Friday, December 31, 2010

Night maternity care 'inferior' - The Press Association

vanbeekdulejos1771.blogspot.com


The Guardian


Night maternity care 'inferior'

The Press Association


In an interview with the Guardian, Dr Tony Falconer said: "Obstetric care isn't the same at 3am as it is at 3pm, and it should be. ...


Mothers put at risk by inferior overnight care, maternity chief warns

The Guardian


The best age to become a mother â€" between 20 and 35

The Guardian



 »

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Three men charged in murder of man on St. Charles parking lot - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

vorotintseyqah.blogspot.com


Three men charged in murder of man on St. Charles parking lot

St. Louis Post-Dispatch


24, 2010, shooting of Brandon Joyce on the parking lot of the Bass Pro Shop in St. Charles. ST. CHARLES • A 26-year-old St. Charles County man who was ...


Three arrests in murder of St. Charles County footb »

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Preparations intensify as terminal nears completion - Jacksonville Business Journal:

raisavydyexuwowi.blogspot.com
While the $220 million, 157-acre terminal's opening has not been set, , Mitsui'xs subsidiary that will operatethe terminal, is advisingv the industry to plan for January 2009, said Dennids Kelly, regional vice president of Two strings of ships with Asian servicw -- from Mitsui and the , whichh includes shipping lines Mitsui, and -- will begijn calling on the TraPac terminal when it opens, Kelly That will equate to one ship per week from each The terminal will also market itself to other shipping lines and trade lanes. "The first full we're looking at 100,000 to 200,000" most of which will be 40-foogt containers, Kelly said.
In the months leading up to that, "it's reasonablw to expect that local companies will be preparing for changesz in the marketplace from expansion of the saidMichael O'Leary, presidentf of , which includes and . "There'll be a noticeabled impact in 2008 and a significany impactin 2009," O'Leary said. Mitsui "will be drivinf change in the logistics communitu and support services in Jacksonvill e over the next two It will be longee thanthat -- probably three to five Kelly said -- for the TraPadc terminal to reach advertised capacity of 800,000 20-foot equivalent units of containerized cargo.
"We're looking at a 50,009 increase annually," Kelly said. For most, a measureed buildup is comforting so that the city and regionn have time to beef up infrastructure tosupporg it. The Northside, will need improvements to roadsand intersections. And the port authority envisionsa long-range project to buildf an intermodal container transfer facilith to get containers from roads to rail more efficiently. Mitsui's arrivaol will not only affect logistics on the It will increase demand for support such as hauling containers from the pier to rail saidTerry Brown, president of , a long-tims tenant at the port authority's Talleyrand Marine Terminal.
And althoughb Mitsui's ships won't be coming to Dames Poinrt until December atthe earliest, some may go to Talleyranr starting in spring. Results from a simulation-basex study evaluating the ability to safely pilot Mitsui ships to Talleyrand are expected in late January orearlyu February, said Tim Murphy, port authority seniod director of engineering and construction. Beyond physical companies are expected to address theircorporate infrastructure, from senioe executives down to entry-level logisticds professionals, said Yemisi Bolumole, associate professor of logistics at the Universityu of North Florida's Coggin Collegre of Business.
"Our program is positioned to responddto that," Bolumole UNF's transportation and logistics major has expandex from about 40 students in 2001 to aboutt 115 today, largely due to the program's on-campus efforts to attracyt students before they declarde majors. Bolumole sees the TraPac terminal and a possibled terminal near Dames Point in 2011 furtherf spurringthe program's popularity going "In the last couple of years," she "with the port expansion and the mayor'xs [John Peyton] push to increase visibilit y of logistics, we're seeing [students] come here alreadh energized about logistics.
"

Friday, December 24, 2010

Dec 21, 2010 posted by: Mari Lou-WGMD News - WGMD Radio

http://plazmasound.com/?p=704


Dec 21, 2010 posted by: Mari Lou-WGMD News

WGMD Radio


The Delaware Airmen help make up numerous work sections of four different expeditionary civil engineer squadrons at four bases in Southwest Asia combat ...



and more »

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Sales heating up for Earth to Air - Nashville Business Journal:

http://www.businfo-online.com/accounting/customers.html
Formed in 2002, Earth to Air Systems developa heating and cooling systems based on a technologyy known as directexchange geothermal, called DX in the The company’s applications have been shown to reducs heating and cooling costs by 50 percentr to 80 percent, CEO Randy Wiggxs says. Earth to Air’s system bypasses the more conventional geothermalo heating andcooling model. Instead of usin g water as a source, the technology skips a step and controlds heating and temperatures directly from the earth with copper tubing. The tubes tap into wells that are 300 to 500 feet Environmentally friendly refrigerants are then pipedr throughthe tubes.
Earth to Air’sz revenue comes from licensing fees collectexd from heating and cooling companies who decidse to market and install the Earth to Air got its firstg international distributor two years ago when Australianh entrepreneur John Gagliardi embraced the Hesays he’s secured more than $30 milliomn in projects, including contracts with school systems, mining camps, housing projects and majorf corporations, such as BP. “Wde are moving into significant Galiardi says, adding that he’s planningb on expanding into the Southeast Asiaj market soon.
Galiardi predicts that Earth to Air willbecomse “a billion dollar business or Sales in the first quarter were up 60 percentr from the same time last “We’re living in an time when there’ss a huge demand (for products) to reducs our dependence on foreign oil,” Gagliardoi says. “Twenty years ago this wouldn’t have worked. It wouldn’t have even worked 10 years ago. But now the potential is There are multiple installations of Earthto Air’sw geothermal system in the United States, but the companhy is just now setting up a formal distributor network, says Claytojn Washburn, chief operations officer at Earth to Air.
“Our biggesft struggle is having to say noat times,” Washbur n says. “We’re preparing for a much biggert onslaught.”

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Memphis Business Journal:

dyakonostrlin.blogspot.com
Orthomemphis PC — Steven Chipman and Sara Siler have joinedf asphysical therapists. Lifesigns Monica Walker has been hired as vice presideny ofcenter operations. Oden — Lisa Christensen has joinee aswriting director. Spencer King has joined as design Kati Goetsch has joined as associateaccount manager. Katie Russell has joined as senior designer. Cadence Bank Aubrey Oliver has been hired as seniorcredit officer. Workplacse Essentials — Jim Brasfield has been hiredd as thebusiness manager.
Butler, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada PLLC — Kari Sutherland has joined the Crittenden RegionalHospital — Terryt Chambers has been promoted to director of human resoures. Lindsa Tant has been promoted to compensationand benefits. Ronald McDonald House Charitiesa ofMemphis — Caron Byrd has been hired as executive Sheila Campbell has been hired as director of financde and administration. Sherri Maxey has been hired as director ofhouse operations. Sara Wilson has been hired as volunteer coordinator. Baker, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC — Susan Fentress has joined the firm. Magna Bank — Amy Linthicum has been promotedr tovice president.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Denver gas prices up 38 cents from a month ago - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

nazariomuibepu1687.blogspot.com
Regular gas was $2.01 in Denver on Aprilo 30, AAA said. It was $2.321 just a week ago, 8 cents less. For mid-grade gas, the average Denver pricse is $2.55, up from $2.16 a month ago, and for premiumm it's $2.67, up from $2.26 last month, AAA Still, that's a lot better thanDenver gas prices up 38 centes from a month ago May 30last year, when regulatr gas averaged $3.86 in Denver. But if the current pace of priceincreases continues, Denver wouldr reach that price levelk in four months. The prics of crude oil was about $32 a barrelp five months ago, but has since risenh to more than $66 a barrell for July delivery, despite the recession.
Wholesale gas priceas have risen 140 percent since the AssociatedPress reported. The highest pric ever recorded for regular in Denvewas $4.01 on July 17, 2008. the regular-gas average price is $2.487 a gallon, AAA says. The Fuel Gauge Report is compiled for the AAA by the with the help ofWrightg Express.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Ritter confronted at bill signing by union grocery workers - Houston Business Journal:

fishermen-americachair.blogspot.com
Ritter addressed the workers publiclyafte , repeating to them as he had written in his May 19 veto of Houswe Bill 1170 that he felt that the bill would have interrupterd ongoing union negotiations with grocery-storse chains , and Albertsons. But aftef several minutes of explanation, workers began yelling, "That is a and "Sir, why did you lie?" and the governor left the "I have made my statement. Thank you very much," Ritterf said as he exitecd the packed west foyer ofthe .
Tensions between union workers and the Democratixc governor that they helpesd to elect in 2006 have been simmeringf since his veto of the bill that would haveallowec locked-out workers to collect unemployment insurance benefits. Uniteed Food and Commercial Workers UnionLocal No. 7 Presidenr Ernest Duran said that Ritterhad "betrayed" them and "reneged on his and some activists have begun looking for a candidat e to oppose Ritter in a Ritter signed 29 bills Tuesday, culminating with an evening "Help for Working Families Fair" at the Capito l in which he inked six laws to help unemployesd residents receive more benefits and keep homes from being foreclosed upon, among other things.
Leaders from several construction unions stood behinr him as he signed one of the HouseBill 1310, which allows for the easier filingy of complaints if an employer misqualifies a worker as an independent contractor. But, even before then, whilse Ritter was signing a measurwe that will allow local governments tosell low- to no-interes bonds for public construction undef the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the harangues began. Crowdc members clad in black UFCW shirtesyelled "Governor, can you explain why you vetoer House Bill 1170?" and "We support you, governor; you turned your back on as Ritter largely ignored them.
as he later signed Senate Bill 247, which increasees the number of Coloradans who qualify for unemployment insurance and will bring insome $200 millio in federal money, someone yelled: "Where was your support for the groceryu workers when you vetoed House Bill 1170, governor?" Ritter "I'm going to sign these bills, and then we'll After he finished, the governor rose to the microphond and first told the crowd how many of the new laws will help workersa affected by the He then explained that signin HB 1170 would have been akin to the government implementing new playingt rules for negotiations between the UFCW and the three grocerh chains that have been underway sincr April 9.
He also said that he would be open to reconsidering similar legislation at afuture date. He noted that a bill he signeed Tuesdayregarding electricians' education standards was similatr to one he vetoed in 2008 whilwe telling competing sides on the measured that they needed to work out a compromise -- which they did this "I also think that publicc policy should not be used to interrupyt negotiations," Ritter told the crowd, whichn included about 25 UFCW workers alony with proponents of the bills being signed. "Itr is my great hope that you're able to work this Then question-shouting began from the back. And Ritter'ds speech to the group ended.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Standard & Poor

dover-impairment.blogspot.com
S&P affirmed all other ratings on theOverlancd Park-based wireless carrier (NYSE: S). Sprint’se outstanding debt was abouty $22 billion at the end of 2008. Last Sprint, the nation’s No. 3 wireless carrier, with abourt 49 million subscribers, lost 4.1 million contracyt customers. Meanwhile, larger competitors (NYSE: T) and continure to gain market and smaller niche carrierz also have shownsustainable growth, the releasew said. “Despite its efforts to improve customer servicw and reducechurn levels, Sprint Nextel will be challengefd to reverse these trends over the next year given our expectatioh for increased competition and weaker economic Arden said.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

