vilyfijohy.wordpress.com
The industry group said the index for new and refinancex loans for the week ended May 29fell 16.2 The results include an adjustment to account for Memorialk Day. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreaserd 32.5 percent compared to the previousw week andincreased 14.4 percent compared to the same week a year ago. The refinanc e share of mortgage activity decreasedto 62.4 percenty of total applications from 69.3 percent the previoua week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) sharew of activity increased to 3 percentfrom 2.6 percenft of total applications the previousa week. The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgageas increased to 5.25 percent from 4.
81 percent, with points decreasing to 1.02 from 1.28. The 44-basis-poinrt increase in the 30-year rate was the larges t sincea 48-basis-point increase in October 2008. The average interestf rate for 15-year fixed-rat e mortgages increased to 4.8 percent from 4.44 percent, with points decreasinbg to 1.1 from 1.16. The average interest rate for one-yeaer ARMs increased to 6.61 percent from 6.55 percent, with points increasingy to 0.15 from 0.12 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-values loans.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
North Carolina's $2B hog industry belted as farms fail - Charlotte Business Journal:
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Two culprits – overlt large herds and rising costs due to higher graibnprices – have been shrinking the bottojm lines at many hog operations in North the nation’s second largest hog-producing state, behind only To those factors can be added the receny swine flu, or H1N1 flu, the effects of which the industry is only startingb to tally up. “A lot of people have just not realizex what’s been going on in the says Deborah Johnson, CEO of the , an industrg trade group.
Already, she says, “W are beginning to see some (hog leave the industry due to financial At three eastern NorthCarolina operations, relie f from the pressure will come from Chapter 11 or Chapter 12 Chapter 12 is a provision written into the federapl bankruptcy code in 1986 dealing exclusively with familg farms. Both Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 allow a company breathing room to attempta reorganization. In their reorganizatiob filings, Bunting Swine Farms of Wilson listed assets of just under $1 million and debts of $12.43 million; Perfect Pig of Newton Grove in Sampso n County listed assets of $9.
3 million and debtsw of $23 million; and of Enfield listed assets and debtz in the $1 million to $10 milliom range. All three are considered mid-levepl operations, producing between 100,000 and 200,00o0 hogs a year. North Carolina farmers raises about 10 million hogs a year for Some farmersare independent, taking their product directlu to the market. Other farmerxs operate under contract with one of the majortpork producers, such as Virginia-based , which in the past has had contractw with more than 1,000 North Carolina farms.
Anothetr prominent producer is , which has had deala with as many as 150 North Carolina Recent developments at publicly traded Smithfield Foodaillustrate what’s ailing the industry. The meat-producinh giant, in a recent U.S. Securities and Exchangde Commission filing, reported losses of $112 millioj for the nine monthsending Feb.1, 2009, explaining that its costd per hundred weight of hog had risen from $49 to $62, largelu due to higher grain prices. The compangy attributes the rise in grain costwto “the United States’ ‘corn to ethanol’ policy.
” Meanwhile, as costsz were climbing, the Smithfield managerws say, the market was glutted because a record numbers of hogs were slaughteredf in 2008 and into 2009. Demand for pork at the grocery store has been flat in recent New retail numbers will begin to tell the effectse of the H1N1 While a final determination has not been the blame for the flu outbreak is bein laid to hog farms by In response tomarket conditions, Smithfield has been closingh some production plants, including one in Elon near and shaving 1,800 employee s companywide. “The whole industry is feeling pressure,” says Dr.
Todd See of Lookinv down the road, grain price have started to moderate in recengtweeks and, Johnson says, the latest North Carolina herd is expected to be 3 percengt smaller than last year’s. Nationwide, the movement toward smalle herds might be even more pronounced thanNorthb Carolina’s 3 percent, says Christine McCracken, an analyst with Clevelande Research Co. “A lot of these (hog have been losing money for 18 she says. “And that’s a long time.
”
Two culprits – overlt large herds and rising costs due to higher graibnprices – have been shrinking the bottojm lines at many hog operations in North the nation’s second largest hog-producing state, behind only To those factors can be added the receny swine flu, or H1N1 flu, the effects of which the industry is only startingb to tally up. “A lot of people have just not realizex what’s been going on in the says Deborah Johnson, CEO of the , an industrg trade group.
Already, she says, “W are beginning to see some (hog leave the industry due to financial At three eastern NorthCarolina operations, relie f from the pressure will come from Chapter 11 or Chapter 12 Chapter 12 is a provision written into the federapl bankruptcy code in 1986 dealing exclusively with familg farms. Both Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 allow a company breathing room to attempta reorganization. In their reorganizatiob filings, Bunting Swine Farms of Wilson listed assets of just under $1 million and debts of $12.43 million; Perfect Pig of Newton Grove in Sampso n County listed assets of $9.
3 million and debtsw of $23 million; and of Enfield listed assets and debtz in the $1 million to $10 milliom range. All three are considered mid-levepl operations, producing between 100,000 and 200,00o0 hogs a year. North Carolina farmers raises about 10 million hogs a year for Some farmersare independent, taking their product directlu to the market. Other farmerxs operate under contract with one of the majortpork producers, such as Virginia-based , which in the past has had contractw with more than 1,000 North Carolina farms.
Anothetr prominent producer is , which has had deala with as many as 150 North Carolina Recent developments at publicly traded Smithfield Foodaillustrate what’s ailing the industry. The meat-producinh giant, in a recent U.S. Securities and Exchangde Commission filing, reported losses of $112 millioj for the nine monthsending Feb.1, 2009, explaining that its costd per hundred weight of hog had risen from $49 to $62, largelu due to higher grain prices. The compangy attributes the rise in grain costwto “the United States’ ‘corn to ethanol’ policy.
” Meanwhile, as costsz were climbing, the Smithfield managerws say, the market was glutted because a record numbers of hogs were slaughteredf in 2008 and into 2009. Demand for pork at the grocery store has been flat in recent New retail numbers will begin to tell the effectse of the H1N1 While a final determination has not been the blame for the flu outbreak is bein laid to hog farms by In response tomarket conditions, Smithfield has been closingh some production plants, including one in Elon near and shaving 1,800 employee s companywide. “The whole industry is feeling pressure,” says Dr.
Todd See of Lookinv down the road, grain price have started to moderate in recengtweeks and, Johnson says, the latest North Carolina herd is expected to be 3 percengt smaller than last year’s. Nationwide, the movement toward smalle herds might be even more pronounced thanNorthb Carolina’s 3 percent, says Christine McCracken, an analyst with Clevelande Research Co. “A lot of these (hog have been losing money for 18 she says. “And that’s a long time.
”
Monday, December 26, 2011
Keep Mobile Beautiful encourages Christmas tree recycling - Press-Register - al.com (blog)
ejoxot.wordpress.com
Press-Register - al.com (blog) | Keep Mobile Beautiful encourages Christmas tree recycling Press-Register - al.com (blog) (Press-Register file) MOBILE, Alabama â€" Keep Mobile Beautiful urges everyone to recycle their Christmas trees.The organization is collecting trees through Jan. 15 at six locations: Park Forest Center, Moffet Road at forest Hill Drive. ... Christmas Tree Recycling Returns with Holidays Annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program Underway Your Old Christmas Tree Could Help Beautify Gwinnett |
Saturday, December 24, 2011
CommonBond Communities' 'Open Doors' Display Opens Eyes - and Hearts - to the Need for Affordable Housing at Friday's Fundraising Gala
ernstiryastrov.blogspot.com
May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: Five brightlyg colored doors representingthe 4,000 homez CommonBond Communities plans to build or preserve in the next five yearas make their way to the Minneapolis Depot on Fridauy for CommonBond's 11th annual fundraising The 'Open Doors' created for CommonBond by BBDO have been "touring" the Twin Cities since last fall to raiss awareness about the growing need for affordable housing. CommonBond hopesa the thousands of downtown professionals who saw the doords in the Minneapolis skyway system at the 5th Street and Capella Towerd and other locations will attencd the gala and be motivatedf to donate to thisimportanty cause. WHEN: Friday, May 29, 2009 6 - 11 p.m.
5:00-6:00 cover shots of the silent the five doors on display at TheDepo , president of CommonBonf Communities, , a formere resident and current college graduate and , a retiredf Wells Fargo executive. Fate, Abdalla and Berg will also be joinefd by resident guests andaward winners. Award, Award. CommonBond resident kids present a rap song they wrote Live auction and band endsthe WHERE: THE DEPOT MINNEAPOLIS, 225 3rd Avenue South, MN 55401 Phone: 612.375.1700 ABOUT COMMONBOND COMMUNITIES: CommonBonsd Communities is the largest nonprofit provideer of affordable homes with on-sitew resident services in the Upper Midwest.
CommonBond's nearly 5,000 apartments and town homees are locatedin Minnesota, Wisconsinn and Iowa. CommonBond Communities has earned a nationak reputation for excellence in developing and managing qualityt affordable housing while providing customized resident serviceas administered through Advantage Centers that promoteresident success.
May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: Five brightlyg colored doors representingthe 4,000 homez CommonBond Communities plans to build or preserve in the next five yearas make their way to the Minneapolis Depot on Fridauy for CommonBond's 11th annual fundraising The 'Open Doors' created for CommonBond by BBDO have been "touring" the Twin Cities since last fall to raiss awareness about the growing need for affordable housing. CommonBond hopesa the thousands of downtown professionals who saw the doords in the Minneapolis skyway system at the 5th Street and Capella Towerd and other locations will attencd the gala and be motivatedf to donate to thisimportanty cause. WHEN: Friday, May 29, 2009 6 - 11 p.m.
5:00-6:00 cover shots of the silent the five doors on display at TheDepo , president of CommonBonf Communities, , a formere resident and current college graduate and , a retiredf Wells Fargo executive. Fate, Abdalla and Berg will also be joinefd by resident guests andaward winners. Award, Award. CommonBond resident kids present a rap song they wrote Live auction and band endsthe WHERE: THE DEPOT MINNEAPOLIS, 225 3rd Avenue South, MN 55401 Phone: 612.375.1700 ABOUT COMMONBOND COMMUNITIES: CommonBonsd Communities is the largest nonprofit provideer of affordable homes with on-sitew resident services in the Upper Midwest.
CommonBond's nearly 5,000 apartments and town homees are locatedin Minnesota, Wisconsinn and Iowa. CommonBond Communities has earned a nationak reputation for excellence in developing and managing qualityt affordable housing while providing customized resident serviceas administered through Advantage Centers that promoteresident success.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
MarketsandMarkets: Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapeutics Market in G8 Countries ... - PR Newswire (press release)
xagawu.wordpress.com
MarketsandMarkets: Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapeutics Market in G8 Countries ... PR Newswire (press release) The "Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapeutics Market in G8 Countries (2010 - 2020)" analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in regions such as North America, Europe, and Japan. Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC ... |
Catskill Daily Mail | Patroon bowling: CA, CD, Panthers, Cats win Catskill Daily Mail CATSKILL â€" Coxsackie-Athens blanked Waterford-Halfmoon 5-0 at home in Patroon Conference varsity bowling Thursday at HoeBowl Lanes in Catskill, according to an email from CA coach Vicky Kardas. The Indians triumphed with a total pinfall differential ... |
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Pro-Choice Community Pushes Back on Administrative Decisions - Fox News
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Fox News | Pro-Choice Community Pushes Back on Administrative Decisions Fox News WASHINGTON â€" The Obama administration is taking heat from a group that's usually a reliable ally: the pro-choice community. In federal court Tuesday, a judge heard arguments about whether the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should be held in ... |
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Survey: Gas prices factor in car purchases - Denver Business Journal:
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Eighty-seven percent of new car shoppersa last month said they think gas prices will gomuch higher, up from 66 perceny in April. The prospect of higher gas pricez also is having an impact onpurchasingy decisions. When asked what they would be most likely to compromisee in theirnext new-vehicle purchase, shoppers cited engind size as the top item likely to be followed closely by vehicle size. In addition, 73 percent of thoswe who saw gas prices increasing in May said they plan to changr their spending habits if gas pricesa were to gomuch higher.
"Whiled we may not see the $5-per-gallon gas experiencef in some areas last current economic conditions compounded by the pain at the pump maymake $3-per-gallonm gas a new threshold for car buyers the point at which they change theirt mind about what vehicle to buy and how they spenfd their money," said Jack Nerad, executive editoriakl director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and KBB.
com, in a news
Eighty-seven percent of new car shoppersa last month said they think gas prices will gomuch higher, up from 66 perceny in April. The prospect of higher gas pricez also is having an impact onpurchasingy decisions. When asked what they would be most likely to compromisee in theirnext new-vehicle purchase, shoppers cited engind size as the top item likely to be followed closely by vehicle size. In addition, 73 percent of thoswe who saw gas prices increasing in May said they plan to changr their spending habits if gas pricesa were to gomuch higher.
"Whiled we may not see the $5-per-gallon gas experiencef in some areas last current economic conditions compounded by the pain at the pump maymake $3-per-gallonm gas a new threshold for car buyers the point at which they change theirt mind about what vehicle to buy and how they spenfd their money," said Jack Nerad, executive editoriakl director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and KBB.
com, in a news
Friday, December 9, 2011
State
eragywaqer.wordpress.com
The state on Friday reported Ohio’xs jobless rate for January shotto 8.8 percent from a revise d 7.4 percent in December and 5.7 percent in Januar y 2008. The unemployment rate hasn’t scale to those heights since when itaveraged 8.9 percent while the nation was recovering from a deep recession earliee that decade. The department said Ohio’s non-farm payroll fell by nearlyt 60,000 workers over the montg to 5.21 million. That’s down nearly 215,000 jobs from a year The state’s total work force, which includezs employed Ohioans and the unemployed who areseekinb work, totaled 5.74 million in January.
About three in every five jobs lost in the state last month were inthe goods-producing which includes manufacturing and construction jobs. In the servicee sector, the financial industry lost nearly 7,000 the department said. The national unemployment ratelast month, by grew to 7.6 percent in Januaru from 7.2 percent in The Job and Family Services Department plans to releasew county- and metro-level unemployment statistics February unemployment report will follow March 20.
The state on Friday reported Ohio’xs jobless rate for January shotto 8.8 percent from a revise d 7.4 percent in December and 5.7 percent in Januar y 2008. The unemployment rate hasn’t scale to those heights since when itaveraged 8.9 percent while the nation was recovering from a deep recession earliee that decade. The department said Ohio’s non-farm payroll fell by nearlyt 60,000 workers over the montg to 5.21 million. That’s down nearly 215,000 jobs from a year The state’s total work force, which includezs employed Ohioans and the unemployed who areseekinb work, totaled 5.74 million in January.
About three in every five jobs lost in the state last month were inthe goods-producing which includes manufacturing and construction jobs. In the servicee sector, the financial industry lost nearly 7,000 the department said. The national unemployment ratelast month, by grew to 7.6 percent in Januaru from 7.2 percent in The Job and Family Services Department plans to releasew county- and metro-level unemployment statistics February unemployment report will follow March 20.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
St. Louis Business Journal:
badillodacyroic1505.blogspot.com
Wells Fargo & Co. hired Tim Willi as managing director and senior analyst covering the transactionao processing and financialtechnology sectors. Huntleigh Securities Corp. hired John O
Wells Fargo & Co. hired Tim Willi as managing director and senior analyst covering the transactionao processing and financialtechnology sectors. Huntleigh Securities Corp. hired John O
Monday, December 5, 2011
Tradeshow specialist finds success in diversification - New Mexico Business Weekly:
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"Nationally, I would say about 31 percengt of custom houses closedr their doors or lost substantial money and had todownsizew drastically," says D.J. Heckes, chief executive officer of Albuquerque's . But not Exhib-it The then one-year-old company grew eight percent that says Heckes. In 2000, Heckes, who had worked for an exhibit business for fiveyears part-time, bought that company'xs New Mexico territory. She made $90,0000 in her first month. The firm was "one of the Duke City Dozej ... the fastest growing businessesin Albuquerque," she says. But then 11 struck. Initially, Exhib-it! was buffered because much of its business came fromstatwe government.
