confirmed it will be buildingthe 190,000-square-footr center that could employ, 125 people. Yahoo! has peggedf a 30-acre site in the park for the complex. Yahoo!’s decision is considered a major especially against a backdrop of a weakenedc economy where unemployment has increasec in past year in Erie Countyto 8.1 percen from 5.5 percent and in Niagara Count y to 9.3 percent from 6.6 “This is a big win for the community,” said Tom president and chief executive “We won the day.” Yahoo! was being courted by several statesd including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois for the All offered a handsome array of incentives.
“When a high tech company like Yahoo! picksw a community like WesternNew York, it’x like a lighthouse,” said Sen. Charleas Schumer, New York’s senior senator, who played a key role in Lockporyt landing thedata center. The region crafted its own aggressive incentive package including the offerin g 15 megawattsof low-cost hydropower that could save Yahoo!! an estimated $100 million over a 15-year also offered job training grants and othefr incentives. High level pitches also came from Gov. Davidc Paterson and Schumer. Schumer made persona l calls to Yahoo! CEO Carolp Bartz to push the region.
Kucharsk said it also helped that the region offeredxa half-dozen sites and not just a singularr location. It also helped that a friendship quicklhy developed betweenthe Yahoo! site selection team and the locapl economic development community. “We developed a nice relationshilp with them and that helped makethis happen,” Kucharsk said. “They were impressed that every timethey called, we coulxd assemble our team on a very shor t notice and give them the answers they Construction on the data center will begin in said David Dibble, Yahoo! senior vice The center will be open by May. Kucharski said therd is a myriad positives that will comefrom Yahoo!’ decision.
The BNE will use it in its outreach to other companies itis courting, he “It confirms our ability to attract high tech and high profilw companies,” Kucharski said. “To get a name company like Yahoo ! says a lot to the rest of the industriewsout there.” Yahoo! joins the ranks of , that have eithet opened or expanded back office operation in the region in recent years. “You add it into the mix of the some of the otherdcompanies we’ve landed and it becomes a very impressive list,” Kucharski said.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Census Bureau: Cary, Raleigh among top 10 fastest-growing U.S. cities; Durham in top 20 - Birmingham Business Journal:
geqopimozaqyxyh.blogspot.com
Raleigh, Cary and Durham ranked among the 25 fastest growingb large cities in the natiobn for the 12 months that endefdJuly 1, 2008, the said in its annuap population estimates released Wednesday. Cary, which saw its population increasseby 6.9 percent, to 129,545, as of July 1, was the nation’s third fastest growin city. Raleigh’s population climbed by 3.8 percent, to making North Carolina’s capitap the eighth fastest growing city. Durhakm was ranked 16th with a 3 percent increase. Its population rose to New Orleans experiencedan 8.
2 percenyt increase in its population, whicnh rose to 311,853, making the city ravager by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the fastest growingf city among places with populations greater than 100,000. Charlotte, which saw its population increasseby 2.7 percent, to 687,456, was ranked 23rd. Only Texaws – with seven cities had more cities on the list thanNorthb Carolina. Round Rock, Texas, experienced an 8.2 percen increase, with its population rising to 104,446, putting the Texad city in second place. Colorado and Californiaq each had three citiesw on the top25 list.
Raleigh, Cary and Durham ranked among the 25 fastest growingb large cities in the natiobn for the 12 months that endefdJuly 1, 2008, the said in its annuap population estimates released Wednesday. Cary, which saw its population increasseby 6.9 percent, to 129,545, as of July 1, was the nation’s third fastest growin city. Raleigh’s population climbed by 3.8 percent, to making North Carolina’s capitap the eighth fastest growing city. Durhakm was ranked 16th with a 3 percent increase. Its population rose to New Orleans experiencedan 8.
2 percenyt increase in its population, whicnh rose to 311,853, making the city ravager by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the fastest growingf city among places with populations greater than 100,000. Charlotte, which saw its population increasseby 2.7 percent, to 687,456, was ranked 23rd. Only Texaws – with seven cities had more cities on the list thanNorthb Carolina. Round Rock, Texas, experienced an 8.2 percen increase, with its population rising to 104,446, putting the Texad city in second place. Colorado and Californiaq each had three citiesw on the top25 list.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Colorado is more than mountains - bizjournals:
ekaterinaiuvo.blogspot.com
But during the two recessionzs that havehit since, tourismn leaders have watched people get more frugal with travepl dollars, and learned a little about their habits. One of theirt key notations is that thoser who come even in the badtimes — or thosr who wander across their own state to save money ratherd than leave it — are looking for more than just sceneryg to make their vacations And so, new phrases have permeatec both the thinking of those leaders and the promotionaol material that extols Colorado’s virtue to travelers.
They are terms such as culturak heritage, culinary tourism, and beer and wine They’re making a big mark and startingt to diversifythe state’s tourism landscape. “In the early if it didn’t involve snow or whitewater, it wasn’r really tourism,” said Doug Caskey, executive directod of the . “Now the Tourism Office is involving all kindsd ofother tourism, such as heritage tourismm and agritourism ... Most people just think aboug coming to Coloradoto ski. They don’t usuallyy think about coming to Colorado to visity a winery or have a culinary But thatis changing.
” According to the 2007 Longwoodsw Visitor Profile Study commissioned by the , more peopl still come to the Centennial State searching for the outdoords than anything else. Mountains are the prim attraction, according to 44 percent of thos surveyed. Wilderness, lakes and the natural environment all rankecd in thetop 10. But small towns, historixc towns and historic areas all hallmarks of cultural heritage tourism ranked in the top eightas well. Nearly threwe times as many people visitr breweries in Colorado as elsewhere in the United and archaeological-site and historic-culture activities also outpace the nationalo norm, the study noted.
As such, statse officials who flew recentlyto Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles to talk to travelo writers led the discussions with mountains, then shifted to othefr highlights, said Kim McNulty, Colorado Tourism Office (CTO). Pitching the stat now involves mentioning its 73 wineries and 99 craft its myriad festivals andits three-yea r push to establish cultural heritage tours in different arease of Colorado, she said. The CTO and also push the nonrecreationall side of Colorado tourism as it reaches out both to residentsw and nonresidents to tour the Both groups have set up websites advertisiny deals at places ranging from historic homesd tolocal cafes.
“I think it’sw easier to promote the McNulty said of the diversityof “Colorado has so many things to do, from a lower-budget-consciouxs type of vacation to a more luxurious type of Travelers’ new interests have led to side For example, two wine tour companiea have begun operating in Denver. Groups also have begunh that organize “voluntourism” trips that bring people eithedr into or out of Colorado to spend vacationsa helping environmental and socialwelfare causes.
The growthn of choices also has meant that tourisjm officials are advertising Colorado in new placezs to try to hook specific Jayne Buck, vice president of tourism for Visiy Denver, said the local convention and visitorse bureau is reaching out more to Hispanic and to gay and lesbian both viewed as growing tourist segments. Its pitchg isn’t any different to these groupx than to the populationat large, but citiees that make an effort to speak to those groupd in publications aimed at them have had she said.
A booming cultural heritage or wineindustry doesn’y just benefit the proprietors of establishments that fit into those noted Bob Witham, co-owner of in Grand Those who come to the statew to see one type of site also have to eat in sleep in hotels and probably visit other destinationss while they are out here, he and others “A business like ours makew quite an impact on an individual Witham said. At a time when many businesses and governmentsa are cutting back drasticallyon spending, tourisnm promotion in Colorado has been nickeds only slightly.
After a lengthyg debate over whether to cut tax dollard going to a program that will bring in more tax the Legislature this year cut only 25 percent of the CTOmarketing budget, leaving it at $15.6 McNulty noted. With that the office can continue givinb grants to develop culturalheritager tours, she said. And it can continue to employy new marketing techniques to reach people who just as much like to sip a localluy made syrah while sauntering througnh the Snow Goose Festival as those who come here to schusds downthe slopes. “We are blessed to live in a statwe that literally has somethinfgfor everyone,” McNulty said.
But during the two recessionzs that havehit since, tourismn leaders have watched people get more frugal with travepl dollars, and learned a little about their habits. One of theirt key notations is that thoser who come even in the badtimes — or thosr who wander across their own state to save money ratherd than leave it — are looking for more than just sceneryg to make their vacations And so, new phrases have permeatec both the thinking of those leaders and the promotionaol material that extols Colorado’s virtue to travelers.
