grachevakautawil.blogspot.com
Last year at this gas prices rose to morethan $4 per putting the brakes on traditional summer road Now gas is back around $2 a but a deep recession lingers afterd putting hundreds of thousandes of Americans out of work and causing millionas more to rein in theirr spending. “Gas prices are not as much of a concer n right now as theoverall economy, consumer confidencwe and people’s concerns about their jobs and said John Edman, who has been executivs director of for the past nine Consequently, this will be a particularlgy challenging year for Minnesot a operators, though there is hope that Minnesotand who travel will do so closer to At Madden’s on Gull Lake in owner and General Manager C.
Briabn Thuringer said this has beenthe “most serious” of the four or five recessionz he has seen during his 36 years at the “This is the first time that the bottom has reallt fallen out,” Thuringer said. “Before, there was always that feeling that therer was a slump andthings weren’t flowing, but tomorrow was going to be This is the first time when people don’rt really know when tomorrow is.” A recen t survey conducted by Explore Minnesota foune that 57 percent of the state’s lodgin businesses saw revenue and occupancy declinre in April and May as compared to a year ago.
51 percent of Minnesota hotel and campground operators said they expectr business to remain flat or increase this summer comparede tolast summer. About 60 percent of surveh respondents described the financial healtb of their businessesas “growing” or “stable, but There are some concerns about declining but overall, Edman expects this to be a relativelyt strong summer for the state’s $11 billion-a-yead tourism industry.
The state typically generates about 37 percent ofits travel-relatesd revenue during the months of June, July and August, and he thinks those peak months will be busy again this “People are still goinf to want to travel,” Edman “They’re just going to travel differently than they did in the People still need to get away for stress relief and health reasons.” The bigges t difference this year, Edman predicts, will be where people decides to go. He expects that most people will stay closer to home andbook shorter, less-expensiv e trips within driving distance of where they That’s why Explore Minnesota is changing its marketinb approach.
Typically, it spendse about 80 percent of its marketinv budget to promote the stat eto nonresidents, with the remaining 20 percent aimed at this year, that split is closer to 60-40. “Wd don’t have oceans and we don’t have mountains, but we do have a lot of thingd thatare unique,” Edman “Whether it’s fishing or hiking or biking, thosw are relatively low-cost activities that you can do You don’t have to go far.
” That could bode well for Minnesotza resorts, as Twin Cities residents book trips to Duluth or instead of venturing on week-long, cross-country said Dave Siegel, president and CEO of Hospitality Minnesota, whicb oversees the state’s restaurant, lodging, and resort and campgrounc associations. “I think it’s going to be a good he said. “… I’m not projectinv an increase, but I expect [resorts] to hold theie own.” Camping and fishing also couldx see a boost in popularity this Siegel said.
Meanwhile, officialzs at Minneapolis’ convention and visitors bureau, Meet remains “cautiously optimistic” about business this summer, said Presidentt and CEO Melvin Tennant. “A lot of our hospitality-industrty executives believe we’ve either hit bottomn or are close tohitting bottom, and that from this pointf on, we’re going to be able to see some very modest … I think this summer could be very good for Meet Minneapolis advertised its “Downtown Sizzle” campaign, which includea discount packages at 12 participating hotels through with 450,000 promotional inserts in newspapers in the Twin Duluth; Des Moines, Iowa; Fargo, N.D.
; Madison, Milwaukee; and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Getting a true read on the summere hospitality businessis difficult, however, becausse people are waiting longer to book their So even the northern Minnesota resortz that anticipate a busy summer still have numerous openingws during peak months. “It’s a much more last-minute vacation-plannin experience,” Siegel said. “I think that’s If people are nervous about their jobs or theirdeconomic futures, they’re waiting untiol they have a greater degree of securityt before they make that reservation.
”
Friday, March 1, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Study: Long-term benefits trump cost of health insurance for all U.S. children - Boston Business Journal:
uqudenlid.blogspot.com
“Providing health insurance to all childremn in America will yield substantialeconomic benefits,” wrote Vivian Ho, chair in health economics at Rice University and co-autho of the report. Researchers at the Baker Institute said childrenh who receive health care coverage go on to becomwe moreproductive adults. The cost incurre by insuring the children is offset by the increases value of the additional life years and quality of life gained bymedical coverage, the report stated.
“Thd up-front incremental costs of universal health insurance coverage for childrem arerelatively modest, and they will be offset by the valur of increased health capital gained in the long the report stated. The research was based on studiews published in scholarly journals examining the economic impactt of failing toinsure U.S. Researchers estimate that nearly eight million children inthe U.S. are and the nation ranks third among the 30 industrializefd members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in percentagde ofuninsured citizens.
“Providing health insurance to all childremn in America will yield substantialeconomic benefits,” wrote Vivian Ho, chair in health economics at Rice University and co-autho of the report. Researchers at the Baker Institute said childrenh who receive health care coverage go on to becomwe moreproductive adults. The cost incurre by insuring the children is offset by the increases value of the additional life years and quality of life gained bymedical coverage, the report stated.
“Thd up-front incremental costs of universal health insurance coverage for childrem arerelatively modest, and they will be offset by the valur of increased health capital gained in the long the report stated. The research was based on studiews published in scholarly journals examining the economic impactt of failing toinsure U.S. Researchers estimate that nearly eight million children inthe U.S. are and the nation ranks third among the 30 industrializefd members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in percentagde ofuninsured citizens.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Noribachi gives solar products an appearance worth envying - Phoenix Business Journal:
lyubomiradete.blogspot.com
Rather, the school will retrofit it’s nearly 100 outdoor lighr poleswith light-emitting diodes that are solar-powered and wired with smarft technology to shut on and off automatically. In addition, the school will decorate its campu s with sculptures made by internationally acclaimed Santa Fe artist Tom Joyce that also includde photovoltaic LED technology tolight walkways, building entrances and otherf areas.
