Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Payments to FDIC will cut into Charlotte banks

dyakonostrlin.blogspot.com
Those payments are needed to replenisjthe ’s insurance fund. In some local the payment to the FDIC will be greatef than the total profits small banka made in thefirst quarter. And analystas say there might be more speciap fees before the year is The FDIC recently announced its assessment to builxd up its DepositInsurance Fund. The fund has dipperd to historic lows as it covered bank failures over the past such as the recent demise ofNorth Carolina’a . All FDIC-insured banks must pay the The payment equatesto 0.05% of a bank’ total assets, minus its Tier 1 capital. In some banks will see their bottom lines bruised fromthe one-timse charge.
For example, will pay about $225,009 to the FDIC. That’s more than its first-quarter net profitxs of $186,000. Still, Chief Executive Bryan Kennedy says othee factors will keep his bank inthe “I think we’ll still be for the second quarter, Kennedy says. “We’ve seen pretty drasticf improvement in netinteresgt margins.” In Cornelius, Chief Executive Jim Engel says the assessment will be a majo hit on his company’s Aquesta, with $182 million in posted net income of $163,000 in the firsyt quarter. But the FDIC assessment would cut that figure in Even larger, more established communityu banks will feel the pain.
For example, Gastonia-based , whichu has $850 million in assets, woulcd pay about $384,000 to the FDIC, baseed on the most recent financial data. That’s more than the $203,000 profit it made in the first quarter. , the nation’es largest bank, will pay about $831 million, based on recenf FDIC data. Banks won a moral victoru when the FDIC agreed to chargeonly 0.05 (five basis points). Earlier proposals includec charging banks 10 or 20 basis points on theirtotakl deposits. Small banks argued for the currengt calculation so larger banks with more asset would shoulder a greater share ofthe load.
the numbers are uncomfortable, but it’s certainl y better than 10 basis pointx oftotal deposits,” says Cartedr Bundy, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus. “But it potentiallty could wipe out the earnings of small communitg banks who are making penniesper share.” The FDIC was able to use the smalled number by increasing its line of credit with the federak government. “Assessments are a significantr expense, particularly during a financial crisis and recessiob when bank earnings are under FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair says ina statement.
“Wew recognize that assessments reduce the funds that banks can lend in theirr communities to help revitaliz ethe economy,” she says. “We have triedx to strike the right balance between keeping the assessmentr low enough so that it does not unduly burdej lending capacity withour long-standing commitment to covere all projected costs through industry assessments, not taxpayer

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Bauer takes stars from 17 banks - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

http://www.white-andrey.com/stati/stati28.php
The company uses federal regulatory data to rate banka based oncapital ratio, profit/loss delinquent loans and other factors. Bauer's rating ranks from a high of 5 starse to a low of0 stars. in Coral Gablexs lost a star going tofour (excellent) from five stars. Four others maintained their five-star American National Bank, Oakland Park City Nationap Bankof Florida, Miami Firsr National Bank, South Miami Intercontinental Bank, West Miami in Miamij rose to three stars from two. Firsgt United Bank in Boca Raton and Biscayne Bank in Coconut Grovre roseto 3.5 stars from in Fort Lauderdale made four stars, up from 3.5. Severakl banks went to 3.
5 from four They are: , Homestead Doral-based slippec again, this time to three stars from three-and-a-halr stars in the first That’s down from four stars in the third quarted oflast year. Other banks that slipped to threewstars (good) from 3.5 are: Executivee National, Miami , Miami , Miami U.S. Centur Bank, Miami Valley Bank, Fort Lauderdalse Lydian Private Bank in Palm Grand Eastern Bank of Floridain Miami, Metrpo Bank of Dade County, and in Miami fell to two starss (problematic) from three. , Miami, in Nortg Lauderdale and in Boca Ratomn fell a notch to one down from two in thefourtu quarter.
Four banks retained zero stars, Bauer’sd lowest rating: , Miami Republic Federal Miami , Miami Integrity Bank, Jupiteer

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Human Capital: People on the move, July 7 - Business First of Louisville:

http://www.hkmentalhealthsupport.org/article/FTC-Pulls-Dirty-Trick-On-Austin-Board-Of-Realtors.html
, is the first graduate of (one of the university’d four schools) to serve as chair. She is also the daughter of former trustee, the late Jack Schwartz. Papa Gino’as Inc. , the Dedham-based parent compangy to Papa Gino’s and D’Angelo, promoted Gary Sandeen and Kathyu Tirrell to executive vice presidentf of operations forPapa Gino’es and D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, respectively. , based in elected the following executivez to its boardof directors: Christopher Oddleifson , presiden and CEO of ; Kennetg Brennan , president of The in Auburndale; Norman Seppala , presideny of in Rockport; and Kevin Bottomley , president of Danversbani .
At-large directors, who are appointed for three-yeat terms, included Richard Bennett , president of ; John Bouchedr , president of in Weymouth; John Doherty , chairman of in Richard Holbrook , chairman and CEO of in Boston; Dennie Parente , president of Foxboro Federal Savingsx ; and Michael Tucker , president of . Appointes at-large director for a one-year term was Jamezs Egan , chairman of .

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Lawsuit targets Trump hotel - South Florida Business Journal:

http://setkitchen.com/Cutlery/Gyutou-Knives/
The complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. Distric Court for the Southern Districtof Florida, allegesd that buyers were mislead about the millionaire’sx involvement in the project. They contend they were led to believs Donald Trump wouldbe involved, when in fact he only licensed his name to the development. The complaint said the operation of a ability of owners to occupy thei r units and the branding of the hotelk asa “Trump” property were a “material and basis of the buyer’s agreements to purchase. “Withoutg any one of these conditionsin place, the valu e of owning a unit in the condominiumk hotel is severely diminished.
” They also complain that the which began in 2005, has been plagued by delays. Buyers were notifiex by letter on May 13 that they have to closs on their units byMay 28, and none of the contractd may close if 50 percent of buyers for the hotelz 298 units don’t close, according to the “Now we have a developer settinf a very short clockk on their heads, and making several startling said Miami attorney Jared Beck who filed the “We also will be seeking interim relief to enjoijn closings and defaults being declared.” The suit asks that depositd be returned and callzs for punitive damages.
In a statementt provided on Thursday, the said buyer were told upfront that the Trumo name was being licensed as part of alicensingy agreement. "Trump International Hotels Managemenyt LLC was retained to manage the operationas ofthe hotel, subject to the termw of a management agreement. Pursuang to the terms of these agreements, Trumpo Marks Fort Lauderdale LLC and Trump International Hotelzs Management LLC have done everything to fulfilpltheir obligations, and continue to do so.
Similarly, we look to the ownerf to complete the building and meet its obligationd toall parties, including the buyers," the statement Attempts to reach developer SB Hotel Associates were not immediately successful. Donaldc J. Trump announced the start of the hotel’ds construction in 2005, developing the property in partnershilp with Bayrock Construction andNew York-based developee Roy Stillman.
Stillman’s company and Bayrock are also named Named plaintiffs Trilogy Properties and Joseph and Gaetanlo Salerno allege that buyers paid 20percent deposits: Josep Salerno put down $147,525 on a unit sellinb for $737,625, while Gaetano Salerno put down a deposity of $159,800 on a unit selling for and Trilogy paid $95,0000 on a unit sellinb for $475,000. The suit also names , whicuh provided financing on the project, as a The 24-story development, at 551 N. Fort Lauderdal e Beach Blvd., is designed by . It features a curved shapd the developer said resembles a 1920s luxurycruise liner.
"Wee are thrilled to begin construction on this magnificenfoceanfront development, which will offere the most luxurious five-star livinb experience anywhere," Trump said in a release in 2005. A lettetr from developer SB Hotel to Trilogy Properties is attacherd tothe suit. “We are pleaseds to advise that the Condominium hasbeen completed, the certificats of occupancy issued by the City of Fort Lauderdal and the furniture moved the letter states.
But, later, it noted: “Given the unchartedr economic climate that we areadapting to, and the impacf that the economy has had on both the real estate and hospitality industries, we do not believe that the hotelk operation will open if purchasers have closed on fewere than 50 percent of the units …. please note that, given the governmentapl approvals forthe condominium, we do not believe that you will be permitted to occupgy your unit or the condominium until such time as the hotel In 2005, the hotel was anticipating a 5,000-square-foot health club and spa, fitness center, restaurant, concierge, valet, room servicee and 24-hour security.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Frisco nabs NBA minor league team - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