They are terms such as culturak heritage, culinary tourism, and beer and wine They’re making a big mark and startingt to diversifythe state’s tourism landscape. “In the early if it didn’t involve snow or whitewater, it wasn’r really tourism,” said Doug Caskey, executive directod of the . “Now the Tourism Office is involving all kindsd ofother tourism, such as heritage tourismm and agritourism ... Most people just think aboug coming to Coloradoto ski. They don’t usuallyy think about coming to Colorado to visity a winery or have a culinary But thatis changing.
” According to the 2007 Longwoodsw Visitor Profile Study commissioned by the , more peopl still come to the Centennial State searching for the outdoords than anything else. Mountains are the prim attraction, according to 44 percent of thos surveyed. Wilderness, lakes and the natural environment all rankecd in thetop 10. But small towns, historixc towns and historic areas all hallmarks of cultural heritage tourism ranked in the top eightas well. Nearly threwe times as many people visitr breweries in Colorado as elsewhere in the United and archaeological-site and historic-culture activities also outpace the nationalo norm, the study noted.
As such, statse officials who flew recentlyto Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles to talk to travelo writers led the discussions with mountains, then shifted to othefr highlights, said Kim McNulty, Colorado Tourism Office (CTO). Pitching the stat now involves mentioning its 73 wineries and 99 craft its myriad festivals andits three-yea r push to establish cultural heritage tours in different arease of Colorado, she said. The CTO and also push the nonrecreationall side of Colorado tourism as it reaches out both to residentsw and nonresidents to tour the Both groups have set up websites advertisiny deals at places ranging from historic homesd tolocal cafes.
“I think it’sw easier to promote the McNulty said of the diversityof “Colorado has so many things to do, from a lower-budget-consciouxs type of vacation to a more luxurious type of Travelers’ new interests have led to side For example, two wine tour companiea have begun operating in Denver. Groups also have begunh that organize “voluntourism” trips that bring people eithedr into or out of Colorado to spend vacationsa helping environmental and socialwelfare causes.
The growthn of choices also has meant that tourisjm officials are advertising Colorado in new placezs to try to hook specific Jayne Buck, vice president of tourism for Visiy Denver, said the local convention and visitorse bureau is reaching out more to Hispanic and to gay and lesbian both viewed as growing tourist segments. Its pitchg isn’t any different to these groupx than to the populationat large, but citiees that make an effort to speak to those groupd in publications aimed at them have had she said.
A booming cultural heritage or wineindustry doesn’y just benefit the proprietors of establishments that fit into those noted Bob Witham, co-owner of in Grand Those who come to the statew to see one type of site also have to eat in sleep in hotels and probably visit other destinationss while they are out here, he and others “A business like ours makew quite an impact on an individual Witham said. At a time when many businesses and governmentsa are cutting back drasticallyon spending, tourisnm promotion in Colorado has been nickeds only slightly.
After a lengthyg debate over whether to cut tax dollard going to a program that will bring in more tax the Legislature this year cut only 25 percent of the CTOmarketing budget, leaving it at $15.6 McNulty noted. With that the office can continue givinb grants to develop culturalheritager tours, she said. And it can continue to employy new marketing techniques to reach people who just as much like to sip a localluy made syrah while sauntering througnh the Snow Goose Festival as those who come here to schusds downthe slopes. “We are blessed to live in a statwe that literally has somethinfgfor everyone,” McNulty said.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Atlantic BancGroup Inc Company Profile | ATBC Company Information
ishinlyuboqemija.blogspot.com
million. Our loan portfolio, consisting of 1,240 reached $204 million, setting a record. Deposits, comprisec of 6,984 accounts, totaled $216.7 million. Growthu in assets of 6.5%, in loanzs of nearly 15% and in deposits of 12.5% over the twelve montnh period endingDecember 31, 2007 is quite especially in light of the increased competition in the banking and financial sector throughout Northeast Florida.
Oceanside Bank is a highly-regardede corporate citizen with a genuines concern for the growthand well-being of our Our focus toward development of relationship banking, specializing in real estatw and consumer and small business lending and related deposi services, has served us very well since the inceptionb of the bank. As evidenced by the growthb and profitability numbers stated 2007 was no exception and we look forward to the challengesd and opportunities facing usin 2008. We encouragee you to visit our banking offices and discover banking the OceansidrBank way. You will find we are "Your kind of Your kind of bank.
"
million. Our loan portfolio, consisting of 1,240 reached $204 million, setting a record. Deposits, comprisec of 6,984 accounts, totaled $216.7 million. Growthu in assets of 6.5%, in loanzs of nearly 15% and in deposits of 12.5% over the twelve montnh period endingDecember 31, 2007 is quite especially in light of the increased competition in the banking and financial sector throughout Northeast Florida.
Oceanside Bank is a highly-regardede corporate citizen with a genuines concern for the growthand well-being of our Our focus toward development of relationship banking, specializing in real estatw and consumer and small business lending and related deposi services, has served us very well since the inceptionb of the bank. As evidenced by the growthb and profitability numbers stated 2007 was no exception and we look forward to the challengesd and opportunities facing usin 2008. We encouragee you to visit our banking offices and discover banking the OceansidrBank way. You will find we are "Your kind of Your kind of bank.
"
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
KeyBank workers to make a difference - Business First of Buffalo:
ysynut.wordpress.com
The offices that close at noon will reopen the next day at theitrregular times. The four hours of efforr by KeyBank employees will benefig 30community organizations. Corporate-wide, about 8,000 employees from Mainse to Alaska will take A KeyBank spokeswoman said the participation acrossthe bank’ss U.S. operation equals 32,000 employee volunteer hourx andnearly $840,000 in salary equivalent. Some Buffalo-arew branch offices will remain open and willcollec non-perishable foods for Friends of Night People, St. Susan’s Cented in Jamestown and the Olean Food In theBuffalo area, the locations include: Fountain Plaza, Walden Galeria; S.
Transit Lockport; McKinley Mall, Hamburg; Military Road, Niagara Falls; Sheridan Drive, Tops Store, Maple Road, Amherst; Olean; and
The offices that close at noon will reopen the next day at theitrregular times. The four hours of efforr by KeyBank employees will benefig 30community organizations. Corporate-wide, about 8,000 employees from Mainse to Alaska will take A KeyBank spokeswoman said the participation acrossthe bank’ss U.S. operation equals 32,000 employee volunteer hourx andnearly $840,000 in salary equivalent. Some Buffalo-arew branch offices will remain open and willcollec non-perishable foods for Friends of Night People, St. Susan’s Cented in Jamestown and the Olean Food In theBuffalo area, the locations include: Fountain Plaza, Walden Galeria; S.
Transit Lockport; McKinley Mall, Hamburg; Military Road, Niagara Falls; Sheridan Drive, Tops Store, Maple Road, Amherst; Olean; and
Monday, February 27, 2012
Olympics-London plans daily meetings to combat betting cheats - Reuters
http://www.heads-up.net/csi/success.cfm
Olympics-London plans daily meetings to combat betting cheats Reuters British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman Colin Moynihan told reporters at a briefing on Monday that "a comprehensive structure of support" was being put in place to combat the threat of match-fixing and illegal betting. "Every morning there will be a ... |
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Brighton Tea Party Leader Endorses Romney - WHMI
ihituvofy.wordpress.com
WHMI | Brighton Tea Party Leader Endorses Romney WHMI 2/25/12 - The head of the Brighton Tea Party is endorsing Michigan native and presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Romney gave a speech and took questions from several local tea Party groups in Milford last week. Brighton Tea Party Board Member Rose ... MICHIGAN TEA PARTY LEADERS ENDORSE GOV MIT T ROMNEY Detroit Free Press Gives Mitt Romney Unenthusiastic Endorsement Survey: Livingston support close between Romney, Santorum; Who will the Daily ... |
Thursday, February 23, 2012
vavyzina.wordpress.com
“We’re creating the footprint for thenext generation’s Research Triangle says Hendrickson, principal of Zebulon-basefd real estate development firm Lookout Ventures. The project, formallyu announced on June 4in Apex, is called “Veridea,” a name that combines the Latin term “veritas,” or and “verdant,” or green, with the word idea. Buildingse could incorporate Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design, or guidelines. When finished, the project wouls include greenways and parke as well as the roadsx and basic infrastructure for companies looking to locate operationsw inthe area. Veridea is projectex to bring between $5.
5 billion and $6 billion in new taxabld property value to the town of The project, which woulc be bordered by U.S. 1, N.C. 55 and the yet-to-be-built Western Wake Expressway, would be 12 milese from RTP.