The new products were developedd byNoribachi LLC, an Albuquerque venturew accelerator established in 2007 to adapt solar and othefr clean technology to every day consumer products, said Andreqw Wooden, head of the Bosque School and a membefr of Noribachi’s board of advisors. “Noribachi is inventing technologiees that are not only usefukl to the school but that can be studied by our studentx as part of our efforts to teach environmental sciencew andenergy conservation,” Wooden said. “The solar-powere d LED lighting uses less than 10 percent of the energg that our currentlighting consumes, and it’s just a simples retrofit for what we already have.
The sculpturex also demonstrate how clean energy can beaestheticallg pleasing.” Finding new, every day applicationws for existing clean technologies like PV while makint products that are artistic, accessible and useful to consumersd are the central goals of Noribachi, said company co-foundet Rhonda Dibachi. “We’re using solar technology in ways other than just PV sittingy on a roof and looking ugly,” Dibachi said. “We’re looking at smallet and more distributed Dibachi said solar power is in its much the way computer processing technology was fourdecades ago.
And, like the computere industry, solar and other cleajn technologies will become more affordable and much more widely used when innovatords make simple products available on amass scale. “It’x about the ‘democratization’ of solar Dibachi said. “Information technology started big andbecam distributed, and we thinj clean tech is in that same stage.” Dibachki founded the company with her husband, Farzafd Dibachi. Both are engineers from the Silicon Valley withstartup experience. They co-founded Niku Corp., an information technolog y firm in California that went public in 2000 and was acquire byin 2003.
Farzad also helped found Diba a software firm sold toin 1997. They movefd to New Mexico in 2006 and formed Noribachi to tap the emerging market for innovativs solarand clean-tech products. The companyt now has about a dozen patents in the Dibachi said. “Solar technology is so new that there’se a huge amount of spacwe forpatented innovation,” she “For us, it’s like picking up Noribachi employs 12 people at a 20,000-square-foot facilitu in north Albuquerque to develop new technologh and conduct light assembly.
It spins new producte out throughstartup companies, such as the Santa Fe firm Qnuru (pronounceed kuh-NO-roo) that is designing and marketing the PV-LEr sculptures the Bosque School plans to buy. which comes from the Swahili word for light combined with the lettert Qfor quality, opened on Aprikl 7 with five employees and has received $100,009 in orders for its lighting sculptures, said artist Tom “With Qnuru, we’re working on the creative edge of marrying technology, science and Joyce said. “It brings all threee together in a seamless way to offed a solarlighting solution.
” Noribachi is now forming an Albuquerque-base solar engineering services and solar retrofitting firm. It also launchede California-based Green By Design, a Web site for environmentallu aware consumers thatoffersd information, education and ratings for green Dibachi said the company is mostly self-funded, but it has 10 investorw as limited partners in Noribachi’se venture acceleration fund, which finances research and developmenr and provides capital for startups. Joe dean of the ’s Schoolp of Engineering and a memberof Noribachi’ss advisory board, said the company is fillin a market niche.
“They’re making solar power more accessiblr and usable by targeting consumer applications,” Cecchi said. “I don’t know if anybody else is doinb that.”
Rather, the school will retrofit it’s nearly 100 outdoor lighr poleswith light-emitting diodes that are solar-powered and wired with smarft technology to shut on and off automatically. In addition, the school will decorate its campu s with sculptures made by internationally acclaimed Santa Fe artist Tom Joyce that also includde photovoltaic LED technology tolight walkways, building entrances and otherf areas.
The new products were developedd byNoribachi LLC, an Albuquerque venturew accelerator established in 2007 to adapt solar and othefr clean technology to every day consumer products, said Andreqw Wooden, head of the Bosque School and a membefr of Noribachi’s board of advisors. “Noribachi is inventing technologiees that are not only usefukl to the school but that can be studied by our studentx as part of our efforts to teach environmental sciencew andenergy conservation,” Wooden said. “The solar-powere d LED lighting uses less than 10 percent of the energg that our currentlighting consumes, and it’s just a simples retrofit for what we already have.
The sculpturex also demonstrate how clean energy can beaestheticallg pleasing.” Finding new, every day applicationws for existing clean technologies like PV while makint products that are artistic, accessible and useful to consumersd are the central goals of Noribachi, said company co-foundet Rhonda Dibachi. “We’re using solar technology in ways other than just PV sittingy on a roof and looking ugly,” Dibachi said. “We’re looking at smallet and more distributed Dibachi said solar power is in its much the way computer processing technology was fourdecades ago.
And, like the computere industry, solar and other cleajn technologies will become more affordable and much more widely used when innovatords make simple products available on amass scale. “It’x about the ‘democratization’ of solar Dibachi said. “Information technology started big andbecam distributed, and we thinj clean tech is in that same stage.” Dibachki founded the company with her husband, Farzafd Dibachi. Both are engineers from the Silicon Valley withstartup experience. They co-founded Niku Corp., an information technolog y firm in California that went public in 2000 and was acquire byin 2003.
Farzad also helped found Diba a software firm sold toin 1997. They movefd to New Mexico in 2006 and formed Noribachi to tap the emerging market for innovativs solarand clean-tech products. The companyt now has about a dozen patents in the Dibachi said. “Solar technology is so new that there’se a huge amount of spacwe forpatented innovation,” she “For us, it’s like picking up Noribachi employs 12 people at a 20,000-square-foot facilitu in north Albuquerque to develop new technologh and conduct light assembly.