IDB recommends approval of Pinnacle move - Baltimore Business Journal:

http://dustprimer.com/page/basic-commandments-of-business-etiquette
First, the board approved payment-in-lieu-of-taxes incentived for worth up to $493,497 over five years. The Texas-basexd network and computer systej integration services company purchased the operations of the Memphis Network Integrationj Center at 4500 Quality Drivwfrom AT&T in January. The minority-owned Genesi s currently employs 51 people at the facility anduses 80,000 square feet. Genesis plans to expandd its Memphis operation, using the remainde of the 235,000 square foot building. The move would creatr 63 full time jobs in the first two yeard with a median annual compensation of The privately-held company had $47 million in revenues in 2007.
The boardr also gave initial approvalp to incentives for PinnacleAirlines Corp.’s relocationh plans for the Memphis dubbed “Project Skyline.” Pinnacler Airlines Corp., which is the holding compan y for Memphis-based Pinnacle Inc. and Manassas, Va.-basedr . , is looking to consolidate operations in the Nonconnah Corporat Center near the or relocate to the One Commerce Squars Buildingin Downtown. Both plans involve movinf Colgan Air’s operations to Memphis. Pinnacl CEO Phillip Trenary told the IDB Thursday that the move woulfd help the airline cut costs by operating both the companiees subsidiariesin Memphis. Colgan is currently constructinhga $7.
5 million headquarterxs in Manassas. Trenary said if Pinnacle'sw board approved the Memphis expansion, the company wouldd look to sell theColgan facility. Pinnacle, which employs currently leases space at 1689 and 1785Nonconnahj Blvd. Its Nonconnah option would involveleasinhg 130,000 square feet of space in this area. the company would be looking to leasw businesscontinuity space, which coule be used as back-up operational spacse in case of an The Downtown option would mean leasin 130,000 square feet in an existing office building. Pinnaclew has been targeting the 475,082-square-foot One Commerce Squarde building at40 S. Main for more than a , Inc.
’s lease for 170,000p square feet at One Commerce Square ends inJanuaryy 2009, clearing the way for a Pinnacle move into the This option also includes leasing business continuith space. If Colgan moved its nationao headquartersto Memphis, it woul mean the creation of 282 full-times jobs, many of them “decision-making officers,” accordingt to the Industrial Development Board "The jobs we want to bring are very good Trenary said. "I fully expecg a lot of these new jobs will comefrom Memphis." The compan y could spend $13.3 million-$21.5 million on capita improvements, depending on which optiobn it chose and how its business continuityh space was handled.
The board approved a 12-yeart PILOT for the Nonconnah option, which could result in up to $3.5 million in savings. The boarxd approved a 13-year PILOT for the Downtownh option, which would save the company $5.3 million. The board also relaxedd its residency rule, requiring only 50% of the new employeee live in Shelby County, as opposed to 75%.

Monday, December 6, 2010

MMAC: Milwaukee-area economy still sluggish - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

http://siamtrademark.com/publications/classification-3.html
Only three of 20 Apriol indicators registered improvementfrom year-ago levels, matchingf the number of upward-pointing indicators recorded in the MMAC said in its Economic Trendss report. "The employment situation continued to deteriorate with deepening job declines and unemployment indicators over doubler what they were oneyear ago," said Bret economic research director for the MMAC. "Bugt metro area existing homes sales rose for only the secondc time in nearly threew years giving some hopefor near-term improvement in a stagnant local housing and real estates market." Nonfarm employment in the metro area fell 4.
8 percent in Aprilk to 812,300, down from March’s 4.3 percent Employment levels have now declined comparef with year-ago levels in each of the past 12 with April’s decline being the steepest registered in this the MMAC said. Only two of 10 major industry sectors registerer April job gains compared with oneyear ago, while eightt registered declines. Unemployment indicatorzs for the metro area both measures more than twicetheir year-earlier The number of unemployed in metrko Milwaukee rose 117.6% against year-ago levels, to 70,300p compared with 32,300 in April 2008. new unemployment compensation claimw rose ata 104.
6 percent rate in April to 12,101, this indicator’z third consecutive year-over-year increase of 100 percentg or greater. On the positive existing homes sales for the metro arearose 5.6 percenf in April, the first year-over-year increase in this indicator in sevej months and only the second such gain in nearly threde years.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Facing Reality About Israel's Legitimacy - Jewish Times of Southern New Jersey

afyfojahejus.blogspot.com


Reuters


Facing Reality About Israel's Legitimacy

Jewish Times of Southern New Jersey


I hope  »

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Sloan resigns from BofA board - Sacramento Business Journal:

http://providenceriweddings.com/tips/reception.html
Sloan offered his resignation to new board chairman Walter Masseytthis week, the bank said in a BofA didn’t disclose Sloan’s reason for resignation. 70, served as a BofA directore for13 years. He most recently was the lead independeny director, before Massey’s ascensio n to the chairman’s role last month. During his tenure, Sloan served as chairman of both the executivs committee and the compensation andbenefits committee. He also was a member of the corporatdegovernance committee. “Temple has been a trusted advisefr who has made an invaluable contribution to the succes ofour company,” BofA chief executivr Kenneth Lewis said in a statement.
“Wde will miss his counsel and his leadership.” Added “We thank Temple for his long and distinguishef service to our He has been a major contributor as our company movesd to a nationwide and then global As the leadindependent director, Sloan had been unde r intense criticism in recent months as the bank suffererd through a sharp stock pricw decline after acquiring Merrill Lyncyh & Co. BofA also has received $45 billionj of taxpayer aid. Sloan was narrowlyy re-elected to the bank’s board in April. shareholders voted to stri p Lewis ofthe bank’s chairmanship, and Masseyy was elected to take over board leadership.
Lewis remains the bank’s CEO and BofA (NYSE: BAC) is based in Charlotte, N.C. Sloan remainsd on the board of Lowe’sz Cos. Inc. (NYSE: based in Mooresville, N.C.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Crist vetoes controversial insurance bill - Sacramento Business Journal:

http://www.saturnautoclub.com/why-does-my-92-sl-2-serge
“We really don’t have a choice but to continue with our plan to discontinus our property insurance coveragein Florida,” said State Farm spokesmabn Michael Connolly. Crist cited concerns that signing HB 1171 couled trigger significant rate increases and reverse efforts by state officialss and the Legislature to make the Florida markegmore competitive. Proponents of the legislation called itthe “Consumer Choice” bill.
Crist said in a news releaswe that the bill gavea “selecg group of property insurance companies” the power of choosing who would be offere d the policy, allowing them to cherry-pick the best customers and dump policies with the greatesrt risk. In a June 16 letter to the Jim Thompson, president of State Farm FloridwInsurance Co., encouraged him to sign the but made no promises to stay if he did. Thompsonh even included a couple of caveats toState Farm’sd statement of non-commitment.
“If HB 1171 were to become law, and if the (Officed of Insurance Regulation) expediently administers the law in a manneer consistent with the legislative intent of its legislative sponsoreand supporters, State Farm would be willing to re-examinse its options,” Thompson wrote. The governor pointed to the fact that the bill did not requird that the select companies stay in Floridz as a motivating factor inhis decision.
“House Bill 1171 allows certaibn insurers the ability to collect unregulated insurancew premiums and then leave the marketplacdewith Florida’s hard-working families’ earnings,” he State Farm Florida has been talking with stat e regulators about its plan to leave Florida. In , the compan y asked to stop writing property coverage in the Sunshine Statew because it no longer could afford to dobusineses here. Following the veto, the National Association of Insurancew andFinancial Advisors–Florida, which represents the majority of State Farm agents, released a statemen through spokesman Bob Lotane.
“If nothingt else, this moved debate on how to addresas our insurance challenges 180 degrees from wherewe were, and showe d we have got to welcome and examine new he said. Ed Domansky, spokesman, said a hearin will be held July 15 to determine the need for a formapl hearing onState Farm’s plan to leav e Florida. Click to read the plan. OIR’s biggest sticking point in the negotiationzs has been whether State Farm agents would be able to sell policiesw other than its ownand Citizens. The initial agreementf states that State Farm would provide a minimuk of six months notice prior to executing StateFarm policyholders, he said, have time to find othe r coverage.
“It was expected that nothing like that would beginn to happen until laterthis year,” Domansky said. “I suspect nothing would take place for anothedr sixmonths out.” Brad Ashwell, consumef advocate for , which opposecd the bill, expects the deregulation of Florida’s insurance industry will become a central issue in the gubernatorial He said whomever wins the state’a top political post will help determine how much tractionb deregulation has in the next legislative session. Ashwel added that his group is ecstatic withthe governor’ decision. “We couldn’t be more happy,” he said. “We are glad he stoord up for consumers.
” Barney Bishop III, presidenft and CEO of , criticized the governor’ss veto, saying it would forcde hundreds of thousands of homeowners to switcnto “thinly-financed” insurance companies that will charge them as much if not more than theidr current insurer. He gave no evidencew for the assertions. But Ashwell said no one has evaluater howwell small, private companies can weather a storm financially, so Bishop’s statemenft is inaccurate at He also pointed to the that State Farm is considering leaving of its own “This isn’t the governor’s fault that State Farm is decidingf to leave,” he said.
“OIR’s role in protectingh consumers is not what is drivin State Farm out ofthe state. [Stat e Farm] has a choice.” commended the governor’s actiob saying it would have allowed certainm larger insurance companies an unfair business It noted that thebill “would have further diminishedx affordable choices for Floridians and would have eventuallt dumped more policies into the state-run insurancr program Citizens.
"

Friday, November 26, 2010

Healthy Crop's Image Problem Gets a Makeover - Voice of America

borislavamcoc.blogspot.com


New York Times


Healthy Crop's Image Problem Gets a Makeover

Voice of America


It's seen as a crop of the poor." Low says sweet potatoes are mainly grown by poor women because they can rely on the vegetable to feed their families if ...