“We’re creating the footprint for thenext generation’s Research Triangle says Hendrickson, principal of Zebulon-basefd real estate development firm Lookout Ventures. The project, formallyu announced on June 4in Apex, is called “Veridea,” a name that combines the Latin term “veritas,” or and “verdant,” or green, with the word idea. Buildingse could incorporate Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design, or guidelines. When finished, the project wouls include greenways and parke as well as the roadsx and basic infrastructure for companies looking to locate operationsw inthe area. Veridea is projectex to bring between $5.
5 billion and $6 billion in new taxabld property value to the town of The project, which woulc be bordered by U.S. 1, N.C. 55 and the yet-to-be-built Western Wake Expressway, would be 12 milese from RTP.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Hawaiian Telcom files reorganization plan - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
obesonuqa.wordpress.com
The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcyuin December, said the steering committede representing those who hold claims unde the company’s secured credit agreemeny supports the plan. “The filing of the plan and disclosuree statement is an important achievement in our restructuring saidEric K. Yeaman, Hawaiian Telcom’sa president and CEO, in a statement. “Thd plan provides for a significantly deleveragedcapitak structure, and the terms of the new debt give us greatef financial flexibility to execute our businessx plan and invest in new products, bettedr positioning the company for future success.
” A hearing to considert approval of the disclosures statement has been tentatively scheduled for July 23. The plan includezs the conversion ofapproximately $590 million of the company’sd senior secured credit facility and swap liabilitiews into the new equity of the reorganized company and a new $300 milliom senior secured term loan maturing in five Holders of $350 million in seniort notes will get warrants to buy 12.75 percentf of the reorganized company’s new equity and subscription rights to buy new equity up to $50 The company said it expects to emerged from Chapter 11 with $30 million undrawn revolvinb credit facility and at least $45 million of cash on hand.
Hawaiiann Telcom is owned by , a Washington, D.C.-based private equity group. Carlyle bought the asset of in May 2005for $1.6 billion, and began operatingh independently with its own systems in April 2006. The plan and diclosurer statementare .
The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcyuin December, said the steering committede representing those who hold claims unde the company’s secured credit agreemeny supports the plan. “The filing of the plan and disclosuree statement is an important achievement in our restructuring saidEric K. Yeaman, Hawaiian Telcom’sa president and CEO, in a statement. “Thd plan provides for a significantly deleveragedcapitak structure, and the terms of the new debt give us greatef financial flexibility to execute our businessx plan and invest in new products, bettedr positioning the company for future success.
” A hearing to considert approval of the disclosures statement has been tentatively scheduled for July 23. The plan includezs the conversion ofapproximately $590 million of the company’sd senior secured credit facility and swap liabilitiews into the new equity of the reorganized company and a new $300 milliom senior secured term loan maturing in five Holders of $350 million in seniort notes will get warrants to buy 12.75 percentf of the reorganized company’s new equity and subscription rights to buy new equity up to $50 The company said it expects to emerged from Chapter 11 with $30 million undrawn revolvinb credit facility and at least $45 million of cash on hand.
Hawaiiann Telcom is owned by , a Washington, D.C.-based private equity group. Carlyle bought the asset of in May 2005for $1.6 billion, and began operatingh independently with its own systems in April 2006. The plan and diclosurer statementare .
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Ballpark Village state approval delayed until July - St. Louis Business Journal:
deeshu-tatum.blogspot.com
The project is not listed on the MDFB's agenda and won'g come up for consideration until July at the The project The state board must approve a packagw of subsidies for the project that is slate d to be built north of BuschStadiumk downtown. The city of St. Louis’ board of aldermej approved a package of incentives earliere this year for upto $188 millionn for the $551 million project, dependinbg on what gets built on the site. State sign-off on the subsidh package is required beforethe project’sx developers, the and Baltimore-based , can sell bondd to pay for the project. St. Louis-basede financial services firm is seeking to relocate fromdowntown St.
Louizs and occupy 175,000 square feet of space as an anchore tenant at Ballpark Villagein 2011. No othedr tenants have yet been announced. Kansas City-based law firm was in talkse to consolidatetwo St. Louis offices in 100,000 square feet of spacse at Ballpark Village, but insteaf renewed at its current officse building downtown this month due to delays inthe project.
The project is not listed on the MDFB's agenda and won'g come up for consideration until July at the The project The state board must approve a packagw of subsidies for the project that is slate d to be built north of BuschStadiumk downtown. The city of St. Louis’ board of aldermej approved a package of incentives earliere this year for upto $188 millionn for the $551 million project, dependinbg on what gets built on the site. State sign-off on the subsidh package is required beforethe project’sx developers, the and Baltimore-based , can sell bondd to pay for the project. St. Louis-basede financial services firm is seeking to relocate fromdowntown St.
Louizs and occupy 175,000 square feet of space as an anchore tenant at Ballpark Villagein 2011. No othedr tenants have yet been announced. Kansas City-based law firm was in talkse to consolidatetwo St. Louis offices in 100,000 square feet of spacse at Ballpark Village, but insteaf renewed at its current officse building downtown this month due to delays inthe project.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Sierra College program gets $1M endowment - Kansas City Business Journal:
aaekipolo.blogspot.com
The college’s program, also known as OLLI, received the $1 milliomn endowment from the BernardOsher Foundation, whichy is the organization that has provided initialp funding to OLLI programs at 122 collegee and universities nationwide. Sierra College is the only community college in California and one of only threew community colleges in the natiobn to receivethe $1 million The Rocklin college received the endowment because it has been so successfulo with growing enrollment since launching the program in spring of 2001. Sierrwa College has grown the programto 5,580 enrollees last year, from 1,038u in 2001. Sierra College is scheduler to formally announce the endowmentJune 18.
This $1 milliomn endowment will provide an ongoing budget that will enables the college to offer lifelong learninv programsin perpetuity. The foundation createx by San Francisco philanthropist Bernars Osher gives OLLIprogrames $100,000 a year for up to four and then a $1 million endowmeny once they demonstrate potential for success and sustainability. OLLI programe provide classes, lectures and eventes to older adults who have a thirst for knowledge and community. The classes are designe for adults age 55and over, but the Sierra programn accepts any adult student.
Courses are offerer at each of the Sierrsa College campuses and at various communityh sites throughout Placer andNevada counties. Sierra College’s OLLI noncredit offerings are Additional topics are offered throughClub OLLI, wheres annual membership fees are $35. As the Business Journal reported in a featurer on local OLLI programsin 2007, other OLLI programsd can be found at California Stated University Sacramento and at the UC Davis Extension.
Much of the increasee demand for OLLIs and similar lifelong learning programs can be attributed to the growing ranks ofolder
The college’s program, also known as OLLI, received the $1 milliomn endowment from the BernardOsher Foundation, whichy is the organization that has provided initialp funding to OLLI programs at 122 collegee and universities nationwide. Sierra College is the only community college in California and one of only threew community colleges in the natiobn to receivethe $1 million The Rocklin college received the endowment because it has been so successfulo with growing enrollment since launching the program in spring of 2001. Sierrwa College has grown the programto 5,580 enrollees last year, from 1,038u in 2001. Sierra College is scheduler to formally announce the endowmentJune 18.
This $1 milliomn endowment will provide an ongoing budget that will enables the college to offer lifelong learninv programsin perpetuity. The foundation createx by San Francisco philanthropist Bernars Osher gives OLLIprogrames $100,000 a year for up to four and then a $1 million endowmeny once they demonstrate potential for success and sustainability. OLLI programe provide classes, lectures and eventes to older adults who have a thirst for knowledge and community. The classes are designe for adults age 55and over, but the Sierra programn accepts any adult student.
Courses are offerer at each of the Sierrsa College campuses and at various communityh sites throughout Placer andNevada counties. Sierra College’s OLLI noncredit offerings are Additional topics are offered throughClub OLLI, wheres annual membership fees are $35. As the Business Journal reported in a featurer on local OLLI programsin 2007, other OLLI programsd can be found at California Stated University Sacramento and at the UC Davis Extension.
Much of the increasee demand for OLLIs and similar lifelong learning programs can be attributed to the growing ranks ofolder
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Cellino, Barnes donate $1M to UB - Baltimore Business Journal:
hustbelogehy1857.blogspot.com
Lisa Mueller, assistant dean for alumni and said the gift matchesa thelargest single-donation in the history of the law the $1 million given in 2002 by Francis who graduated UB Law School in 1979 and went on to foun d a successful personal injurty firm. In a release announcing the University at Buffalo Law School Dean Makau Mutuqa calledit “an extraordinary act of and “a wonderful down payment on our vision of academic excellence and our bold aspirations for the future.” Mutua said he plans to invest the gift in the calling them the centrakl core of the law school.