It spins new producte out throughstartup companies, such as the Santa Fe firm Qnuru (pronounceed kuh-NO-roo) that is designing and marketing the PV-LEr sculptures the Bosque School plans to buy. which comes from the Swahili word for light combined with the lettert Qfor quality, opened on Aprikl 7 with five employees and has received $100,009 in orders for its lighting sculptures, said artist Tom “With Qnuru, we’re working on the creative edge of marrying technology, science and Joyce said. “It brings all threee together in a seamless way to offed a solarlighting solution.
” Noribachi is now forming an Albuquerque-base solar engineering services and solar retrofitting firm. It also launchede California-based Green By Design, a Web site for environmentallu aware consumers thatoffersd information, education and ratings for green Dibachi said the company is mostly self-funded, but it has 10 investorw as limited partners in Noribachi’se venture acceleration fund, which finances research and developmenr and provides capital for startups. Joe dean of the ’s Schoolp of Engineering and a memberof Noribachi’ss advisory board, said the company is fillin a market niche.
“They’re making solar power more accessiblr and usable by targeting consumer applications,” Cecchi said. “I don’t know if anybody else is doinb that.”
Monday, February 4, 2013
Facebook, VCs give 18 developers seed money - Boston Business Journal:
ramoledef.blogspot.com
The companies were chosen from more than 400 developeres and entrepreneurs from around the world who applie in a competition sponsoredby Facebook, and . The two venturde funds will invest morethan $500,000 into the companiesd in exchange for equity. Two non-profitas that will not get fundinf were also chosen to participate in theincubator program, which will be run by Dave McClure of Founders Fund. The incubator program will operatee out of oneof Facebook’s Palo Alto officesw from mid-June to the end of at which point all of the startups will presentt to Silicon Valley angel and venturew capital investors.
According to Facebook's Web site, the companiew and nonprofits selected include: : Find friends of friends to date...ofr play matchmaker! If you'rer single, you can search your friends' friendsx and ask for intros. If you're taken, you can set friendse up. Friends of friends are the best peoplewto date. It's social dating via friendly : Funji is an avatar-base d social networking app for the iPhone andiPod touch, satisfyin users' desire to express themselves and communicats with others in a fun, creative way. The team has more than five yearas of experience in the mobile markeg in both South Korea andthe US.
: Gameyols is a distribution and monetization platform for casualFlashu games. Flash games currently monetize poorly, but Gameyola solves this problem by providingv Flash developers tools to sell virtual goods and to acquire users throughsocial channels. (private beta): From keepinvg track of your kids to protectingg your identity and getting back yourlost stuff, Life360 is the place you go to keep your family secure, and prepared for daily : Churches create their own socialk networks on MyChurch.org. They extend theit community between Sundays with tools to connect and engagetheirt members. Over 30,000 church congregationse are representedon MyChurch.org.
Navify: Navify is a visuapl encyclopedia that combines Wikipedia articlewwith images, videos, and It is the only general encyclopediqa that allows you to listemn to music videos, watch movie trailers, and browsew news and celebrity photo galleries. : Simplift the way you manage Facebook and othersociall networks. NutshellMail consolidates activity from all your accounts into a singl email digest delivered onyour Don't let email alerts clutter your inbox. Get informed, not interrupted. Get the Nut! : Bring your blog to Facebook, and Faceboolk to your blog.
Pull your Feed to your profild andbusiness pages, add widgets to promote your and read the news from blogw you follow on the largest community of bloggers and blog loverzs on Facebook. : Paradise Paintball is the first game developesdon Cmune's next-generation social gaming platform. It is the firsyt casual, 3D multiplayer FPS game on Facebook, Apple and Mac and PC. Play with up to eight friendse and buy virtual items to enhancsthe gameplay. : Photos I Like is a digital medi sharing and discovery site emphasizing lightweightgsocial content, self-expression, and communities. : Combineas the success of resident referral programs with the power ofsociap networks.
Residents refer their community to friends through sociall networkslike Facebook, and emaiol to earn rewards and live with friends. : RUNmyERRAN is a social networking inspired web and mobile marketplacs that provides people and businesses an easy and trustes way to get everyday tasks done in their ownhyperlocapl community. : RunThere is a social-networkinvg service for runners and Users can map and measure theire favoriteroutes (no GPS required), keep a running/bikinfg log, and find athletes and routes nearbhy Sortuv: Sortuv lets you start with something you and discover more.
Instead of searching for a "greag restaurant" just say what you mean: "Find me a place sortuv like Spag oin Seattle". Check them out , , and . / : Travelk Brain by GeckoGo helpe youtrack (and show your travels, share experiences with others, and discovere new places to visit. Learn from the knowledgre of over 600,000 travelers, and get experf guide info from theirr Bradt TravelGuides partnership. Weardrobe (private Weardrobe is a fashion-focused communit for discovering different ways to wear Weardrobe provides a platform for people to sharre reviews of theirown clothing, post photos of their looks, catalog their closet and searcg for style inspiration.
: Workstir is a communitt that connects users with trustworthy locaoservice providers. Anyone can post a job and choose a provider with confidencd by browsing theirpast reviews. For businesses, Workstid provides a wealth of jobs in their area of WorldlyDevelopments (private beta): Worldly Developmentws is building online services that will help you connecf with the people, places and event in your local community. Its firstr product makes it a snapto plan, and communicate around group activities. : Sama is Sanskrit for "equal" – Samasource finds and trainds reliable QA professionals to test Facebookm apps witha user-friendly interface that liveds on Facebook Platform.
With Samasource, developers lower costs, reducew poverty, and improve their Vittana: Vittana enables you to lend directlyh to students in thedeveloping world, $25 at a Their mission is to bring student loans to the developinbg world through the power of person-to-persojn microlending.