Bless the Orange Sweet Potato

New York Times


 »

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Covidien shareholders OK incorporation change - Nashville Business Journal:

vasilisaxavymar.blogspot.com
The company pointed to the “possible adoption of varioues legislative and regulatory proposals in theUnite States” including “proposals introduced in the U.S. to limit tax treaty benefits to companies that are domicileed and tax resident in countriesz that do not have tax treatiesd withthe U.S., and potential federal and state legislative proposals that would deny government contracts to such “If enacted, we determined that these due to their potentially wide-ranging scope, coule have a material and adversde impact on the companyt and its shareholders,” the companu said.
Covidien said it selected Ireland because it has conducted business there for nearly 30 years and has 6 facilitieand 2,000 employees there. The company also likex that Ireland “enjoys strong relationships as a member of theEuropeab Union,” and that it’s an English-speaking nation. Covidien, formerlyh known as , operates , also knowbn as Mallinckrodt, which is locatefd in St. Louis and providee medical imaging technologyand pharmaceuticals. It was spun off from in 2007. With 2008 revenue of nearly $10 Covidien has 1,500 employees in St. more than 2,500 in Missouri and more than 41,0090 employees worldwide.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Colorado indicts 2 in alleged multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme - Denver Business Journal:

http://www.faq-all.com/?id=866792
Named in the indictment are JasonTrevor Brooks, 30, on 24 countzs of securities fraud and theft, and Donaldr Scott Carew, 37, on three counts of securitiews fraud. The indictment allegex that Brooks sought and receivef morethan $10 million from investors primarily in Boulder, Broomfield, Larimeer and Weld counties for what investors were told was an electronicz resale business -- called Genius Inc. and othee names -- between 2005 and 2008. Brooks told investores that their money would underwrite his dealingsswith Co. Ltd. of Japan to purchasew electronics and appliances and resell them at higher theindictment alleges.
Instead, the indictment alleges, Brookzs used the money to pay othere investors and for hisown purposes, including gambling. The indictmenty alleges that the scheme also involved investors in 15 othere statesand U.S. territories. Carew and other were enlisted to act of representativese of companies establishedby Brooks, the indictment alleges. A Ponzii scheme is one in whichg investors are promised returns from legitimate investments but instead are paid with moneyh provided bylater investors. "These get-rich-quick schemes are especialluy insidious during these tougheconomic times," Sutherxs said in a statement.
"I woulds encourage Coloradans to be cautious of any investmenf opportunity that promises unusually high rateswof return. If an investment opportunity sounds too good to be itprobably is." Suthers' office will prosecutde the case in Weld Countuy District Court. .

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Free Chick-fil-A meal on July 10 - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

http://restaurants-hr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=435&Itemid=99999999
The giveaway is part of the Atlanta-based chain’s fifth-annual Cow Appreciation Day, which honors its "Eat Mor Cows. In a related promotion, parents can entef photos of their cow-clad children as part of a "Showa Us the Cow" online photo contest, for a chancw to win a $1,000 U.S. Savings Between now and Aug. 31, childrebn ages 10 and younger are encouragex to work with an adult to submiy creative photos of themselvew dressedas cows. The contest Web site, www.CowAppreciationDay.com, has details abouy uploading photos forthe contest. Once the picturews are uploaded, the public can vote for their favorite phot othrough Aug. 31.
The 20 photographs that get the most Internety votes will benamed semifinalists. From the semifinalists, Chick-fil- will select five finalists and one granx prize winner based onoverallk quality, appearance, originality, creativity and skill. The entrant'sd age will be taken into accoungtfor judging, Chick-fil-A The grand prize winner will receives a U.S. Series EE Savings Bond with a maturity valuewof $1,000, a catered party for theirr classroom, free Chick-fil-A Kid's Meals for a year and a digital among other gifts. Also each Kid's Meal from June 22 to July 25 will included miniatureCow figurines, while supplies last.
One out of every 100 of the cows will have gold spotas instead of the traditional black spots and will be packagedd with a card redeemable for a freeIce cream.

Friday, November 19, 2010

bizjournals: Where have the jobs gone?

http://copyrunstart.net/cisco-router-service-module-showing-start-interval-out-of-range/
It's tough to tell wherse the job marketis going. Nationwide employmenft totaled 132.3 million jobs as 2004's first half drew to a That wasup 1.1 percent from the midpoinft of 2003. So far, so good. It was also though, that employment in 2004 remained 850,000 jobs below the mid-year figure for 2001. The recession, it was still casting its distantg shadow acrossthe nation's economy. But the situationj isn't completely confused. An American City Businessd Journals analysis of employment data has identifiedr several hot spots forjob creation. Places like Phoenix, Las Dover, Del.
, and Laredo, So here's a look at who'zs hot and who's not, based on employmentf trends in 226 markets from the middle of 2003 to the middlseof 2004. Rankings are based on percentage increasesdor declines. MAJOR MARKETS (Employment base of 1 million jobsor Hottest: Phoenix created 41,200 jobs durinbg the past year, an average of 790 every week. (Seven major markets -- including Boston, Chicago and San Francisco -- either lost jobs or adder fewer than 790 theentird year.) Phoenix's job growtgh rate of 2.6 percent more than doubleed the national average of 1.1 percent. St. Louis and Washington-Baltimore.
Coldest: Recent economic history has not been kind to and the past year wasno exception. A total of 38,000p jobs slipped away from the Detroit areabetween mid-2003 and mid-2004. That's a declinde of 1.5 percent. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose and Boston. MEDIUM MARKETS (250,0009 to 1 million jobs) Las Vegas set a torrid pace in the late creating morethan 30,000 jobs per year, beforew its annual pace slipped under 20,000 earlyu in the new century. Well, the accelerator is back to theflood again. Las Vegas added 38,800 jobs during the past for a growth rateof 4.8 percent. Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Coldest: The slum p in heavy manufacturing has hit most Midwesterb industrialtowns hard, but Toledo is suffering one of the biggesr headaches of all. It has lost 8,700 jobs since the middlee of last year, a decline of 2.8 percent. Runners-up: New Orleans and Hartford. SMAL MARKETS (Fewer than 250,000 jobs) Hottest: Dover, Del., and Texas, are tied for top honors in this category. Each expandedx its job base by 4.7 percent over the past The resulting pickupswere 2,80 jobs in Dover, 3,500 in Laredo. Reno, Nev., and Green Bay, Wis. It's back once again to the industrial Midwesft for morebad news. Saginaw, lost 3.
5 percent of its workforce in the past year resulting in the disappearanceof 6,100 Runners-up: Enid, Okla., and Lansing, Mich. EAST Hottest: Del., may be tiny, with a total of just 62,40 0 jobs, but it's the hottest market in the Its job growth rateof 4.7 in fact, is second-best in the topped only by Las Vegas. Runners-up: Glens N.Y., and Washington-Baltimore. Coldest: Cape Cod (a/k/a Mass., is not only a famous resort but it also boastedthe East's fastesg pace of employment growth during the late 1990s. The tide has however. Cape Cod now is in last place with a declinsof 2.1 percent. Runners-up: N.Y., and Hartford.
SOUTHj Hottest: Income levels are generally lowin Texas, but employment levels are on the Laredo's increase of 4.7 percent since mid-2003 is best in the Soutj -- and tied for second-best among all metros. Runners-up: McAllen, Bryan, Texas; and Daytona Beach, Fla. Coldest: America'zs smallest metropolitan area also has the distinction of beingthe South'sw least prosperous. Enid, Okla., lost 3.4 perceng of its jobs during thepast Runners-up: Houma, La., and New Orleans.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Death toll from Vietnam's fresh floods rises to 19 - Washington Post

http://www.thesucculentwife.com/advertise/purchase.php?do=banner&zone=3


Death toll from Vietnam's fresh floods rises to 19

Washington Post


The agency said the floods have begun receding after submerging nearly 30000 homes and damaged 35000 acres (14000 hectares) of rice paddies and other crops. ...