Specifically, he said the money will go towarfd scholarships, making improvements in pedagogical technologies in the school andupgrading services. Steve Barnes, who founded the law firm along with Ross said they felt they owed a debt of gratitudre to the school where they gottheirf start. “Both Ross and I are graduates of the law schoopland we’ve come to know many of the professorx and administrators very well,” he said.
“Makauh Mutua is just an outstanding individual and he has a visionb thatwe haven’t seen at the school Barnes said the decision to make the gift an unrestricted donation reflects the confidenc e they have in the administratore at the University to utilize the moneyy in the most effective ways possible. “We are we didn’t feel as though we are in a positio to dictate how the moneywas spent,” he “We have a lot of confidence in Makau’sd vision and we have had long discussions about where he wants to take the schoolp and we’re on the same page.
” Recognizingg the generosity of Cellino and Barnes, the schoo has announced plans to name their main conferencde center, located in O’Brian The Cellino and Barneds Conference Center. Asked what it feels like to be in a positionm to giveaway $1 especially given the curreng economic climate, Barnes put the gift into perspective. “Both Ross and I come from very humble beginnings and kind of workexd our way up from the he said. “We startee out as just the twoof us, now, the practicee is a lucrative practice and I’nm just glad we were able to help at a time that I thinok is very critical to the law school.
”
Lisa Mueller, assistant dean for alumni and said the gift matchesa thelargest single-donation in the history of the law the $1 million given in 2002 by Francis who graduated UB Law School in 1979 and went on to foun d a successful personal injurty firm. In a release announcing the University at Buffalo Law School Dean Makau Mutuqa calledit “an extraordinary act of and “a wonderful down payment on our vision of academic excellence and our bold aspirations for the future.” Mutua said he plans to invest the gift in the calling them the centrakl core of the law school.
Specifically, he said the money will go towarfd scholarships, making improvements in pedagogical technologies in the school andupgrading services. Steve Barnes, who founded the law firm along with Ross said they felt they owed a debt of gratitudre to the school where they gottheirf start. “Both Ross and I are graduates of the law schoopland we’ve come to know many of the professorx and administrators very well,” he said.
“Makauh Mutua is just an outstanding individual and he has a visionb thatwe haven’t seen at the school Barnes said the decision to make the gift an unrestricted donation reflects the confidenc e they have in the administratore at the University to utilize the moneyy in the most effective ways possible. “We are we didn’t feel as though we are in a positio to dictate how the moneywas spent,” he “We have a lot of confidence in Makau’sd vision and we have had long discussions about where he wants to take the schoolp and we’re on the same page.
” Recognizingg the generosity of Cellino and Barnes, the schoo has announced plans to name their main conferencde center, located in O’Brian The Cellino and Barneds Conference Center. Asked what it feels like to be in a positionm to giveaway $1 especially given the curreng economic climate, Barnes put the gift into perspective. “Both Ross and I come from very humble beginnings and kind of workexd our way up from the he said. “We startee out as just the twoof us, now, the practicee is a lucrative practice and I’nm just glad we were able to help at a time that I thinok is very critical to the law school.
”
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Gwen Stefani: Lunch with Zuma! - Just Jared
raisavydyexuwowi.blogspot.com
Just Jared | Gwen Stefani: Lunch with Zuma! Just Jared Gwen Stefani is ultra-chic in her geometric coat as she and her son Zuma go out for lunch on Wednesday (February 8) in Santa Monica, Calif. The 42-year-old rocker and fashionista spent some quality time at lunch with her youngest son. |
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Houston-area developments rank high on nation
edibin.wordpress.com
The results, comparing the number of new-home sales in 2008, were releasecd recently by RCLCO, a real estater advisory firm that has compiled the annuak listsince 1994. Three of the communities in the Top 10 Cinco Ranch, Telfair and Eagle Springs — were developeds by Newland Communities, according to the “Another highly positive trend for Houston not reflectes on the RCLCO report is the fact that 2009 new-homee sales for the three Newland communitieas on the Top 10 list are on par with or even aheadx of 2008,” says Ted president of Newland’s Central Region, which includes Texas.
“Home buyers seem to be viewing large-scale master-planned communitiesz as strong investments, especially those communities with strongtrack records.” The RCLCO study defines a master-planned community as a “large-scales development featuring a range of housin g prices and styles, array of amenities and multiplw nonresidential land uses such as commercial, hotelsa and education facilities.” Some provids lifestyle options for multiple market the organization said, while others targe t a specific buyer type such as activs adults age 55 and over. Overall, master-plannesd communities throughoutthe U.S.
experienced a “significanty decline” in home sales, and in many casesx in home pricesin 2008, the report Notable exceptions were communities locate in the Houston marketplace (five of the 10 top which had increased sales from 2007. Newland Communities reported that in 2009 atCinci Ranch, a total of 254 new homes had been sold throughh April 19, a 4.5 percent increaser over the 243 homes sold in the same periode in 2008.
At Telfair, Newland reportw 2009 sales arerunning “neck-and-neck” with last year’x sales, which represented the largest percentagw gain on the RCLCO list (117 new-homed sales for 2009 through April 19, comparedr to 119 for the same period in “Texas may be lagging the nation in terms of the timingh and depth of decline in the housing sector, however, as salew began to decline in the fourth quarted of 2008 and into the first quartere of 2009,” the RCLCO report said. “Nevada and Arizona — hit earlyh and hard by the downturn — have experiencee a slight bump in salees in the first quarterof 2009.
” appears to have arrived as a differentiator in drivinyg sales to those communities with sustainable features, the report indicated. Las Vegas-based Focus Properth Group, the developer of Mountain’s Edge and Providence, ranked No. 1 and No. 4 on the survey, tout green features in those communities. “Ths environmental nature of both communities drought tolerant and use 25 percent less water than similarcommunities — is a differentiato and the sales offices have provided feedback regardingt how the market is responding,” says John Ritter, CEO of Focuxs Property Group.
The results, comparing the number of new-home sales in 2008, were releasecd recently by RCLCO, a real estater advisory firm that has compiled the annuak listsince 1994. Three of the communities in the Top 10 Cinco Ranch, Telfair and Eagle Springs — were developeds by Newland Communities, according to the “Another highly positive trend for Houston not reflectes on the RCLCO report is the fact that 2009 new-homee sales for the three Newland communitieas on the Top 10 list are on par with or even aheadx of 2008,” says Ted president of Newland’s Central Region, which includes Texas.
“Home buyers seem to be viewing large-scale master-planned communitiesz as strong investments, especially those communities with strongtrack records.” The RCLCO study defines a master-planned community as a “large-scales development featuring a range of housin g prices and styles, array of amenities and multiplw nonresidential land uses such as commercial, hotelsa and education facilities.” Some provids lifestyle options for multiple market the organization said, while others targe t a specific buyer type such as activs adults age 55 and over. Overall, master-plannesd communities throughoutthe U.S.
experienced a “significanty decline” in home sales, and in many casesx in home pricesin 2008, the report Notable exceptions were communities locate in the Houston marketplace (five of the 10 top which had increased sales from 2007. Newland Communities reported that in 2009 atCinci Ranch, a total of 254 new homes had been sold throughh April 19, a 4.5 percent increaser over the 243 homes sold in the same periode in 2008.
At Telfair, Newland reportw 2009 sales arerunning “neck-and-neck” with last year’x sales, which represented the largest percentagw gain on the RCLCO list (117 new-homed sales for 2009 through April 19, comparedr to 119 for the same period in “Texas may be lagging the nation in terms of the timingh and depth of decline in the housing sector, however, as salew began to decline in the fourth quarted of 2008 and into the first quartere of 2009,” the RCLCO report said. “Nevada and Arizona — hit earlyh and hard by the downturn — have experiencee a slight bump in salees in the first quarterof 2009.