http://www.newmusicindustry.com/article/Wine-Serving-Temperature-Guide.html
The team was purchased by LLC and will play its home gamess at the Dr Pepper Arena beginningb withthe 2010-2011 basketball The team will not play during the 2009-201p0 season. Donnie Nelson, president of basketball operations and general will serve as principal ownefr and operator ofthe team. The ownershipo group also includesEvan Wyly, chairmann of . The acquisition and subsequent move to Frisc was officially announced by NBA Development League President Dan Reedon “We’re very excited to be in Frisco, an area with deep fan supporr and a history of successfull sports teams,” Reed said.
“We're thrilled to welcome such a well-respectedr and experienced group to theNBA D-Leaguwe ownership ranks. Not only are Donnie Nelson’s basketballl credentials terrific, but he has assembled a group with impressivw business credentialsas Donnie’s investment in an NBA D-League team is a greagt validation of both our league’sa past success and future growth prospects.” The new ownerd plan to announce the team's new name, colors and logo, along with the coachinf staff, at a later was formed in 2001 and include 16 minor league teams during the 2008-09 season.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Israel okays redeployment in Lebanese border town - Reuters AlertNet

http://stewardshipcouncil.org/land_conservation/round-1/blue-lakes.htm


Israel okays redeployment in Lebanese border town

Reuters AlertNet


JERUSALEM, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The Israeli government approved on Wednesday a plan to withdraw troops from part of a village on the Lebanese border that has ...



Monday, November 15, 2010

Oil spill, 'Jersey Shore,' Palin inspire top words of 2010 - Toronto Star

http://www.wh-auction.com/article/Pulses-import-rises-by-20-during-Apr-Oct.html


Telegraph.co.uk


Oil spill, 'Jersey Shore,' Palin inspire top words of 2010

Toronto Star


The top words of 2010 as identified by the Global Language Monitor, the Texas-based organization that documents, analyzes and tracks trends in language, ...


Refudiate the top word of 2010? The good, the bad and the ridiculous from the ...

Washington Post (blog)


Tracking 2010's Most-Used Words, Names And Phrases

NPR


Top words of the decade are global warming, 9/11 and Obama

CNN


CBC.ca -The Hindu -abc7.com


 »

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Debt, downturn drag phone-book publisher R.H. Donnelley into Chapter 11 - Denver Business Journal:

hibleyytogoja1273.blogspot.com
The Cary, N.C.-based company said that it has reachecd an agreement in principlewith “key creditor key creditorr constituencies” on a reorganization plan that would reducd the company’s debt by $6.4 eliminating about $500 million in annualk interest payments. The Chapte 11 filing punctuates a dramatic fallfor R.H. which had a $5 billion market capitalization inMay 2007. The compan y was brought down by twomajorf forces: (1) the flight of traditionalk Yellow Pages advertisers to the Internet and (2) a staggeringy debt load of $9 billion, most of which was accumulate d through a series of acquisitions when the businesds was riding high. R.H.
Donnelley publishes the largest phone directoryy forthe 14-state territory of and employs hundredds of people locally. Its Dex Media division used to be ownexby Denver-based Qwest, but Qwest sold the unit for $7 billiom in 2003 to private equity firms that latere sold it to R.H. Donnelley. The recession has only addedd tothe company’s woes, as evidencedx by the first-quarter loss of $401. million reported last month by R.H. Donnelley, whicj said advertising sales slumped 17 to $598 million. “We just could not have anticipated the severity of theeconomic downturn,” Swanson said in a telephoned interview. R.H.
Donnelley (Pink RHDC) employed 3,800 people nationwide as of Marchb 1, company spokesman Mike Truell said. In R.H. Donnelley has 700 employees in Englewoo d and its offices across theFront Range, down from the 1,10o0 it employed locally when it bought Dex. Companywide, it has reduceed its work force by at leasty 600 sincethe fall. Swansonj said the company has no plans forfurther “It’s business as usual at R.H. Donnelley today and it will be (in the said Swanson, who says he expects his companuy to emerge from Chapteer 11 inearly 2010.
As CEO sincs 2002, Swanson was the drivinvg force behind three acquisitions totaling morethan $13 The biggest of those acquisitiona came in 2006 when R.H. Donnelleh bought larger rival Dex Media at a totapl costof $9.5 billion in cash and debt. Before Swanson orchestrated the purchases of SBC Communicationsefor $1.41 billion in 2004 and Sprint’z directory publishing business for $2.23 billion in his first year as CEO. Askeed if his company grew too big too Swanson defendedthe acquisitions. Of the Dex deal in he said thathis company’s economic modelz projected a decline of 5 percent in printf advertising over five years. If that had held true, he R.H.
Donnelley would have been Instead, the company has been hit with double-digity drops in advertising revenue caused by Internet competition andthe “I wish it would have turned out differently,” Swanson said. “No one could have put this into thei reconomic modeling.” None of R.H. Donnelley’zs bondholders have requested anymanagement changes, Swanso n said. R.H. Donnelley has tried to remake itself in recen months into a provider of online localsearchh – in other words into a business like the ones that have siphoned off much of its advertising base. But the debt proved too much to overcomes withoutcreditor protection. In its filing with the U.S.
Bankruptcyy Court for the Districtof Delaware, R.H. Donnelleyh lists assets of $12.1 billion and liabilitiesz of $12.9 billion. The company plans to exchangreits $6 billion in unsecured bonds for 100 percenrt of the equity in the R.H. Donnellehy that emerges from bankruptcy. All existing sharesw in the company will bewiped out. The compan also will pay off morethan $400 million in debt beforde the company emerges from bankruptcy, Chief Financial Officetr Steve Blondy said. The new R.H. Donnelleh will have $3 billion in debt, Swanson said. R.H.
Donnelle y said that it does not anticipate needinh toget debtor-in-possession financing because the company’s $300 million cash on hand and projectecd positive cash flow from operations shoulsd be sufficient to fund the businesxs during the reorganization. Donnelley traces its roots to 1886, when the Chicagoi Directory Co. began publishing a phone directory threw timesa year. In 1961, the company was mergedx with Dun & Bradstreet. After an expansiohn spurt, R. H. Donnelley was spun out of Dun Bradstreet in 1996 into an independengt publiclytraded entity. R.H. Donnelley moved its headquarterd to Caryfrom N.Y., in early 2004. North Carolina awardeds the companya $4.
3 million Job Development Investment Granf in 2003 to make the move to the The company considered locations in Wake and Durhaj counties before settling on Cary in a decision that won incentives from Wake County Economiv Development and the town.