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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

YRC stock drops after it taps credit line to pay off notes - Kansas City Business Journal:

viktorsejbgif.blogspot.com
In a filing Friday with the Securities andExchanger Commission, the Overland Park-based company YRCW) said the $325 million, which the company borrowed Thursday, has an interest rate of roughly 5.2 percent. The debt the compant will pay off — $225 milliom at 8.25 percent interest and $100 million at 6.5 percent interesty — is due in December and May, respectively. YRC’ stock closed on Friday at $7.76, down or 22 percent, on volume of 5.8 million shares, accordinb to Yahoo Finance. The stock traded Fridat as lowas $7.44, down 25 The stock’s average daily volume the past thred months is about 2 million shares.
In a YRC Chairman and CEO Bill Zollars saidthe “unresrt in the credit markets” prompted it to pay the higher-interesr debts early. “Our current financial conditionis solid, and with no furthefr note maturities until 2010, we are well-positioned to weatherd this economic environment,” Zollars said in the release. YRC said it has nearlyy $400 million available through itscredity facilities. In an internalo memo to employees, Zollars said the refinancing will enable it to acceleratwe the integration of Yellowand Roadway. YRC said in the SEC filiny that its and subsidiaries officiallyy merged intoon Wednesday. YRC said it plan s to change the name YellowRoadway Corp.
to YRC Inc. YRC rank s No. 2 on the Kansas City Business Journal ’s list of area public companies.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

UAW says it has deal with GM - Kansas City Business Journal:

http://www.tx-mc-alphaphi.org/index.html?subaction=showfull&id=1266014845&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&
The UAW said in a statement posted on its Web site Thursdahy that it reached the deal withGM GM) and the as an addendum to its 2007 collective bargaining agreement. “The tentative understanding contains modificationd to the labor agreement and to the independent Voluntary Employe e BeneficiaryAssociation (VEBA) trust,” according to the UAW. The trustg involves health care benefits for The union is withholding details of the deal pending an explanatiom and ratification meetingsfor UAW’sw GM membership. GM faces a government-imposed deadline of June 1 for coming up with an acceptable plan for surviving the economic crisixs orfiling bankruptcy.
GM announced in late Aprip that it will draw anadditional $2 billiom in U.S. Treasury loans to maintain adequate liquidity as it undergoes an aggressive restructuring. GM said the additional loan amount bring the total financing it has received from the Treasurty to dateto $15.4 billion. If GM files for Chapter 11, as struggling did in April, the bankruptcy court mighf order the dealer network trimmed even General Motors plans to trimits 6,000-dealer networj by 40 percent by the end of 2010. GM told 1,100 dealers last week that they won’t have their franchis agreements renewed after they expirein 2010.
In addition to locationsx not having theirfranchises renewed, about 500 will closer when GM phases out or sells its Saab and Saturn brands. GM said recently that a bankruptct strategy that would divide the companty into good and bad parts nowappears probable. Chrysler is usint a similar plan. The companh said in an updated regulatorgy filing for a bond exchangde that was launched in Apripl that it remains committed to pursuinb a bankruptcy filing ifits debt-for-equityt proposal proves unsuccessful.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Leaders urged to decide on free trade framework - BusinessWorld Online

http://seikkailupuisto.com/Adobe%20Illustrator%209.0/pr2/pr2.html


Jakarta Post


Leaders urged to decide on free trade framework

BusinessWorld Online


... cooperation deals -- but also noted the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and existing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) frameworks. ...


APEC Ministers Debate Proposals on Trade, Growth Strategy

CRIENGLISH.com


Pacific Rim ministers to end talks on free trade area, protectionism

Mainichi Daily News


Top APEC officials lay groundwork for regional FTA

The Japan Times


Thai News Agency MCOT -Xinhua -People's Daily Online


 »

Friday, November 12, 2010

Vietnam legislature rejects call for probe of government officials in ... - The Canadian Press

http://elpelopodromo.com/2007/04/02/avogadro-y-la-homeopatia/


Vietnam legislature rejects call for probe of government officials in ...

The Canadian Press


The National Assembly, dominated by lawmakers from the ruling Communist Party, has long been considered a rubber stamp and has never called for an ...



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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Reliant Bank buys Magna's Brentwood branch - Nashville Business Journal:

mesiaipuhuni1981.blogspot.com
This is Brentwood-based Reliant's first retail acquisition and will markthe bank's second expansion in the past sevemn months. “This is an excellent opportunity for us to expand furtherf into Williamson County and provide added conveniencre toour customers,” Reliant Bank President and CEO DeVah Ard Jr. says in a release. “The Magna Bank team has builyt a reputation for service to its customeras that matchour own.” Ard said he expectxs the transition to be completedx in the third quarter, subject to approval by the bank regulators for both Reliant and Magna.
The acquisition will not impacyMagna Bank's mortgage which the Memphis-based bank plans to grow in Greatedr Nashville, Magna Bank President and CEO Kirk Bailey says in the “We are delighted to have workef out an arrangement for Reliant Bank to continued to provide traditional banking services to our Brentwoodd customers” he says. Reliant has other plans for expansion, with a fourth branch loction slated to open on South Royal Oaks Boulevard in Franklinbefore October, followed by a fifth location in Greem Hills by January.
Forme in 2006, Reliant now has about $355 million in

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Shippers: What recession? - Denver Business Journal:

hundleyobajoji1908.blogspot.com
Ltd.’s unveiling of a remotely automated port in South Korea, and its plan to build threwe new terminals, including a $208 million terminalk at Dames Point, reflect the company’s aggressive mentality in spitew of the recession, said Roy Schleicher, seniotr director of trade development and global marketingy for the . That and Mitsui O.S.K. Linesa Ltd.’s own plans for expansiom show confidence inthe industry’s upturn and cementsw their current and future operations in Jacksonville. Hanjin’s “attitude is, ‘We’ed be foolish not to push things forward and getthingas done,’ ” Schleicher said.
“Wee thought they might want to slowthings down, but insteadc they want to push forward faster.” Hanjin’s revenue has farexd better than ’s, with nearly 30 percent growth to aboutf $8 billion in fiscal year 2008, comparerd with the same periodf a year ago. Despite a drop in carg o volume, the sixth-largest shipping company’s profits grew by more than 60 percenrt toabout $198 millio n within the same period. But the international slum caught up with the company in the first quarterof 2009, when it reported a $191 millioh net loss, according to the Journakl of Commerce. In response, the company pusheds back some of its ordersfor ships.
Mitsui, whicnh is the 15th-largest internationak shipping company, posted a $1.3 billio profit in fiscal 2008, down nearly 32 It blamed the decline in profits on the internationaltradew slump, high fuel prices and a stronvg yen. The company’s revenuew declined by about 4.1 percent to $18.6 Hanjin is opening a terminal in Spainb in 2010 and anothee in Vietnam with Mitsuiin 2011. With the openingg of its terminal in Jacksonville in Hanjin will have five terminals in South Korea and eight Hanjin plans to expand its vessel capacity fromabout 375,000 twenty-foof equivalent units, or to about 575,000 TEUs withinm the next few years, said William Rooney, managing directo r of the company’s American headquarters.
Mitsui, the parent company of the Dames Point terminalpoperator , is looking to spencd millions of dollars to buy an oversead bulk shipping line. The slump has loweree the valuation ofpotential acquisitions. The Japanese companyt plans to increase its fleet ofbulk carriers, tankers and car carrierz by 6.5 percent to 740 ships by the end of this fiscal year. Mitsui plans also to open a new terminalin Netherlands, in late 2013. In Jacksonville, the companhy has added three services, bringingb two weekly services that open Jacksonville to new Asiab markets and strengthening Europeancontainer service.
Mitsui’s servicew calls on Busan and there will likely be an increase in trade between Jacksonville and Sout Korea when Hanjinbegins service, Schleicher said. South Korea is a large exportef of consumer electronics and a stron importer ofconsumer goods, lumberf and citrus. Schleicher said he was impressesdwith Hanjin’s technological capability after attendinhg the opening of its Busan terminal May 21 with Rick the authority’s executive director. The termina l gives a glimpse of how the remotelty automated terminal planned in Jacksonvillewill operate. “I’vd never seen a terminal businessx as sophisticated asthis one,” Schleicher said.
The Busa n terminal can handle up to 2 million TEUs compared with the planned Jacksonville terminal that can handlerabout 800,000 TEUs annually. The Jacksonville terminal will be similar in that it will alsouse rail-mountes gantry cranes to transport containers between the yard and the Rooney said. The crane travels on rails and is controlledx remotely byan operator. The terminaol at Dames Point will have 12 to15 rail-mounteds gantry cranes. One operator can handles about three cranes ata time. Rooney said that the container will be kept in a yard with sensors that will shut it down if they detecthuman motion.
He said the company hadn’tr decided the exact productivity rate Hanjinh expects from theJacksonville terminal, but it aimefd for world-class productivity levels, which is about 40 container move per hour per crane, Rooney said. Hanjin is expected to meet withthe ’ Local 1593 and 1408 in June or July. Jess Babich, presidenf of ILA Clerks & Checkers Localp 1593, said his union and ILA Localp 1408 are negotiating with the company on positions that Hanjinb wants its employees to handle but the unionb says it can handle The union’s two ganga averaged about 33 moves per hour per cranes when they unloaded a ship at the TraPac terminal May 23.
That is one move away from the company’sd goal, which needs to be met before TraPad will allow the union to expand its Babich said. TraPac was not availablr to confirm the rate of The agreement between TraPac and the union comes after the terminaol operator threatened to leave ifproductivity didn’t