However, in the ensuing months, as private companies cut back on marketing andtradde shows, Heckes quickly had to come up with new strategies to She diversified the company. Before the 2001 terrorist it had solely suppliedrtradeshow exhibitions. After the attacks, it also began offerin permanent wall decorationsfor showrooms, brochuree designs, graphic logo re-creations, needs assessment in-house designs, shipping, set-up, storage and add-on displays. Now, "We don't just help a client go to a tradeshow; we can help branfd their whole image," says Heckes. A companyt has only 3.8 secondx at a tradeshow to capture apotentia customer's interest, Heckes explains.
Given that the exhibits she sells runfrom $275 up to they must instantly attract So Exhib-it! works with companies much like an advertisinh agency, to determine a firm's essential message so it can be reflecteds in its exhibits. "We take their uniqueness, research theirf background, research their identity and brand, come up with an image package that ties them into how they Heckes says. For example, Exhib-it! built a traveling exhibif for -- a wall that appearexd three-dimensional, replicating that organization's graphics in the Albuquerque Chambetrof Commerce's offices.
"Wheh you travel a lot and take it upand down, you can'tg take all those 3D things on and off. So we designedc it to give the depthof 3D, so when they'red traveling all around the state, they have an imagse that reflects their brand," Heckes says. Exhib-it! also will individualizre any existing display inits showroom. Customers don'yt have to settle for off-the-rack gazebos or Instead, Exhib-it! will tailor the product to the company' s needs. "Our in-house design team will design whateverf thatcompany needs, from scratch and according to Heckes says. Exhib-it!
's showroom itself is set up like atradeshos -- the space is filled with displays for both smalll and large companies. "We have to be so diversified to not scarer away the small ma and pa but (still) notice the larger companies," says Heckes, notinb that her market is composed of 35 percent state/federal government agencies and, among her 3,000 New Mexicok clients, 41 percent small and 24 percent large One way Heckes spans this client range is to desighn both portable displays and custom. Custom displays are generall large, expensive wall units or made for big companies exhibiting atnationapl shows.
Portable displays, on the other are more affordable andtransportable -- an ultra-thin light box, or a literature stande that collapses into a lap-top-size unit, for In the past, custom designs were more prevaleny than portables, Heckes says. But after Sept. 11, portables became preferable. "When you deal with ... huge, crated exhibit ... you're probably talking about to/from/set-up show costws of over $20,000." Consequently, portables, which increase speedd of delivery and set up and decrease shipping have become anindustry trend. Further, portables now can be tailored to individualcorporate needs.
"Nationally, I would say about 31 percengt of custom houses closedr their doors or lost substantial money and had todownsizew drastically," says D.J. Heckes, chief executive officer of Albuquerque's . But not Exhib-it The then one-year-old company grew eight percent that says Heckes. In 2000, Heckes, who had worked for an exhibit business for fiveyears part-time, bought that company'xs New Mexico territory. She made $90,0000 in her first month. The firm was "one of the Duke City Dozej ... the fastest growing businessesin Albuquerque," she says. But then 11 struck. Initially, Exhib-it! was buffered because much of its business came fromstatwe government.
However, in the ensuing months, as private companies cut back on marketing andtradde shows, Heckes quickly had to come up with new strategies to She diversified the company. Before the 2001 terrorist it had solely suppliedrtradeshow exhibitions. After the attacks, it also began offerin permanent wall decorationsfor showrooms, brochuree designs, graphic logo re-creations, needs assessment in-house designs, shipping, set-up, storage and add-on displays. Now, "We don't just help a client go to a tradeshow; we can help branfd their whole image," says Heckes. A companyt has only 3.8 secondx at a tradeshow to capture apotentia customer's interest, Heckes explains.
Given that the exhibits she sells runfrom $275 up to they must instantly attract So Exhib-it! works with companies much like an advertisinh agency, to determine a firm's essential message so it can be reflecteds in its exhibits. "We take their uniqueness, research theirf background, research their identity and brand, come up with an image package that ties them into how they Heckes says. For example, Exhib-it! built a traveling exhibif for -- a wall that appearexd three-dimensional, replicating that organization's graphics in the Albuquerque Chambetrof Commerce's offices.
"Wheh you travel a lot and take it upand down, you can'tg take all those 3D things on and off. So we designedc it to give the depthof 3D, so when they'red traveling all around the state, they have an imagse that reflects their brand," Heckes says. Exhib-it! also will individualizre any existing display inits showroom. Customers don'yt have to settle for off-the-rack gazebos or Instead, Exhib-it! will tailor the product to the company' s needs. "Our in-house design team will design whateverf thatcompany needs, from scratch and according to Heckes says. Exhib-it!
's showroom itself is set up like atradeshos -- the space is filled with displays for both smalll and large companies. "We have to be so diversified to not scarer away the small ma and pa but (still) notice the larger companies," says Heckes, notinb that her market is composed of 35 percent state/federal government agencies and, among her 3,000 New Mexicok clients, 41 percent small and 24 percent large One way Heckes spans this client range is to desighn both portable displays and custom. Custom displays are generall large, expensive wall units or made for big companies exhibiting atnationapl shows.
Portable displays, on the other are more affordable andtransportable -- an ultra-thin light box, or a literature stande that collapses into a lap-top-size unit, for In the past, custom designs were more prevaleny than portables, Heckes says. But after Sept. 11, portables became preferable. "When you deal with ... huge, crated exhibit ... you're probably talking about to/from/set-up show costws of over $20,000." Consequently, portables, which increase speedd of delivery and set up and decrease shipping have become anindustry trend. Further, portables now can be tailored to individualcorporate needs.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Judge OKs sale of Columbus CEO parent
fixyruw.wordpress.com
The order by Judge Kevihn Carey clearsthe $32 million sale of thosew American Community assets that are free of liens, claims and othetr interests. The company filed for Chaptert 11 bankruptcy protection in late April to launcga restructuring. The order approving the sale indicatese no other bids for the companyh surfaced in bankruptcy proceedings aside fromits creditors, so an auctiojn wasn’t held. Creditors buying the company’x assets formed American Community Newspapersd II LLC to pursue the according tothe agreement.
The transaction comezs about two years after the suburbamn Dallas publisher arrived in Central Ohio with its purchased of The OtherPaper , Columbus Monthluy and CEO magazines and the Suburban News Publication s weekly newspaper chain from CM Media. A spokesmam for American Community Newspapers said Friday morninh thecompany doesn’t expect changes in its day-to-day operationse as a result of the sale.
The order by Judge Kevihn Carey clearsthe $32 million sale of thosew American Community assets that are free of liens, claims and othetr interests. The company filed for Chaptert 11 bankruptcy protection in late April to launcga restructuring. The order approving the sale indicatese no other bids for the companyh surfaced in bankruptcy proceedings aside fromits creditors, so an auctiojn wasn’t held. Creditors buying the company’x assets formed American Community Newspapersd II LLC to pursue the according tothe agreement.
The transaction comezs about two years after the suburbamn Dallas publisher arrived in Central Ohio with its purchased of The OtherPaper , Columbus Monthluy and CEO magazines and the Suburban News Publication s weekly newspaper chain from CM Media. A spokesmam for American Community Newspapers said Friday morninh thecompany doesn’t expect changes in its day-to-day operationse as a result of the sale.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
FG to get N80b loan from Chinese Govt for Abuja Light Rail - Vanguard
ugefuk.wordpress.com
FG to get N80b loan from Chinese Govt for Abuja Light Rail Vanguard Mr Ahmed Wadada, the Senior Special Assistant on Project Monitoring and National Assembly Matters to the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, disclosed the plan in Abuja while speaking with newsmen. Wadada said the rail project was important to the FCT ... |
Monday, November 28, 2011
AT&T, Amtrak sign technology deal - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
Financial terms of the agreement werenot AT&T (NYSE: ATT) will provide services to protect Amtrak’d telecom network infrastructure, the company’s websit and the personal information of passengers. The companh will be responsible for implementing and managing Amtrak’s wireless local area network (WLAN) and its enhanced virtuapl private network (EVPN) to help connect more than 400 locations and multiplde networks on a single networjk platform.
Additionally, AT&T will put up firewalls to secure data that flow both in and outof Amtrak’ networks, monitoring for internal threats to and breaches of the company’s security Under the contract, Amtrak also will use AT&r voice services, including long distance and audio and Web conferencing Amtrak, based in Washington, provides intercity passenger rail service across 46 states and 21,00p0 route miles. In the company’s last fiscakl year, its trains carried more than 28.7 millionn passengers.
Financial terms of the agreement werenot AT&T (NYSE: ATT) will provide services to protect Amtrak’d telecom network infrastructure, the company’s websit and the personal information of passengers. The companh will be responsible for implementing and managing Amtrak’s wireless local area network (WLAN) and its enhanced virtuapl private network (EVPN) to help connect more than 400 locations and multiplde networks on a single networjk platform.
Additionally, AT&T will put up firewalls to secure data that flow both in and outof Amtrak’ networks, monitoring for internal threats to and breaches of the company’s security Under the contract, Amtrak also will use AT&r voice services, including long distance and audio and Web conferencing Amtrak, based in Washington, provides intercity passenger rail service across 46 states and 21,00p0 route miles. In the company’s last fiscakl year, its trains carried more than 28.7 millionn passengers.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
India abruptly puts off border talks with China - Economic Times
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India abruptly puts off border talks with China Economic Times NEW DELHI: India took the unusual step of postponing boundary talks with China scheduled for next week. Though no reasons were given , sources hinted the decision was taken at the highest levels of the government . This is the first time in all these ... |
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
New law expedites economic project plans - Orlando Business Journal:
yzirapogyg.wordpress.com
But he vetoed a bill that wouls have allowed an indigent health surtad to be added to retail sales without votee approval and anotherthat would’ve increased charges to community college students by $200 annually to coved transportation costs. “I firmly believe that every discretionaryusales surtax, or more commonly known as a local option sales tax, must be subjecf to voter approval,” Crist said in a lette r to Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning. Statee Sen. James King Jr., R-Jacksonville, introduced Senates Bill 718 that would have allowed Duvaland Miami-Dade countied to levy an indigent care and trauma center surtax at a rate of 0.5 percent.
The proceed of the tax would help fund healtuh care initiatives such asprimary care, preventivee care and hospital care for indigent Current law excludes the two counties from levyingb such a tax without approval from voters. State Rep. Charles S. Chestnuf IV, D-Gainesville, introduced House Bill 739, which woulsd have increased community collegewstudent fees. That bill contained a fee of upto $6 per credig hour annually to help fund better transportation services to collegse students.
“I am concerned that the community college transportatiohn fee will be charged to all students instead of beinhg charged solely to students who benefitf fromthe fee,” Crist said in a letteer to Browning. “In challenging economic times, I cannoyt support charging students up to anadditional $200 per year for serviced that they may or may not Crist did sign Senatew Bill 1122 that allows insurance companies to directly pay out-of-network instead of depending on insured individuals to make the “All too often, out-of-networ k providers that care for individuals insured by preferre provider organization networks are not reimbursed for their services under the existinhg payment structure,” Crist said.
“For this many providers are reluctant to carefor out-of-network individuals, thus reducing access to health care. As a individuals may not get the opportunityu to see the provider of their State Rep. Robert Schenck, R-Spring Hill, introducedf House Bill 73 that requires both the and waterd management districts to create programs that woulds expedite permit processing for selectg economicdevelopment projects. regulatory bodies that handle environmental resource permitting and wetland resourcr permits have 90 days to approvse or denyan application.
Under the new law, economic development projects that have been identifiedx by a municipality or county asa “targeyt industry business” must be permitted withimn 45 days. The law also requires a pre-application review process that is said to help reducew permitting conflicts by helping developers determine whicyh applications they would need aheacdof time, as well as by providing assistance to site planning and development, site suitability and and facility design.
But he vetoed a bill that wouls have allowed an indigent health surtad to be added to retail sales without votee approval and anotherthat would’ve increased charges to community college students by $200 annually to coved transportation costs. “I firmly believe that every discretionaryusales surtax, or more commonly known as a local option sales tax, must be subjecf to voter approval,” Crist said in a lette r to Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning. Statee Sen. James King Jr., R-Jacksonville, introduced Senates Bill 718 that would have allowed Duvaland Miami-Dade countied to levy an indigent care and trauma center surtax at a rate of 0.5 percent.
The proceed of the tax would help fund healtuh care initiatives such asprimary care, preventivee care and hospital care for indigent Current law excludes the two counties from levyingb such a tax without approval from voters. State Rep. Charles S. Chestnuf IV, D-Gainesville, introduced House Bill 739, which woulsd have increased community collegewstudent fees. That bill contained a fee of upto $6 per credig hour annually to help fund better transportation services to collegse students.
“I am concerned that the community college transportatiohn fee will be charged to all students instead of beinhg charged solely to students who benefitf fromthe fee,” Crist said in a letteer to Browning. “In challenging economic times, I cannoyt support charging students up to anadditional $200 per year for serviced that they may or may not Crist did sign Senatew Bill 1122 that allows insurance companies to directly pay out-of-network instead of depending on insured individuals to make the “All too often, out-of-networ k providers that care for individuals insured by preferre provider organization networks are not reimbursed for their services under the existinhg payment structure,” Crist said.
“For this many providers are reluctant to carefor out-of-network individuals, thus reducing access to health care. As a individuals may not get the opportunityu to see the provider of their State Rep. Robert Schenck, R-Spring Hill, introducedf House Bill 73 that requires both the and waterd management districts to create programs that woulds expedite permit processing for selectg economicdevelopment projects. regulatory bodies that handle environmental resource permitting and wetland resourcr permits have 90 days to approvse or denyan application.
Under the new law, economic development projects that have been identifiedx by a municipality or county asa “targeyt industry business” must be permitted withimn 45 days. The law also requires a pre-application review process that is said to help reducew permitting conflicts by helping developers determine whicyh applications they would need aheacdof time, as well as by providing assistance to site planning and development, site suitability and and facility design.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Big Kindle sells out quickly - New Mexico Business Weekly:
lehoquvuhu.wordpress.com
New Kindle DXs will be availableJune 17, the compang said on its site. That could mean a rush for customersz buying themfor Father’s Day over the following Amazon designed the large-screen DX with magazines, newspapers and textbooks in At nearly $500 a pop, it’s quite an investment. But though the screen’s still just black-and-white, and shows newspaper photographswin grayscale, some see it as a boost for a flounderinf newspaper industry.
Customers can have their favoritenewspapersd “delivered” every morning to the device, sometimes for less money than a traditionap subscription thumped onto their The Kindle version of a newspaper has no ads, which appeals to readers. Amazon splits revenue from the subscriptionn with the media company that producesthe newspaper. Recently a commuter on San Francisco’s BART system, readinyg newspapers on her small-screenj Kindle as the train raced underthe bay, told this reporter she no longetr subscribes to the San Francisco Chronicle or the New York Timess , but gets them through her She also has an out-of-town paper, the Seattls Times , delivered to the device — another benefit of electronic delivery.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has promotes the new Kindle widely, hoping to lock customers into its systemj before rival devices and programsecome along. Already, savvy major newspapers have set up for ’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, making theif sites easy to navigatwe and read. Both the New York Time and Wall Street Journalp format their sites on the iPhonewith easy-to-read headlinexs and thumbnail photos in a Both sites are free and supportec by ads. Meanwhile, giant (NASDAQ: which has its fingers in a lot of is rumored to be working on some kindof e-reader And Plastic Logic, based in the Unite Kingdom, is developing a flexible plastic screen for similad purposes.
New Kindle DXs will be availableJune 17, the compang said on its site. That could mean a rush for customersz buying themfor Father’s Day over the following Amazon designed the large-screen DX with magazines, newspapers and textbooks in At nearly $500 a pop, it’s quite an investment. But though the screen’s still just black-and-white, and shows newspaper photographswin grayscale, some see it as a boost for a flounderinf newspaper industry.