” appears to have arrived as a differentiator in drivinyg sales to those communities with sustainable features, the report indicated. Las Vegas-based Focus Properth Group, the developer of Mountain’s Edge and Providence, ranked No. 1 and No. 4 on the survey, tout green features in those communities. “Ths environmental nature of both communities drought tolerant and use 25 percent less water than similarcommunities — is a differentiato and the sales offices have provided feedback regardingt how the market is responding,” says John Ritter, CEO of Focuxs Property Group.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Hemispherx Biopharma settles with Bioclones, Ribotech - Philadelphia Business Journal:
ermolayxitpev.blogspot.com
Under the terms of the Hemispherx (AMEX:HEMI), of Philadelphia, regained all marketing rightsx to its experimental chronic fatigue syndrometreatment Ampligen. Those rights were grantec under a 1994 agreement to a South Africanbiopharmaceutical company, for Great Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Madagascar, Mauritius, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and all nationds on the continents of Africa and Soutyh America.
Ampligen is currently undetr review by the Food and Drug Under that1994 agreement, a Ribotech, was created for pharmaceutical manufacturing using recombinant DNA Hemispherx later deemed the 1994 agreement void caused by alleged failurea of performance by Subsequent actions in U.S. and foreign jurisdiction s included a December 2004 multicountg complaint by Hemispherx naming Bioclonex as part of a conspiratorialp group seeking to illegallymanipulate Hemispherx's stock for purposes of bringing about a hostiled takeover.
In January, 2007 arbitration proceedings were initiated by Bioclones in South Africwa against Hemispherx to determine damages arising out of the terminatioj of the marketing agreemenrt between the two companies and an application in South Africa by Hemispherx for the dissolution of None of these actions resultecd in judgments or the levying of damages against any of the Under the settlementannouncee Monday, all damage claims have been waived by the parties. Hemispherx management officialss said based on current discussions with the principalsa now controlling Bioclonesand Ribotech, the compan believes the potential for a "mutually beneficial new Ampligen partnership" exists.
The companies are discussingy a partnership involving the use of Ampligen as an adjuvany therapy to enhance the effectiveness of HIV vaccine In June, 2006, Sekunjalo, a major South Africa-based empowerment company, acquired the controlling interesrt in Bioclones. Hemispherx retains a roughlyy 9 percent equity positionhin Ribotech, which is engagex in pharmaceutical manufacturing utilizing recombinan t DNA technology.
Under the terms of the Hemispherx (AMEX:HEMI), of Philadelphia, regained all marketing rightsx to its experimental chronic fatigue syndrometreatment Ampligen. Those rights were grantec under a 1994 agreement to a South Africanbiopharmaceutical company, for Great Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Madagascar, Mauritius, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and all nationds on the continents of Africa and Soutyh America.
Ampligen is currently undetr review by the Food and Drug Under that1994 agreement, a Ribotech, was created for pharmaceutical manufacturing using recombinant DNA Hemispherx later deemed the 1994 agreement void caused by alleged failurea of performance by Subsequent actions in U.S. and foreign jurisdiction s included a December 2004 multicountg complaint by Hemispherx naming Bioclonex as part of a conspiratorialp group seeking to illegallymanipulate Hemispherx's stock for purposes of bringing about a hostiled takeover.
In January, 2007 arbitration proceedings were initiated by Bioclones in South Africwa against Hemispherx to determine damages arising out of the terminatioj of the marketing agreemenrt between the two companies and an application in South Africa by Hemispherx for the dissolution of None of these actions resultecd in judgments or the levying of damages against any of the Under the settlementannouncee Monday, all damage claims have been waived by the parties. Hemispherx management officialss said based on current discussions with the principalsa now controlling Bioclonesand Ribotech, the compan believes the potential for a "mutually beneficial new Ampligen partnership" exists.
The companies are discussingy a partnership involving the use of Ampligen as an adjuvany therapy to enhance the effectiveness of HIV vaccine In June, 2006, Sekunjalo, a major South Africa-based empowerment company, acquired the controlling interesrt in Bioclones. Hemispherx retains a roughlyy 9 percent equity positionhin Ribotech, which is engagex in pharmaceutical manufacturing utilizing recombinan t DNA technology.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Trans World stock rebounds above $1 - Portland Business Journal:
raisavydyexuwowi.blogspot.com
Shares in Trans World (Nasdaq: TWMC) closed June 25 at the highest closing pricesince Jan. 8. Trans World closecd Friday at $1.27, up 10 cents, or 8.5 percent. Tranxs World, based in Albany, N.Y., owns the (For Your Entertainment) chain. “I never thought I’d be happy to see it at quipped Chief Financial OfficerfJohn Sullivan. On Jan. 22, the stock pricse fell below $1 for the firsrt time since the company went publixcin 1986. Shares hit a low of 52 centsz during the first week of It took three months to climb backabove $1, hittingf $1.04 on early June.
Trans Worlr has been struggling with decliningy CD sales for several years due to the growing use of electronivc downloading for music and competitionfrom big-bod retailers. Sales have taken a further hit duringthe recession. Trans World lost $11.9 million during the fiscal firsg quarter of 2009 on salesof $191.44 million. Sales at stores open at least a a critical gauge in theretail industry, fell 9 Trans World operated 704 storex at the close of the quarter, which ender May 2. Edward Woo, an analyst at in Los Angelesz who tracksTrans World, speculated the company’s stoc k rose along with other retailers this week because of a beliec among investors the economy may be improving.
Those sentiments don’f change the fundamental challenges facingtTrans World, he said. Even with the recenty gains, the company’s stock is stil l trading at less than half its closing price ayear ago, $2.76. Sullivan said he had no idea why the stock hasrisenh lately, although he noted trading activity was very active on June 25, with 813,1009 shares exchanged. That compares with just 2,500 sharees the day before. An investot bought a bloc of 750,000 sharess on the heavy trading day. Sullivam said he didn’t know the identity of the however if it was a directofr or other officer in the company the information will soon be disclosecd in aregulatory filing.
Shares in Trans World (Nasdaq: TWMC) closed June 25 at the highest closing pricesince Jan. 8. Trans World closecd Friday at $1.27, up 10 cents, or 8.5 percent. Tranxs World, based in Albany, N.Y., owns the (For Your Entertainment) chain. “I never thought I’d be happy to see it at quipped Chief Financial OfficerfJohn Sullivan. On Jan. 22, the stock pricse fell below $1 for the firsrt time since the company went publixcin 1986. Shares hit a low of 52 centsz during the first week of It took three months to climb backabove $1, hittingf $1.04 on early June.
Trans Worlr has been struggling with decliningy CD sales for several years due to the growing use of electronivc downloading for music and competitionfrom big-bod retailers. Sales have taken a further hit duringthe recession. Trans World lost $11.9 million during the fiscal firsg quarter of 2009 on salesof $191.44 million. Sales at stores open at least a a critical gauge in theretail industry, fell 9 Trans World operated 704 storex at the close of the quarter, which ender May 2. Edward Woo, an analyst at in Los Angelesz who tracksTrans World, speculated the company’s stoc k rose along with other retailers this week because of a beliec among investors the economy may be improving.
Those sentiments don’f change the fundamental challenges facingtTrans World, he said. Even with the recenty gains, the company’s stock is stil l trading at less than half its closing price ayear ago, $2.76. Sullivan said he had no idea why the stock hasrisenh lately, although he noted trading activity was very active on June 25, with 813,1009 shares exchanged. That compares with just 2,500 sharees the day before. An investot bought a bloc of 750,000 sharess on the heavy trading day. Sullivam said he didn’t know the identity of the however if it was a directofr or other officer in the company the information will soon be disclosecd in aregulatory filing.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Coming Soon: Augmented Reality Goggles for Crime Scene Investigations - PCWorld
framptongeqeaqu1461.blogspot.com
Ubergizmo | Coming Soon: Augmented Reality Goggles for Crime Scene Investigations PCWorld Augmented reality crime scene investigations as depicted in the video game “Heavy Rain†gives an idea of what this tech might be like. [Photo: Quantic Dream] Augmented reality apps on our phones are pretty neat for directing us to the closest Starbucks ...< /p> Augmented Reality Goggles Virtu » |
Monday, January 30, 2012
Entertainment & Sports International mining minor league baseball - bizjournals:
aleksanovlsys.blogspot.com
No, they’re not players worried about pop flies beingcarried helter-skelter abovre their outstretched gloves. They’re not coaches catching a caseof angst, worryinbg their best slugger’s sure dinger will be pushed back into the Owens and Gould are veterans of the marketing wars endemicv to the entertainment industry. A section of resume reveals that he pioneered corporate sponsorshipsa for big music tourz by marrying up the Rolling Stones with Budweiser in the Gould has held senio marketing positions with the likes of Marvel Entertainmentg andComedy Central.