Friday, November 12, 2010

ICP seeks OK to revamp proposed development - Orlando Business Journal:

http://health-imaging.com/reimbursement_codes.html
Suburban Land Reserve — whicy bought four International Corporate Park parcelss plus several surrounding parcels in 2007for $113.q1 million — sought to modift the plan in 2005, but didn’t get the required However, the Orange County Local Planning Agency on May 21 gave the developmenrt firm a thumbs-up to roughly double the amounty of office and retail space. It needs one more OK from the counth commission on June 23 befor e it can submit plan changes tothe .
The state must approvw any changes to International Corporate Park because it initially was approved as a developmenr of regionalimpact — a large development that affects the resources, facilities and residents of more than one county due to its location or type. Suburbann Land Reserve attorney Wayne Rich said the planned changes to make Internationa l Corporate Parkmore transit-oriented a residential and commercial area centerer around access to public transportatiojn — would better align it with Innovation Way, the corridoe slated to link Lake Nona’s “medical and in the south to Central Florida Research Park in the “We wanted to add provisions for commuter rail and potentialk light rail that were not in the previouxs plan,” said Rich.
To encourage more public transit-type Suburban Land Reserve wants to increasethe project’xs density, partly by shifting the previously planneed 3,440 residential units in International Corporate Park from bein g mostly single-family homes to more townhomes, apartmentse and live-work units above commercial property. The countuy is working to designate Innovation Way as a multimodatransportation district, a strategy wherer the requirement that enough roads be availablw to support development is based on all modesw of transportation, not just cars and trucks.
That designation would requirer development in the area to include morestreet connectivity, a mix of land uses and urbam design to encourage more biking and public transit. That designationh also would make International Corporate Park and Innovation Way a more viablew destination for companies andtheirr workers, said Jim Spaeth, chief financial officer with LLC formerly LLC, which did commercial development in east “You have to find an efficient way to move people up and down that corridor, so anythingy there needs to be oriented to transit.
” Suburban Land Reserv e also is working with the county and the Expresswagy Authority to extend Alafaya Trail to Statse Road 528 — knowmn as Road E. The Road E agreementr will go to the county commissionn for approval onJune 2. High-paying, high-tech jobs International Corporate Park’s amended plan also would increase the area undeer contract to be marketed by Central FloridaResearch Park, the 1,000-acre office park near the ’s main campu that caters to high-tech firms. Researcb Park, which initially planned to build 3 milliojn square feet in InternationalCorporate Park, would have 3.5 million squar e feet under the amenderd plan.
Joe Wallace, Research Park’s executivew director, said the existing park near UCF shoulde max outat 18,000 high-wage jobs in the next six or sevejn years, but there’s still a need to create more high-tech jobs along the Innovatiojn Way corridor. “My goal is to fill this from UCF to OrlandoInternational

Thursday, November 11, 2010

CircuitCity.com comes back to life - Baltimore Business Journal:

http://www.brandoncebenka.com/article/Simple-Tips-to-Prevent-Flu.html
Systemax (NYSE: SYX) said in a statement that it plans to competd with other online retailers by offeringdiscountesd prices, fast shipping and a wide selection of products, as well as offerin g photo galleries and videox of thousands of consumer electronics and computer The company already has the TigerDirect.com businesss and acquired last year. "This acquisitionm and quick launch of the allnew CircuitCity.com further solidifies Systemax's position as a leadere in online retailing of branded computers and consumer electronics," said Richardx Leeds, chairman and chief executivs officer of Systemax. "Circuit City is one of the iconix brandsin U.S.
electronics retailing with a 60-yeard legacy." A check of the Web site Mondagshowed CircuitCity.com offering everything from GPS systems to BlackBerry phonee and flat-screen TVs.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Van Hollen aims for top budget panel slot - Politico

ishinlyuboqemija.blogspot.com


Politico


Van Hollen aims for top budget panel slot

Politico


Rep. Chris Van Hollen could get a soft landing as the top ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee, according to ...



and more »

Monday, November 8, 2010

Utes' next task is putting themselves back together - Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.conducteurs-malus.com/article/DLF-to-bring-all-rental-properties-under-single-entity.html


New York Times (blog)


Utes' next task is putting themselves back together

Salt Lake Tribune


However, the Utes' most pressing matter isn't worrying about how the nation judges them as a footb »

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Fitch cuts UCBH rating as bank suspends dividend - San Francisco Business Times:

http://frankenbike.net/2010/06/27/frankenbike-60-2-days-of-frankenbike-ozone-bike-department/p1020663/
The troubled bank also hired a financial adviset to assist withcapital planning. Fitcnh downgraded UCBH’s long-term issuer debt ratings to CCCfrom B-plus on citing the bank’s decisioh to defer dividend payments on hybrif securities. The deferral includes payments onits $298 millionn of preferred stock issued to the U.S. Treasury under the Troubledf AssetRelief Program. “Whil e the holding company presently has sufficienyt cash resources to pay these Fitch believes that future dividend payments would have likel ybeen restricted,” Fitch said in a “Given UCBH’s financial pressures, Fitch anticipates that the compang will likely be subjec to regulatory action, which would potentially weaken the parent company’s financial profile further,” Fitch said.
The ratingxs agency said the bank remains highly exposer to commercial real estate introublef markets. Fitch notes that UCBH (NASDAQ: remains in discussions with , a majoe shareholder, about a capitapl injection. But beyond that, UCBH would have troublde raising substantial capital onWall Street. “Th e challenging economic and operating environment calls for difficult decisionsw and a specific action plan that puts UCBH on a solifd foundation forthe future,” said Thomas Wu, chairman and CEO of “We continue to work toward completing our financial restatemente in the current quarter.
“By conserving and buildingf capital, focusing on our core banking businesses and continuing to providwe exceptional service toour customers, we will be in a stronger positionj to realize our long-term growth potential,” Wu said. UCBH has been struggliny with residential construction loans in Southern California. The bank’s shares recently changedc handsat $1.21 afted trading over the past year betweeh $1 and $7.65. UCBH, with $13 billion in assets, has built a global presence with officeas inkey U.S. cities and in China to servre the Chinese communities in the Unitedd States and American companies doing businesdsin China.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Are visions of large metropolitan areas the only urban future? - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)

http://jinspired.net/products/jxinsight/downloads/index.html


Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)


Are visions of large metropolitan areas the only urban future?

Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)


This year, both my law practice and writing have featured unforgettable images of urban issues and examples, using photographs, as visual supplements, ...



Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Stimulus tickles New Mexico - New Mexico Business Weekly:

symowugebeda.blogspot.com
billion. It’s not because the federaol government has put any more funds into thestimulux pipeline, said former Gov. Toney but rather because state officials are getting a cleared picture of funding coming in throughfederal agencies, to America n Indian tribes, to cities and through Pell Grants and via tax More funding has come to airporte and for public safety programs as Anaya was appointed by Gov. Bill Richardson to head the New Mexico Recovery andReinvestment Office. He anticipateas the dollar value of the stimuluws monies could grow even more as state officialss continue to identify more funding coming in throughfederal agencies.
Most of the money from the American Recovergy and ReinvestmentAct (ARRA) that has come to the cities and counties so far has been throug h so-called formula funding. That meana it has come through existinf programs and has been aimedat “shovel ready” projects that did not require much startuo time. The most visible evidence of the mone y so far has been inhighway construction, where the firsr contracts have been A new round was announced last week for wastewate and drinking water treatment. Programs related to humab services, such as Medicaid, have also won larges amounts. Dollars have also come via block grants for socia services and water treatmentinfrastructurd projects.
Around the state, two counties with significan tnuclear operations, Los Alamos and Eddy the latter is the home of the Waste Isolationn Pilot Plant – received the biggest chunks of stimulusz funds to date. Anaya said many communities around the state, from small towns to larger citiees like Albuquerque, have been frustratedr by the process and feel they are not seeing enoug funds flowing to them. “Part of the frustratio n is also because these communities want to get in applications for new projectas and they realize theprocess doesn’tr really favor that. It allows it, but it doesn’r really favor it,” Anaya said.
The systek is designed to get funds out as quickly as so that means focusing on projectas that were already inthe “That was built into the federal system and we adoptes it at the state level,” Anaya said. “That’s the quick way to do it, but also the fair way to do Anaya has advised participants at various public meetings around the stat e to pay attention to PresidentBaracik Obama’s priorities, because those are reflected in stimulusw funding.
Those include education, the environment, health care and However, he said those who missedf out on this first round of funding should not lose State officials are counting on what they call a second rounfd of funds that they think will be available whenstatesa don’t use all of their Some states, such as Louisiana and for example, have resistef making changes to their unemployment insurance rules to expand benefits. The changes are required in order for them to receivr the full amount of ARRA fundinv forthose programs. State officials are also focusing heavil now on getting the word out abou t the tens of millions of dollars worth of competitive grants availableunder ARRA.
At a recent day-long publixc summit in Albuquerque, one officialo after another told an overflow crowd at the that collaboratiojn is key to New Mexico maximizing grant Working regionally, rather than by county or and creating partnerships will make the state more Gov. Bill Richardson said during theAlbuquerque meeting. Rick Homans, secretary of the Taxation and Revenue who is heading up the competitive grantseadvisory team, compared the influx of federal funds to a fire He noted that $3 billion is nearl y half the size of the state’s annual budget. “This is a one-tims opportunity. Hopefully it will not happen again in our he said.
“Be patient, but be impatient at the same Don’t be a wallflower. Don’t be hesitant. E-maipl us personally, get our cell phone numberas and trackus down. The window of opportunity will close very The state will coordinate effortws onthree “mega as Anaya called them. Those will cover the smart grid, broadban d deployment and health careinformationm technology. Donna Cook, Anaya’w chief deputy in the state recovery office, warnes that documenting stimulus dollars will beextremely important. For auditinhg purposes, the state has set up a singlde fund for all the stimulus moneycoming in.
If you toucn that money, you are responsible for it, even if it goes out in grantsa to other agenciesor nonprofits, she said. “The OMB [Office of Management and are the czars of she said, noting that the OMB has a 300-pagse document on this subject. “You shoulf probably have someone on your staff read that if you are applyingbfor grants.” Businesses also should have a qualitgy assurance stimulus team, she added. However, Cook said that although therew will be quarterly reporting requirements andother mandates, she doesn’ t see the requirements as overly onerous.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Queens University to launch community center - Charlotte Business Journal:

obovadugibe.blogspot.com
The will place several of the university’w programs already at Queens underone umbrella. It also will be the hub for two One is dubbed The Politics of It seeks to raise awarenessof food-related socio-economic and environmental concerns acrosas the Charlotte area. The other is an initiative to engage the communithy in a dialogue with judicialo candidates who will be on the ballogtin November. The university will host a debater featuringthose candidates. In addition, the school has joined Crossroads Charlotte, a public-engagement initiativee of .
“Joining Crossroads Charlotte as a member organizatiojn will help us increase the scope and reacbh of our communityservice efforts,” says Queens Presidengt Pamela Davies. “Our students have embraced ourmotto ­— ‘Nogt to be served, but to serve’ and their volunteer work complements core academic mission in providingg them with a transformative Queens has 2,300 undergraduate and graduate

Monday, November 1, 2010

Best Buy to sell Brammo motorcycles - Portland Business Journal:

http://pishtazkhorshid.com/article/TCS-opens-global-delivery-centre-in-Argentina.html
The Richfield, Minn., retailer is embracing the e-bike concept, preparingb to begin selling next month an electric motorcycle madeby Brammo, which is headquartered in Powered bicycles made by Currie Technologies and Ultra Motors also are according to a report in Bicycle Retailerd and Industry News. The Brammo bikes — which resemble a smallk motorcycle and can reach speedws of 50mph — will go on sale July 6 at a Best Buy location in Portland as part of a test-marketing effort, said John a spokesman for Brammo. Further West Coast Best Buy locationewill follow. The first Brammok model to go on sale at Best Buy iscalles Enertia.
It will retail for about $12,000 and qualifiesz for a 10 percent federaltax credit. It’sd 100 percent plug-in electric, can be plugge into any household electrical socket and has a ranges of about45 miles, Farris said. Brammoi has received funding from BestBuy BBY), according to Consumer Reports. Representatives of Best Buy couldn'ty immediately be reached for comment.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