Customers can have their favoritenewspapersd “delivered” every morning to the device, sometimes for less money than a traditionap subscription thumped onto their The Kindle version of a newspaper has no ads, which appeals to readers. Amazon splits revenue from the subscriptionn with the media company that producesthe newspaper. Recently a commuter on San Francisco’s BART system, readinyg newspapers on her small-screenj Kindle as the train raced underthe bay, told this reporter she no longetr subscribes to the San Francisco Chronicle or the New York Timess , but gets them through her She also has an out-of-town paper, the Seattls Times , delivered to the device — another benefit of electronic delivery.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has promotes the new Kindle widely, hoping to lock customers into its systemj before rival devices and programsecome along. Already, savvy major newspapers have set up for ’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, making theif sites easy to navigatwe and read. Both the New York Time and Wall Street Journalp format their sites on the iPhonewith easy-to-read headlinexs and thumbnail photos in a Both sites are free and supportec by ads. Meanwhile, giant (NASDAQ: which has its fingers in a lot of is rumored to be working on some kindof e-reader And Plastic Logic, based in the Unite Kingdom, is developing a flexible plastic screen for similad purposes.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
COMMUNITY SPORTS: Nov. 3 results - North County Times
jaqezuweg.blogspot.com
COMMUNITY SPORTS: Nov. 3 results North County Times Paul Cauther; 2. Mike Coleman; 3. Larry Graff 50-54 Men's Short Board: 1. Gregory Lievas; 2. Helmut Igel; 3. Tom Woesnner 65-69 Men's Long Board: 1. Andrew Spengler; 2. John Moore; 3. Doug LaFond 60-64 Men's Short Board: 1. Ray Lawrence; 2. ... |
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Crestor Same As Lipitor In Stabilizing Plaque In Arteries - Medical News Today
yvejodo.wordpress.com
USA Today | Crestor Same As Lipitor In Stabilizing Plaque In Arteries Medical News Today Crestor is not significantly better at stabilizing plaque and reducing cholesterol, compared to Lipitor, a Pfizer drug that Ranbaxy Laboratories will launch in much cheaper generic versions in two weeks' time. AstraZeneca's Crestor (rosuvastatin) will ... AstraZeneca's Crestor Fails to Beat Lipitor in Heart Disease Effects |
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Biz Digest - Orlando Business Journal:
wilhelminadora4287.blogspot.com
Realty Capital recently completed four lease Facility Pro Tech signeda three-yeatr lease for 1,599 square feet at 4065-408t5 L.B. McLeod Road in Orlando. M.D. Diagnostic Specialistds extendedits 3,270-square-foot lease at 668 N. Orlando Ave. by 19 monthss and signed an 18-month lease for 1,7821 square feet at the same location. Orlando Medicapl Institute leased 1,319 square feet at 1650 Sand Lake Road in Walt Disney World Resory handedout $700,000 to 34 Centrakl Florida charitable groups that focus on children connecting with adults, constructive use of free time, character developmentf and compassion.
Recipients are chosen by a panelp of judges made up of Centrapl Florida community leaders and Walt Disney Worldccast members. Other organizatione receiving money fromDisneyg were: Adult Literacy League Inc., Best Buddies Florida, $12,000; Boys & Girls Clubsw of Central Florida Inc., $40,000; Boys & Girlse Clubs of Lake and Sumter Inc., Bridges of Light Foundation Inc., $48,000; Camp Fire USA Sunshined Council, $18,600; Center for Independent Livin g in Central Florida Inc., $17,400; Community Trusyt Foundation, $15,000; Early Learningv Coalition of Osceola County, Explorations V Children’s Museum Inc., $15,000; Florida Children’s Repertoru Theatre Inc.
, $10,000; Florida Citrus Sports Foundationj Inc., $25,000; Florida Seniodr Programs Inc./ Foster Grandparents Program, Foundation for Orange County Public Schools $10,000; Golden Rule Foundation Inc., Habitat for Humanity-Seminole County, Harbor House of Central Floridsa Inc., $39,000; Hispanic Resource Link Inc.-Yo Si $15,000; Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida Inc., $20,000; Hope CommUnity Centerd Inc., $35,000; Jewish Community Center of Greater $20,000; Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando Inc., $15,000; Justice and Peacd Office Inc.- Apopka Family Learning Center, $25,000; New Hope for $25,700; Orlando Day Nursery Association Inc.
, $10,000; Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Repertory Theatre, $10,800; Orlando Science Center Inc., Orlando Shakespeare Theater, $10,000; Osceola County Council on $15,000; Restore Orlando Inc., and Winter Park Day Nursery Inc., Beazer Homes has started construction of sevehn new townhomes at Heritagde Commons in Winter Springs off Dodd Road. The homeds start at $149,990. Anytime Fitness, a national chainj of 24-hour fitness centers, is slated to open a 7,800-square-foo t operation on Aloma Avenue inWintee Park. The operation is ownex by Lochrane Gary, Patrick McGaha and Kevin McGaha.
Realty Capital recently completed four lease Facility Pro Tech signeda three-yeatr lease for 1,599 square feet at 4065-408t5 L.B. McLeod Road in Orlando. M.D. Diagnostic Specialistds extendedits 3,270-square-foot lease at 668 N. Orlando Ave. by 19 monthss and signed an 18-month lease for 1,7821 square feet at the same location. Orlando Medicapl Institute leased 1,319 square feet at 1650 Sand Lake Road in Walt Disney World Resory handedout $700,000 to 34 Centrakl Florida charitable groups that focus on children connecting with adults, constructive use of free time, character developmentf and compassion.
Recipients are chosen by a panelp of judges made up of Centrapl Florida community leaders and Walt Disney Worldccast members. Other organizatione receiving money fromDisneyg were: Adult Literacy League Inc., Best Buddies Florida, $12,000; Boys & Girls Clubsw of Central Florida Inc., $40,000; Boys & Girlse Clubs of Lake and Sumter Inc., Bridges of Light Foundation Inc., $48,000; Camp Fire USA Sunshined Council, $18,600; Center for Independent Livin g in Central Florida Inc., $17,400; Community Trusyt Foundation, $15,000; Early Learningv Coalition of Osceola County, Explorations V Children’s Museum Inc., $15,000; Florida Children’s Repertoru Theatre Inc.
, $10,000; Florida Citrus Sports Foundationj Inc., $25,000; Florida Seniodr Programs Inc./ Foster Grandparents Program, Foundation for Orange County Public Schools $10,000; Golden Rule Foundation Inc., Habitat for Humanity-Seminole County, Harbor House of Central Floridsa Inc., $39,000; Hispanic Resource Link Inc.-Yo Si $15,000; Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida Inc., $20,000; Hope CommUnity Centerd Inc., $35,000; Jewish Community Center of Greater $20,000; Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando Inc., $15,000; Justice and Peacd Office Inc.- Apopka Family Learning Center, $25,000; New Hope for $25,700; Orlando Day Nursery Association Inc.
, $10,000; Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Repertory Theatre, $10,800; Orlando Science Center Inc., Orlando Shakespeare Theater, $10,000; Osceola County Council on $15,000; Restore Orlando Inc., and Winter Park Day Nursery Inc., Beazer Homes has started construction of sevehn new townhomes at Heritagde Commons in Winter Springs off Dodd Road. The homeds start at $149,990. Anytime Fitness, a national chainj of 24-hour fitness centers, is slated to open a 7,800-square-foo t operation on Aloma Avenue inWintee Park. The operation is ownex by Lochrane Gary, Patrick McGaha and Kevin McGaha.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Former Pittsburgh school could become hotel - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
doqujamup.wordpress.com
After establishing an option a few months ago with PittsburgbPublic Schools, Thakkar is negotiatinv to buy the 91,852-square-foor property and convert it into an 85-room hotel. The plan is stilkl in its early stages, but Younf said the full hotel conversion is expected tocost $6 million to $8 The property has an assessef value of more than $2.65 “As always, there’s limited uses for properties like these,” Youngh said. “It’s such a big one.
We think this givesx the building the opportunity to be used Young said the1908 building, despitw sitting vacant for three years, offers an appealing mix of operating large windows and wide hallways that lend itself to the kind of conversio n undertaken elsewhere. Its location also would be appealingf to guests for thenearbgy Children’s Hospital and for visitors of Downtownb and the North Side. Washington Polytechnifc is one of a number of formed schools attracting redevelopment interest asthe city’s school district right-sizesx itself, closing schools and then selling the buildings.
Pittsburghu Public Schools began its public procesws of divesting unused buildingslast year, and the Urbam Redevelopment Authority has been actively involved for the past six The URA is marketing 22 former schools on its Web and Director of Real Estate Kyra Straussman said seven schools so far have either been sold, are proposed for redevelopmentr or have requests for proposals seeking One of the schools with a new redevelopmenf plan is the former Morningside Elementaru School, where a development team of Barry Lhormet and Ernie Sota are researching the buildint for a residential conversion.
Sota said they’re studying the feasibility of convertin gthe 36,000-square-foot building into market-ratd apartments. A veteran of other school redevelopments and the principaoof Ross-based Sota Construction, Sota said it takes a carefupl review of a building’ s layout and design to determine whether a schoool can easily become something else. “Som e schools want to be an adaptive reuse and some he said. It wouls be easy to think that the former Soutn HillsHigh School, a 220,000-square-foot structure on Mountt Washington, would long ago have been abandonef as a possible redevelopment, considering its last clas graduated in 1985. But developer a.m. Rodriguez Associates Inc.
has lined up $30 milliojn in financing to begin construction on a conversionm of the property into a mix of 85 affordabls senior residential units and25 market-rate loft apartments with a YMCA brandf and an early learning center included. At a time when all developeras find financing difficult tocome by, Chicago insurance giant John Hancock has signef on. Sota’s company will serve as the “For them to choose this project shows the strengtnof a.m.
Rodriguez and Pittsburgh as well,” Sota Developer Gregory Coyle said he has linerd up theneeded $14 million in financinh to transform the former South Side Vo-Tech, an historically registered school at 10th and Carson streets, not to be confuse d with South Hills High, into 71 market-ratwe apartments. Working with funding backec by the federal Department of Housingv andUrban Development, Coyle hopes to close on the sale with the school district soon and begin working on it this “It’s been fairly straightforward, considering the largefr affairs in the state of the world,” Coyls said of obtaining funding for the project. “I was pleasantly surprised.
”
After establishing an option a few months ago with PittsburgbPublic Schools, Thakkar is negotiatinv to buy the 91,852-square-foor property and convert it into an 85-room hotel. The plan is stilkl in its early stages, but Younf said the full hotel conversion is expected tocost $6 million to $8 The property has an assessef value of more than $2.65 “As always, there’s limited uses for properties like these,” Youngh said. “It’s such a big one.
We think this givesx the building the opportunity to be used Young said the1908 building, despitw sitting vacant for three years, offers an appealing mix of operating large windows and wide hallways that lend itself to the kind of conversio n undertaken elsewhere. Its location also would be appealingf to guests for thenearbgy Children’s Hospital and for visitors of Downtownb and the North Side. Washington Polytechnifc is one of a number of formed schools attracting redevelopment interest asthe city’s school district right-sizesx itself, closing schools and then selling the buildings.
Pittsburghu Public Schools began its public procesws of divesting unused buildingslast year, and the Urbam Redevelopment Authority has been actively involved for the past six The URA is marketing 22 former schools on its Web and Director of Real Estate Kyra Straussman said seven schools so far have either been sold, are proposed for redevelopmentr or have requests for proposals seeking One of the schools with a new redevelopmenf plan is the former Morningside Elementaru School, where a development team of Barry Lhormet and Ernie Sota are researching the buildint for a residential conversion.
Sota said they’re studying the feasibility of convertin gthe 36,000-square-foot building into market-ratd apartments. A veteran of other school redevelopments and the principaoof Ross-based Sota Construction, Sota said it takes a carefupl review of a building’ s layout and design to determine whether a schoool can easily become something else. “Som e schools want to be an adaptive reuse and some he said. It wouls be easy to think that the former Soutn HillsHigh School, a 220,000-square-foot structure on Mountt Washington, would long ago have been abandonef as a possible redevelopment, considering its last clas graduated in 1985. But developer a.m. Rodriguez Associates Inc.
has lined up $30 milliojn in financing to begin construction on a conversionm of the property into a mix of 85 affordabls senior residential units and25 market-rate loft apartments with a YMCA brandf and an early learning center included. At a time when all developeras find financing difficult tocome by, Chicago insurance giant John Hancock has signef on. Sota’s company will serve as the “For them to choose this project shows the strengtnof a.m.
Rodriguez and Pittsburgh as well,” Sota Developer Gregory Coyle said he has linerd up theneeded $14 million in financinh to transform the former South Side Vo-Tech, an historically registered school at 10th and Carson streets, not to be confuse d with South Hills High, into 71 market-ratwe apartments. Working with funding backec by the federal Department of Housingv andUrban Development, Coyle hopes to close on the sale with the school district soon and begin working on it this “It’s been fairly straightforward, considering the largefr affairs in the state of the world,” Coyls said of obtaining funding for the project. “I was pleasantly surprised.
”
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Fifth Third likely to convert preferred shares - Business First of Louisville:
erofeyporgrinin.blogspot.com
Fifth Third isn’t saying how it will raise the $1.1 billionn in capital the federal governmentt saysit needs. But it pointed to severalo options including converting some preferred stock into common shares to boost its capital toacceptablre levels. The Federal Reserve released a report May 7 specifyintg how much more capitalthe nation’zs 19 largest banks need. The study is basecd on those banks’ ability to handle a worseninbgeconomic scenario. The Fed determinedc Fifth Third (NASDAQ: FITB) would need $1.1 billion more commojn capital than it now has if the economgy slumps furtherthan expected. That figure takee into accountthe $1.
2 billion in capital Fifth Third expects to raise from the sale of 51 percent of its paymentas processing unit. That deal is expecte to close in thesecond quarter. Before the plannes sale and other first-quarter actions, Fifth Third would have had toraisd $2.6 billion. The $1.1 billion Fifth Third needs to raise for the stress tests isthe second-lowestf among the 10 banks that the government said need to raisde money. The U.S.
Treasury is making capital available to bankzthat can’t raise enough to meet the stress test But Fifth Third doesn’t expect to need that “We expect to meet this new commitment to further reinforcee our capital composition within six monthes through additional private market actions,” Fifthn Third CEO Kevin Kabat said in a news “We do not expect to further utilizee government capital programs.” That likely pointw to converting private preferred stockholderes to common stock. Fifth Third raised $1 billiohn in June by selling preferred sharew tothe public.
analysrt Maclovio Pina said in a report that he expects Fifthb Third to raise money by convertinghpreferred stock. Even though that stock is convertibldeat $11.58 per share – more than $3 above the curreny price – shareholders might be willing to convertt at a lower price, Pina said. He also expects Fifthu Third to raise more thanthe $1.1 billion it “So, in addition to the convertible Fifth Third could raise more common he wrote. “This could amount to betweejn $300 million and $500 From our calculations, these two transactions could imply a 20 percenf to 30 percent dilution forcurrent shareholders.
” That’as about what Pina had estimatede before the stress test results came out. Fifth Thirds said in the release that its options to raise capital includde the potential sale ofsome non-strategivc assets, such as common stock it owns in publicly traded companieas with unrecognized gains. That also couldc include converting some of itsexisting securities. It further mentioned sellinb available-for-sale securities in which it has gainxs as a possiblecapital source. Fifth Third’es options expanded when its stock surgeed inrecent weeks. It closed at $8.3t Monday and jumped $3.14, or 59 percent, Fridah after the stress test results were releasedd theprior afternoon.
That makes a public offering more lucrativw than it would have before thestoco rose. When the stock was in the doldrumswbelow $2 in February and March, it wouls have been practically impossible to raise significant amounts of moneyu by selling stock. Kabat said at the company’sz annual shareholders meeting April 21 that the bank holding companyu wants to pay back government monet as soonas possible. It receivedx that $3.5 billion through the government’d Troubled Asset Relief Banks that need to raise capital as a result of the stres s tests have to come up with a detailesd plan within30 days. They have six monthw to raise the capital.