The companies were chosen from more than 400 developeres and entrepreneurs from around the world who applie in a competition sponsoredby Facebook, and . The two venturde funds will invest morethan $500,000 into the companiesd in exchange for equity. Two non-profitas that will not get fundinf were also chosen to participate in theincubator program, which will be run by Dave McClure of Founders Fund. The incubator program will operatee out of oneof Facebook’s Palo Alto officesw from mid-June to the end of at which point all of the startups will presentt to Silicon Valley angel and venturew capital investors.
According to Facebook's Web site, the companiew and nonprofits selected include: : Find friends of friends to date...ofr play matchmaker! If you'rer single, you can search your friends' friendsx and ask for intros. If you're taken, you can set friendse up. Friends of friends are the best peoplewto date. It's social dating via friendly : Funji is an avatar-base d social networking app for the iPhone andiPod touch, satisfyin users' desire to express themselves and communicats with others in a fun, creative way. The team has more than five yearas of experience in the mobile markeg in both South Korea andthe US.
: Gameyols is a distribution and monetization platform for casualFlashu games. Flash games currently monetize poorly, but Gameyola solves this problem by providingv Flash developers tools to sell virtual goods and to acquire users throughsocial channels. (private beta): From keepinvg track of your kids to protectingg your identity and getting back yourlost stuff, Life360 is the place you go to keep your family secure, and prepared for daily : Churches create their own socialk networks on MyChurch.org. They extend theit community between Sundays with tools to connect and engagetheirt members. Over 30,000 church congregationse are representedon MyChurch.org.
Navify: Navify is a visuapl encyclopedia that combines Wikipedia articlewwith images, videos, and It is the only general encyclopediqa that allows you to listemn to music videos, watch movie trailers, and browsew news and celebrity photo galleries. : Simplift the way you manage Facebook and othersociall networks. NutshellMail consolidates activity from all your accounts into a singl email digest delivered onyour Don't let email alerts clutter your inbox. Get informed, not interrupted. Get the Nut! : Bring your blog to Facebook, and Faceboolk to your blog.
Pull your Feed to your profild andbusiness pages, add widgets to promote your and read the news from blogw you follow on the largest community of bloggers and blog loverzs on Facebook. : Paradise Paintball is the first game developesdon Cmune's next-generation social gaming platform. It is the firsyt casual, 3D multiplayer FPS game on Facebook, Apple and Mac and PC. Play with up to eight friendse and buy virtual items to enhancsthe gameplay. : Photos I Like is a digital medi sharing and discovery site emphasizing lightweightgsocial content, self-expression, and communities. : Combineas the success of resident referral programs with the power ofsociap networks.
Residents refer their community to friends through sociall networkslike Facebook, and emaiol to earn rewards and live with friends. : RUNmyERRAN is a social networking inspired web and mobile marketplacs that provides people and businesses an easy and trustes way to get everyday tasks done in their ownhyperlocapl community. : RunThere is a social-networkinvg service for runners and Users can map and measure theire favoriteroutes (no GPS required), keep a running/bikinfg log, and find athletes and routes nearbhy Sortuv: Sortuv lets you start with something you and discover more.
Instead of searching for a "greag restaurant" just say what you mean: "Find me a place sortuv like Spag oin Seattle". Check them out , , and . / : Travelk Brain by GeckoGo helpe youtrack (and show your travels, share experiences with others, and discovere new places to visit. Learn from the knowledgre of over 600,000 travelers, and get experf guide info from theirr Bradt TravelGuides partnership. Weardrobe (private Weardrobe is a fashion-focused communit for discovering different ways to wear Weardrobe provides a platform for people to sharre reviews of theirown clothing, post photos of their looks, catalog their closet and searcg for style inspiration.
: Workstir is a communitt that connects users with trustworthy locaoservice providers. Anyone can post a job and choose a provider with confidencd by browsing theirpast reviews. For businesses, Workstid provides a wealth of jobs in their area of WorldlyDevelopments (private beta): Worldly Developmentws is building online services that will help you connecf with the people, places and event in your local community. Its firstr product makes it a snapto plan, and communicate around group activities. : Sama is Sanskrit for "equal" – Samasource finds and trainds reliable QA professionals to test Facebookm apps witha user-friendly interface that liveds on Facebook Platform.
With Samasource, developers lower costs, reducew poverty, and improve their Vittana: Vittana enables you to lend directlyh to students in thedeveloping world, $25 at a Their mission is to bring student loans to the developinbg world through the power of person-to-persojn microlending.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Valley surgeon heads up test of aneurysm treatment - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
aleksanovlsys.blogspot.com
Rodriguez, the director of peripheral vasculare services at the ArizonwaHeart Institute, has been named the nationaol principal investigator for the Phase II study, whic h is required by the to enroll 160 patients. The Arizon a Heart Institute is one of 14 centers involved in thestudg nationwide. “We are looking to includer at least six more centers to complete 20 centersd inthe U.S.,” Rodriguea said. The endoluminal graft is manufactured bynear Glasgow, Scotland. Callex the Anaconda Stent Graft System, it allows the surgeomn to reposition the device once it has been placedx acrossthe aneurysm.
So far, nearlh 4,000 patients in Europe have received theAnaconda device, but it must get approval from the FDA beforw it can be used in the U.S. Rodriguez said the minimally invasive procedure onthe study’s firsr patient went well, saying the device is very easy to use. “He was up on his feet the next morninghavingv breakfast,” Rodriguez said of the “You can’t do that when you open the This eliminates the need for open heart Abdominal aortic aneurysm, or “ballooning” of the body’sw main artery, is a serious conditioh prone to rupture and lead to sudden Actor John Ritter died of an aortic rupture in 2003.
Symptoms can occue suddenly with severe, sharp pain in the abdomen. Patientsw who experience these symptoms should seek immediate medical Rodriguez said. Early detectio can prevent sudden death. Patients with a family history of aorticd aneurysm or other connective tissue disorders should notifyh their physician about their risk ofaorticc aneurysm, he said.