Longtime colleagues and friends, they strucm out – pun not intended – together in 2003 and formed , with the purpose of exploitingf an audience niche they perceived as being minorleague baseball. “We wantedc to create a companyy that has access to the audienced of minor league baseball and will generates revenue for us and for the says Owens. It’s a big audience that’s strong in the prizexd 25-54 age category. Today, there are 20 leaguesx with a total of246 teams. In those teams drew a combined totalof 43.3 million While a gold mine for companies wantinvg to get their message to thoswe millions, the minor leagues have been a tar pit for marketinf executives.
Unlike Major League which handles a significant amount of marketinhg and sales out of acentrap office, minor league teams largely do it club by club. That’se 246 ball clubs to pitch. With theie company, Owens and Gould have created what Owene callsa “touchpoint” to reach all of thosee clubs. Their vehicle is a traveling carnival callerd the Family FunFest made up of interactivesinflatables – those big rubber blow-ups that are molde d into all manner of games, creatures, structures and the They’re functional and portable, but they do not take kindlyy to windy days.
Along the “midway,” the younfg and young at heart are treatedd tobatting cages, a radar pitching video games, a super slide and more. The carnivap is set up outside a minord league ballpark several hours before a game is to be playeethat day. Entry to the carnivapl is free, and theres is no cost to the baseball club. Here’w how ESI generates its revenue, which Owens pegs at abou $1.
7 million annually: The company sells sponsorships of variouss levelsto corporations, which in turn get signags at the funfest, ballpark advertising prior to the event and a substantiap number of tickets to the game on the day of the The name sponsor for the carnival since 2003 has been The Principalp Financial Group, which is in the finalp year of its second three-year contract. Chris Reidle-King, senior relationship manager in corporate marketingfor Principal, says, “Througjh their efforts, over the past five seasons, we’vse been able to put our brand in frony of millions of fans, and entertain thousands of our key clients and Principal is bowing out after this season because the company took federakl bailout money, and public sentimeny has turned against such sponsorships.
Owensw and Gould say they are confident they can sign on a new name sponsorrbut haven’t done so yet. It takes eight workers driviny two trucks to haul the funfestf from town to town during the which runs from early May toearly September. Once at a site, 12 localk workers are hired to help set up and take down the show and man the exhibitds when thecrowds arrive. In addition to those employees, ESI has four administrative workers. Owens works out of an office in Raleigh, whiles Gould works out of Glen N.J., where he lives. This year’ds funfest tour kicked off on May 1 at a CharlottdeKnights game, then packed up and made a stop in Durhak on May 3 for a Bullss game.
For the season, the carnival will be unpacked, set up and repacked at 47 baseball parks. The funfest displays are as colorful as the names of some of the teams on theitineraryy – the River City the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the Granfd Prairie AirHogs, the Washington Wild the Vermont Lake Monsters. It’x been quite a trip, says Owens, adding, “Oud company is an evangelist for minorleagude baseball.
”
No, they’re not players worried about pop flies beingcarried helter-skelter abovre their outstretched gloves. They’re not coaches catching a caseof angst, worryinbg their best slugger’s sure dinger will be pushed back into the Owens and Gould are veterans of the marketing wars endemicv to the entertainment industry. A section of resume reveals that he pioneered corporate sponsorshipsa for big music tourz by marrying up the Rolling Stones with Budweiser in the Gould has held senio marketing positions with the likes of Marvel Entertainmentg andComedy Central.
Longtime colleagues and friends, they strucm out – pun not intended – together in 2003 and formed , with the purpose of exploitingf an audience niche they perceived as being minorleague baseball. “We wantedc to create a companyy that has access to the audienced of minor league baseball and will generates revenue for us and for the says Owens. It’s a big audience that’s strong in the prizexd 25-54 age category. Today, there are 20 leaguesx with a total of246 teams. In those teams drew a combined totalof 43.3 million While a gold mine for companies wantinvg to get their message to thoswe millions, the minor leagues have been a tar pit for marketinf executives.
Unlike Major League which handles a significant amount of marketinhg and sales out of acentrap office, minor league teams largely do it club by club. That’se 246 ball clubs to pitch. With theie company, Owens and Gould have created what Owene callsa “touchpoint” to reach all of thosee clubs. Their vehicle is a traveling carnival callerd the Family FunFest made up of interactivesinflatables – those big rubber blow-ups that are molde d into all manner of games, creatures, structures and the They’re functional and portable, but they do not take kindlyy to windy days.
Along the “midway,” the younfg and young at heart are treatedd tobatting cages, a radar pitching video games, a super slide and more. The carnivap is set up outside a minord league ballpark several hours before a game is to be playeethat day. Entry to the carnivapl is free, and theres is no cost to the baseball club. Here’w how ESI generates its revenue, which Owens pegs at abou $1.
7 million annually: The company sells sponsorships of variouss levelsto corporations, which in turn get signags at the funfest, ballpark advertising prior to the event and a substantiap number of tickets to the game on the day of the The name sponsor for the carnival since 2003 has been The Principalp Financial Group, which is in the finalp year of its second three-year contract. Chris Reidle-King, senior relationship manager in corporate marketingfor Principal, says, “Througjh their efforts, over the past five seasons, we’vse been able to put our brand in frony of millions of fans, and entertain thousands of our key clients and Principal is bowing out after this season because the company took federakl bailout money, and public sentimeny has turned against such sponsorships.
Owensw and Gould say they are confident they can sign on a new name sponsorrbut haven’t done so yet. It takes eight workers driviny two trucks to haul the funfestf from town to town during the which runs from early May toearly September. Once at a site, 12 localk workers are hired to help set up and take down the show and man the exhibitds when thecrowds arrive. In addition to those employees, ESI has four administrative workers. Owens works out of an office in Raleigh, whiles Gould works out of Glen N.J., where he lives. This year’ds funfest tour kicked off on May 1 at a CharlottdeKnights game, then packed up and made a stop in Durhak on May 3 for a Bullss game.
For the season, the carnival will be unpacked, set up and repacked at 47 baseball parks. The funfest displays are as colorful as the names of some of the teams on theitineraryy – the River City the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the Granfd Prairie AirHogs, the Washington Wild the Vermont Lake Monsters. It’x been quite a trip, says Owens, adding, “Oud company is an evangelist for minorleagude baseball.
”
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Weekend box office too close to call - Jacksonville Business Journal:
tenamup.wordpress.com
"Ice Age: Dawn of the from Fox and "Transformers: Revengde of the Fallen" from Paramount both projected the same box office gross for theweekend -- $42,500,000 -- accordinfg to , which tracks box-office revenues. The estimated numbers are from the studios and are based on estimates from Friday and Saturdahy and projectionsfor Sunday, the repor said. "Transformers" was number one at last week' s box office, and "Ice Age" is in its firsgt week in theaters. Another new "Public Enemies" from Universal came in third, with an estimatedd $26,172,000. Rounding out the top five were Disney's "Thre Proposal" and Warner Bros.
' "The which brought in an estimated $12,779,000 and respectively. "Transformers" also passed Disney/Pixar'a "Up" as the top-grossintg movie of the year, as it has brought in an estimatedc $293,459,000, compared to an estimated $264,873,000 for "Up." "Transformers" also now has the 31st highesgt domestic grossall time, according to the site.
"Ice Age: Dawn of the from Fox and "Transformers: Revengde of the Fallen" from Paramount both projected the same box office gross for theweekend -- $42,500,000 -- accordinfg to , which tracks box-office revenues. The estimated numbers are from the studios and are based on estimates from Friday and Saturdahy and projectionsfor Sunday, the repor said. "Transformers" was number one at last week' s box office, and "Ice Age" is in its firsgt week in theaters. Another new "Public Enemies" from Universal came in third, with an estimatedd $26,172,000. Rounding out the top five were Disney's "Thre Proposal" and Warner Bros.
' "The which brought in an estimated $12,779,000 and respectively. "Transformers" also passed Disney/Pixar'a "Up" as the top-grossintg movie of the year, as it has brought in an estimatedc $293,459,000, compared to an estimated $264,873,000 for "Up." "Transformers" also now has the 31st highesgt domestic grossall time, according to the site.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
A bandage for battered construction industry - Charlotte Business Journal:
opexibu.wordpress.com
million for work on two state highwah projects funded with federalstimulus money. One of the projectws is in Charlotte, where Blythe will widen more than a mileof N.C. Highwauy 51 between Pineville andthe S.C. line. Franj Blythe, who founded the company with his Jack, says the projects will definitely But the stimulusfunds aren’t the boon for the industryg that some expect, he “It probably will allow some contractorzs like us to stop laying off peoplee and maybe maintain what we’ve got,” he says. Blythe’d work force has dropped to 450, down from 750 last as site-development work at residential and commercial projects hasslowedr dramatically.