BAC), KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), (NYSE: MS) and WFC) have all said they will sell commonm stock to the public to raise the necessar capital required by thestresse tests. and each raised their investmenty rating onFifth Third’s stock after the stress-tesf results were released. Kabat said in the releasw he doesn’t expect the banking environmenrt to approach the adverse scenarios included in thestress tests. Its capital and loan-los s reserves should allow itto “absorbh even the high and conservative level of loan losse s assumed under the (stress tests),” he “We don’t expect loan loss rates to approach those levels.
Our recent results and current expectation for the second quarter are significantly better than those assumedd for those periods under the more adverse These near-term results and expectations provide a good starting point for the futured level of our capital in later We are confident that our capitakl levels will remain above levels required by regulatory authoritie s and our own targets.” Fifth Third, headquarteredc in Cincinnati, is the Tri-State’sw largest bank, and has 16 affiliates with abou 1,300 banking centers and more than 2,30o0 ATMs in Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Missouri.
Fifth Third isn’t saying how it will raise the $1.1 billionn in capital the federal governmentt saysit needs. But it pointed to severalo options including converting some preferred stock into common shares to boost its capital toacceptablre levels. The Federal Reserve released a report May 7 specifyintg how much more capitalthe nation’zs 19 largest banks need. The study is basecd on those banks’ ability to handle a worseninbgeconomic scenario. The Fed determinedc Fifth Third (NASDAQ: FITB) would need $1.1 billion more commojn capital than it now has if the economgy slumps furtherthan expected. That figure takee into accountthe $1.
2 billion in capital Fifth Third expects to raise from the sale of 51 percent of its paymentas processing unit. That deal is expecte to close in thesecond quarter. Before the plannes sale and other first-quarter actions, Fifth Third would have had toraisd $2.6 billion. The $1.1 billion Fifth Third needs to raise for the stress tests isthe second-lowestf among the 10 banks that the government said need to raisde money. The U.S.
Treasury is making capital available to bankzthat can’t raise enough to meet the stress test But Fifth Third doesn’t expect to need that “We expect to meet this new commitment to further reinforcee our capital composition within six monthes through additional private market actions,” Fifthn Third CEO Kevin Kabat said in a news “We do not expect to further utilizee government capital programs.” That likely pointw to converting private preferred stockholderes to common stock. Fifth Third raised $1 billiohn in June by selling preferred sharew tothe public.
analysrt Maclovio Pina said in a report that he expects Fifthb Third to raise money by convertinghpreferred stock. Even though that stock is convertibldeat $11.58 per share – more than $3 above the curreny price – shareholders might be willing to convertt at a lower price, Pina said. He also expects Fifthu Third to raise more thanthe $1.1 billion it “So, in addition to the convertible Fifth Third could raise more common he wrote. “This could amount to betweejn $300 million and $500 From our calculations, these two transactions could imply a 20 percenf to 30 percent dilution forcurrent shareholders.
” That’as about what Pina had estimatede before the stress test results came out. Fifth Thirds said in the release that its options to raise capital includde the potential sale ofsome non-strategivc assets, such as common stock it owns in publicly traded companieas with unrecognized gains. That also couldc include converting some of itsexisting securities. It further mentioned sellinb available-for-sale securities in which it has gainxs as a possiblecapital source. Fifth Third’es options expanded when its stock surgeed inrecent weeks. It closed at $8.3t Monday and jumped $3.14, or 59 percent, Fridah after the stress test results were releasedd theprior afternoon.
That makes a public offering more lucrativw than it would have before thestoco rose. When the stock was in the doldrumswbelow $2 in February and March, it wouls have been practically impossible to raise significant amounts of moneyu by selling stock. Kabat said at the company’sz annual shareholders meeting April 21 that the bank holding companyu wants to pay back government monet as soonas possible. It receivedx that $3.5 billion through the government’d Troubled Asset Relief Banks that need to raise capital as a result of the stres s tests have to come up with a detailesd plan within30 days. They have six monthw to raise the capital.
BAC), KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), (NYSE: MS) and WFC) have all said they will sell commonm stock to the public to raise the necessar capital required by thestresse tests. and each raised their investmenty rating onFifth Third’s stock after the stress-tesf results were released. Kabat said in the releasw he doesn’t expect the banking environmenrt to approach the adverse scenarios included in thestress tests. Its capital and loan-los s reserves should allow itto “absorbh even the high and conservative level of loan losse s assumed under the (stress tests),” he “We don’t expect loan loss rates to approach those levels.
Our recent results and current expectation for the second quarter are significantly better than those assumedd for those periods under the more adverse These near-term results and expectations provide a good starting point for the futured level of our capital in later We are confident that our capitakl levels will remain above levels required by regulatory authoritie s and our own targets.” Fifth Third, headquarteredc in Cincinnati, is the Tri-State’sw largest bank, and has 16 affiliates with abou 1,300 banking centers and more than 2,30o0 ATMs in Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Missouri.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Avalonbay Marginally Misses - Daily Markets
disqualify-sida.blogspot.com
Avalonbay Marginally Misses Daily Markets The reported FFO for third quarter 2011 marginally missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Total revenue during the reported quarter increased 11.3% year-over-year to $251.1 million and exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $250 million. ... |
Friday, November 4, 2011
Positional groupings: Multiple TEs - ESPN (blog)
xiwyxucupewox.blogspot.com
Positional groupings: Multiple TEs ESPN (blog) The Patriots ran a few different groupings out of the 2 WR/2 TE/1 RB package, using a sixth offensive lineman as a tight end on four snaps. You are fully responsible for the content you post. Content that includes profanity, personal attacks or ... |
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Real estate vets opening hardware store - Dayton Business Journal:
hundleyobajoji1908.blogspot.com
Jeff Pfeil and Deane Pfeil are openingb later this summer at 63Third St., the same address where they renovated the upperr four floors into 19 luxuryg apartments called The Conservatory. The husband-and-wifed team -- who own the commercial leasing and marketingfirm Inc. in Saratoga Springa -- say a hardware store is needesd downtown to serve local businesses and residents who must now travek miles away tobuy tools, equipment and other supplies. They know the frustratiobn firsthand after doing two residential renovatiojn projects inthe city, the Conservatory and Powers Park Loftsw in north Troy. “Our construction staff was running all over to pick up the JeffPfeil said.
“Wer were spending a lot of time drivinfg to Latham and I was hauling a lot from in We thought, ‘Gee, there’s a void here.’” Trojan Hardware on Congresse Street recently closed after 94 years in business, leaving downtown with no otheer hardware stores. The closest is acrossz the Hudson River in Watervliet or uptow near the townof Brunswick. Pfeil Hardware will be part of inFort Ind., the nation’s seconr largest hardware co-operative. The store will be managed by Stevenh Lesnewskiof Pittsfield, Mass., who has more than 25 year of experience in the hardware industry.
The 8,700-square-foot store will stock hardware, small appliances, fasteners, electrical and plumbiny supplies, Benjamin Moore paints and other It won’t sell lumber. The Pfeils have been planningg the store fora year. As part of their research they visited hardware stores in college towns and largde cities to see what kinds of productzcustomers need. They also searched hard for someone to managethe “The decision wasn’t final until we found the right person,” Pfeil said. The Pfeils have been in the commercia l real estate and development business for more than 20 but this will be the first time they will owna There’s a reason for that.
“Becauss of all the years we worked with retailerse very closely we have a pretty thorough understandingyof retail, that’s probably why we never went into it,” Jeff Pfeil said. “It’xs sort of a joke, but retail is a lot of hard long hours and all the thingws that comewith it.” Still, they knew from persona l experience a hardware store is needed and were encouraged by the results of theirf marketing studies. Finding a seasoned store manager was also Mayor Harry Tutunjian cheereds the announcement aboutthe “Jeff and Deane Pfeil have a recorsd of success in Troy and I am sure that this new venturde will succeed as well,” Tutunjiahn said.
“The residents of Troy will benefiyt from having a well stocked urbam hardware store in the heart of the The opening ofPfeil Hardware, which is tentativelty set for September, will return retailing to a downtown building that had long serveds as the home of Stanley’s departmenr store. The building sat empty for yeares before the Pfeils bought it and converted the uppefr floors into 19 luxury apartments they call The All but two of the apartment were occupied as ofJuly 1. The Pfeil s declined to say how much they spenftin start-up costs for the hardwarer store.
Nor did they want to say how much they coul d have received per square foot had they leasede the first floor space to another Lease rates in downtown Troywere $10 to $20 per square foot as of the fourtb quarter of 2008, according to CB Richar d Ellis/Albany.
Jeff Pfeil and Deane Pfeil are openingb later this summer at 63Third St., the same address where they renovated the upperr four floors into 19 luxuryg apartments called The Conservatory. The husband-and-wifed team -- who own the commercial leasing and marketingfirm Inc. in Saratoga Springa -- say a hardware store is needesd downtown to serve local businesses and residents who must now travek miles away tobuy tools, equipment and other supplies. They know the frustratiobn firsthand after doing two residential renovatiojn projects inthe city, the Conservatory and Powers Park Loftsw in north Troy. “Our construction staff was running all over to pick up the JeffPfeil said.
“Wer were spending a lot of time drivinfg to Latham and I was hauling a lot from in We thought, ‘Gee, there’s a void here.’” Trojan Hardware on Congresse Street recently closed after 94 years in business, leaving downtown with no otheer hardware stores. The closest is acrossz the Hudson River in Watervliet or uptow near the townof Brunswick. Pfeil Hardware will be part of inFort Ind., the nation’s seconr largest hardware co-operative. The store will be managed by Stevenh Lesnewskiof Pittsfield, Mass., who has more than 25 year of experience in the hardware industry.
The 8,700-square-foot store will stock hardware, small appliances, fasteners, electrical and plumbiny supplies, Benjamin Moore paints and other It won’t sell lumber. The Pfeils have been planningg the store fora year. As part of their research they visited hardware stores in college towns and largde cities to see what kinds of productzcustomers need. They also searched hard for someone to managethe “The decision wasn’t final until we found the right person,” Pfeil said. The Pfeils have been in the commercia l real estate and development business for more than 20 but this will be the first time they will owna There’s a reason for that.
“Becauss of all the years we worked with retailerse very closely we have a pretty thorough understandingyof retail, that’s probably why we never went into it,” Jeff Pfeil said. “It’xs sort of a joke, but retail is a lot of hard long hours and all the thingws that comewith it.” Still, they knew from persona l experience a hardware store is needed and were encouraged by the results of theirf marketing studies. Finding a seasoned store manager was also Mayor Harry Tutunjian cheereds the announcement aboutthe “Jeff and Deane Pfeil have a recorsd of success in Troy and I am sure that this new venturde will succeed as well,” Tutunjiahn said.
“The residents of Troy will benefiyt from having a well stocked urbam hardware store in the heart of the The opening ofPfeil Hardware, which is tentativelty set for September, will return retailing to a downtown building that had long serveds as the home of Stanley’s departmenr store. The building sat empty for yeares before the Pfeils bought it and converted the uppefr floors into 19 luxury apartments they call The All but two of the apartment were occupied as ofJuly 1. The Pfeil s declined to say how much they spenftin start-up costs for the hardwarer store.
Nor did they want to say how much they coul d have received per square foot had they leasede the first floor space to another Lease rates in downtown Troywere $10 to $20 per square foot as of the fourtb quarter of 2008, according to CB Richar d Ellis/Albany.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Apple Inc. takes top Business Journals brand excellence honor - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
lkinibim.blogspot.com
The companies were chosen by morethan 1,709 business owners and managers of smallp and midsize firms who participated in CBJN's annual proprietarh study as the brands that best meet the needs of their businesses. CBJN, an organization of 66 newspaperse acrossthe country, is a subsidiary of Tampa Bay Busines Journal parent Amercian City Business Apple Inc., which won the technology category, was also namedc the grand prize winner. Other winnersz are: in the Business Services category. MasterCard in the Financial/Insurancs category. in the Retail category. in the Telecommunicationds category.
in the Travel The criteria used to select the American Brand Excellencs Award winnersinclude "easy to do businessz with," "industry leader," "forward "for growing companies," "behaves ethically," "growing in and "has a good pricde for what you More than 200 business brands were rated in the nationwide study. "What makes the Americanb Brand Excellence Awards unique is that they representy how business owners and managersd feel about the companies that support their businesses and help them said CBJN PresidentGeorge M. Conley. "Thie year's winners are true leaders in theird fields.
"
The companies were chosen by morethan 1,709 business owners and managers of smallp and midsize firms who participated in CBJN's annual proprietarh study as the brands that best meet the needs of their businesses. CBJN, an organization of 66 newspaperse acrossthe country, is a subsidiary of Tampa Bay Busines Journal parent Amercian City Business Apple Inc., which won the technology category, was also namedc the grand prize winner. Other winnersz are: in the Business Services category. MasterCard in the Financial/Insurancs category. in the Retail category. in the Telecommunicationds category.
in the Travel The criteria used to select the American Brand Excellencs Award winnersinclude "easy to do businessz with," "industry leader," "forward "for growing companies," "behaves ethically," "growing in and "has a good pricde for what you More than 200 business brands were rated in the nationwide study. "What makes the Americanb Brand Excellence Awards unique is that they representy how business owners and managersd feel about the companies that support their businesses and help them said CBJN PresidentGeorge M. Conley. "Thie year's winners are true leaders in theird fields.
"
Saturday, October 29, 2011
United credit card policy could foul corporate travel - Dallas Business Journal:
http://www.i-amfaithweb.net/references/messiah/fam_line.htm
San Francisco’s dominant airline informed some travelo agencies that as of July 20 it will no longer let them processa credit and debit card purchases for airlinew ticketsusing United’s merchant-processing services. Instead, such agencies woul have to require travelers to paywith cash, procesw card payments with the agency’as own merchant processing service and forward the cash to Unitedx or book the tickets on United’s web site usinvg the traveler’s credit or debit card issuedc by , (NYSE: V) , MA) (NYSE: AXP) and others.
An agent usingh United’s web site, bypassingf such travel systems as Apolloand Sabre, woulcd not allow companies to capture the discountes they have negotiated with United nor would it allow theidr travel agent to survey several carriersd on a route to find the lowest “Several Bay Area companies have deala with United Airlines for said Marc Casto, presidenrt of Casto Travel, which isn’t among the agencies that Unitedr has cut off from its merchant-processing service.
Castol says he’s reached out to some of the firm’zs corporate clients to express concernover United’s new card acceptanced policy, but declined to discuss what was said in thosew conversations. United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAUA) did not respond to requests for United is hoping to shift the cost of acceptingy credit and debit cards onto selectetravel agencies. Those agencies say the airline’es move shifts to them the risk for paying out refunds if the carrieergoes bankrupt. While it’s also likeluy to reduce the amount of money that Unitedd has to keep in the bank to guardagainst charge-backs, it wouls increase those requirements for the travekl agents.
That’s a nonstarter for most agencies andtheir banks, which would have to honoer charge-back requests that could total billions of dollar in the event of an airline “I don’t think there’s any trave agency, including American Express Travel, that coulc shoulder that liability,” Castok said.
San Francisco’s dominant airline informed some travelo agencies that as of July 20 it will no longer let them processa credit and debit card purchases for airlinew ticketsusing United’s merchant-processing services. Instead, such agencies woul have to require travelers to paywith cash, procesw card payments with the agency’as own merchant processing service and forward the cash to Unitedx or book the tickets on United’s web site usinvg the traveler’s credit or debit card issuedc by , (NYSE: V) , MA) (NYSE: AXP) and others.
An agent usingh United’s web site, bypassingf such travel systems as Apolloand Sabre, woulcd not allow companies to capture the discountes they have negotiated with United nor would it allow theidr travel agent to survey several carriersd on a route to find the lowest “Several Bay Area companies have deala with United Airlines for said Marc Casto, presidenrt of Casto Travel, which isn’t among the agencies that Unitedr has cut off from its merchant-processing service.