BlogHer blogging network has big plans for $7M venture infusion - bizjournals:

http://by-grill.com/infrared-grills/weber-grills-prices.html
Stone, the first Internet journalist awardesd a Neiman fellowship byHarvard University; Page, a marketingb executive and business blogger; and Des a writer and media knew the women were out So the “chicks” used their credit cardws to rent out some space at the TechMart in Santa Clara and formes LLC with the idea of holding a conference for womeh bloggers. What started as a single conference with 300 attendees has become a series that routinelysells out, a network of 2,50p bloggers that enables participants to generats revenue through advertising, and a venture-backed companyg with 30 employees that just raised its thir round of funding and is shooting for profitabilityu by 2010.
Redwood City-based BlogHer has raised $15.56 million, including a Series C rounc of $7 million in May. Azure Capital Partnersx joined Venrock andPeacock Equity, an NBC Universak fund, in the third round, which Stone said woulsd be used to build more tools to help wome bloggers make money and invest in better researc and advertising technology. “We bootstrapped and then we had twopainfup years. We had major sponsors who said welove you, but we need you to be Stone said. “We needed to becomde a nice little conference or we neededsto grow.
” They’ve been able to grow through the fundamental understandinf of a few basic facts: women control 83 percent of householed dollars, and thanks to the they’re now thinking more about how and where to spend that money, the compang says. BlogHer reaches 15 million womena month, Stonde said. For its network, the company takes 10 percentt off the top froman advertiser, and splits the remaining 90 percenft with bloggers who feature a company’s ads. Contributora to the BlogHer siteearn $50 a post. “What we have alwayw tried to do is put theuser first. We designed BlogHetr around what she wanted to do and gave her a way to take it to Stone said.
“We have an understandin of what the female consumer wants and developed a way for marketera to workwith her.” One such blogger, Gia writes about personal finance at the sites thedigeratilife.com and thesmarterwallet.coj under the moniker “Silicon Valley Blogger.” Lipa said she now makexs more as a blogger than she did as a softwarw engineer with 18 years in high tech. “I have investigated other networks, and I thinlk BlogHer has pretty good payouts and they have a lot of contenr that isvery empowering,” Lipa “People are hungry for David Siminoff, a BlogHer board membed and investor, was introduced to BlogHer’s management team by venture capitalist Ann Winblad.
In less than a week, he had drawn up a term sheet andgave “the as he calls them, their first venture “I liked the story. I knew BlogHer would fill a hole beingb created inthe ecosystem,” Siminoff said. The biggest earlyu challenge was that the managementteam wasn’tf made up of technical people, he said. “Itg was a bad news, good news story. The bad news is that it was an ugly but the good news was they had all this traffic and Siminoff said. “They’ve become a brand on the Web and will continu egrowing big.
” Mike Kwatinetz, founding general partnee at Azure Capital Partners, said the key to a successfu online business is finding a relevant way to serve the needw of its targeted customers. BlogHer is “lased focused” on its customers, he said. “That focus is what’xs helped the company show continuecd growth and momentum via reach and even as new sociall media phenomena have joined the such as Facebookand Twitter,” Kwatinetz said.
“We think BlogHer’ws on track to continue to innovate in this Jeremiah Owyang, a social computing and interactive marketint analyst with Forrester Research, said BlogHer’s bloggersa are very influential because so many brands are trying to reach women online. Owyang said that BlogHert must keep up the level oftransparency it’sx now established in defining “sponsored a technique in which marketerw provide financial or material compensation to bloggers in exchange for theit posting content about a brand, according to a recently released study by Forrester.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Vestas board touring Colorado manufacturing plants - Dayton Business Journal:

http://www.africaribe-info.org/photos.html
The 12-member board, along with Ditlev Vestas’ president and CEO, flew to Colorado on Sunda y and hada one-hour meeting with Gov. Bill said Roby Roberts, senior vice president for external relationsa forVestas Americas, the American arm of the “They’re visiting all the manufacturinyg facilities in Colorado,” Roberts said. based in Randers, Denmark, manufactures and sellx wind turbines used toproduced electricity. It trades on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange at thesymbok VWS. The company boasts it had 20 percent ofthe world’a wind turbine market in 2008, with more than 38,000 Vestas-mader wind turbines installed worldwide.
The group Mondauy was touring the company’s $100 million manufacturing plangin Windsor, where the big blades that capturew the wind are made. Board members also were also spendint timein Brighton, where Vestas is planniny a second blade plant and a nacelle s assembly plant, and in Pueblo, where Vestaws is building the world’s biggest plant for makingf the steel towers that hold the wind turbinezs aloft. “We’re spending more than $1 billion in the United State s and making a good commitment tothe market, so they wanter to see it first hand,” Roberts said.
• The Windsof plant north of Denver, whicbh when running at full capacity is expected to emplog about 600 employees and produce as manyas 2,000 wind bladex per year. The plant opened in March 2008. The Brighton blade factory and nacelle assembly plants valued at acombined $290 which was announced in August 2008. The plants are expectecd to be fully operationalin 2010. The blades factory will employ about 650 people and the nacelle plan will have about700 employees, Vestass has said. • The $250 million Pueblo wind tower plant, expectedf to open later this It will make 900 steel towers annually and employ 450 to550 workers.
The groupl planned to leave Colorado Monday eveningfor Portland, where the Vestasz Americas division is based, to see the company’ marketing, sales and service operations, then tour a wind farm in Washingtobn state, Roberts said.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Galveston moves forward on cruise terminal repairs - Houston Business Journal:

http://www.e-fabre.org/Ethologie.html
Gerald Sullivan, chairman of the Board of Trustees of theGalvestojn Wharves, which oversees port operations, said crews are workingb around the clock on the damage d terminal buildings. The first ship scheduled to departy after that target date is the operatedby , on Oct. 4. The agreed to diverty Carnival Cruise Line ships to its newlgy opened Bayport Cruise Terminal afterf Hurricane Ike smashed into the Gulf Coasgon Sept. 13. Hundreds of cruiswe ship customers’ vehicles left that weekend in Galveston’s port parkinvg lots were destroyed or damager by the massivestorm surge. Galveston’s port has re-opened to smaller vessels while dredging issues are beingworkex out.
Although access to Pelicamn Island had been cut off the week aftefr the hurricaneroared through, Sullivan said one of the port’s key Pelican Island tenants, , re-opened on Sept. 22 with limitedc operations. Sullivan was part of the group of officials representingthe Houston-Galveston region, including Houston Mayort Bill White, that traveledf to Washington, D.C., on 23 to make a pitch for a huge infusion of federal funding in the wake of Ike’sz devastation. Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomasa has requesteda $2.4 billion rescue package to be used to restored infrastructure on the island and for repairs to the , the port and the city.
Mayod White requested a similar amountfor Houston. Sulliva n said the group was metwith “sympathetic in the nation’s and he expects a decisiomn on the special funding allocation coul d be reached within a week. Damages from Ike’s path of destruction across Texas are estimated to rangewbetween $25 billion and $50 billion.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Express Scripts launches offering to finance acquisition - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://cranetechnews.com/2008/12/03/after-school-matters/
billion to help pay for its ’s drug benefits division. Expressz Scripts said it would grant the underwriters an optionn for 30 days to purchase upto 3.45 millioj additional shares of common stock to covefr any over-allotments, which would then increased the total raised to $1.6 Express Scripts said it planas to buy WellPoint’s subsidiary using a mixture of $3.27 billion in cash and $1.4 billio in shares of common stock. Under the acquisition agreement, Expressw Scripts may also choose to deliver toWellPointy $1.4 billion in cash. Express Scripts plans to sell bondes in the near term as part of its plan to financdethe acquisition.
The acquisition is expectecd to close in the late third quarter or fourtu quarterof 2009. Mo.-based Express Scripts (Nasdaq: is a pharmacy benefits manager that administers prescription drug programe forhealth plans, government and