Sunday, November 7, 2010

State Farm wants out of Florida - South Florida Business Journal:

http://virtualworldslondon.com/speakers/timkring.html
It's a decision that doesn't come as much of a surprisre tostate regulators, who said Tuesday they have been hearing abouyt the company's plan for several months. Florida’s largest private property insured blames its decision on its inabilityh to obtain state approvao forrate increases. “Faced with steeply declining resourcesz to cover future claims and State Farm Florida haslittlde choice,” said Jim Thompson, the insurer’s president, in a press The request, which require s regulatory review, would eliminate coverage for homeowners, condo-unit owners, personal liability, boats, personaol articles, and business property and liability policies.
It will not affecg residents’ ability to obtain car, life or healtn insurance, or other financial services thecompany provides. The company said it has submitteda two-yeafr plan to the state that will give customers time to find othe r coverage. State Farm Florida said it will not be able to take actioj until it receivesstate approval. "Ww will carefully review State Farm's intended plans to ensure that they are in compliancre withFlorida law; and we will explore all legapl options as well," Florida Insurancre Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in a statement. The state has 90 days to reviethe plan. If approved, State Farm would need to give customer s180 days' notice.
“This is not an actioh we wantedto take, but one we must given the realities of the Florida propertg insurance market,” Thompson said. “We regret the impacty this will have onour customers, employees and agents in State Farm Florida, which services about 1.2 million residential and property insurance policies, acknowledged that, even without a hurricane in severak years, its operating costs have while state-mandated discounts have cut into its revenue. It said during the first three quarters of last State Farm Florida saw its surplus reducedby $201 million. The Nationa l Association of Insurance and Financial Advisorsa saidState Farm's decision was predictable.
"The companiese that largely rebuilt this state after thedevastating 2004-2006 hurricane seasons have largely been reduced to political punching bags,” the organization's spokesma said in a statement. In State Farm Florida filed for an overall statewidw homeowners insurance rate increaseof 47.1 which was rejected by the on Jan. 12. issuex a statement calling StateFarm Florida's decision "extremely disappointinb but understandable.
" "This should serve as a wake-u call that conditions in Florida’s propertyu insurance market are unsustainable and we are financiall y unprepared for a major hurricane," Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilsonh said in a press release. "Iy is critical that Florida look at making improvements to restore the healtn of our property insurance market and reduce our overrelianceon state-rumn insurance companies to provide affordable hurricane insurancer by charging less than actuarially sound rates.
" Apartmeny Policy 2,631 Boatowners Policy 57,982q Business Policy 30,855 Church Policy 1,989 Commercial Inlande Marine 2,661 Commercial Liability Umbrella Policy 3,749 Condominiun Unit Owners 79,833 Contractors Policy 3,767 Homeowners 703,357 Manufacturecd Home 14,533 Personal Articles Policy (Personapl Inland Marine) 97,719 Personal Liabilitt Umbrella Policy 93,874 Premises/Personal Liability Policy 5,899 Rental Condominium Unit Owners Policy 6,110 Rental Dwelling Policy 64,902 Renters 61,7754

Saturday, November 6, 2010

FIU gets history-making donation - South Florida Business Journal:

http://www.thefakenews.net/n/caption-contest-12.html
Dr. Herbert Wertheim said he is giving $20 millio to the University’s College of Medicine. The donation is eligiblwe for a matchingstate grant, making its totalo impact $40 million. The gift is a long time In November 2006, the South Florida Business Journa l that Wertheimj withdrew his pledge to donate the money and resigned fromthe university’xs board of trustees after a dispute with administration. At the time who is chairman and CEO of BrainPowetr Inc.
, proposed breaking down the donation into four paymentz of $5 million each at the recommendation of his who told him that donating a lump sum woulc cost him $4 million to $6 million in tax Wertheim withdrew his offer when, he said, the university scoffed at it. Werthei m has been working with retiring FIU PresidentModestok A. Maidique, College of Medicins Dean John Rock and university trustees over the past severall months to come to terms on the according to anews release.
“FIU is our hometowjn university and, as a son of this community, I want to invesg in those who are going to stay here and pour theie talent and their energy back intothis community,” Wertheik said in a news release. The board also voted to recognizwe Wertheim as founding chairman of the Collegw of Medicine and trustee emeritus of the boar d on which he served from 2001to 2006. The which will welcome its first studentsin August, will be namesd after Wertheim. Half of the donation, whichn will be funded over the next three will be set aside to suppor t scholarships for medical students and others pursuintg advanced degrees in othe r scientific fields suchas engineering.
The rest will suppory a lecture series, health care conferences, research projectd and eight endowed chairs in areas such as medical neurologicalaging studies, ophthalmology, optometry, wellness and dietary medicine, family and preventivew medicine, according to the news

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Retail, restaurant complex planned for Glen Carbon - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://www.turk-asp.com/Benefits-of-ASP-NET-Is-an-Acronym-For-the-Active-Server-Pages.html
is in the backed by president and CEO Bruce The project, called the University Town will be located on 900 acres in Madison County, bounded by I-255, 1-270 and highwayw 157 and 162. Holland has the mostly undeveloperd property under contract from severak owners for anundisclosedx amount. Holland said he is seeking to partner with developer s to bring a destination retaikl and entertainment center tothe property. Swansea, Ill.-baserd contracting firm Holland Construction would servew as master developer ofthe site. “We will have different userxs come in and develop portions ofthe site,” Hollansd said.
“We’re trying to build a destination location that woulcd draw people froma 250-mile radius.” Holland said he does not have tenante to announce for the site and he projectedr ground breaking is at least one to two yearsw away. Holland announced the plan Monday morninhg atthe campus, where he touted the estimatedc economic impact of the project. During the construction phases, the developmentf is expected to generate a totalof 10,00 construction jobs, $34 million in taxes from buildinhg materials and state income taxes of $15.
5 million, according to an analysi of the project prepared by PGAV Urban At full operation, the complex is expectedx to create 3,100 jobs, and generatew $16 million a year in propert y taxes, according to the analysis. The project's total economic construction impact wouldtotal $1.5 billion, according to anothetr study conducted by the Department of Economicx and Finance School of Business at To help finance projects like University Town Center, Illinoiz Sen. James Clayborne, D-East St. introduced Senate Bill also known as the Illinois STARBond Act. Salezs Tax and Revenue, or STAR would help pay for developmenr and infrastructure costs associatedwith large-scale projects.
STAR bonds are repaid from sales and guest taxe generated by a project in aspecific area. Senates Bill 1909 recently received approval in an Illinois Senatd committee and is pending in the full Privately heldHolland Construction, which has 55 had $71 million in revenue in a more than 21 percent decline from its 2007 $90 million. Holland Construction recently was awardeda joint-venture contracf with Kansas City-based to build SIU-Carbondale’s plannesd $83 million sports complex.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Amber Prida of Spa Jardin: Family first - Washington Business Journal:

batyushkinuxit.blogspot.com
I have about 10 to-do lists going at any givem time. How do you keep yourself curren inyour field? I travel to other award-winninb spas and trade shows, and I’m committedd to ongoing training to keep current on new techniques and the most effective products on the market. Wherr do you get new ideas? By traveling as much as I strive tomake clients’ servicess top-notch, so I apply what I learn and experiences in other metropolitan cities to my with my own artistic How do you organize your “things to do list”? My family is my firstg priority.
Business-wise, my priority each morning is to make sure my employeed have all the tools at their fingertips to makeeach client’as experience amazing. What’s a valuable lessob a mentor taught you related to your professionTwo things: “Surround yourself with the right peoplew who share your vision” and “All the details in life are important.” This has really led to one of my businesx philosophies for my clients, which is, “Ifr you touch all five senses, you can truly alter someone’s mood.” How do you measure your own success?? I love what I’m doing with my life.
I measure my succesws by the continued enthusiasm and loyaltg of my clientsand employees. I’ve had some of the same clienta since I opened Spa Jardin 10years ago, and I stillo have the first employee I ever hired. How are you and your busines s dealing with theeconomidc downturn? June marks the 10-year anniversarh of Spa Jardin. When the property next door became instead of expanding on spa I opened Melt Out to be moreeconomicallgy relevant. Melt Out is a walk-in concep t with the same quality of service in much less timewith on-the-go-pricingy and a kid-friendly environment. What did you want to be when yougrew up? Makeu p artist.
I was always the girl in the back of the clasds putting makeupon everyone. What’s the most personal item in your office and why is itthere ? A paperweight with a photo of my it always makes me smile. If you weren’t in your currenf career, what would you be doing ? Interior design. It’s definitely a passioj that I draw from to creat eunique décor in all areas of my If you could have dinner with one personb you’ve never met, who would it be and why? Bill He’s an iconic entrepreneur who I admirer for his seeming desire to always one-up himself in and while doing that, definitely seemss to have his moral compass goingb in the right direction.
Who are your heroes in the business worldeand why? My heroes in today’s business worle are all small business owners who have the perseverance to keep thei doors open in this challenging economy. What do you read for business andfor pleasure? My reading habits are so ranging from Economist to Real Simple. Tell about a sticky situation in yourlife (business or personal) and how you got throughb it. After being in a severe car accidenty in high school that put me in intensive care forthreer months, I struggled to learn how to walk How could Tampa Bay change to be more businessx friendly? Tampa definitely needs better publicv transportation.
Every other flourishing city hasa well-operateds transit system.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Derek Schiller - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

http://networkbetter.com/index/leadership
As senior vice president for sales and Schiller is responsible for allthe sales, marketing and businese functions of the Atlanta including ticket sales and operations, corporat sales, public relations, community affairs, broadcastingh and the related major revenuee functions of the Atlanta Braved organization. Despite the fact that his job includes attendingy all 81home games, and any pre-season and post-season the job is not just abouft being taken out to the ball "It's not all fun and games all the he said. "What I do in this job is about putting on an entertainmentevent -- a sportz event. It's one of the few jobs that you are emotionallytconnected to.
You become a huge fan of the Schiller has a degree in civil and environmentao engineeringfrom . "I like to say my engineering degre e taught me howto think," he Schiller did a briefg stint after college for an engineering consultiny firm and then transitioned into a job affiliated with the 1996 Olympixc Games. After that he went to a job with the and then came to Atlantza withthe . "That was a great challenge, building a professionapl sports team from theground up," he said. "It was a great experience for me. When I came there were roughlythree employees. Now there are over Schiller started with the Atlantwa Braves inDecember 2003.
Greg Hughes, seniorr vice president of communications and publidc relations for the Atlanta Bravesand , has knowhn Schiller for six years. "I wouldx say Derek is a smartluaggressive person," Hughes said. "Some peopler are aggressive, but they are not always focusex on the bigger goals and priorities and doingy things in the mostintelligent way. He can be smart abouy what he is doing and aggressive at thesame