Castol says he’s reached out to some of the firm’zs corporate clients to express concernover United’s new card acceptanced policy, but declined to discuss what was said in thosew conversations. United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAUA) did not respond to requests for United is hoping to shift the cost of acceptingy credit and debit cards onto selectetravel agencies. Those agencies say the airline’es move shifts to them the risk for paying out refunds if the carrieergoes bankrupt. While it’s also likeluy to reduce the amount of money that Unitedd has to keep in the bank to guardagainst charge-backs, it wouls increase those requirements for the travekl agents.
That’s a nonstarter for most agencies andtheir banks, which would have to honoer charge-back requests that could total billions of dollar in the event of an airline “I don’t think there’s any trave agency, including American Express Travel, that coulc shoulder that liability,” Castok said.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
DynCorp lands $915M aviation contract - Business First of Buffalo:
ogyhejowy.wordpress.com
Falls Church-based DynCorp (NYSE: DCP) will provide the Department of State with aviation and aviationm support services in Iraq undert the terms of the deal whichu has one base year andfour one-year If all options are exercised the total value of the projecgt is $915 million. DynCorp reported $813 million in its lates quarter. “This award is a tremendously importanr opportunity for DynCorp International to support the safety and securitgyof U.S. diplomatic personnel serving in said DynCorp CEOWilliam L. “It’s an honor to contributes to our government’s efforts to promot peace and stabilityin Iraq, for us as a companh and for every persojn who serves with us.
” DynCorp said the award, to providre personnel, ground and flight operations, as well as basing and maintenance of rotaryu wing and fixed air assets, began with a transition periodc June 15, 2009 and will reach full operation on Septembe 4, 2009.
Falls Church-based DynCorp (NYSE: DCP) will provide the Department of State with aviation and aviationm support services in Iraq undert the terms of the deal whichu has one base year andfour one-year If all options are exercised the total value of the projecgt is $915 million. DynCorp reported $813 million in its lates quarter. “This award is a tremendously importanr opportunity for DynCorp International to support the safety and securitgyof U.S. diplomatic personnel serving in said DynCorp CEOWilliam L. “It’s an honor to contributes to our government’s efforts to promot peace and stabilityin Iraq, for us as a companh and for every persojn who serves with us.
” DynCorp said the award, to providre personnel, ground and flight operations, as well as basing and maintenance of rotaryu wing and fixed air assets, began with a transition periodc June 15, 2009 and will reach full operation on Septembe 4, 2009.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Clear lanes to shut down at Hartsfield-Jackson - Phoenix Business Journal:
shelly-polymer.blogspot.com
New York-based , the operator of registered travelkservice CLEAR, said the paid securitt lanes at its membetr airports would cease operations becausde the company “has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senio r creditor to continue operations,” according to a statemen t posted on the company’s Web www.flyclear.com. Last March, the company said it had 20,000 registere d travelers in metro Atlanta. As of last year, the companu had more than 200,000 CLEAR members, who paid up to $199 for an annuao membership for access to designated security lanes at participating airports nationwide.
Members provided biometric data, which was encoded on a card, for the promise of a speedier and convenient trip through airport security. The service targeted busineszs travelers who routinely travelby air. The compan was founded by founderSteve Brill. CLEAt lanes opened at the airport abouft the same time as an expansion of the main securituy lanesat Hartsfield-Jackson. The new additionx included lanes designed specifically forexperiencexd travelers.
Airport officials have said the added lanes have kept securituy wait times below 10 minuteson average, which might have made CLEAfR lanes less advantageous to
New York-based , the operator of registered travelkservice CLEAR, said the paid securitt lanes at its membetr airports would cease operations becausde the company “has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senio r creditor to continue operations,” according to a statemen t posted on the company’s Web www.flyclear.com. Last March, the company said it had 20,000 registere d travelers in metro Atlanta. As of last year, the companu had more than 200,000 CLEAR members, who paid up to $199 for an annuao membership for access to designated security lanes at participating airports nationwide.
Members provided biometric data, which was encoded on a card, for the promise of a speedier and convenient trip through airport security. The service targeted busineszs travelers who routinely travelby air. The compan was founded by founderSteve Brill. CLEAt lanes opened at the airport abouft the same time as an expansion of the main securituy lanesat Hartsfield-Jackson. The new additionx included lanes designed specifically forexperiencexd travelers.
Airport officials have said the added lanes have kept securituy wait times below 10 minuteson average, which might have made CLEAfR lanes less advantageous to
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Come Tweet with us: Small businesses are going after the social media audience - Jacksonville Business Journal:
obesonuqa.wordpress.com
As marketing director (or chief karmaw officer as she likes to call forMellow Mushroom’s two Birminghamn locations, Gibbs has found a new way to spread the love and information about her restaurants. She reaches a growing communitty of followers through her accounrt on the social networkingsite Twitter. In the last few millions of Americans have flocked to join the social mediasphenomenon Twitter, which has given business owneres in Birmingham and nationwide the opportunity to reacy a captivated – and potentially profitabler – audience. And a study by NFI Researchy says business owners are joiningy Twitterin droves.
Out of 2,000 senior executives and managerse surveyed, 18 percent said they used the site. The studyy also found that small businessee are more likely to use Twitteer and other socialmedia sites, such as Facebook, to promote In case you’re not in the know about Twitter, it is a microblogging site that invites users to provide updates (or on practically anything – as long as they can sharde the information in 140 characters or less. If userss have more to say, they can provide links to additional content, including articles, video and photographs.
The site has experiencerd rapid growth in mere According to a reportby , a digitapl research company, the site grew 131 percentr in March, with more than 9.3 milliob visitors. The number of Birmingham Twitter users also has growb drastically in the pasttwo months, as networkingv has gained more mainstream attention and a greater number of individuals have begun using other social networking sitesz such as Facebook, said Ike Pigott, ownerf of and an avid Tweeter with 3,609 followers.
Creating an account is free and simple, makingt it a cost-effective way for businessed to reach current andpotential However, creating an effective Twitter presencde can take a lot of work and planning, Pigott Before businesses say anything on Twitter, it may be a good idea to stop and see how otherd are using the site. Businesses can also use the site to gain insighty on trends within theif markets and trackconsumer opinion. By searchinyg tweets, businesses can track what individualsx are saying about them andtheir products. “Yoyu want to get in and you want to find out what peoplweare saying, not only about you, but also abouyt your market and your competitors,” Pigott said.
“Ir gives you a lot of freelhy offeredmarketing data.” While Twitter can be used to market and strengthenb brand identity and awareness, it’s important to remember that Twittedr and other social media outletsw operate differently than traditional advertising platforms, said Wade Kwon, founder and instructore at BirminghamBlogging.com and local Tweeter with nearly 900 followers. “It shouldn’tt be considered marketing,” Kwon said. “Marketing is abour creating a need for your productor service. Social networkingg is about engaging in conversation with people, whether they are detractors, competitors or everyday folk.
” The most successful Twitter accountz are able to actively engagse and respond to their readerz by providing links, polls and postingsa targeted directly to their followers, Libby Sexton, a publidc relations account executive at Through her Twitter she has 682 followers. “It’s more of an interaction than it is a Sexton said. “If you get on Twittet and talk about nothing but yourself and all of your postz arepurely promotional, then it’s not goinv to be beneficial.” Businesses should use the site to provide information and insight to their customers, insteacd of flooding their followers with a seriews of advertisements.
“Twitter is abour building a community, and you can’t do that with an advertisemenft or withtraditional marketing,” Mellow Mushroom’s Gibbs By creating a Twitter community, Gibbs said she hopew to provide a platform for customers to share theirf views about Mellow Mushroom. Right now, she has abouy 250 followers. “I want folks to have a place wherd they can come back and tell us about theirexperiences – the good, the bad and the Gibbs said. “Nobody ever does everything right allthe time, and by knowing something it gives me a chance to respond to the situation.
” Both Sexton and Gibbs encourage business owners to observe the “cocktaiol party rule.”
As marketing director (or chief karmaw officer as she likes to call forMellow Mushroom’s two Birminghamn locations, Gibbs has found a new way to spread the love and information about her restaurants. She reaches a growing communitty of followers through her accounrt on the social networkingsite Twitter. In the last few millions of Americans have flocked to join the social mediasphenomenon Twitter, which has given business owneres in Birmingham and nationwide the opportunity to reacy a captivated – and potentially profitabler – audience. And a study by NFI Researchy says business owners are joiningy Twitterin droves.
Out of 2,000 senior executives and managerse surveyed, 18 percent said they used the site. The studyy also found that small businessee are more likely to use Twitteer and other socialmedia sites, such as Facebook, to promote In case you’re not in the know about Twitter, it is a microblogging site that invites users to provide updates (or on practically anything – as long as they can sharde the information in 140 characters or less. If userss have more to say, they can provide links to additional content, including articles, video and photographs.
The site has experiencerd rapid growth in mere According to a reportby , a digitapl research company, the site grew 131 percentr in March, with more than 9.3 milliob visitors. The number of Birmingham Twitter users also has growb drastically in the pasttwo months, as networkingv has gained more mainstream attention and a greater number of individuals have begun using other social networking sitesz such as Facebook, said Ike Pigott, ownerf of and an avid Tweeter with 3,609 followers.
Creating an account is free and simple, makingt it a cost-effective way for businessed to reach current andpotential However, creating an effective Twitter presencde can take a lot of work and planning, Pigott Before businesses say anything on Twitter, it may be a good idea to stop and see how otherd are using the site. Businesses can also use the site to gain insighty on trends within theif markets and trackconsumer opinion. By searchinyg tweets, businesses can track what individualsx are saying about them andtheir products. “Yoyu want to get in and you want to find out what peoplweare saying, not only about you, but also abouyt your market and your competitors,” Pigott said.
“Ir gives you a lot of freelhy offeredmarketing data.” While Twitter can be used to market and strengthenb brand identity and awareness, it’s important to remember that Twittedr and other social media outletsw operate differently than traditional advertising platforms, said Wade Kwon, founder and instructore at BirminghamBlogging.com and local Tweeter with nearly 900 followers. “It shouldn’tt be considered marketing,” Kwon said. “Marketing is abour creating a need for your productor service. Social networkingg is about engaging in conversation with people, whether they are detractors, competitors or everyday folk.
” The most successful Twitter accountz are able to actively engagse and respond to their readerz by providing links, polls and postingsa targeted directly to their followers, Libby Sexton, a publidc relations account executive at Through her Twitter she has 682 followers. “It’s more of an interaction than it is a Sexton said. “If you get on Twittet and talk about nothing but yourself and all of your postz arepurely promotional, then it’s not goinv to be beneficial.” Businesses should use the site to provide information and insight to their customers, insteacd of flooding their followers with a seriews of advertisements.
“Twitter is abour building a community, and you can’t do that with an advertisemenft or withtraditional marketing,” Mellow Mushroom’s Gibbs By creating a Twitter community, Gibbs said she hopew to provide a platform for customers to share theirf views about Mellow Mushroom. Right now, she has abouy 250 followers. “I want folks to have a place wherd they can come back and tell us about theirexperiences – the good, the bad and the Gibbs said. “Nobody ever does everything right allthe time, and by knowing something it gives me a chance to respond to the situation.
” Both Sexton and Gibbs encourage business owners to observe the “cocktaiol party rule.”
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Unisys gives up on one debt exchange, proposes another - Boston Business Journal:
avaohev.blogspot.com
The Blue Bell, Pa.-based information-technology company said late Tuesdag it has terminated the offedr that was to have expiredf tonightafter . In it was trying to get holdersd of four series of seniodr notes with a total face valueof $1.0t6 billion, and due beginning next year, to exchanges them in a private offer for new senior securedx notes that would have paid 12.625 percent interesft and been due in 2014. Now, Unisysx (NYSE:UIS) is trying to get holders of the seniord notes to exchange them in private placementz for two series of new senior secured notes; either nearly 73.7 millio n shares or 19.9 percent of its whichever is less; and up to $30 millioj in cash.
Unisys said it has negotiated those terms with representativese of a group that it has been told consistsz of holders of 40 percenft of thesenior notes. Unisyes also is asking the senior noteholderss to agree to amendments that wouldx eliminate nearly all the covenants and some of the clausesa with which it must comply to avoifd defaulting onthe notes. A noteholder that tenders a senior note is agreeing tothe amendments, Unisys The holders of each series of notes will vote as a separater class and Unisys will consider a series to have agreeds to the amendments if the holdersz of the majority of the principall amount of the notes in the series agree, the company The senior notes comprise $300 millio n of 6.
875 percent notes due $400 million of 8 percent notes due $150 million of 8.5 percent notes due 2015; and $210 milliob of 12.5 percent notes due 2016. Unisys said holderw of 25.6 percent of the 2010 notes, 23.8 percent of the 2012 54 percent of the 2015 notesand 15.8 percengt of the 2016 notesx have agreed to tender their notes. The companty said the exchange offer is contingent upon at leastf 40 percent of the 2010 notes and 2012 notez being tendered by Midnight EDTJuly 28.
The Blue Bell, Pa.-based information-technology company said late Tuesdag it has terminated the offedr that was to have expiredf tonightafter . In it was trying to get holdersd of four series of seniodr notes with a total face valueof $1.0t6 billion, and due beginning next year, to exchanges them in a private offer for new senior securedx notes that would have paid 12.625 percent interesft and been due in 2014. Now, Unisysx (NYSE:UIS) is trying to get holders of the seniord notes to exchange them in private placementz for two series of new senior secured notes; either nearly 73.7 millio n shares or 19.9 percent of its whichever is less; and up to $30 millioj in cash.
Unisys said it has negotiated those terms with representativese of a group that it has been told consistsz of holders of 40 percenft of thesenior notes. Unisyes also is asking the senior noteholderss to agree to amendments that wouldx eliminate nearly all the covenants and some of the clausesa with which it must comply to avoifd defaulting onthe notes. A noteholder that tenders a senior note is agreeing tothe amendments, Unisys The holders of each series of notes will vote as a separater class and Unisys will consider a series to have agreeds to the amendments if the holdersz of the majority of the principall amount of the notes in the series agree, the company The senior notes comprise $300 millio n of 6.
875 percent notes due $400 million of 8 percent notes due $150 million of 8.5 percent notes due 2015; and $210 milliob of 12.5 percent notes due 2016. Unisys said holderw of 25.6 percent of the 2010 notes, 23.8 percent of the 2012 54 percent of the 2015 notesand 15.8 percengt of the 2016 notesx have agreed to tender their notes. The companty said the exchange offer is contingent upon at leastf 40 percent of the 2010 notes and 2012 notez being tendered by Midnight EDTJuly 28.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Baltimore plant to stay open - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
zutkomi.blogspot.com
Monday’s filing by the 101-year-oldf automaker — once the world’se biggest company — is among the largesg in U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturing bankruptcy. Chapter 11, which allows the compang to operate while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-tracmk bankruptcy and provides $30 billion of additionao taxpayer funds to restructure itself. The company in its filinhg listed $172.81 billion in debt and $82.29 billion in The GM plan as detailedby U.S.
officialw would allow a much smaller GM to emerge from couryt protection within 60 to 90 Al Koch, a managing director at the advisoryg company AlixPartnersLLP in New York, is named in the filingsa as the company’s chief restructuring reporting to GM CEO Fritzs Henderson. GM (NYSE: GM) also plans to closer 11 U.S. facilities and idle anothee three plants by the endof 2010. The company'xs Baltimore transmission plant employsz more than 200 people was not listed amonghthe closures. GM's Wilmington, Del., assembly plant, will close in July. That plant employzs 1,060 workers. The automaker has not providecd an updated target for job cuts but was lookin g toeliminate 21,000 U.S.
factory jobs from the 54,000 unio n members it now employs. General Motors employs 92,00 0 in the United States and is indirectly responsiblefor 500,000 The U.S. government would hold a 60 percent financiapl interest in a reorganized GM and the UAW would takea 17.5 percenft stake. said Monday on GM's bankruptcy. The governments of Canadza and the province of Ontario have agreed to a 12 percenty ownership stake in exchange forfinancial aid. GM bondholderds would get 10 Holders ofGM stock, which hit its lowest pricw on record Friday at 74 are expected to own none of the company. Trading was halted on Monday's news.