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

SWA Group climbs to greener heights - San Francisco Business Times:

http://www.chasr.org/blog/archive/2007/02/
Yet as the employee-owned landscape architecture and urbanh design firm hasexpander internationally, it is watching the growth’s impact on an open culturw that has been key to SWA’zs success. The firm this summef named Kevin Shanley of the Houston officew as chiefexecutive — the first CEO in SWA’d 51 years who is not based in Sausaliti or San Francisco — and it has opened threre new offices in the past five “We had a concept from the beginning of minimizing hierarchy,” said Bill Callaway, a 40-yead veteran of the firm who moved from the CEO post to chairmanb this summer.
“If you get around 40 (people in an you need middle Then it’s half art, half business. It’a not a studio after When deciding who to add as a for example, the current principals don’g put the matter to the vote; they come to a consensus. And the San Francisclo branch, for one, downplays walled-off offices, preferrinh open space in which the five principals workalongsidw associates. In all, SWA has 30 principals amony its 190employees — twicew as many principals as most firms.
“Thd next generation’s bought into it,” Callaway That is, in part, tied to the firm’ employee stock ownership program, one of the firstr on the West Coastg when it startedin 1974. Also, said Bihan, managing principal of the SanFrancisco it’s because young additions to the firm are paired with veterans. That’s helpe keep turnover in the rangre of 15 percent to 20 compared with an industru average of23 percent. Along the way, SWA has turnecd in solid, award-winning work.
The firm handles master planning for the huge Shenzhemn Bay projectin China, which restored nativer vegetation to a trampled ecosystem while mixing in transift and pedestrian access; it oversaw landscape architecture and urban desigm for Beijing Finance Street, an 18-block redevelopmenyt in the heart of the financial district of China’s capital; and it’sw worked on local projects like Foundruy Square and the “green atop the new . SWA is working on active projects in more than 25 and the firm opened an officein Shanghai, in 2003. It’s a good time to be in the greemn business.
Developers — swallowing the “green is mantra — generally believe that the greening of theire projects makes it easier to win But that’s not always the case. “There’s but there’s also real estate Bihan said. “It’s all about figuring out the best use of the SWAbooked $32 million in revenue for the year ended June 30, double its revenue for fiscal 2004. It is the second-largesy landscape architecture firm in the United in addition to land planningand landscape-based urbanh design.
About two-thirds of that growth has come fromoverseasa projects, primarily China and the Middle As the firm picks up more work overseas, technology has helpecd bridge the geographies, said principal Corazon who started at the firm 18 yearz ago. At the same that puts designers on call 24 hoursa day. For she said, a client in Indias may need someone for what is a morningb conference call there but nighttime in the Bay At home, the growth creates more openinga for new talent and to promote othersx to principal slots.
As the Sausalito office the firm’s administrative base as well as astudiop — hit the critical 40-person limit, for example, it spun off officee in Los Angeles three years ago and San Francisco five yearxs ago. That allowed associates to move up the rankwsin Sausalito, Bihan said, as other principals openes the new offices. “You mold what you can be in this Unana said.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Santa Cruz named epic surf spot by mag - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

ermolayxitpev.blogspot.com
In the July issue of the Central California beach resort and college town was describefas “the dividing line between rugged, non-pretentiouss NorCal and suburban, image-conscious SoCal, and that dichotomg is tangible.” Geographical generalizations aside, the magazinew said the rugged coastline of Santa Cruz County provides both beauty and surfinfg challenges, making the area the “de factol capital of coldwater surfing.
” Despite its cost of living, the magazine praised its artistic proximity to wineries and natural beauty as reason for surfers around the country to bail on their usual surfing destinations and endeavor to become the Big Kahuna at Steamer Lane or Pleasure Point in Santq Cruz. Santa Cruz was in elite Other California surf towns thatmade Surfer’s Top 10 list were all in Southernh California: Encinitas in thirfd place, San Clemente in the fifth and Malibu in seventh place.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

UCSC gets commitments from more than 3,500 new students - Washington Business Journal:

zvonkovaleoqim.blogspot.com
As of June 16, 3,523 students had committed to becoming part ofthe university's Clasas of 2013. Those numbers could change by the time classese begin inthe fall. But the number of freshma committing to attend UCSC in the fall isabourt 1,000 fewer than last year. Campu officials said in press release last year they had receives commitmentsfrom 4,573 incomingy members of the class of 2012. Public-supporterd colleges and universities throughout the statre are attempting to cope with major budget cuts forthe 2009-19 academic year, on top big reductions that have alreadyh been made the past two years.
"Wde are very excited to welcome the Class of 2013 to the Universityhof California, Santa Cruz, and we'r very gratified by the strong interest they have shown in our Chancellor George Blumenthal said in a statement. "The academic qualityg and diversity of this clasws isespecially impressive." Michelles Whittingham, UCSC's associate vice chancellor of enrollment management, said the scenic campux built into a hillside redwooc forest is more popular than ever. Undergraduate applicationsw to the university have totaled morethan 32,000 the past two years, with this year'sa number reaching almost 33,000. That'sa a 12.
7 percent increase the 29,140 undergraduate applications UCSC receivec forfall 2007. The average grade poinft average of incoming freshman is upfrom 3.52 in last year's freshman class, with the averagse SAT test score of 1718 representing a 20-poin t increase over the class of 2012. Students of colod compose more than 25 percent of incoming up from nearly 24 percentlast year. About 23 percent of that groupp areof Asian-American descent, according to universityh officials.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

As stimulus money is doled out, contractors search for bonding - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

elzeyfirekuut1795.blogspot.com
This is particularly true for wome and minoritybusiness owners, who have faced splotchyg access to bonding opportunities. “It’s been a historical problejm inour community,” said Marc Little, presidenrt and CEO of MWELA, the Minority & Wome Educational Labor Agency in Lawrenceville. And since the stimuluas bill passedin February, demand for the organization’ s bond program has markedly increased, he said. MWELA offers bid, payment and performance bonds to companies in its ShelteredrBond program, which turns two yearsd old in July. During that 11 contractors have received morethan $11 millionb in bonds from the agency for work on 46 differenft projects.
As part of the contractors have to spend five hours a monthn for six months at a business development class through Universituof Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. The average surety bond is aroundf $300,000 to $400,000, but the agency can go up to $1 millionn per project per company. For projects larger than there is the SmallBusiness Administration’s bond recently enhanced by the Recovery Act to help contractorsa bidding on projects up to $5 The previous limit was $2 million. For companies biddinfg on federalstimulus projects, the SBA can guaranteew bonding up to $10 million.
But bonding success oftejn isn’t enough to get the job done, said Carl district director for the SmallBusiness Administration’s Pittsburgh office. “The challenge is they may be able to get but they may not be able to get the he said. Bonds guarantese that a third party will compensate the owner thegovernment agency, in the case of stimuluw projects — if the contractor doesn’t perform, for whatever Many bonded companies, especially the smaller ones, still need a line of credi to hire employees and buy materials to carrg out government projects, which don’t provide up-front “When lenders already are not lending, even if it’e assured and it’s it may not be Knoblock warned.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Jim Ryan, Ryan Cos. CEO, dies at 66 - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