Rodriguez, the director of peripheral vasculare services at the ArizonwaHeart Institute, has been named the nationaol principal investigator for the Phase II study, whic h is required by the to enroll 160 patients. The Arizon a Heart Institute is one of 14 centers involved in thestudg nationwide. “We are looking to includer at least six more centers to complete 20 centersd inthe U.S.,” Rodriguea said. The endoluminal graft is manufactured bynear Glasgow, Scotland. Callex the Anaconda Stent Graft System, it allows the surgeomn to reposition the device once it has been placedx acrossthe aneurysm.
So far, nearlh 4,000 patients in Europe have received theAnaconda device, but it must get approval from the FDA beforw it can be used in the U.S. Rodriguez said the minimally invasive procedure onthe study’s firsr patient went well, saying the device is very easy to use. “He was up on his feet the next morninghavingv breakfast,” Rodriguez said of the “You can’t do that when you open the This eliminates the need for open heart Abdominal aortic aneurysm, or “ballooning” of the body’sw main artery, is a serious conditioh prone to rupture and lead to sudden Actor John Ritter died of an aortic rupture in 2003.
Symptoms can occue suddenly with severe, sharp pain in the abdomen. Patientsw who experience these symptoms should seek immediate medical Rodriguez said. Early detectio can prevent sudden death. Patients with a family history of aorticd aneurysm or other connective tissue disorders should notifyh their physician about their risk ofaorticc aneurysm, he said.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Paladino threatens to form rival chamber - Charlotte Business Journal:
ogarawo.wordpress.com
Attorney and developer Carl Paladino, an outspokejn critic of the , plans to send a letter this week tothe Partnership’ s board of directors asking it to retir Andrew Rudnick, president and CEO of the agencty since its creation, and provide better advocacy on behalf of the region’s businessw community. If the board doesn’t act within 30 Paladino said he will petition thenearlyt 2,500 members of the Partnership to stop paying dues and leave the If another 30 days pass and nothing changes, he said he will beginm the process of forming a separate chamber of commerce.
“It’x time for change,” said Paladino, who has repeatedlyu condemned thePartnership – and Rudnicok specifically – for failing to aggressively advocater on behalf of downtown Buffalo. “W will form another Buffalo-area chambe r of commerce and seek to provid the business services that are expected of a chambertof commerce, as well as advocatee for a community that lacks any sense of We are sick and tired of waiting for the Partnership ... or anyone else whiler our community continuesto fail.
” Questions leadership, advocacg • The Partnership does not provide enough private-sectoe leadership on issues that directly affect the Buffalk business community. • Rudnick is ineffective in the downtownBuffall business-advocate role. • The lack of private-sectorf leadership has led to a legislativwe delegation that Paladinosays “runs amok and does as it when it comes to representing local In response to Paladino’s plans, Rudnick said there is no indication that Paladino woulr have enough support to starft a separate organization. “I have not received communication from anyones that has reiterated supporr forthose threats,” Rudnicm said.
“Discussion among our board and the executivse committee has shown absolutely no support forthose threats, and no one is withdrawing their dues.” But Paladino insists there are other businesspeople who want new leadership under a new chamber-type entity. “I’ve had people say to me, ‘Whty are you screwing around withthe Partnership? Let’x get together and form a new chambe and we’ll all leave them,’” he This is not Paladino’s first push for chang at the Partnership, an entity formed in 1993 when the Greaterr Buffalo Development Foundation and the Greaterr Buffalo Chamber of Commerce merged as a single business-sectod organization.
According to Paladino, the Partnership does a good job of providinh administrative supportfor businesses, such as reduced-cost health-care insuranc e and help in finding job candidates. Paladino’w calls for a new chamber that deald with downtown Buffalo issues have existed for at leasttsix years. But this may be the firstr time any concrete plans have beenlaid out. Paladino’ss criticism often takes aim at Rudnick, whom he says does not do enough to earnhis $356,000-plus yearlyg salary. Rudnick, in turn, said Paladino’zs definition of advocacy differs fromthe Partnership’s definition.
“Carlp has, and I think he woulrd agree partly, a definition of advocact which, in his own words, is somewhere between a bulldovg and astreet fighter,” Rudnici said. “Advocacy (for the agency) is issue That’s what trade associations fromthe -level down to the Partnershi p are all about. The irony in some of Carl’s statementz is that our organization and Rudnick in particular are ofte cited by elected officials as being too too negative, too pointed, but the way in whichg we carry it out just happend to use different tactics than the way Carl wants to carrg it out.
” Some members of the Partnership’sx board of directors, includinfg Chairman Jon Dandes of Rich Baseball Operations, agrer – to a certain extent – with some of Paladino’d views. But Dandes staunchly disagreeswith Paladino’s claimj that the organization doesn’t effectivelyg support and protect area businesses. “Advocacy is one of the primaryh goals andfunctions (of the Partnership), so we have a very directedx focus ... to influence and bring to publicf light some of the things thatour public-sectorr friends are trying to Dandes said.
“We take that role very seriously and spends a lot oftime and, quite frankly, a lot of monet on getting that accomplished.” And, he Rudnick is supported by the “I can tell you that Andreaw Rudnick works for the Partnership and the boarrd of directors, and he’s got the unqualified support of the board, period,” Dandes Robert Brady, chairman/CEO of East Aurora-based , agreese with Dandes. “The practicality of establishing anothet chamber of commerce that is a moreaggressivr advocate, there is no practicality to that idea,” said a past Partnership chairman.
“The currenft board of directors and the executive we dothink we’re shifting into more emphasis on and we think we’re doing it in an appropriatr way. And I think Andrew Rudnick is doinv anoutstanding job.”