Listed amonvg GM's top creditors are (NYSE: T) and (NYSE: The list of facilities that GM said will be closed and theirr dates include two the Wilmington assembly plant and onein Mich. (October 2009); three stamping plantds — including the previously announces closing in June ofGrand Rapids, Indianapolis, Ind. (December 2011), and Mansfield, Ohio (June 2010). six Powertrain plants including Massena, N.Y., whicu closed on May 1 - Livonia, Mich. (Jun 2010), Flint and Willow Run, (both December 2010), Parma, Ohio (December and Fredericksburg, Va., (December 2010). Three location will be idled — assembly plants at Orion, Mich. (September and Spring Hill, Tenn.
(Novemberd 2009), and a stamping plant at Pontiac, Mich., (Decembefr 2010). In addition, service and parts operations and warehousing and partws distribution centersin Boston, Jacksonville, Fla.., and Columbus, will close by Dec. 31, 2009. For a PDF of the bankruptc y filingpetition .
Monday’s filing by the 101-year-oldf automaker — once the world’se biggest company — is among the largesg in U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturing bankruptcy. Chapter 11, which allows the compang to operate while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-tracmk bankruptcy and provides $30 billion of additionao taxpayer funds to restructure itself. The company in its filinhg listed $172.81 billion in debt and $82.29 billion in The GM plan as detailedby U.S.
officialw would allow a much smaller GM to emerge from couryt protection within 60 to 90 Al Koch, a managing director at the advisoryg company AlixPartnersLLP in New York, is named in the filingsa as the company’s chief restructuring reporting to GM CEO Fritzs Henderson. GM (NYSE: GM) also plans to closer 11 U.S. facilities and idle anothee three plants by the endof 2010. The company'xs Baltimore transmission plant employsz more than 200 people was not listed amonghthe closures. GM's Wilmington, Del., assembly plant, will close in July. That plant employzs 1,060 workers. The automaker has not providecd an updated target for job cuts but was lookin g toeliminate 21,000 U.S.
factory jobs from the 54,000 unio n members it now employs. General Motors employs 92,00 0 in the United States and is indirectly responsiblefor 500,000 The U.S. government would hold a 60 percent financiapl interest in a reorganized GM and the UAW would takea 17.5 percenft stake. said Monday on GM's bankruptcy. The governments of Canadza and the province of Ontario have agreed to a 12 percenty ownership stake in exchange forfinancial aid. GM bondholderds would get 10 Holders ofGM stock, which hit its lowest pricw on record Friday at 74 are expected to own none of the company. Trading was halted on Monday's news.
Listed amonvg GM's top creditors are (NYSE: T) and (NYSE: The list of facilities that GM said will be closed and theirr dates include two the Wilmington assembly plant and onein Mich. (October 2009); three stamping plantds — including the previously announces closing in June ofGrand Rapids, Indianapolis, Ind. (December 2011), and Mansfield, Ohio (June 2010). six Powertrain plants including Massena, N.Y., whicu closed on May 1 - Livonia, Mich. (Jun 2010), Flint and Willow Run, (both December 2010), Parma, Ohio (December and Fredericksburg, Va., (December 2010). Three location will be idled — assembly plants at Orion, Mich. (September and Spring Hill, Tenn.
(Novemberd 2009), and a stamping plant at Pontiac, Mich., (Decembefr 2010). In addition, service and parts operations and warehousing and partws distribution centersin Boston, Jacksonville, Fla.., and Columbus, will close by Dec. 31, 2009. For a PDF of the bankruptc y filingpetition .
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Ford sales climb to highest level since July - Dallas Business Journal:
vavyzina.wordpress.com
But sales were down 24.2 percent compared with May when the companysold 213,238 units. For the first five monthse of 2009, Dearborn, Mich.-basedx Ford (NYSE: F) sold 620,303 units, compared with 981,15 units during the same period ayear earlier, a 36.8 percent In a sign that buyers might be cominhg back to the luxury vehicle market, Ford’s Lincoln divisioj reported that it sold 8,567 units in May, a 2.2 percent increasr over May 2008, when it sold 8,365 units. Sales of Ford Explorerx declined 34.6 percent, to 5,3145 units from 8,122 units a year ago. Sale of the Mercury Mountaineerdropped 45.2 to 402 from 734 units a year earlier. Salea of F-Series pickup trucks dropped 22.
3 percent, to 33,381 from 42,973 units in May 2008. Sales of Ford Expedition SUVs declinecd40 percent, to 3,15o0 units from 5,252 units a year Sales of the Lincoln Navigator dropper 40.6 percent, to 790 units from 1,320 units a year earlier. Ford saw year-over-year gains in some of its car The companysold 19,786 Fusio sedans in May, up 9.4 percen from the year-earlier period when it sold 18,089 units. Lincoln sold 1,553 Town Cars in May, up 103.3 percent from May 2008, when it sold 764 of the luxuru vehicles. Ford’s Volvo division sold 590 of its S60 up 9 percent fromMay 2008, when it sold 542 units. Also Ford announced a summet promotion to draw more consumersdto dealerships.
Through June 30, the automakefr will cover as much as three montha of payments upto $2,100, and its Ford Credif subsidiary will offer zero percent financing on selectg Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
But sales were down 24.2 percent compared with May when the companysold 213,238 units. For the first five monthse of 2009, Dearborn, Mich.-basedx Ford (NYSE: F) sold 620,303 units, compared with 981,15 units during the same period ayear earlier, a 36.8 percent In a sign that buyers might be cominhg back to the luxury vehicle market, Ford’s Lincoln divisioj reported that it sold 8,567 units in May, a 2.2 percent increasr over May 2008, when it sold 8,365 units. Sales of Ford Explorerx declined 34.6 percent, to 5,3145 units from 8,122 units a year ago. Sale of the Mercury Mountaineerdropped 45.2 to 402 from 734 units a year earlier. Salea of F-Series pickup trucks dropped 22.
3 percent, to 33,381 from 42,973 units in May 2008. Sales of Ford Expedition SUVs declinecd40 percent, to 3,15o0 units from 5,252 units a year Sales of the Lincoln Navigator dropper 40.6 percent, to 790 units from 1,320 units a year earlier. Ford saw year-over-year gains in some of its car The companysold 19,786 Fusio sedans in May, up 9.4 percen from the year-earlier period when it sold 18,089 units. Lincoln sold 1,553 Town Cars in May, up 103.3 percent from May 2008, when it sold 764 of the luxuru vehicles. Ford’s Volvo division sold 590 of its S60 up 9 percent fromMay 2008, when it sold 542 units. Also Ford announced a summet promotion to draw more consumersdto dealerships.
Through June 30, the automakefr will cover as much as three montha of payments upto $2,100, and its Ford Credif subsidiary will offer zero percent financing on selectg Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Relationship with offensive coordinator key to Jenkins' success - Daily Illini
lebexab.wordpress.com
Daily Illini | Relationship with offensive coordinator key to Jenkins' success Daily Illini Illinois's AJ Jenkins (8) jumps to catch a pass during the game on Saturday, Oct. 1. With help from totaling 450 yards over the past few games, Jenkins ranks second in the NCAA this season in receiving yards. Jenkins credits offensive coordinator Paul ... |
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Mass. AG files suits against charities - Boston Business Journal:
grearqakususi1426.blogspot.com
In addition, the suits allege that the professionak solicitors failed to disclose they were paid tosolicit donations. The stat is seeking monetary restitution in both The suits dovetail withthe ’s launch of “Operation Falsew Charity,” a federal-state effort to help consumerds identify and avoid fraud when it comes to charitable according to the FTC. In one suit filesd Wednesday, the state alleges that Our American Veterans, a Georgia-based organization, and its professional Golden StateMarketing Inc.
, which has offices in New engaged in deceptive solicitations by misleadinbg donors into believing that fundraiserds were calling on behalf of veterans groupxs based in Hingham and Hull and that theifr donations would benefit veterans in those communities. In fact, the donationes were intended for organizations based outof state, said Jill spokeswoman in the Massachusetts attorney general’s The complaint further alleges that the defendantss failed to identify themselves as professional fundraisers, and failes to honor requests to discontinue the solicitation campaign. A preliminar y injunction hearing has been scheduledr forJune 9.
In the second suit, Coakley’s office allegese that Disabled Police Officers CounselingCenter Inc., a Florida-basede charity, and three professionakl fundraisers — Patrick Kane, doing business as the Kane Marketingb Group; Mark Hemphill, doing business as Infiniti Marketing and James Vincent, doing business as Northeast Advertisintg — misled potential donors into believing that the fundraiserzs were volunteers calling on behalf of disablerd police officers based locally, rather than out of The complaint also alleges that the defendants did not disclose theif status as professional fundraisers or the charity’s Floridq address, and did not file fundraising reportsw for their fundraising campaigns, all of whicu are required by law.
A preliminarh injunction hearing has been scheduled in this case forJune 19.
In addition, the suits allege that the professionak solicitors failed to disclose they were paid tosolicit donations. The stat is seeking monetary restitution in both The suits dovetail withthe ’s launch of “Operation Falsew Charity,” a federal-state effort to help consumerds identify and avoid fraud when it comes to charitable according to the FTC. In one suit filesd Wednesday, the state alleges that Our American Veterans, a Georgia-based organization, and its professional Golden StateMarketing Inc.
, which has offices in New engaged in deceptive solicitations by misleadinbg donors into believing that fundraiserds were calling on behalf of veterans groupxs based in Hingham and Hull and that theifr donations would benefit veterans in those communities. In fact, the donationes were intended for organizations based outof state, said Jill spokeswoman in the Massachusetts attorney general’s The complaint further alleges that the defendantss failed to identify themselves as professional fundraisers, and failes to honor requests to discontinue the solicitation campaign. A preliminar y injunction hearing has been scheduledr forJune 9.
In the second suit, Coakley’s office allegese that Disabled Police Officers CounselingCenter Inc., a Florida-basede charity, and three professionakl fundraisers — Patrick Kane, doing business as the Kane Marketingb Group; Mark Hemphill, doing business as Infiniti Marketing and James Vincent, doing business as Northeast Advertisintg — misled potential donors into believing that the fundraiserzs were volunteers calling on behalf of disablerd police officers based locally, rather than out of The complaint also alleges that the defendants did not disclose theif status as professional fundraisers or the charity’s Floridq address, and did not file fundraising reportsw for their fundraising campaigns, all of whicu are required by law.
A preliminarh injunction hearing has been scheduled in this case forJune 19.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Planning process delays Lucile Packard hospital rebuild - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
http://www.hgllc.com/hgllc/about.htm
CEO Christopher Dawes said delays in winning entitlements from the city of Palo Alto are likelu to add at least a year or two toLucile Packard’ s timetable. As a result, its estimate d $1 billion expansion project is likely to becompletwe “more realistically” in 2015 or rather than 2014. “We have more planning to do, we’re somewhat at the mercy of the city of Palo Dawes said, indicating he’s hopinv to complete the entitlement process within the next few and definitely by year end.
In a Palo Alto City Council study session lookinginto Stanford’s projects came up with a “wisg list of 58 it might ask the university for, accordinv to the San Jose-Silicon Valley Business Journal. The list includef everything from a newtransit hub, an upstream water-detention basinh for San Francisquito Creek, and 594 housing unitss to free psychiatric services for homeless residents. Some city officiale had concerns aboutthe projects’ impactsa on traffic and housing.
A montu later, Stanford ditched plans to enhance its so it coulr focus on the two hugehospital projects, a move that could cost the city millionsz of dollars in anticipated tax revenue and impactr fees from the shopping center and a planneds 120-room hotel. Steven Turner, a senior city agreed with Dawes that the entitlement proceszs has taken far longer thananyonr anticipated, citing both the need for inputy from various boards, commissions and the public, and changes by including the need to tweak the environmental impact repor t to eliminate references to the now-defunct shoppinbg center expansion, including traffic impacts.
“We were substantially completse with the EIR when the university pulledx theshopping center” Turner said. Evaluating three overlappin g project “just got complex,” said City Council membere Greg Schmid. Stanford Hospitall & Clinics, which alon g with Lucile Packardand Stanford’s School of Medicind makes up , is projecting that its $2.5 billionh expansion and seismic rebuildx project will take until 2015 to two years later than it had hoped. Stanfordr Hospital is adding 824,0000 square feet of space and 144 beds to its existing resulting in a largelynew 600-bex adult hospital and ER.
Luciler Packard, meanwhile, is planning a 520,000-square-foot, 200-bedd addition that will add 100 beds net to itscurrent 260-bede footprint. One hundred current beds will be decommissionedc as it turns shared rooms intoprivate ones. That will include makingf all 51 labor-and-delivery rooms private, versus 25 percentr today. The addition will featurr two 100-bed pavilions to be spliyt about 50-50 between medical-surgicapl and intensive care beds, along with up to sevenh new operating rooms and additional imagingy capabilities andcath labs.
Overall, it might cost less than $1 billiobn to do the upcoming work “if we coulfd put the shovel in thegrounr today,” Dawes said, because Packard could take advantage of steell and other construction costs that have dropped dramatically. “What’as holding us back is the he said. Turner, meanwhile, said the city “wants to make the best possibles decision. We want to get it righft the first time.
”
CEO Christopher Dawes said delays in winning entitlements from the city of Palo Alto are likelu to add at least a year or two toLucile Packard’ s timetable. As a result, its estimate d $1 billion expansion project is likely to becompletwe “more realistically” in 2015 or rather than 2014. “We have more planning to do, we’re somewhat at the mercy of the city of Palo Dawes said, indicating he’s hopinv to complete the entitlement process within the next few and definitely by year end.
In a Palo Alto City Council study session lookinginto Stanford’s projects came up with a “wisg list of 58 it might ask the university for, accordinv to the San Jose-Silicon Valley Business Journal. The list includef everything from a newtransit hub, an upstream water-detention basinh for San Francisquito Creek, and 594 housing unitss to free psychiatric services for homeless residents. Some city officiale had concerns aboutthe projects’ impactsa on traffic and housing.
A montu later, Stanford ditched plans to enhance its so it coulr focus on the two hugehospital projects, a move that could cost the city millionsz of dollars in anticipated tax revenue and impactr fees from the shopping center and a planneds 120-room hotel. Steven Turner, a senior city agreed with Dawes that the entitlement proceszs has taken far longer thananyonr anticipated, citing both the need for inputy from various boards, commissions and the public, and changes by including the need to tweak the environmental impact repor t to eliminate references to the now-defunct shoppinbg center expansion, including traffic impacts.
“We were substantially completse with the EIR when the university pulledx theshopping center” Turner said. Evaluating three overlappin g project “just got complex,” said City Council membere Greg Schmid. Stanford Hospitall & Clinics, which alon g with Lucile Packardand Stanford’s School of Medicind makes up , is projecting that its $2.5 billionh expansion and seismic rebuildx project will take until 2015 to two years later than it had hoped. Stanfordr Hospital is adding 824,0000 square feet of space and 144 beds to its existing resulting in a largelynew 600-bex adult hospital and ER.
Luciler Packard, meanwhile, is planning a 520,000-square-foot, 200-bedd addition that will add 100 beds net to itscurrent 260-bede footprint. One hundred current beds will be decommissionedc as it turns shared rooms intoprivate ones. That will include makingf all 51 labor-and-delivery rooms private, versus 25 percentr today. The addition will featurr two 100-bed pavilions to be spliyt about 50-50 between medical-surgicapl and intensive care beds, along with up to sevenh new operating rooms and additional imagingy capabilities andcath labs.
Overall, it might cost less than $1 billiobn to do the upcoming work “if we coulfd put the shovel in thegrounr today,” Dawes said, because Packard could take advantage of steell and other construction costs that have dropped dramatically. “What’as holding us back is the he said. Turner, meanwhile, said the city “wants to make the best possibles decision. We want to get it righft the first time.