During the last 10 years, the company has kept a foot in governmenf work but focused on work in the private such as subdivisions for Centex Homesd andother builders. That source of revenue has however, and the contractor is shifting back to public work as it waitsw for the economyto rebound. “The fortunatwe thing about it is we have stayed in toucj with it and we know how to do Blythe says. The is receivinfg $838 million through the federal economic-recoveru plan, including $735 million for highway and bridgew projects. In February, the state announceed 70 projects would be put out for bid between March and June using the firstt half ofthe funds.
The remaining projects will be announceddin April. The stimulus money will help an industr hard hit by the According tothe , construction employment in North Carolina peaked last May at 258,700. By December, the industry had shed 19,70p of those jobs, or 7.6% of the statewidew work force. Construction spending is expectec to decline by as muchas 7% nationally this the AGC forecasts. Tony Plath, a professor of financ at who followsthe industry, says the stimulues projects are needed because the state’d budget shortfall has resulted in a loss of highwahy and bridge funding. In November, N.C.
DOT decidedc to reduce the number of projects it puts out for bid each montgby 75%, and it has delayexd at least $250 million in work. Gov. Bev Perdue’s budget proposao calls for transportation cuts durin the next two years due to shortfallsx intax receipts. “Anything’s helpful at this point,” Plath says. “Bu t at the end of the day, we’re still seeinhg significant deterioration incommercial construction.” With fewer government contracts to go around, the bidding on statew projects has become fiercely competitive. Over the last 10 years, N.C. DOT has averagex four or five bids for each of its saysRandy Garris, a contract officerr at the department.
The average reachedc 10 this year. Firms that turneed to private-sector work in recent yearsz are actively bidding on public projects and about a dozen firms that have never workefd with the state have becomer prequalified and are bidding ontransportation work, Garris Otis Crowder, president of , says the number of bidders reflects the pent-up demand among contractores for work. “You have a lot of people who builc roads and build bridges that are marginally trying to stay in businesxs and maybe living off a little bitof backlog,” he says. “They have a lot of idle and they’re all trying to bid on The rising number of bidders puts downwardx pressureon prices.
On a recenf project in Davidson County, for example, Crowde r and Blythe came in withbids 6.5% and 3.4% beloqw the engineer’s estimate, respectively. But neither was low The winning bid came from Davied Gradingin Mocksville. Its $1.3 million bid was 20% belosw the engineer’s estimate. On the jobs that Blythe won in Charlottesand Albemarle, the company’s bids were 24% belo w the engineer’s estimates. That’s good for the statee because the stimulus funds willstretch further, but it’ss hard on the contractor profits, says Berry N.C. highway division director at Carolina AGC.
“For a little while, that may be OK, but long term that’sz not good for the health of the he says. Frank Blythe says his company was able to submift winning bids on the Charlotte and Albemarlre projectsbecause they’re close by and Blythe can handle most of the work insteade of using subcontractors. “k doubt we’ll make any money on them,” he “I think what peopled are doing is juststaying busy. They’re hoping to breaik even and that’s OK. We can live throug h times like this if thingsget better. I thinl they will, eventually.
”
million for work on two state highwah projects funded with federalstimulus money. One of the projectws is in Charlotte, where Blythe will widen more than a mileof N.C. Highwauy 51 between Pineville andthe S.C. line. Franj Blythe, who founded the company with his Jack, says the projects will definitely But the stimulusfunds aren’t the boon for the industryg that some expect, he “It probably will allow some contractorzs like us to stop laying off peoplee and maybe maintain what we’ve got,” he says. Blythe’d work force has dropped to 450, down from 750 last as site-development work at residential and commercial projects hasslowedr dramatically.
During the last 10 years, the company has kept a foot in governmenf work but focused on work in the private such as subdivisions for Centex Homesd andother builders. That source of revenue has however, and the contractor is shifting back to public work as it waitsw for the economyto rebound. “The fortunatwe thing about it is we have stayed in toucj with it and we know how to do Blythe says. The is receivinfg $838 million through the federal economic-recoveru plan, including $735 million for highway and bridgew projects. In February, the state announceed 70 projects would be put out for bid between March and June using the firstt half ofthe funds.
The remaining projects will be announceddin April. The stimulus money will help an industr hard hit by the According tothe , construction employment in North Carolina peaked last May at 258,700. By December, the industry had shed 19,70p of those jobs, or 7.6% of the statewidew work force. Construction spending is expectec to decline by as muchas 7% nationally this the AGC forecasts. Tony Plath, a professor of financ at who followsthe industry, says the stimulues projects are needed because the state’d budget shortfall has resulted in a loss of highwahy and bridge funding. In November, N.C.
DOT decidedc to reduce the number of projects it puts out for bid each montgby 75%, and it has delayexd at least $250 million in work. Gov. Bev Perdue’s budget proposao calls for transportation cuts durin the next two years due to shortfallsx intax receipts. “Anything’s helpful at this point,” Plath says. “Bu t at the end of the day, we’re still seeinhg significant deterioration incommercial construction.” With fewer government contracts to go around, the bidding on statew projects has become fiercely competitive. Over the last 10 years, N.C. DOT has averagex four or five bids for each of its saysRandy Garris, a contract officerr at the department.
The average reachedc 10 this year. Firms that turneed to private-sector work in recent yearsz are actively bidding on public projects and about a dozen firms that have never workefd with the state have becomer prequalified and are bidding ontransportation work, Garris Otis Crowder, president of , says the number of bidders reflects the pent-up demand among contractores for work. “You have a lot of people who builc roads and build bridges that are marginally trying to stay in businesxs and maybe living off a little bitof backlog,” he says. “They have a lot of idle and they’re all trying to bid on The rising number of bidders puts downwardx pressureon prices.
On a recenf project in Davidson County, for example, Crowde r and Blythe came in withbids 6.5% and 3.4% beloqw the engineer’s estimate, respectively. But neither was low The winning bid came from Davied Gradingin Mocksville. Its $1.3 million bid was 20% belosw the engineer’s estimate. On the jobs that Blythe won in Charlottesand Albemarle, the company’s bids were 24% belo w the engineer’s estimates. That’s good for the statee because the stimulus funds willstretch further, but it’ss hard on the contractor profits, says Berry N.C. highway division director at Carolina AGC.
“For a little while, that may be OK, but long term that’sz not good for the health of the he says. Frank Blythe says his company was able to submift winning bids on the Charlotte and Albemarlre projectsbecause they’re close by and Blythe can handle most of the work insteade of using subcontractors. “k doubt we’ll make any money on them,” he “I think what peopled are doing is juststaying busy. They’re hoping to breaik even and that’s OK. We can live throug h times like this if thingsget better. I thinl they will, eventually.
”
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Hawaii will compete for
esivyjifag.wordpress.com
Competitors must act fast. But first, they need to definw what constitutes agreen job. The U.S. Departmentt of Labor begins accepting applications this month and the earliest deadlines to apply kick in later this summer. Most of the grantz have to be spent bylate 2010. , which takesx the lead in developing worker training programs in the will join with three other public agencies to analyzwe existing or emerging green jobs and theiranticipated work-force demands and the skilles and training that would be needed, according to Executive Director James Hardway.
The first phas e of the $15,000 study starts this monty with help from the state Department of Economic Developmentand Tourism; the states ’ Office of Research and Statistics; and the Researcj Corporation of the University of Hawaii. Most of the focuzs is on jobs inthe renewable-energg and biofuels sectors, Hardway said. “It’ s important for everyone to note that the vast majorith of green jobs are notnew occupations,” he “Most occupations that could be consideredx green already exist and would be adjusting to the so-calles green economy.” Among those adjusting are electricians.
Just last the , Local 1186, and the unveiledx a new training program for installatio and maintenance of renewable energy Union officials said the training anticipates demand drivenj by the economic stimulus for clean andrenewabl energy. “Renewable energy is not the wave ofthe it’s already here. Our members and apprentices will be going into the workplacw with skills that are expected of them as we move toward a newenergy economy,” said Damien Kim, Local 1186 business manager and financial Federal officials broadly define green jobs as related to helpinvg the environment.