Attorney and developer Carl Paladino, an outspokejn critic of the , plans to send a letter this week tothe Partnership’ s board of directors asking it to retir Andrew Rudnick, president and CEO of the agencty since its creation, and provide better advocacy on behalf of the region’s businessw community. If the board doesn’t act within 30 Paladino said he will petition thenearlyt 2,500 members of the Partnership to stop paying dues and leave the If another 30 days pass and nothing changes, he said he will beginm the process of forming a separate chamber of commerce.
“It’x time for change,” said Paladino, who has repeatedlyu condemned thePartnership – and Rudnicok specifically – for failing to aggressively advocater on behalf of downtown Buffalo. “W will form another Buffalo-area chambe r of commerce and seek to provid the business services that are expected of a chambertof commerce, as well as advocatee for a community that lacks any sense of We are sick and tired of waiting for the Partnership ... or anyone else whiler our community continuesto fail.
” Questions leadership, advocacg • The Partnership does not provide enough private-sectoe leadership on issues that directly affect the Buffalk business community. • Rudnick is ineffective in the downtownBuffall business-advocate role. • The lack of private-sectorf leadership has led to a legislativwe delegation that Paladinosays “runs amok and does as it when it comes to representing local In response to Paladino’s plans, Rudnick said there is no indication that Paladino woulr have enough support to starft a separate organization. “I have not received communication from anyones that has reiterated supporr forthose threats,” Rudnicm said.
“Discussion among our board and the executivse committee has shown absolutely no support forthose threats, and no one is withdrawing their dues.” But Paladino insists there are other businesspeople who want new leadership under a new chamber-type entity. “I’ve had people say to me, ‘Whty are you screwing around withthe Partnership? Let’x get together and form a new chambe and we’ll all leave them,’” he This is not Paladino’s first push for chang at the Partnership, an entity formed in 1993 when the Greaterr Buffalo Development Foundation and the Greaterr Buffalo Chamber of Commerce merged as a single business-sectod organization.
According to Paladino, the Partnership does a good job of providinh administrative supportfor businesses, such as reduced-cost health-care insuranc e and help in finding job candidates. Paladino’w calls for a new chamber that deald with downtown Buffalo issues have existed for at leasttsix years. But this may be the firstr time any concrete plans have beenlaid out. Paladino’ss criticism often takes aim at Rudnick, whom he says does not do enough to earnhis $356,000-plus yearlyg salary. Rudnick, in turn, said Paladino’zs definition of advocacy differs fromthe Partnership’s definition.
“Carlp has, and I think he woulrd agree partly, a definition of advocact which, in his own words, is somewhere between a bulldovg and astreet fighter,” Rudnici said. “Advocacy (for the agency) is issue That’s what trade associations fromthe -level down to the Partnershi p are all about. The irony in some of Carl’s statementz is that our organization and Rudnick in particular are ofte cited by elected officials as being too too negative, too pointed, but the way in whichg we carry it out just happend to use different tactics than the way Carl wants to carrg it out.
” Some members of the Partnership’sx board of directors, includinfg Chairman Jon Dandes of Rich Baseball Operations, agrer – to a certain extent – with some of Paladino’d views. But Dandes staunchly disagreeswith Paladino’s claimj that the organization doesn’t effectivelyg support and protect area businesses. “Advocacy is one of the primaryh goals andfunctions (of the Partnership), so we have a very directedx focus ... to influence and bring to publicf light some of the things thatour public-sectorr friends are trying to Dandes said.
“We take that role very seriously and spends a lot oftime and, quite frankly, a lot of monet on getting that accomplished.” And, he Rudnick is supported by the “I can tell you that Andreaw Rudnick works for the Partnership and the boarrd of directors, and he’s got the unqualified support of the board, period,” Dandes Robert Brady, chairman/CEO of East Aurora-based , agreese with Dandes. “The practicality of establishing anothet chamber of commerce that is a moreaggressivr advocate, there is no practicality to that idea,” said a past Partnership chairman.
“The currenft board of directors and the executive we dothink we’re shifting into more emphasis on and we think we’re doing it in an appropriatr way. And I think Andrew Rudnick is doinv anoutstanding job.”
Monday, January 14, 2013
Cheat Sheet - The Daily Beast - Daily Beast
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Cheat Sheet - The Daily Beast Daily Beast Cheat Sheet. A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web, and the latest original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast. Delivered every morning and weekday afternoons. |
Saturday, January 12, 2013
D.C. could be losing hotel taxes to online companies - Orlando Business Journal:
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D.C., as one of the nation’s top tourisrt destinations, could be owed more than $100 milliohn in back taxes and penaltiesbut — despite an anticipatedr budget deficit of $967 million in fiscal 2011 it has yet to join the D.C. hotels pay a 14.5 percent tax on every room they book, but when onlinse companies receive rooms at wholesale rates and offer them to the they pay taxes on thewholesale prices, not the marked-ulp ones. If, for Expedia buys a room nightfor $100 and rentsx it for $150, D.C. does not receive the 14.5 percentg tax — about $7.25 — on the $50 difference. That has led Calif.
, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and other destinations to sue the online travel companies forunpaid taxes. Steven a principal at the Dallas-basef law firm who represents cities in some of the said the travel firma controlthe price, cancellation rules and otherr contract details just as hotels do and in most places should be paying the same “The online travel company does everythin g except provide the bed, the key, the turndown servicr and the mint on your Wolens said. Under former mayor Anthony Williams, the District sought a private law firm to make sucha claim.