”
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Amazon.com warns N.C. over sales-tax proposal - Nashville Business Journal:
http://gilgonzales.com/real-estate-license.html
The online retail giany says it will end its relationship with affiliatew in the Tar Heel Stats ifthe N.C. legislature follows through on what Amazon callzan “unconstitutional tax collection scheme.” Amazon collects sales tax in only a handful of But many state legislatures, facing severe budge t shortfalls, are seeking to make Amazon collectf sales tax on Web purchases. The legislatureds are looking to define Amazon as having a physicalp presence in theirstates (and thus a responsibilityg to collect sales tax) through locallg based affiliates, who link shopperse to Amazon products in exchange for a cut of N.C. lawmakers are grappling with a budger gap of morethan $4 Gov.
Bev Perdue has called on legislativde leaders tofind $1.5 billion in new revenue. Othet states, following the lead of New have looked at making Amazon collectsalew tax. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is basedf in Seattle. TechFlash is a Web operation createx by the Puget Sound BusinessJournal , a sister publication of the Charlottd Business Journal .
The online retail giany says it will end its relationship with affiliatew in the Tar Heel Stats ifthe N.C. legislature follows through on what Amazon callzan “unconstitutional tax collection scheme.” Amazon collects sales tax in only a handful of But many state legislatures, facing severe budge t shortfalls, are seeking to make Amazon collectf sales tax on Web purchases. The legislatureds are looking to define Amazon as having a physicalp presence in theirstates (and thus a responsibilityg to collect sales tax) through locallg based affiliates, who link shopperse to Amazon products in exchange for a cut of N.C. lawmakers are grappling with a budger gap of morethan $4 Gov.
Bev Perdue has called on legislativde leaders tofind $1.5 billion in new revenue. Othet states, following the lead of New have looked at making Amazon collectsalew tax. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is basedf in Seattle. TechFlash is a Web operation createx by the Puget Sound BusinessJournal , a sister publication of the Charlottd Business Journal .
Monday, October 3, 2011
Joy Global profits rise 67 percent - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
zycibyp.wordpress.com
The Milwaukee-based mining equipment manufacturer now projectxs that its fiscal 2009 sales tobe $3.5 billiom to $3.6 billion, in the lower half of its previous outlool of $3.5 billion to $3.7 Earnings, however, are expected to continue to benefit from cost reduction efforts and are now projecterd to be $3.80 to $4 per in the higher end of the firm's prior guidance of $3.6 to $4 a share. In the fisca second quarter endedMay 1, net income surged to $120.5t million, or $1.17 per a 67 percent increase compared with $72.1 million, or 66 cents per share, for the comparable period a year ago. Net saleds grew 10 percent to $923.5 million from $843.
1 Analysts polled by Thomson First Call projectedeJoy Global's second-quarter earnings to be 89 centws per share, on average. Aftef opening lower, shares of Joy Globall (NASDAQ: JOYG) rebounded to $36.00, up 58 in morning trading Wednesday. Joy Global management said sales were being hurtby $96 million in canceled orderx in the second quarter, raising the total value of canceles orders to $300 million over the past thre quarters. Sales were also beingh hurt by a slowdownh in aftermarketorder rates. Ordere cancellations were concentrated in North American copper andiron ore, U.S. Centraol Appalachian coal and Russian coal.
Joy Global now believea as muchas $525 million of its remaining originak equipment backlog could be at risk as well. Much of that risk is due to uncertaint y with an oilsands project, Joy said. For the year to net income was $206.3 million, or $2 per share, comparedr with $143.2 million, or $1.31 per the year before. Net sales were up $1.68 billio from $1.48 billion.
The Milwaukee-based mining equipment manufacturer now projectxs that its fiscal 2009 sales tobe $3.5 billiom to $3.6 billion, in the lower half of its previous outlool of $3.5 billion to $3.7 Earnings, however, are expected to continue to benefit from cost reduction efforts and are now projecterd to be $3.80 to $4 per in the higher end of the firm's prior guidance of $3.6 to $4 a share. In the fisca second quarter endedMay 1, net income surged to $120.5t million, or $1.17 per a 67 percent increase compared with $72.1 million, or 66 cents per share, for the comparable period a year ago. Net saleds grew 10 percent to $923.5 million from $843.
1 Analysts polled by Thomson First Call projectedeJoy Global's second-quarter earnings to be 89 centws per share, on average. Aftef opening lower, shares of Joy Globall (NASDAQ: JOYG) rebounded to $36.00, up 58 in morning trading Wednesday. Joy Global management said sales were being hurtby $96 million in canceled orderx in the second quarter, raising the total value of canceles orders to $300 million over the past thre quarters. Sales were also beingh hurt by a slowdownh in aftermarketorder rates. Ordere cancellations were concentrated in North American copper andiron ore, U.S. Centraol Appalachian coal and Russian coal.
Joy Global now believea as muchas $525 million of its remaining originak equipment backlog could be at risk as well. Much of that risk is due to uncertaint y with an oilsands project, Joy said. For the year to net income was $206.3 million, or $2 per share, comparedr with $143.2 million, or $1.31 per the year before. Net sales were up $1.68 billio from $1.48 billion.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Community plays important role in improving state
asozyrab.wordpress.com
• About 21 percent of men of work-forcer age in Kentucky are • Kentucky ranks 35th on the nationaleducatio index. • Twenty-five percent of third-grade students in Kentuckuy are notreading proficiently, and that number increases to 30 percent by the fourtj grade. • Nearly 26 percent of adults in Kentucky have less than a highschool education, compared with 19.6 percen nationally. • Kentucky women in the 24-to-354 age bracket are 7 percent more likelty to finish high schoolthan men. In a recenft book entitled, “A Time to Fight: Reclaimingv a Fair and Just America,” Virginia Sen.
Jim Webb provide s one of many explanations given over the years as to why we possessd such a dismal recordin education. He relatea a story set in an arts and craftds fairin Washington, D.C., when a potential buyet quizzed the Appalachian craftswoman: “Is your work being sold in a co-op or anything?” The womabn replied: “No, we don’tg do that sort of thing where I’m from. We’rwe not very cooperative.” His point is that the ruggedx individual persona within us is part ofour DNA. Or, as Davidx Matthews of the pointed out tome once, Kentuckuy has many entities and individuals working on but they do not work togethefr to produce measurable results!
And so, that is our culturaol heritage — not entirely bad, and it certainly showsz our grit and gumption. Our early settlerws were the first immigrant groups to bypass citiez and go directly to the and our survival skills are ourintellect unmatched. Kentuckianes are resilient, intelligent and tied to locap culture, community and land — all admirabl e qualities. So in the 21st century, how do we turn this picturde into one of success and not oflost opportunity?
We do it by recognizing that opportunituy knocks and that the door will be open for only a We must strategically place the tools and resourcew where they will make the most We take those formidable skills we recognize the challenges we face and determine to go againsg the grain and unite to figh t for the future of our childrenh and grandchildren and the other children in our communit who must have advocates. Why only a moment of opportunity?
In a worlcd in which change was punctuated by the financiaol collapse oflast October, we note that the worlsd is in the process of transformation and has yet to find its As the recession has grown more global in scope, it also has growhn more local in Call it what we may — new the conceptual age — the thoughrt abounds: We have high expectations for our communitiea that local culture and warm nurturing places will win the day. has identifie 12 Principles of Community which determine the future of communitiesd byencouraging citizenship.
A reviewe of the principles shows that we could not have been more prescien t than with ourfour P’s: perspectivs and where we stand in the worlfd is critical; the investment in place and uniquenesds is key; prosperity will be defined by small scale operations; and, finally, it is firs t and foremost about people and enhancingy their strengths. An educated citizenry is key to the pursuances of prosperity in quality of lifeand jobs. Kentuckuy has great people and an abundanceof small, nurturint communities in which to make investments. An important element of this equatiob will be the connection of local electef leadership tothis effort.
Too often, our non-cooperativ e nature has resulted in leaving out important andinfluentialk groups. Many of our elected officials alreadh have recognized the importance of education to the future oftheire communities. For example, Mayor Glenn Caldwelpl championed the cause tohave ’s Granyt County campus located in Williamstown’s City Hall. And Marion County and the city of Lebanon have jointl supported a campaign to increase the publicschool tax.
We need to tell their stories as we fan acrose the state to start no less than a movementg toclaim Kentucky’s rightfupl position as a state that is compassionate for its We must be determined to recognize the growing importancre of local community and culture and seize the opportunity once and for all for our futurr and that of our
• About 21 percent of men of work-forcer age in Kentucky are • Kentucky ranks 35th on the nationaleducatio index. • Twenty-five percent of third-grade students in Kentuckuy are notreading proficiently, and that number increases to 30 percent by the fourtj grade. • Nearly 26 percent of adults in Kentucky have less than a highschool education, compared with 19.6 percen nationally. • Kentucky women in the 24-to-354 age bracket are 7 percent more likelty to finish high schoolthan men. In a recenft book entitled, “A Time to Fight: Reclaimingv a Fair and Just America,” Virginia Sen.
Jim Webb provide s one of many explanations given over the years as to why we possessd such a dismal recordin education. He relatea a story set in an arts and craftds fairin Washington, D.C., when a potential buyet quizzed the Appalachian craftswoman: “Is your work being sold in a co-op or anything?” The womabn replied: “No, we don’tg do that sort of thing where I’m from. We’rwe not very cooperative.” His point is that the ruggedx individual persona within us is part ofour DNA. Or, as Davidx Matthews of the pointed out tome once, Kentuckuy has many entities and individuals working on but they do not work togethefr to produce measurable results!
And so, that is our culturaol heritage — not entirely bad, and it certainly showsz our grit and gumption. Our early settlerws were the first immigrant groups to bypass citiez and go directly to the and our survival skills are ourintellect unmatched. Kentuckianes are resilient, intelligent and tied to locap culture, community and land — all admirabl e qualities. So in the 21st century, how do we turn this picturde into one of success and not oflost opportunity?
We do it by recognizing that opportunituy knocks and that the door will be open for only a We must strategically place the tools and resourcew where they will make the most We take those formidable skills we recognize the challenges we face and determine to go againsg the grain and unite to figh t for the future of our childrenh and grandchildren and the other children in our communit who must have advocates. Why only a moment of opportunity?
In a worlcd in which change was punctuated by the financiaol collapse oflast October, we note that the worlsd is in the process of transformation and has yet to find its As the recession has grown more global in scope, it also has growhn more local in Call it what we may — new the conceptual age — the thoughrt abounds: We have high expectations for our communitiea that local culture and warm nurturing places will win the day. has identifie 12 Principles of Community which determine the future of communitiesd byencouraging citizenship.
A reviewe of the principles shows that we could not have been more prescien t than with ourfour P’s: perspectivs and where we stand in the worlfd is critical; the investment in place and uniquenesds is key; prosperity will be defined by small scale operations; and, finally, it is firs t and foremost about people and enhancingy their strengths. An educated citizenry is key to the pursuances of prosperity in quality of lifeand jobs. Kentuckuy has great people and an abundanceof small, nurturint communities in which to make investments. An important element of this equatiob will be the connection of local electef leadership tothis effort.
Too often, our non-cooperativ e nature has resulted in leaving out important andinfluentialk groups. Many of our elected officials alreadh have recognized the importance of education to the future oftheire communities. For example, Mayor Glenn Caldwelpl championed the cause tohave ’s Granyt County campus located in Williamstown’s City Hall. And Marion County and the city of Lebanon have jointl supported a campaign to increase the publicschool tax.
We need to tell their stories as we fan acrose the state to start no less than a movementg toclaim Kentucky’s rightfupl position as a state that is compassionate for its We must be determined to recognize the growing importancre of local community and culture and seize the opportunity once and for all for our futurr and that of our
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Purdue QB a calming influence in huddle - Journal and Courier
ejyceh.wordpress.com
Purdue QB a calming influence in huddle Journal and Courier Purdue quarterback Caleb TerBush scrambles in the second half against Rice. (By Thomas Campbell/US Presswire) You can't question the composure of Caleb TerBush. Facing two pressure-packed situations in his first two games as a starter, Purdue's No. ... |
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Senior citizens attracted to campus settings - Middletown Journal
ivyhofy.wordpress.com
Senior citizens attracted to campus settings Middletown Journal MIDDLETOWN â€" A clock-towered Town Hall building is at the center of a 13-acre senior housing community on the campus of Lasell College in Newton, Mass. Its residents have access to art ... |
Sunday, September 25, 2011
LSI wins major contract; will buy ADL Technology - Dallas Business Journal:
Whirlpool Refrigerators
Blue Ash-based LSI also has picked up a contract, worthh $22 million to $23 million, to upgrade the lightingg for a national chain of gas statiobnconvenience stores, according to a news The news sent sharees of LSI (NASDAQ: LYTS) up more than 14 or 70 cents, to $5.52 in Tuesday afternoon trading. ADL'se circuit boards and assemblies are used in applicationsz that include LED an area where LSI has been tryinto expand. LSI purchased Montreal-based LSI Saco a designer of LED in 2006. The contract with the retail chain, whichn LSI did not identify, involves upgrading site and security lighting withLED technology.
The initia l phase involves the conversioj of morethan 1,100 stores, LSI with additional work possiblew in fiscal 2010 and 2011. “These are two very positivr developments forLSI Industries,” said Robert Ready, presiden and CEO in the “Very clearly, the interest and momentum in LED-base d lighting solutions is growing rapidly.” LSI manufactures and markets indootr and outdoor lighting and graphics in North and Soutnh America, Asia, Australia, New Zealandc and Europe.
Blue Ash-based LSI also has picked up a contract, worthh $22 million to $23 million, to upgrade the lightingg for a national chain of gas statiobnconvenience stores, according to a news The news sent sharees of LSI (NASDAQ: LYTS) up more than 14 or 70 cents, to $5.52 in Tuesday afternoon trading. ADL'se circuit boards and assemblies are used in applicationsz that include LED an area where LSI has been tryinto expand. LSI purchased Montreal-based LSI Saco a designer of LED in 2006. The contract with the retail chain, whichn LSI did not identify, involves upgrading site and security lighting withLED technology.
The initia l phase involves the conversioj of morethan 1,100 stores, LSI with additional work possiblew in fiscal 2010 and 2011. “These are two very positivr developments forLSI Industries,” said Robert Ready, presiden and CEO in the “Very clearly, the interest and momentum in LED-base d lighting solutions is growing rapidly.” LSI manufactures and markets indootr and outdoor lighting and graphics in North and Soutnh America, Asia, Australia, New Zealandc and Europe.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Genetic Links Seen Between Bipolar Illness and Schizophrenia - Doctors Lounge
opexibu.wordpress.com
Asian Scientist Magazine | Genetic Links Seen Between Bipolar Illness and Schizophrenia Doctors Lounge 22 (HealthDay News) -- There is a genetic link between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, two common and often disabling brain disorders, a new study indicates. Researchers identified 11 genetic regions, including six that had never been discovered ... Scientists Find Common Genetic Loci For Schizophrenia & Bipolar Disorder DNA variants linked to schizophrenia, bipolar Large study finds genetic 'overlap' between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder |
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Lampe to leave Northern Kentucky Chamber - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
afukakuja.wordpress.com
The chamber said in a news release that Lampwe tendered hisresignation Wednesday. He had served threre years in the governmental and advocacy role on behalf of NortherbKentucky businesses. “Stan has been a great asset to our stafc and has truly elevated this organizationh when it comes tolegislatives issues,” chamber President Steve Stevens said in the release. “Stan decidedx it was time to move on and pursue personal endeavors closer to his home in Lampe andhis wife, kept their home in Louisville duringh his tenure at the chamber. He had been commutingh from Louisville to Fort Mitchell and to Frankfort duringlegislativr sessions.
During his time at the chamber, Lampe workecd with federal, state and local representatives on issuea related tothe chamber’s position on transportation projects, taxes, environmentak issues and education policy. He also was host of the Business Focusa segment forthe chamber’s monthlh cable show, “Leading Leading Communities,” on ICN6. “I have truly enjoyefd working with the Northern Kentucky Chamber staff and have a grea t deal of affection for the work thechambee does,” Lampe said in the release. “Thee chamber is truly a five-star organization with five-star members and a five-stare staff.
” Before joining the chamber in Lampe was executive director of communication forthe . Prio to that, he was chief global spokesmahfor (NYSE: ASH).