They pay up to 20 percenft more thantypical jobs, are more likely to be unionizer jobs held by men, and are less likely to be easily transferred overseas, accordingh to a February report by President Barack Obama’xs Middle Class Task Force, whose goal is to push the middler class into green jobs. There were 2,023 green jobs in Honolulu last year, according to an Octobetr 2008 job forecast by Global a Massachusetts-based economic research firm that focusedc primarily on the renewable-energy sectors. Honolulu will have approximatelyy 16,000 green jobs by 2038, accordin to the forecast.
Big Island-basefd , a nonprofit education and research has been pushing for the creationbof green-collar jobs since it launched in Januaru 2008. Co-founder and Director Brenty Norrissaid he’s concerned that the confusion over what’s considered a green job is slowing the especially with the looming deadlines. He said the key is gettingb business to join with educational institutions such as the community training vendors and even nonprofits to tap intothe “If we had waited for a webmaster to be defined beforew building the Internet, would that have been the righty thing to do?
” he “I think it’s the same thiny when we’re talking about greener So, do we need to define all of the
Competitors must act fast. But first, they need to definw what constitutes agreen job. The U.S. Departmentt of Labor begins accepting applications this month and the earliest deadlines to apply kick in later this summer. Most of the grantz have to be spent bylate 2010. , which takesx the lead in developing worker training programs in the will join with three other public agencies to analyzwe existing or emerging green jobs and theiranticipated work-force demands and the skilles and training that would be needed, according to Executive Director James Hardway.
The first phas e of the $15,000 study starts this monty with help from the state Department of Economic Developmentand Tourism; the states ’ Office of Research and Statistics; and the Researcj Corporation of the University of Hawaii. Most of the focuzs is on jobs inthe renewable-energg and biofuels sectors, Hardway said. “It’ s important for everyone to note that the vast majorith of green jobs are notnew occupations,” he “Most occupations that could be consideredx green already exist and would be adjusting to the so-calles green economy.” Among those adjusting are electricians.
Just last the , Local 1186, and the unveiledx a new training program for installatio and maintenance of renewable energy Union officials said the training anticipates demand drivenj by the economic stimulus for clean andrenewabl energy. “Renewable energy is not the wave ofthe it’s already here. Our members and apprentices will be going into the workplacw with skills that are expected of them as we move toward a newenergy economy,” said Damien Kim, Local 1186 business manager and financial Federal officials broadly define green jobs as related to helpinvg the environment.
They pay up to 20 percenft more thantypical jobs, are more likely to be unionizer jobs held by men, and are less likely to be easily transferred overseas, accordingh to a February report by President Barack Obama’xs Middle Class Task Force, whose goal is to push the middler class into green jobs. There were 2,023 green jobs in Honolulu last year, according to an Octobetr 2008 job forecast by Global a Massachusetts-based economic research firm that focusedc primarily on the renewable-energy sectors. Honolulu will have approximatelyy 16,000 green jobs by 2038, accordin to the forecast.
Big Island-basefd , a nonprofit education and research has been pushing for the creationbof green-collar jobs since it launched in Januaru 2008. Co-founder and Director Brenty Norrissaid he’s concerned that the confusion over what’s considered a green job is slowing the especially with the looming deadlines. He said the key is gettingb business to join with educational institutions such as the community training vendors and even nonprofits to tap intothe “If we had waited for a webmaster to be defined beforew building the Internet, would that have been the righty thing to do?
” he “I think it’s the same thiny when we’re talking about greener So, do we need to define all of the
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Adults finding fun in season of recess games - Charlotte Observer
llrx-royce.blogspot.com
Adults finding fun in season of recess games Charlotte Observer Adults playing sports they associate with elementary and middle school gym class is not all that uncommon. Adult kickball leagues and dodgeball leagues have sprouted throughout the country in the last 10 years. Combining the different sports into the ... |
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Politisi-Seniman untuk Politik Bersih - Inilah.com
fixyruw.wordpress.com
Inilah.com | Politisi-Seniman untuk Politik Bersih Inilah.com Seperti Majalah Dialog, Majalah Fokus, SKM Simponi, Majalah Scinetiae, Majalah Family, Majalah Sportif, Majalah Justicia, SKM Kumandang, Majalah Sekar Jagad, Majalah Anak-anak Kurcica dan Harian Umum Pelita (1985-1999). ... |
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Stylists tweak sporty 328i for 2009 - Pittsburgh Business Times:
iwegasely.wordpress.com
So stylists hit the draftboardss for a midterm refreshj of the 3 Series The result is a beefierfront end, wide r rear track with flashier taillights and more promineny rocker panels along the side. The 2009 s appear stronger, but retain the classic look. The true classic, however, is unde the skin. And the 3 Series still leads the pack when it comess to performanceand handling. Rivalss can’t match the way BMW unites driverrand car. The Infiniti G37 may look sharpetr and have a smidge more room in the but like other competitors it reaches to the mainstreak with a littlesofter ride.
The 2009 model year also bringds a few technological shifts forthe Bimmer, including a revaml of its overengineered The optional computer system gets new graphics and controls, includintg buttons that directly control key functions. The optional navigation system now has its own hard drivse andoffers real-time traffic Radio controls could use a little more work. We testedc the most popular member of the 3 Series the rear-drive 328i sedan.
However, the line has it all: spor wagon, coupe, convertible, beefed-up 335i and all-wheepl drive models, and new for 2009, the 335d which boasts up to 36 miles per gallon on the The 328 sedan startsat $34,425 with xDriv e all-wheel versions priced from $36,425, 335 sedans from $41,125, convertiblee from $45,375 and the new diesel from $44,725. And of there always is the super-performance M3, whicg starts at more than 55 grand. Powering the 328 is a 3.0-litere 6-cylinder engine that delivers 230 horsepoweand 200-pound-feet of torque. That gives it a brisl zero-to-60 time of 6.3 secondas with the six-speed manual transmission, 6.9 with the according to BMW.
Inside, the 328 coverw the basics witha push-button starter, rain-sensing wipers, moonroof, air conditioning, dynamic cruisew control, CD-audio system, power windows and But unlike some competitors, you have to pay extras for leather seats with power controls. The look is neat and gaugesd are geared foreasy access. The frong buckets hug you nicely withmyriad adjustments, but seem a littl e hard after an hour on the The back seat is a little snug and tall riderz will find headroom chopped off.
Bottom line: You can find flashiere rides, cushier rides and roomier rides all with asportu flair, but the BMW rulese the road when it comes to pure driving
So stylists hit the draftboardss for a midterm refreshj of the 3 Series The result is a beefierfront end, wide r rear track with flashier taillights and more promineny rocker panels along the side. The 2009 s appear stronger, but retain the classic look. The true classic, however, is unde the skin. And the 3 Series still leads the pack when it comess to performanceand handling. Rivalss can’t match the way BMW unites driverrand car. The Infiniti G37 may look sharpetr and have a smidge more room in the but like other competitors it reaches to the mainstreak with a littlesofter ride.
The 2009 model year also bringds a few technological shifts forthe Bimmer, including a revaml of its overengineered The optional computer system gets new graphics and controls, includintg buttons that directly control key functions. The optional navigation system now has its own hard drivse andoffers real-time traffic Radio controls could use a little more work. We testedc the most popular member of the 3 Series the rear-drive 328i sedan.
However, the line has it all: spor wagon, coupe, convertible, beefed-up 335i and all-wheepl drive models, and new for 2009, the 335d which boasts up to 36 miles per gallon on the The 328 sedan startsat $34,425 with xDriv e all-wheel versions priced from $36,425, 335 sedans from $41,125, convertiblee from $45,375 and the new diesel from $44,725. And of there always is the super-performance M3, whicg starts at more than 55 grand. Powering the 328 is a 3.0-litere 6-cylinder engine that delivers 230 horsepoweand 200-pound-feet of torque. That gives it a brisl zero-to-60 time of 6.3 secondas with the six-speed manual transmission, 6.9 with the according to BMW.
Inside, the 328 coverw the basics witha push-button starter, rain-sensing wipers, moonroof, air conditioning, dynamic cruisew control, CD-audio system, power windows and But unlike some competitors, you have to pay extras for leather seats with power controls. The look is neat and gaugesd are geared foreasy access. The frong buckets hug you nicely withmyriad adjustments, but seem a littl e hard after an hour on the The back seat is a little snug and tall riderz will find headroom chopped off.
Bottom line: You can find flashiere rides, cushier rides and roomier rides all with asportu flair, but the BMW rulese the road when it comes to pure driving
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