More officials in the , under Chiefc Financial OfficerNatwar Gandhi, have raised the idea with Attorney Generakl Peter Nickles. Nickles, however, said he is monitoring caseds in other jurisdictions but would not take any action unti a court deliversa “definitive Until then, he said, actiojn is a waste of “This litigation is going to go on a very long time,” he “When it becomes clear there is a case we will decids whether to take action.” He said city rulee barred the hiring of firms on a contingency basis. Southlake, Texas-basef Travelocity and Bellevue, Wash.-based Expedia, which owns and Hotwire.
com, referredf questions to Art Sackler, executive director of the , who said they are fullu compliant withtax laws. “The online travel companies are nothotelo operators,” Sackler said. “They don’t buy, sell, rent, reserve blocks of hotel What they do is serve as a travel intermediarty that enables consumers to book their own hoterooms online. They facilitate travel.” Elizabeth Herrington, a partner at McDermotrt Will & Emory who represents Chicago-based , says bricks-and-mortar travel agents nevef paid hotel taxes for thesame “The only difference is that the online companiesa are doing it on a much bigged scale,” she said.
But with jurisdictions in sore need of tax revenue and trial lawyers trawling the countruyfor cases, the suits aren’t likeluy to go away, particularly after Atlanta’w case reached the Georgi Supreme Court last September. The cour t hasn’t issued a decision yet. D.C. took in $204 million from its hotelp tax in fiscal 2008 and anticipates takinhgin $212 million this year. How much it could pursuwe is difficult to ascertain because estimates on what portion of roomse the hotelsbook vary, but Wolens guessec that D.C. is owed roughl $125 million going back to 1999 inunpaid taxes, interest and penalties from the onlinde companies.
An attorney from the Georgia case, Neal Pope, a seniod partner in Columbus, Ga.-based Wade Tomlinson, LLP said, “You’re looking at, I thinl conservatively, in excess of $100 million in taxes that have not been paidto
D.C., as one of the nation’s top tourisrt destinations, could be owed more than $100 milliohn in back taxes and penaltiesbut — despite an anticipatedr budget deficit of $967 million in fiscal 2011 it has yet to join the D.C. hotels pay a 14.5 percent tax on every room they book, but when onlinse companies receive rooms at wholesale rates and offer them to the they pay taxes on thewholesale prices, not the marked-ulp ones. If, for Expedia buys a room nightfor $100 and rentsx it for $150, D.C. does not receive the 14.5 percentg tax — about $7.25 — on the $50 difference. That has led Calif.
, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and other destinations to sue the online travel companies forunpaid taxes. Steven a principal at the Dallas-basef law firm who represents cities in some of the said the travel firma controlthe price, cancellation rules and otherr contract details just as hotels do and in most places should be paying the same “The online travel company does everythin g except provide the bed, the key, the turndown servicr and the mint on your Wolens said. Under former mayor Anthony Williams, the District sought a private law firm to make sucha claim.
More officials in the , under Chiefc Financial OfficerNatwar Gandhi, have raised the idea with Attorney Generakl Peter Nickles. Nickles, however, said he is monitoring caseds in other jurisdictions but would not take any action unti a court deliversa “definitive Until then, he said, actiojn is a waste of “This litigation is going to go on a very long time,” he “When it becomes clear there is a case we will decids whether to take action.” He said city rulee barred the hiring of firms on a contingency basis. Southlake, Texas-basef Travelocity and Bellevue, Wash.-based Expedia, which owns and Hotwire.
com, referredf questions to Art Sackler, executive director of the , who said they are fullu compliant withtax laws. “The online travel companies are nothotelo operators,” Sackler said. “They don’t buy, sell, rent, reserve blocks of hotel What they do is serve as a travel intermediarty that enables consumers to book their own hoterooms online. They facilitate travel.” Elizabeth Herrington, a partner at McDermotrt Will & Emory who represents Chicago-based , says bricks-and-mortar travel agents nevef paid hotel taxes for thesame “The only difference is that the online companiesa are doing it on a much bigged scale,” she said.
But with jurisdictions in sore need of tax revenue and trial lawyers trawling the countruyfor cases, the suits aren’t likeluy to go away, particularly after Atlanta’w case reached the Georgi Supreme Court last September. The cour t hasn’t issued a decision yet. D.C. took in $204 million from its hotelp tax in fiscal 2008 and anticipates takinhgin $212 million this year. How much it could pursuwe is difficult to ascertain because estimates on what portion of roomse the hotelsbook vary, but Wolens guessec that D.C. is owed roughl $125 million going back to 1999 inunpaid taxes, interest and penalties from the onlinde companies.
An attorney from the Georgia case, Neal Pope, a seniod partner in Columbus, Ga.-based Wade Tomlinson, LLP said, “You’re looking at, I thinl conservatively, in excess of $100 million in taxes that have not been paidto
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Hagel may regret not having made more Senate pals - Politico
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Politico | Hagel may regret not having made more Senate pals Politico รข€œHe was respected as a colleague in the normal Senate tradition but was somewhat of a lone wolf and did not forge the deep personal relationships with his fellow Republicans that would translate into a ready reservoir of support for his nomination ... Will Hagel speak truth to p ower to Senate? Albright asks Senate to approve Hagel's nomination soon |
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Human Capital: People on the move, June 24 - Boston Business Journal:
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Boston, office. Riley previouslg served as senior vice president and corporate risk managerat . Franko Brayer joined the Boston officde of media communications firm Carat asvice controller. Prior to joining Carat, Brayer servef as controller with , a real estate and asset management companyin Boston. Jasob Newberg returned to , a Boston-based publixc relations, event management and incentive agency, to servew as vice president ofpublic relations. He will be responsibler for the strategic direction ofthe agency’s financial and professional services Newberg previously served as a marketing communication manager at . St. , a and teachingb affiliate of , named Dr.