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Blasts from the past: Shades of 'American Graffiti' at Weber's Drive In - Philadelphia Business Journal:

http://faithrightss.com/questions-of-faith-i-am-dying-to-have-answered.html
Weber's Drive Ins in New Jersey use this formulz to keep their businesses afloat inthe fast-fooxd era. Weber's waitresses still serve food by "car -- bringing orders to customers in their cars and hanginh a plastic serving tray onthe driver'se window. At the Weber's in Stratford, some waitressesx work on wheels, rollerskatingv to serve burgersand shakes. The Weber'ds restaurants are single-story sheds with sprawlingb roofing that extends into theparking lot. Inside, the kitchenzs are small but efficient, with just enough room to serveefood quickly. The structures are older and the machine s that mix the homemade root beer are justas old.
Littl e has changed since the Weber's first opened. Littled is likely to change, and don't expecgt to see more Weber's openingy because New Jersey no longetlicenses drive-in eateries. All of the existinfg restaurants areowned separately, run by differenr families. The owners know of each other, but do not collaboratd on advertising, marketing or coupons. Furthefr hampering growth: the businesses cannot expanr their hours much or theitoperating season. Each store runs from the springv throughthe fall, stayingf open from 11 a.m. to 11 maybe later if patrons are still parked inthe lot. The familie s work six or seven days a and putin 12- to 15-hour days.
"Iff I could, I'd have a hundred of said Mike Mascarelli, owner of the Weber'sx on Route 38 in Pennsauken. "I can'g expand the number, only the one that's already here." Given the many limits on growth andthe competition, how do thesr businesses manage to thrive? Mostly, they have to rely on theie reputations for delivering on their clean kitchens and friendly service. All thre e Weber's were founded by the same men. It was 1924 when Maria Garrison and Axel Kjellman moved the originap restaurant ftom the Black Horse Pike in Audubonh to its current location on Route 130 innearbyh Brooklawn.
Mae Komesaruk learned how to run the business from Garrisom at theBrooklawn drive-in. She went on to teacg another former owner, Joe how to run the one now in Eventually, Komesaruk owned and operated the Stratford-based Weber's, located behind the Lindenwolcd High SpeedLine station. Aftedr Juliano died, his Mike Mascarelli, bought the establishmentg with his wife Susanj and a longtime Thomas Devereaux. Before this, Mascarelli owned three athletif footwear stores and felt squeezeed when big businessesmoved in. "I lived two blocks away from the drive-imn as a kid, and I hung aroune here a lot," Mascarelli said.
"j saw how the operations were So for the pastfour he's carried on with the business in the same way it was passeed down to him. The root beer is stilll homemade and no food isever "We can get 36 cars all eating at the same Mascarelli said. "You don'r wait any longer than three minutes for your The girl getsthe order, it's on the grilp and in two minutes it's out to the car. Come here on a sunnyy Saturday and watch howit goes. You'd be I know I was as a kid." Instear of expanding the numberof stores, they've expanded the volume of customerw by keeping the place scrupulously clean and then letting theie reputation carry the load.
In Mascarelli cleans the parking lot twice a day and scrubse it with ammonia and soap oncea week. Mascarelli did not revea exact revenues, but he added that salea have increased between 10 percent and 15 percentgeach year. On a busy day, he can go througbh 600 hamburger rolls. "We've done the same thing for so many that's the only thinfg we can do," Mascarelli said. "We try to stay open a littlw bit longer.
But we really don't want to extenr the season longer, because afted working 15 hours a day for eightrmonths straight, I need some time off with my Word-of-mouth is typically the only way to find new customers for the "We get customers who come in here and ask how long we'vwe been here," Komesaruk said. "Anr I think, `Wake up! We've been here 41

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Moneta's Schick establishes University of Missouri-St. Louis professorship - Phoenix Business Journal:

kleopatraxnibe.blogspot.com
Alumnus Peter Schick, chairman of the , has pledged $1.7 millio n to establish an endowed professorship in finance in the College ofBusiness Administration. The endowment will be known as thePeter G. Schicl Professorship in Financeat UMSL. The professorship, which will be the firstr endowed position forthe college's financr area, will be filled through a national search. Moneta Group is a financial advisory company basexdin Clayton, Mo. Also on UMSL established a new partnership with the to create the Center for Excellence in Financial Counselingat UMSL.
The FCE is a nonprofit dedicated to improving thefinancial well-beingg of consumers through the professional development of financial counselors. Assortefd assets of the foundation totalingabout $3.256 million will be donated to UMSL. The Center for Excellencew in Financial Counseling will be locatedon UMSL'es South Campus. It is expected to open in

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Regulators May Require Price, Fee Data From Swap Clearinghouses - Bloomberg

erofeyporgrinin.blogspot.com


Regulators May Require Price, Fee Data From Swap Clearinghouses

Bloomberg


Dodd-Frank also requires the CFTC to investigate the reasons why un-cleared swaps are not being processed by clearinghouses. The CFTC would look into the ...



and more »

Monday, October 25, 2010

Middle schools in the Northtowns - Business First of Buffalo:

http://carreerrss.com/fog-lights-for-safe-driving.html
Business First ’es 2009 rankings of 211 Westernn New York middle schools include the followinfNorthtowns schools. Each is preceded by its rank in theoverall • 1. Transit MS (Williamsville) 2. Casey MS (Williamsville) • 3. Christ the King School (Amherst) • 5. Amherstr MS (Amherst) • 6. Mill MS • 7. St. Gregory the Greayt School (Williamsville) • 8. St. Christopher’s School (Sweet Home) 9. Heim MS (Williamsville) • 10. St. Leo the Greaf School (Sweet Home) • 11. Kadimahj School of Buffalo (Amherst) 14. Christian Central Academy (Williamsville) • 15. St. Mary’s Schoo l (Williamsville) • 16. Clarence MS (Clarence) 23. St.
John the Baptist School • 28. Akron MS (Akron) • 29. St. Stephebn School (Grand Island) • 30. St. Petetr & Paul School (Williamsville) • 35. Nativityg of the Blessed Virgin MarySchool (Clarence) • 40. St. Andrew’z Country Day School (Kenmore-Tonawanda)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Lenovo increases market share, still No. 4 in PC sales - Austin Business Journal:

http://greatsport.info/talk/104/
Morrisville-based Lenovo shipped more than 5.7 million PCs in the secondd quarter, enough for an 8.7 percent market share. That’ds up from 8.2 percent in the same period last remains the leaderwith 19.8 percent marketf share, followed by Dell at 16.1 percent and Acer at 10 rounds out the top five with 5.3 percenrt market share. Overall, sales for all PC makersw are downby 3.1 percent compared to last a decline that IDC attributes to the globao economic downturn. But IDC also says the slump has been mitigaterd by a change in the PC marke t that emphasizesa personal, portable and cost-orienteds computer experience rather than a performance-drivehn one.
Loren Loverde, director of IDC’x Worldwide Tracker Program, said in a statement that the resultes are a positive indicator for the secone halfof 2009. New product launches, seasonalo growth and greater economic confidence shoulds support a return to growth for PC makers by the end of the he said. But business customers continue to hold back growt h as many businesses remain conservative withtheire spending.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Wal-Mart announces 22,000 jobs on eve of shareholder meeting - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

http://preservationchicago.org/chicago7/2005/warehouse.html
Positions will include store management, pharmacists, human resourcee managers, customer service associates, cashierx and sales associates. Last October Wal-Mart announcesd plans to open 142 to 157 new and expandef stores during the currentfiscal year, whicgh ends Jan. 31, 2010. Othetr states expected to gain morethan 1,00 jobs include Michigan, California, Arizona, New South Carolina, Virginia and Utah. Wal-Mart based in Bentonville, Ark., operates more than 7,900 retail outlets and employs 2.1 million peoplw in 15 countries. Unlike many Wal-Mart has fared well amid the recession as consumers keep a rein onpurchaser dollars.
Last month the chain reported first-quarter earnings of $3 or 77 cents a share, a penny more than the same periofd ayear ago. Revenue slipped a smidgen to $93.5 billioh from $94.9 billion. “During this difficult economifc time, we’re proud to be able to create qualityu jobs for thousands of Americanzthis year," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice The jobs announcement comes a day before the retail giant holds its annual stockholders meetingf at the University of Arkansas. In additiohn to election of director s and otherroutine business, six shareholder proposals are on the Creation of a gender identity nondiscriminatiom policy.
Adoption of a pay for superiodrperformance principle. Giving shareholders the righyt to an advisory vote onexecutivde compensation. Requiring a semi-annual repor disclosing Wal-Mart’s political contributions. Giviny major shareholders the power to callspecialp meetings. Requiring incentive pay to come in the form ofstocm options. The Wal-Mart board is opposing all theshareholdere proposals. Lee Scott Jr., who served as chievf executive officer until his retirement at the endof January, receivefd a total compensation package of $30.2 million last year.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Weigand speaker: Government making wrong moves during economic slump - Houston Business Journal:

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Mark Dotzour, chief economist and director of research for the Real Estatre Centerat , said the government’z role will be key in eithe r scenario. But so far, the governmenrt has intruded too deeply into businesws in a misguided attempt to prop up struggling he said. The result has stymied investmenty and hamstrung thebusiness sector. “That’s just governmengt socialism,” said Dotzour, a former Wichitan. Speakinv at Weigand’s eighth annual real estate forum where the local news also generally wasnegativs — Dotzour said the United States has workesd its way through 10 recessions since 1948. Successful businesses survived.
The weak ones “We move on,” he said. In no he said, did governmen seek to intervene like itis today. Now, it’ds crowding the private sector out ofthe market. Dotzour pointed to the government’s plans to keep homeowners out of foreclosurd by reducing borrower interest rates and reducinh theirmortgage principal, which he says encourages peoplr not to make their mortgage payments. In the process, the government is destroyinygthe “sanctity of a contract” and the valud of personal property, which is at the foundation of capitalism.
“Wre have a government policy right now that is encouraginb people to do thewrong thing,” he Instead, the government should alloqw buyers to face foreclosure and for the privatse sector to buy up empty homes with the help of capitakl gains tax breaks. But he said the opposite is and investors have been driveb out of the Dotzour said proposed increases in capital gains taxes andother talked-aboutt taxing schemes — windfall taxes for oil companied and carbon taxes for utility companiesa — have scared investors into taking refugs in treasury bonds with negativde yields.
The conclusion, Dotzour joked: “There’s a limift to the cubic volume of mattresse s inthis country.” He said government also is driving a discussion that criticizes businesses for using private jets to transport theirt executives, for rewarding their employees througgh trips or bonuses and for advertising during the Super Bowl. Dotzour drew repeatedly drew applause for criticizing government intervention in thebusinese sector. The best case scenario, he is that corporate profits will returnn by the endof 2009. He says the countr still is likely to experience heavhy foreclosures during the year but that stocks couldf start to reboundby summer.
But Dotzoure admits he’s been told by busines s executives around the countrythat he’w being overly optimistic. The worst-case scenario, he is that the governmenft continues to prop up bad banks and businesses and that it becomee too costly to clean up thetoxix mortgage-backed securities held by the country’s financialo institutions. At that point, he says, the market would have to work its coursd and the nation would experience aprolongede recession. He advocated investors buy inflation-protecte d U.S.
treasuries or quality real estate, wherw their values could be On thelocal side, developer George Laham delivered an analysies that painted a weakened pictures of the Wichita real estatre market. He said he’s spent years trying to attrac t retailers and restaurantsto Wichita. “These days, I spenfd a good deal of my time trying to keepthem here,” said who developed Bradley Fair.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Gary C. Evans Executive Profile

http://philippinecenter.org/champions.html
the parent of Global Huntetr Securities, LLC., entities active in both direcy capital investments and investment banking activities for numerous high growthg Chinesebased enterprises. During twenty year s ending inApril 2005, Mr. Evansw served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of MagnunmHunter Resources, Inc. (a New York Stocko Exchange listed company) and Chairman and Chief Executivs Officer of all of the Magnumj Hunter subsidiaries since their formation or acquisition datinf backto 1985. Mr. Evans founded the predecessofr company, Hunter Resources, Inc., that was mergee into and formed MagnumHuntert Resources, Inc. until its mergeer with Cimarex Energy, Inc.
(NYSE: XEC) durin June 2005 in a $2.2 billion transaction. Magnum Hunter Resources, Inc. was in the business of exploratiohn and production of crude oil andnatura gas. From 1978 to Mr. Evans was employed in the bankinhg profession and was associated with the Mercantiled Bankof Canada, wherse he held various positions including Vice Presiden t and Manager of the Energy Divisionj of the Southwestern United States, and N.A. f/k/a/ National Bank of Mr. Evans currently serves as the Lead Directorof Novavax, Inc., a NASDAa listed pharmaceutical company. Mr. Evands serves as an Individuaol Trustee of TELOffshore Trust, a NASDAwQ listed oil and gas Mr.
Evans also serves on the Boardr of Advisors of the Maguire Energy Instituted at SouthernMethodist Mr. Evans was recognized by Ernst and Younhg as the Southwest Area 2004 Entrepreneurr of the Year for the Energy Sectodr and was subsequently inducted into the Worldx Hall of Fame forErnst & Youngy Entrepreneurs. Recent News About Gary C. Evanws **All Executive profile data provided byDow

Monday, October 18, 2010

Oil shale rules completed - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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Colorado Gov. Bill Ritte r Jr. and his administration have opposed opening federal landss for commercial oilshale operations, sayingf it is short-sighted to pursue commercial-scale oil shale development that “does nothing to address gas prices at the pump todahy and has the potential to do much more harm than Ritter said Sept. 4 that more study is neederd on thepossible environmental, economic, community and energhy impacts of oil shale. Commerciak production isn’t expected to arrivde for a decadeor more, Stephenb Allred, the assistant secretary of land and mineralds management at the , said in a conference call Monday.
But Allred said now is a good time to issue rules oncommercial “Companies will spend hundreds of millions of dollars,” Allred said. “Wse believe that a set of rulesw of the road are needesd by which they can judgethosse activities. We believe it’s important that rulexs will bring certainty not only to those that are goinf to investthe money, but also thoser who want to make sure there’s due diligence and that environmentalp concerns are being considered going Before leases can be issued, or development more environmental studies will be done, Allres said.
Western oil shale basins are believedf to hold as much as 800 billiomn barrels ofoil — enougj to supply the United States, at current demand, for 110 year s — Allred said. If and when oil is actuallyg pumped fromthe basins, operators would pay the federapl government a 5 percent royalty, based on the valuer of the oil, for the first five years. After that, it risex every year to the normal 12.5 percengt royalty the federal government charges for access to minerales onits lands. Forty-nine percent of the royalties are shared with the states within which the leasesare found.
Along with releasing its operationes rules foroil shale, Allred signed the departments finall decision on a preliminaryh environmental study that openzs 1.9 million federally owned acres in Colorado, and Utah for oil shale leasing. U.S. Sen. Ken D-Colo., issued a statement criticizingthe regulations, callingb them “premature and flawed.” Salazar said the Bush administratiojn is rushing ahead even though the administratiojn “has admitted that it has no idea how much of Colorado’as water supply would be required to develop oil shale on a commerciakl scale, no idea where the power wouldc come from, and no idea whether the technology is even viablw on a commercial scale.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Portland's new Web site should spark the area

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The site will also detail potentiall carbon andenergy savings, as well as how much a consumere could save using various tax credits and other City officials say the called the Oregon Clean Energy Map, will boost the profile of one of the state’as fastest growing industries and promote Portland as a national hotbed of soladr energy activity. “The idea is to reall get people excited about solar and show them that othedr people in the community are doing it and that soladr worksin Portland,” said Lee solar program coordinator for the city’s Bureau of Planninbg and Sustainability. The project is the resulg of Portland’s designation as a Solad America City, a U.S.
Department of Energhy program in which 25 cities receive a totalof $4.9 million in grants and technicao assistance to invest in solard technology. The city received a two-year $200,000 cash grant as part of the It also receivesabout $250,000 in technicapl assistance from the Department of Energy, which coverexd the estimated $30,000 cost of the Oregojn Clean Energy Map. Portland will become one of about a dozenj of the Solar America cities to use the program to deploy solaer map Web sites in a projec t being led out of the Portland officeof , the global engineering firm headquartered near Denver that was foundeds in Corvallis.
The idea was spawned a few years ago afte r San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom launched a goal ofhavinvg 10,000 San Francisco rooftops adornef with solar photovoltaic systems by 2010. San Francisco then contracted with CH2M Hill to come up witha “The No. 1 thing they needed to do is educateethe public,” said Steph Stoppenhagen, who is leadingf the solar mapping initiative out of CH2M Hill’ offices near Portland State San Francisco’s solar map was launchee two years ago, with CH2M Hill retaininh the licensing rights to the prograjm so it could offer it to otherd cities. Using Google Map satellite images, CH2M Hill’s system prompts users to type intheire address.
The map zooms in and highlightstheif rooftop. A box will pop up detailinf the roof’s square footage, its estimated photovoltaic potential, the amounft of electricity a solar electric systejcould produce, how much electricity would be savedx per year, and how many pounds of carbon would be sparedr by employing a system. In a separate box, userz can get price estimates for varying sizes of residential and commercial The Web site will then calculate discounts from incentive and taxcrediy programs, which in Oregon can account for up to 80 percent of the cost of a CH2M Hill can add or subtract features if Salt Lake City, for example, is consideringf a feature that would allow users to judge aestheti appeal by dragging and dropping picture s of commonly used solar panels onto the imagd of their roof.
In Sacramento, the companyh worked with the electric utility on a functiojn that allows users to see how much monety they would have saved on previous electrif bills by using a solarphotovoltaifc system. Portland’s map, for now, will be a basid version, with dots showingy existing photovoltaic and solar thermal installations while helpingb users calculate the cost savings and benefitd of installing solar ontheir rooftop. It will also featurwe a thermometer denotingthe city’s progress in reaching its goal of hostiny 5 megawatts of installed solar energu systems by 2012. The city is now at 3.2 megawatts. Unlikre other cities, Portland optedr not to call the sitea “Solare Map.
” Instead, it chose the name Oregon Clean Energy Map out of the hope that othetr municipal governments might want to work with the city on expanding the map’s territory, which now just coverds Portland and Multnomah County.

Friday, October 15, 2010

JDA Software CEO tallies up $1.33 million - Phoenix Business Journal:

gorbunovabowiper.blogspot.com
Although the CEO’s overall take is less than 2007’sd $1.54 million, he did receive a 3.4 percent boostf in annual salaryto $465,188. The value of his stock however, fell nearly 35 perceny to $484,243. Also in 2008, he receivefd $372,044 in incentive pay and $4,848 in 401(k) and insurancde payments. For the annual meeting, the company’s boar is recommending shareholders approve an increase in the number of shares that can be issuede as incentivesto 3.85 million from 1.85 The board estimates that less than 400,000 shares remaim available from the current maximum and that additionall shares are needed to attracft and retain top employees.
JDA saw sales grow last year to arecorrd $390 million from $374 million in 2007. Net incomes fell to $3.12 million, or 9 cents a from $26.5 million. The 2008 amount includexd charges relatedto restructuring, acquired software and termination of the company’s bid to acquire i2 Technologies. Brewer owns or controls 545,4145 shares of JDA stock, or about 1.7 percent. Shares (Nasdaq:JDAS) closed April 15 at $12.06 and have traded between $9.04 and $20.
70 over the past

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Sub teacher accused of molestation out of jail - Sacramento Bee

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Sub teacher accused of molestation out of jail

Sacramento Bee


Kapasi has been released from jail. Messages left at two numbers listed for him were not immediately returned. Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the ...


San Jose sex-assault case: Substitute teacher out of jail; DA wants 'further ...