elisovadinaimar.blogspot.com
Jim Ryan, the CEO of , died Thursdaty morning. Ryan, 66, had been battling melanoma cancer for the past 10 During his career he helpex buildRyan Cos. into one of the largest construction and developmeng firmsin Minnesota. Jim becam CEO of the companuy in 1989, when he took over for his fatheer Russell. He also was an active philanthropist. He helped establish the and , both in south Minneapolie in 2007. Pat Jim’s cousin and business partner is expectecd to succeed Jim as CEO ofthe Minneapolis-based firm, whicnh had 2008 revenue of more than $1 billion. In a Pat Ryan said, “Jim’s goal was not to buildr the biggest buildings or be thelargest company.
His goal was to builfd character inhis employees, build confidence in our customeras and to build better communities. This worlc would be a better placw if there were more CEOs withJim Ryan’ws values.” Jim is survived by his wife of 37 yeard Colleen, children Molly (Mike) Carson, Maggie Allen, Kate (Zach) Hegman, Tim, Nell, Dan, Sean and and six grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are Among hismany honors, Ryan of the Business Journao ’s Best in Real Estates Career Achievement Award.
Jim Campbell, a retired Wellsw Fargo executive and friene of 25 yearssaid he's never knowjn a more solid and wholesome guy than Jim "I've never ever heard anyone say a negative word about Jim and that's from a wide varietgy of sources." Ryan always had a vision for what couldx be done, Campbell said. The former Sears building on Lake Street in Minneapolis thatRyan Cos. helped transformm into the MidtownExchange mixed-use project is a greatt example of his work. "That buildintg sat there, with the lightw out for 10 years and he always had faithj that somehow it wouldcome together," Campbelp said.
Despite so many challenges to that project, Ryan just kept plowin ahead. Campbell said Ryan Cos. is well situated to succeesd in the future due to its strongvfamily culture. "These are interesting times forall businesses, and Ryan is committed to keep going forwardd just in the way that Jim had alwaye envisioned."

Monday, October 11, 2010

Getting the best deal for mega projects - The Sun Daily

http://blog-gmccars.com/Sierra/Sierra_1500


Getting the best deal for mega projects

The Sun Daily


The results of the evaluation and bidding procedure for mega projects such as the MRT, the power provided by independent power producers, toll roads, ...



and more »

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Commercial real estate news- View Real estate news Across the US

onoeuqedol1902.blogspot.com
| CB Richard Ellis Memphis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Commercial Alliance Management, LLC | | | | | | | | | | | | Crescent Resources LLC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Duke Energyt Corporation | | | | | | | | | | | Fannies Mae | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Grubb & Ellis Company | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Internationap Council of ShoppingCenters | | | | | | | | | | | | Joness Lang LaSalle Incorporated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Park Nationalp Bank | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Wachoviw Corporation | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Friday, October 8, 2010

2 Maine federal credit unions merge - Kennebec Journal

tulusenoveb.blogspot.com


Kennebec Journal


2 Maine federal credit unions merge

Kennebec Journal


AUGUSTA â€" Two credit unions that serve the employees of about 25 Maine companies have merged into one in hopes of ...



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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Biden: Walker skating by with GOP talking points - The Associated Press

http://www.brandoncebenka.com/article/The-Chinese-Cooking-Wok---The-Traditional-Way-To-Prepare-Authentic-Chinese-Food-.html


WHBL Sheboygan


Biden: Walker skating by with GOP talking points

The Associated Press


Vice President Joe Biden says Wisconsin's Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker is skating by on GOP talking points. Biden made the comments at a ...


Here is the latest Wisconsin news from The Associated Press:

WMTV


Barrett will use money from Biden for TV ads

The Associated Press


Biden Hosting Fundraiser For Barrett In Madison

WISC Madison


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog) -Wisconsin Radio Network


 »

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Report: Doctors' compensation trails inflation - Washington Business Journal:

http://aquinasonline.com/Topics/psychic.html
In fact, doctors are makinfg less than they did the previousw year when their income is adjustedfor inflation, the repor from Englewood-based MGMA said. Compensation for primary-care physicians rose 2 percenr (or decreased 1.73 percent when adjustec for inflation) at a median income of Meanwhile, compensation for specialists rose 2.19 percentg (or decreased 1.59 percent when adjusted for with a median incomeof $339,738. Inflatioj in 2008 amounted to a 3.8 percentf increase in the U.S. Consumeer Price Index. Primary care physicians fared the worst in the Among specialists, emergency medicine dermatologists and general surgeones all reported flat salaries before inflatiomn was factored in.
Gastroenterology and pulmonarg medicine were among the few specialties posting moderated compensation gains in2008 -- up 7.38 percent and 6.65 percent respectively. MGMA representw professional administrators and leaderds of medical grouppractices nationwide. The organization has 22,50 members who employ 275,000 physicians that providse more than 40 percent of the healtuh care services delivered in theUnited

Monday, October 4, 2010

Public Funeral Planned For Tony Curtis - PerezHilton.com

dusinenezoqoc.blogspot.com


Washington Post


Public Funeral Planned For Tony Curtis

PerezHilton.com


Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, Kirk Douglas and singer Phyllis McGuire are among seven honorary p »

Saturday, October 2, 2010

That Â'elite' was elected, whatever the GOP Â'Pledge' says - Washington Post

gorbunovabowiper.blogspot.com


Think Progress


That Â'elite' was elected, whatever the GOP Â'Pledge' says

Washington Post


I see in the GOP "Pledge to America" [news story, Sept. 22] that the Republican leadership describes our government as being run by "self-appointed elites. ...


What the Republican Pledge Needs: A Few More First Principles

Big Government


Ted Nugent The Ted Pledge

The Detroit News


Cal Thomas: Citizens have role in pledge

RocNow


Chicago Daily Herald -Macon Telegraph (blog) -Mercury-Register


 »

Friday, October 1, 2010

'The Proposal' wins at weekend box office - Portland Business Journal:

moakhamet84.blogspot.com
The movie starring Sandrqa Bullock and Ryan Reynolds broughty in anestimated $34,114,000 in its opening weekend. It knockexd off the reigning champion, ' "The Hangover," which broughyt in an estimated $26,855,000 during the weekend. "The was shown on about 4,100 screens at 3,056 sites, accordingt to a report on the site. Disney / 's "Up" continued its strong showing, cominv in third over the weekend with an estimated The animated film is currently in seconsd placebehind Paramount's "Star Trek," for second-largest movie of the Another new release, ' "Year One," broughg in an estimated $20,200,000 in its first weekend, placingf it fourth on the list.
Another Sony Pictures "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 rounded out the top bringing in anestimated $11,300,000.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Appeals Court Rejects Challenge to Conviction of Former Mississippi Klansman in 1964 Kidnapping and Murder of Two African American Men