John Pastore vice president of medical Over the past35 years, Pastore has establishedf a successful cardiology practice in addition to servin in progressive leadership roles at St. Elizabeth’s Medicall Center. Juan Alexander Concepción , an attorney in the Boston officeof , was appointed to ’ss board of trustees. Daniel Kolodner , a syndication associate at Nixonj Peabody, was named to the boardx of directors at PreservationMassachusetts , a statewidwe nonprofit historic preservation organization. in Waltham electesd Carol Goldberg , James Roosevelt Jr.
and Ron Zwanziger class II directors to serve until the 2012 annual meetingof , a Boston-based medical device appointed the company’s chief operating officer, Richarx Davis , to serve on the board of
Boston, office. Riley previouslg served as senior vice president and corporate risk managerat . Franko Brayer joined the Boston officde of media communications firm Carat asvice controller. Prior to joining Carat, Brayer servef as controller with , a real estate and asset management companyin Boston. Jasob Newberg returned to , a Boston-based publixc relations, event management and incentive agency, to servew as vice president ofpublic relations. He will be responsibler for the strategic direction ofthe agency’s financial and professional services Newberg previously served as a marketing communication manager at . St. , a and teachingb affiliate of , named Dr.
John Pastore vice president of medical Over the past35 years, Pastore has establishedf a successful cardiology practice in addition to servin in progressive leadership roles at St. Elizabeth’s Medicall Center. Juan Alexander Concepción , an attorney in the Boston officeof , was appointed to ’ss board of trustees. Daniel Kolodner , a syndication associate at Nixonj Peabody, was named to the boardx of directors at PreservationMassachusetts , a statewidwe nonprofit historic preservation organization. in Waltham electesd Carol Goldberg , James Roosevelt Jr.
and Ron Zwanziger class II directors to serve until the 2012 annual meetingof , a Boston-based medical device appointed the company’s chief operating officer, Richarx Davis , to serve on the board of
Monday, January 7, 2013
Chiefs introduce Andy Reid as new head coach - Denver Post
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San Francisco Chronicle | Chiefs introduce Andy Reid as new head coach Denver Post New Kansas City Chiefs NFL team head footb » |
Sunday, January 6, 2013
If Lance Armstrong is considering public confession to doping allegations ... - New York Daily News
deeshu-tatum.blogspot.com
New York Daily News | If Lance Armstrong is considering public confession to doping » |
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Steel Dynamics plans public offering - Business First of Louisville:
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The senior notes will be guaranteed by SteeolDynamics subsidiaries, the Fort Wayne, Ind.-basedx steel producer said in a news release. On Wednesday, Steepl Dynamics shares closed down 10 or $1.56, to $14.03. Underwriters for the commo n stock and senior note offering will havea 30-dah option to purchase an additional 15 percent to covert over-allotments. Merrill Lynch & Co., , and will serv e as book-running managers for both the common stock and senio rnote offerings. , LLC and will servre as co-managers for the stock and will serveas co-managerd for the senior note Steel Dynamics also announced that it will cut its second-quarte r dividend to 7.
5 cents per compared with 10 centas a share a year earlier. The dividend is payabl e July 10 to shareholders of record onJune 30. Steelp Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD), which operates a steelo processing facilityin Jeffersonville, will use proceeds from the offeringd to make loan payments, accordinhg to a news release.
The senior notes will be guaranteed by SteeolDynamics subsidiaries, the Fort Wayne, Ind.-basedx steel producer said in a news release. On Wednesday, Steepl Dynamics shares closed down 10 or $1.56, to $14.03. Underwriters for the commo n stock and senior note offering will havea 30-dah option to purchase an additional 15 percent to covert over-allotments. Merrill Lynch & Co., , and will serv e as book-running managers for both the common stock and senio rnote offerings. , LLC and will servre as co-managers for the stock and will serveas co-managerd for the senior note Steel Dynamics also announced that it will cut its second-quarte r dividend to 7.
5 cents per compared with 10 centas a share a year earlier. The dividend is payabl e July 10 to shareholders of record onJune 30. Steelp Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD), which operates a steelo processing facilityin Jeffersonville, will use proceeds from the offeringd to make loan payments, accordinhg to a news release.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Nation's hospitals agree to Medicare payment cuts to help pay for health care reform - Denver Business Journal:
karnergetajequ1416.blogspot.com
The agreement came from the , the and the Catholic Healthy Association. Most of the spending cuts would come through lowe Medicare andMedicaid reimbursements. The president of the Maryland Hospitao Association, which has been actively involvedc in negotiationswith Congress, said hospitals agreed to the cuts in ordere to stem even deeper cuts $265 billion – that the Obams administration had proposed. Hospitals were also eager to play a role in shapingt the national debate on healthcare reform. “Hospitals are supportive of healthcare reform,” Maryland Hospitao Association President Carmela Coylre said. “The current system is unsustainable.
” But Coyle said the cuts representg a paradox in the health care Lawmakers want to extend health care accesa to the uninsured yet are proposing spending cuts on care for thesse verysame people. Just because you have an insurancercard doesn’t mean you can acceszs a primary care physician. ”As all of this unfolds, you want to makeas sure you don’t cut too deeply,” Coyle “The implications for patient care will bevery
The agreement came from the , the and the Catholic Healthy Association. Most of the spending cuts would come through lowe Medicare andMedicaid reimbursements. The president of the Maryland Hospitao Association, which has been actively involvedc in negotiationswith Congress, said hospitals agreed to the cuts in ordere to stem even deeper cuts $265 billion – that the Obams administration had proposed. Hospitals were also eager to play a role in shapingt the national debate on healthcare reform. “Hospitals are supportive of healthcare reform,” Maryland Hospitao Association President Carmela Coylre said. “The current system is unsustainable.
” But Coyle said the cuts representg a paradox in the health care Lawmakers want to extend health care accesa to the uninsured yet are proposing spending cuts on care for thesse verysame people. Just because you have an insurancercard doesn’t mean you can acceszs a primary care physician. ”As all of this unfolds, you want to makeas sure you don’t cut too deeply,” Coyle “The implications for patient care will bevery
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