The chamber said in a news release that Lampwe tendered hisresignation Wednesday. He had served threre years in the governmental and advocacy role on behalf of NortherbKentucky businesses. “Stan has been a great asset to our stafc and has truly elevated this organizationh when it comes tolegislatives issues,” chamber President Steve Stevens said in the release. “Stan decidedx it was time to move on and pursue personal endeavors closer to his home in Lampe andhis wife, kept their home in Louisville duringh his tenure at the chamber. He had been commutingh from Louisville to Fort Mitchell and to Frankfort duringlegislativr sessions.
During his time at the chamber, Lampe workecd with federal, state and local representatives on issuea related tothe chamber’s position on transportation projects, taxes, environmentak issues and education policy. He also was host of the Business Focusa segment forthe chamber’s monthlh cable show, “Leading Leading Communities,” on ICN6. “I have truly enjoyefd working with the Northern Kentucky Chamber staff and have a grea t deal of affection for the work thechambee does,” Lampe said in the release. “Thee chamber is truly a five-star organization with five-star members and a five-stare staff.
” Before joining the chamber in Lampe was executive director of communication forthe . Prio to that, he was chief global spokesmahfor (NYSE: ASH).
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Science CA School District Spends $23M on Solar Panels, Won't Break Even for ... - DailyTech
vypybiza.wordpress.com
DailyTech | Science CA School District Spends $23M on Solar Panels, Won't Break Even for ... DailyTech Interestingly, an email that was sent out before final approval of the loan was granted rightly projected that the company would run out of money by September 2011. Science CA School District Spends $23 M on Solar Panels , Won ' t Break Even. |
Friday, September 16, 2011
CU Buffs' Paul Richardson becomes elite receiver - Denver Post
yzirapogyg.wordpress.com
San Francisco Examiner | CU Buffs' Paul Richardson becomes elite receiver Denver Post Paul Richardson is Mr. Big Play in the Buffaloes' offense after scoring strikes of 66 and 78 yards against California. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post ) BOULDER â€" Junipero Serra High in Gardena, Calif., is your basic dream for any high ... Buffs WR Paul Richardson no longer overlooked CSU secondary faces stiff test Brooks: 'P-Rich' Brings Wealth Of Talent To Buffs |
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Struggling homeowners could get up to $25K from 'hardest hit' loan fund - Chicago Tribune
hustbelogehy1857.blogspot.com
Struggling homeowners could get up to $25K from 'hardest hit' loan fund Chicago Tribune (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) By Mary Ellen Podmolik, Tribune reporter Unemployed and underemployed homeowners in the Chicago area could soon receive up to $25000 in mortgage help under a $345 million feder » |
Monday, September 12, 2011
Shares of Newmont Mining Hesitating? - TradersHuddle.com
haygoodfoafyga1359.blogspot.com
Shares of Newmont Mining Hesitating? TradersHuddle.com New York, September 12th (TradersHuddle.com) - Shares of Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE:NEM) closed the trading day lower by $0.4 or -0.61% from its previous close. Newmont's shares price action formed what is considered to be a doji close, ... |
Friday, September 9, 2011
High water closes parts of Capital Beltway in northern Virginia - Washington Post
http://rhce-linux.net/bbl0151.html
High water closes parts of Capital Beltway in northern Virginia Washington Post High water forced authorities to close the Capital Beltway in both directions Thursday evening where it crosses a stream called Cameron Run and at another location in Fairfax County. National Weather Service meteorologist Heather Sheffield said the ... |
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Williamsville pushes streak to 6 years - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
vlastaowibopaj.blogspot.com
Williamsville is No. 1 in Business Firs t ’s 18th annual rankings of WesternbNew York’s public school It has monopolized firstg place since 2004 -- a six-year for the complete school district rankings. And for separate rankings for each sectioh of WesternNew York. “We’re fortunate in so many says Howard Smith, Williamsville’s superintendent of schools. “When you have a very committe d boardof education, an outstanding staff of teachersw and administrators, a pro-education communitt and hard-working students, that’s quitre the formula for success.
” Williamsville took first place when the rankings debute in 1992, and won again in 1997, 2001 and throughout its 2004-20090 run. It hasn’t finishee lower than third placresince 1995, and has nevet been lower than sixth. Business First analyzed 97 school districts in the eight Western New York based on four yearas of test data compiled by the New York StatreEducation Department. Each district’s rating reflects the collectivw performance of its public elementary, middle and high schools.
• Its 2005-2008u subject scores for math, science and sociapl studies were the best in WesternNew York, accordingh to Business First’s analysisa of test results from fourth grade throug h the senior year of high • Sixty-five percent of Williamsville’s seniorws earned Regents diplomas with advancedd designations in 2008. That’s 22 points abovw the regional average of43 percent. (A student must pass eight Regentsd exams to receive anadvanced diploma.) • It’s the only districyt where more than 57 percent of last year’se graduates achieved superior scores (85 or on Regents exams in English, science, global history and U.S.
• Williamsville’s eighth graders postedr the region’s top scores on statewided testsin English, math, science and social studies. “The othef part of what we do -- all our extracurricula activities suchas music, athletics and clubxs -- don’t show up in the but they have a really positive impacg on student achievement, says Smith. “For example, we have as many music teachers asmath teachers. That makes for well-rounded, committed and those are usuallysuccessful Williamsville’s overall score was pegged at 100 with the marks for all other districtas being calculated from that benchmark.
Nineteenb ended up with scores of 90 or qualifying forBusiness First’s of outstanding schoolk systems. Four districts have made the Honorf Roll every yearsince 1992: Williamsville, Clarence (which rankd second this year), Amherst (third) and Orchardr Park (fifth). Rounding out this year’s top five is No. 4 East which has made 17 Honorf Roll appearances in 18 All but two ofthis year’sz Honor Roll districts also qualified a year ago. The newcomerx are Eden, joining the elite groupo for the first time since andWest Seneca, returning after a 13-year absence.
The latted upswing was nearly a decade inthe making, accordingg to Jean Kovach, superintendent of the West Senecw Central School District. Developing consistent instructional techniquese and identifying the best textbookdtook time, she says, but the effort is paying off. “Our goal is not to teachu to the test, but to teacnh to the state’s standards,” Kovach says. “We’vee spent the last eight yearzs working diligently to alig ourcurriculum -- to make sure that we don’tg repeat ourselves in different years and that each gradw level builds on the one before.
” Fourtee n of this year’s Honor Roll districts are in Erie They range in size from Williamsville, with 10,649 down to Eden, whichj has 1,688. The outlying honorees are considerably smaller, with an averagee enrollment of 1,346. The very smallest is also the top-ratecd district outside of Erie County, No. 6 Alfred-Almond, which has 670 students from kindergarten througbh12th grade. “We’re a very rural distric in theSouthern Tier, but our kids are going into the same marketplacse as everyone else,” says Richard Nicol, Alfred-Almond’s superintendent.
“They’re going to be in competitiom for jobs with kids from placesa like Williamsvilleand Clarence. So they need the very best education we can give Sixteen districts are recipients ofthis year’sz subject awards, signifying that they rank among the 10 leaderds in English/foreign languages, math, science and social studies. Bemus Point, Clarence, East Aurora, Orchard Park and Williamsvillew have made clean sweeps by winning all four for complete lists of subject award Business First has also generatesd a series of specialized rating s to further illuminateeach district’s Among them: Lancaster ranks firsyt for cost-effectiveness, based on a comparison of expenditures and classrookm results.
And tiny Sherman (enrollment: 478) is the biggesf overachiever, determined by matching academidc outcomes againstsocioeconomic conditions. “We may not be rich, but we have stront family values,” says Thomas Schmidt, Sherman’s superintendent. “Our parentsx really care abouttheir children’sz education. There’s something to be said for havinh everyone ina K-12 building, with the strony sense of community that it brings.
”
Williamsville is No. 1 in Business Firs t ’s 18th annual rankings of WesternbNew York’s public school It has monopolized firstg place since 2004 -- a six-year for the complete school district rankings. And for separate rankings for each sectioh of WesternNew York. “We’re fortunate in so many says Howard Smith, Williamsville’s superintendent of schools. “When you have a very committe d boardof education, an outstanding staff of teachersw and administrators, a pro-education communitt and hard-working students, that’s quitre the formula for success.
” Williamsville took first place when the rankings debute in 1992, and won again in 1997, 2001 and throughout its 2004-20090 run. It hasn’t finishee lower than third placresince 1995, and has nevet been lower than sixth. Business First analyzed 97 school districts in the eight Western New York based on four yearas of test data compiled by the New York StatreEducation Department. Each district’s rating reflects the collectivw performance of its public elementary, middle and high schools.
• Its 2005-2008u subject scores for math, science and sociapl studies were the best in WesternNew York, accordingh to Business First’s analysisa of test results from fourth grade throug h the senior year of high • Sixty-five percent of Williamsville’s seniorws earned Regents diplomas with advancedd designations in 2008. That’s 22 points abovw the regional average of43 percent. (A student must pass eight Regentsd exams to receive anadvanced diploma.) • It’s the only districyt where more than 57 percent of last year’se graduates achieved superior scores (85 or on Regents exams in English, science, global history and U.S.
• Williamsville’s eighth graders postedr the region’s top scores on statewided testsin English, math, science and social studies. “The othef part of what we do -- all our extracurricula activities suchas music, athletics and clubxs -- don’t show up in the but they have a really positive impacg on student achievement, says Smith. “For example, we have as many music teachers asmath teachers. That makes for well-rounded, committed and those are usuallysuccessful Williamsville’s overall score was pegged at 100 with the marks for all other districtas being calculated from that benchmark.
Nineteenb ended up with scores of 90 or qualifying forBusiness First’s of outstanding schoolk systems. Four districts have made the Honorf Roll every yearsince 1992: Williamsville, Clarence (which rankd second this year), Amherst (third) and Orchardr Park (fifth). Rounding out this year’s top five is No. 4 East which has made 17 Honorf Roll appearances in 18 All but two ofthis year’sz Honor Roll districts also qualified a year ago. The newcomerx are Eden, joining the elite groupo for the first time since andWest Seneca, returning after a 13-year absence.
The latted upswing was nearly a decade inthe making, accordingg to Jean Kovach, superintendent of the West Senecw Central School District. Developing consistent instructional techniquese and identifying the best textbookdtook time, she says, but the effort is paying off. “Our goal is not to teachu to the test, but to teacnh to the state’s standards,” Kovach says. “We’vee spent the last eight yearzs working diligently to alig ourcurriculum -- to make sure that we don’tg repeat ourselves in different years and that each gradw level builds on the one before.
” Fourtee n of this year’s Honor Roll districts are in Erie They range in size from Williamsville, with 10,649 down to Eden, whichj has 1,688. The outlying honorees are considerably smaller, with an averagee enrollment of 1,346. The very smallest is also the top-ratecd district outside of Erie County, No. 6 Alfred-Almond, which has 670 students from kindergarten througbh12th grade. “We’re a very rural distric in theSouthern Tier, but our kids are going into the same marketplacse as everyone else,” says Richard Nicol, Alfred-Almond’s superintendent.
“They’re going to be in competitiom for jobs with kids from placesa like Williamsvilleand Clarence. So they need the very best education we can give Sixteen districts are recipients ofthis year’sz subject awards, signifying that they rank among the 10 leaderds in English/foreign languages, math, science and social studies. Bemus Point, Clarence, East Aurora, Orchard Park and Williamsvillew have made clean sweeps by winning all four for complete lists of subject award Business First has also generatesd a series of specialized rating s to further illuminateeach district’s Among them: Lancaster ranks firsyt for cost-effectiveness, based on a comparison of expenditures and classrookm results.
And tiny Sherman (enrollment: 478) is the biggesf overachiever, determined by matching academidc outcomes againstsocioeconomic conditions. “We may not be rich, but we have stront family values,” says Thomas Schmidt, Sherman’s superintendent. “Our parentsx really care abouttheir children’sz education. There’s something to be said for havinh everyone ina K-12 building, with the strony sense of community that it brings.
”
Monday, September 5, 2011
Obama
http://offersegypt.com/blog/start/20/
In an address, he noted that cyberd crime costAmericans $8 billionj last year, according to one and that intellectual property theft worldwide in 2008 cost businessee up to $1 trillion while an estimated $132 billionb was spent through e-commerce. “America’s economic prosperith in the 21st century will dependon cybersecurity,” Obams said. “And this is also a mattedr of public safety andnational security. We count on compute r networks to deliver our oiland gas, our power and our We rely on them for public transportation and air traffix control.
Yet we know that cyber intruderss have probed our electrical grid and that in othedr countries cyber attacks have plungexd entire citiesinto darkness... “For all these it’s now clear this cyber threat is one of the most serioue economic and national security challenged we face asa nation,” the president “It’s also clear that we’re not as preparex as we should be, as a government or as a Ed Mueller, CEO and chairman of Denver-based , issued a supportive statement in response to Obama’s address.
Muelle is the current chairman ofthe president’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committewe (NSTAC), an organization of 30 chief executives from majo r telecoms, technology, finance and aerospace companies that advises the governmentt on ensuring telecommunications infrastructure meets national security and emergency preparednessd needs. “President Obama and his administration have taken an important firstt step toward creating a safe cyber environment by releasinhthe 60-day Cyberspace Policy Review.
Throughy this initiative, the president is supporting the valuew of civil liberties andprotectee privacy, as well as promoting economiv growth, while enhancing the trustworthinessa of the global cyberspace. “Qwest has long supportedc the ongoing federal government focus oncyber security. We have workeds actively with the government and industry on issuess associated with protecting our networks and the informationj that flowsthrough them.
This collaborative approach will continus to be necessary to ensure thatthe administration’sa goals of leadership, education, shareed responsibility, effective response, and continued innovationh in the cyber security arena are meaningful and actionable. “Qwes and other members of NSTA C provided recommendations on numerous subjectz included in the CyberspacePolicyt Review. We appreciate the Obama administration’sa interest in seeking NSTAC’s input on nationap security and emergencypreparednessd matters, and we look forwarrd to continuing our work to enhanc this important public-private partnership.
”
In an address, he noted that cyberd crime costAmericans $8 billionj last year, according to one and that intellectual property theft worldwide in 2008 cost businessee up to $1 trillion while an estimated $132 billionb was spent through e-commerce. “America’s economic prosperith in the 21st century will dependon cybersecurity,” Obams said. “And this is also a mattedr of public safety andnational security. We count on compute r networks to deliver our oiland gas, our power and our We rely on them for public transportation and air traffix control.
Yet we know that cyber intruderss have probed our electrical grid and that in othedr countries cyber attacks have plungexd entire citiesinto darkness... “For all these it’s now clear this cyber threat is one of the most serioue economic and national security challenged we face asa nation,” the president “It’s also clear that we’re not as preparex as we should be, as a government or as a Ed Mueller, CEO and chairman of Denver-based , issued a supportive statement in response to Obama’s address.
Muelle is the current chairman ofthe president’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committewe (NSTAC), an organization of 30 chief executives from majo r telecoms, technology, finance and aerospace companies that advises the governmentt on ensuring telecommunications infrastructure meets national security and emergency preparednessd needs. “President Obama and his administration have taken an important firstt step toward creating a safe cyber environment by releasinhthe 60-day Cyberspace Policy Review.
Throughy this initiative, the president is supporting the valuew of civil liberties andprotectee privacy, as well as promoting economiv growth, while enhancing the trustworthinessa of the global cyberspace. “Qwest has long supportedc the ongoing federal government focus oncyber security. We have workeds actively with the government and industry on issuess associated with protecting our networks and the informationj that flowsthrough them.
This collaborative approach will continus to be necessary to ensure thatthe administration’sa goals of leadership, education, shareed responsibility, effective response, and continued innovationh in the cyber security arena are meaningful and actionable. “Qwes and other members of NSTA C provided recommendations on numerous subjectz included in the CyberspacePolicyt Review. We appreciate the Obama administration’sa interest in seeking NSTAC’s input on nationap security and emergencypreparednessd matters, and we look forwarrd to continuing our work to enhanc this important public-private partnership.
”
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