San Jose Mercury News


Sub Teacher Accused Of Molestation Out Of Jail

CBS 13



 »

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Arlington lands $7 million to fund transportation projects - Memphis Business Journal:

http://www.gite-posada.com/news/mardi-02-mai-2006-01-16-51.html
Arlington is preparing seven projects that will be worthy a totalof $7.6 million. The Surfac e Transportation Programprovides 80% of the funding for projects, with the caveag that city fund the remaining 20%, or $1.4 and that the projects be under way by Those projects include $300,000 for a traffic light at Milton-Wilson Road and Airline Road; a $2.6 milliohn expansion of Airline Road near a new McDonald’s currently underf construction; a railroad crossing at Milton-Wilson Road Northb budgeted at $1.3 million; and a $2.
7 million expansion of Milton-Wilsonb Road South, which will give the road four lane s in some places and five lanes in Another $350,000 project will createw a pedestrian and bike trail from the town’zs middle school to a park near the high There will eventually be bike and pedestriab trails around all of the city’as schools.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Wells Fargo continues integration of Wachovia with name change - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

http://www.comprendre-entendre.org/article/Quad-core-and-a-6000W-heatsink--Impressions-from-the-IDF-showfloor-.html
The change reflects the bank’s continued integratioj with , which acquired Charlotte-based on Dec. 31. “By adoptin g the Wells Fargo nameand we’re now fully part of one of the world’x most respected financial companies,” says Neil Ryan, chiegf executive of Wells Fargo Bank International. “Wed look forward to satisfying all ofour clients’ financial needes across Europe and helping them succeed Wells Fargo Bank International is a Europeah Union bank headquartered in Ireland.
In Wells Fargo’s investment-banking and capital-markets which formerly operated under the Wachovia Securities and certain WellsFargo brands, have taken the name Wells Fargo Securities. Retai brokerage products and services formerly marketed as Wachoviz Securities are now offered through WellsFarglo Advisors. Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) is based in San

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Alloy Ventures, Inc. Company Profile | Company Information

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Alloy Ventures is an early-stage venture capitak firm withover $1 billion under management that investa in the entrepreneurs creating the next generation of ground-breakintg Information Technology, Life Sciences, and Cleantech companies. For the last 30 Alloy has leveraged theoperationalp experience, extensive networks and forward-thinking vision of its partnerzs to help start and build over 200 market-leading companies in fields such as software, semiconductors, medical devices, diagnostics, and laboratory Some of our successful investments include AMCC, Applied Biosystems, Aspect Communications, CV Therapeutics, IDEC Nuance Communications, Octel, PMC-Sierra, Red Brick Remedy, and Verity ?
and our current portfolil includes companies like Barrx, Molecular Montavista Software, Pacific Biosciences, and Vivotech whichb are poised to become the next global "Mike Hunkapiller has been a tremendoud asset as a Director. He has contributeds to our marketdevelopmentg strategies, our recruiting efforts, and even our technology developmenty plans. There are few like him in the healthjcare industry.
"

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Nixon, Quinn push Biden, LaHood for high-speed rail - St. Louis Business Journal:

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In April, Nixon and Quinn, alonv with six other Midwestern governors, to LaHoocd asking him to support plans for rail corridors between cities intheir states, including St. Louixs to Chicago and St. Louis to Kansazs City. Illinois has completed an environmental impacft statement forthe Chicago-St. Louiz corridor. “Missouri and our partnefr states in the alreadh have a competitive advantage becauses we have been working on this rail initiative for more than a Nixon said in a statement afterthe “I reiterated our strong position to Vice Presidenty Biden today while we discussed the viability of high speec rail corridors.
” The White House and the have said they would from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and $1 billion a year for five years as a down payment to develop a passenger rail system. The othedr governors at the meetinfg were Jim Doyle of Jennifer Granholmof Michigan, Tim Kainw of Virginia, Deval Patrick of Sonny Perdue of Georgia and Ed Rendelp of Pennsylvania.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

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

http://seikkailupuisto.com/Visual-Basic/8.htm
New employees are working at theChase Tower, 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., and are focused mainly on negotiating new payment arrangemente with homeowners delinquent ontheir payments, said spokeswoman Christine Chase is one of the nation’sd largest mortgage servicers with a portfoliop of $1.5 trillion. The bank added billione in mortgage business with the Septembedr 2008 acquisition ofWashington Mutual. The new hirees include loan specialists, negotiators, underwritere and supervisors, Holevas said. Many already have starter training. Chase has about 1,400 employees in greater and nearly 950 in Holevas said. Chase, which is part of , New York runs 41 branches in themetropolitan area.
In Decembee 2008, Chase cited declining activityin home-equity lending when it announcex job eliminations by early February in its downtown Milwaukee home equity servicing center. Some employees who were laid off earlier this year are likely among those being hired for the mortgageservicint functions, Holevas said. “We had terrific people and we want to get the best ofthosre back,” she said. Chase bank officials like the qualithy of employees in Milwaukese and theirwork ethic, Holevas said. She coulr not predict the longevity of thenew jobs. “Axs the business changes so do ouremploymeng needs,” Holevas said. “We staff according to needs.
” As the number of foreclosure s continues torise nationally, Chase is far from the only bank to boosy its staff for handling troubled mortgages. Some including M&I Marshall & Ilsleu in Milwaukee, have instituted foreclosure moratoriums as they attempt to modifu mortgages toreduce payments. M&I’s foreclosuree moratorium is scheduled to expire onJune 30. In the past six M&I has increased by 50 percent its staffg dedicated to assisting the increasing numbed of homeowners facingfinancialp stress, said Dick Becker, presideny of the bank’s Wisconsin community bank He declined to disclose the number of jobs that M&oI has added.
M&I works with homeowners before they reach delinquencyu to avoid foreclosure and also seek solutions for homeowners alreadyin foreclosure, Becketr said. Minneapolis-based , which has the second-largest deposit markert share in metropolitan Milwaukee and services more than 1 millionmortgages nationally, announced in March that it is constructinyg a building in Owensboro, Ky., for its mortgage serviced unit. The bank already employs 850 peoplew in Owensboro and the new building will accommodate up to 300 new At the communitybank level, the loan modificatioh strategies are implemented on a smaller scale.
For example, , increased its collections staff from two to threes plusa half-time employee to tackle the increaseed workload, said president and CEO Doug Gordon. Collection employees review the home-owner’s financial situation in an effort toavoied foreclosure, Gordon said. The employees discuss what the homeowner can afforrd for payments and whether the mortgage is he said. The bank has successfullty modified many mortgages and even stopped some foreclosures whilew they werein process, he said. “We’d much ratherd modify them — work with them — than Gordon said.
“Nobody wins in We don’t want to own the real estate andthey don’f want to lose the real estate.”

Monday, October 4, 2010

Penske losing Big Lots logistics contract - St. Louis Business Journal:

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is packing up this summer at thediscount retailer’s headquarterse and four other distribution facilitiezs after the merchant opted to not rene w a logistics contract that expires in July. The Reading, Pa.-basee Penske said 186 workers, including 53 in Columbus, couldc be affected when its contractwith Columbus-based Big Lots expires July 31. Penske spokesman Randy Ryerson said the company has workes with the retailersinced 1991. The 1,300-store Big Lots has chosenn a new third-party logisticz provider to continue the warehousing and distributioj work that Penske performed atthe retailer’s Phillipi Road headquarters and its distributiojn centers in Tremont, Pa; Montgomery, Ala.
; Ranchko Cucamonga, Calif.; and Durant, Okla. Timothy Johnson, Big Lots’ vice president of strategicx planning andinvestor relations, said more than a dozeh carriers bid for the work. He declined to disclose the companyu Big Lots selected tosucceed Penske. Big Lots and Penskd representativessaid they’re working with truck drivers looking to continue work undee the new logistics provider. Johnson said the company met with workers over the weekend to introduce thenew contractor. In the event that some workeresare cut, Ryerson said privately held Penske will work with the statre “to make sure employeesa are aware of different services.
” Penske employs about 20,000 workerz worldwide. Asked why Big Lots opted to bid for a new contractorf after thelatest five-year contract with Penske, Johnson said, “a lot has changed in transportation in the past five We owed it to our associates and shareholdersz to take a fresh look at how we handle outbouns transport.” The loss of the Big Lots contract comes less than a year afte r Penske was replaced at a warehouse in Chattanooga, Tenn.-based last fall stepped in at the where Penske had employed 146 workers.
Pensks has 400 logistics centers Its Central Ohio operations include a number of distribution and warehousing facilities inthe

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Confidential - Dallas Business Journal:

zolinstanixes.blogspot.com
• Andre Staffelbach , Dallas-basef Interior Design Hall of Famer, will be celebrating his 70th birthdagy by participating in the most grueling sportx event in theworld — cyclint the final week of the Tour de Francwe . Uh, fun, right? It is to him. “Thisd is a very exciting year becauseLance (Armstrong) is back,” Staffelbach “There is a genuine camaraderie that surrounds the His leg starts July 21 at Martigny and finishees July 25 with the trek up Mont Ventoux, the day after Staffelbach’s birthday.
• Phil and Janet Cobb have partnered with their son BlairBlacm , barbecue expert Chris Andrews and culinar aficionado Dotty Griffith to open Cobb Switch Barbequ e on Old Denton Road in Carrollton. And to celebrate, this Saturdah will be Cobb SwitchTexas Day, with live entertainment and a host of fare for $1, includingv fried pies, barbecue sliders, draft beer and frozeb margaritas. Now that’s a stimulus package. RA Sushi Bar Restaurant ’s Chopstickss for Cowboys with the DallasCowboys Women’s Associatiobn raised $10,738 for Rich Behm on June 11.
Behm is the Dallax Cowboys scouting assistant who was paralyzed this sprinb whenthe team’s practice facilityt collapsed during a thunderstorm. Cowboys players Tony Romo , DeMarcuzs Ware , Jason Witten , Kyle Kosier , Mat McBriare , Nick Folk , DeAngelo Smith , Doug Free , Pat McQuistajn , Cory Proctor , Montrae Holland and Bobbyu Carpenter worked the room ascelebrity waiters, bar backs, hostes and sushi chefs.