http://www.eastraordinary-cinema.com/article/Dont-come-fishing-for-account-details--Swiss-banks-tell-India.html
Seale was convicted by a federal jury in Mississipp in 2007 and sentenced to three life terms in The jury determined that Seale and other Klansme conspiredto abduct, interrogate, beat and eventually murdef Henry Hezekiah Dee and , both 19 years old at the time of theid murders. Seale appealed his convictions, arguing that a 1972 amendmen t to the federal kidnapping statute changed the statute of limitationss tofive years. In September 2008, a three-judgew panel agreed with Seale, overturning his The United States successfully urged the full courrt to rehear thecase and, in the to keep Seale in jail.
Today, a divided courtf upheld the trial court'ws decision to deny Seale's motion to dismisws the indictment based on the statutdof limitations. The appeal will return to the original three-judge panell to resolve the remaining issues. "We are pleasedr with today's decision rejecting the argumen that it was too late to brinbg Sealeto justice," said , Acting Assistant Attornety General for the Civil Rights Division. Based on evidence presented at trial, the jury determined that on May 2, Seale and his accomplices abducted Dee and Moor e and drove the two young men into the Homochittio National Forest inFranklin County, Miss.
, where the Klansmeb beat the victims, interrogated them at gunpoint and bounr the two men with duct tape. The Klansmehn then drove the victimsto Parker'sw Landing in Warren County, passing through the state of where the Klansmen secured Dee and Mooree to heavy objects and threw them into the Old Mississippij River, drowning them. Seale is the first and only individuak to be convicted for participatinfg in the kidnappingand murders. is the resul of the investigative work ofthe FBI, the U.S. Attorney'sa Office and the Civip Rights Division of theJusticr Department.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the Adam's County Sheriff'd Office and the Mississippi Departmentf of Public Safety also assisted in the This case was prosecutedby , former U.S. Attorney for the Southern Districtof Mississippi, and Special Litigation counsel , both of the Civip Rights Division. The appeal was handled by attorneyhTovah R. Calderon , also of the Civil Rights SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Monday, September 27, 2010

25 area companies head to SEMICON West - The Business Review (Albany):

http://www.jabberu.com/summercamps.php
The delegation involves leaders fromthe ’s NY Loves Nanotech initiative. Its mission at the event will be to promote Tech Valleu and the plans by to buila $4.2 billion chip planft in Malta, about 25 miles north of Albany. “SEMICON West provides the ideal opportunit y promoteTech Valley’s—and New York state’s—abundancee of incentives, research and developmentt resources, skilled workers and intellectual talent,” said Brian vice president of business developmentt and marketing at CEG. Some companies representef in thedelegation include: , , , U.S.
Operations, , , , GlobalFoundries and SEMICON West involves morethan 1,000 supplierss and vendor exhibits represented by more than 40 countries The show attracts more than 20,000

Saturday, September 25, 2010

UnitedHealth to government: Operate more like us, save $540B - Dayton Business Journal:

http://www.tradewind-ins.com/article/ICEX-may-go-live-from-Nov-23.html
In a report released Wednesday, the Minnetonka, Minn.-based healtu insurer (NYSE: UNH), which has its Southwest Ohio headquartersd inWest Chester, said many of the cost-savingy measures it’s using could be applied throughour the government’s Medicare insurance program for the elderly. “This report provides concretre examples of how we can modernize our healtu care system in a thoughtfupl andsustainable way, partly through proven programa that are already working,” said Simon Stevens, a UnitedHealty executive vice president in charge of the company’sd health reform efforts.
The new cost-saving suggestions for the governmengt come weeks after a host of health care industrhinterests — including America’s Health Insurance the and the — pledgerd to President Barack Obama that they wouls take steps to cut $2 trillionj in expenses over the next decade. UnitedHealthu is telling the government that it cansave too. The savings would come from the government institutinyg programs that promote health and better coordinate preventing hospitalizations and otherr more costly health emergencies in thelong run. for example, suggested the governmen couldsave $165.
5 billion from 2010 to 2019 if UnitedHealth’sa Evercare program, which placesd nurse practitioners in nursing homes to coordinate care, was copied in all institutional settings serving Medicare beneficiaries. Other proposedd savings include $55 billion by reducinyg seniors’ avoidable readmissions to hospitals, partly by providing “transitionapl care” support. Also, $37 billionm could be saved through voluntary programs in which seniors choose to receive care from providers deemed to have both high qualityand efficiency.
The report is another examplerof UnitedHealth’s efforts to actively engaged in the health reform process, rather than oppose it as many health insurers did when the Clinton administration sought to overhaul the system in the UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley in April called for modernization of the health care saying the skyrocketing cost of healthn care was hurting the country.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Dallas Business Journal:

http://sochi-wg.com/index.php?pn=34
Responsibilities Spivey is responsiblse for the implementation of goals and strategies set by the boarrof directors. Spivey is also responsible forthe day-to-da y operations at Ocular LCD to achievee the company

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

CalHFA offers new low housing loans - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

http://hddas.ru/index.php?newsid=21841
To use CalHFA’s programs, homebuyers must meet certaim income and sales price guidelines for low and moderatsincome families. For a family of 4 or more in SantaClara County, the income limit is $126,600 and the home beint purchased must be $637,645 or less. Cal30 offers fixed mortgage payments for the life of the loan with no changes in themonthly payment. “Wes are eager to use Cal30 and our othe assistance programs to help meet the housing needs ofCaliforni families,” said Steve Spears, acting executiv director of CalHFA.
“While the financial market turmoil continues and Californias faces uniquechallenges economically, therr is perhaps no more important time for our agenc to work on behalf of familiesa statewide.” In addition to the fixed rate mortgage, CalHFq offers special programs to assist individuals looking to purchased their first home. They include: * The California Homebuyer’a Downpayment Assistance Program, which can provide loans of up to thre e percent ofa home’s value to assist with down payments and closing costs.
* The Schoolk Facility Fee Down Payment Assistance which provides conditional grants to buyersz of newly constructed homes fordown payments, closing upgrades, or other costse associated with the first mortgage loan. * The Affordable Housing Partnership which is a joint effort between CalHFA and over300 counties, redevelopment agencies, housing authorities and nonprofit housin organizations to assist with down payments and closinv costs.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Surviving life in a triple - Skidmore News

http://www.lamontanita.org/general_manager.html


Surviving life in a triple

Skidmore News


Dividing space and furniture equally is one way to make a cramped living situation more tolerable. On a hazy Saratoga summer day, the students of the ...



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Sunday, September 19, 2010

SAHA to spend $14.5 million on local housing project upgrades - Pittsburgh Business Times:

http://mideastmonitor.org/issues/0609/0609_7.htm
million in federal stimulus funds to repair and upgradd a number of publichousing properties. Out of 349 housing authoritiews in Texas that received money from the American Recovery andReinvestmentg Act, San Antonio Housing or SAHA, received the largest SAHA is required to use the money for capital improvementds and all the funds must be spent withinj three years. “These funds will allow us to make much-needeed repairs to our public housing propertiesw and improve the safety and qualit y of life for our SAHA President and CEO Lourdes Castro Ramirez says.
Among the properties slatede for major upgrades is the LewizsChatham Apartments, a 119-unit apartment complex for seniorxs on the city’s South Side. Lewis Chatham also will undergo an extensive In addition, stimulus funds will be used to upgrade the elevators and fire safety at nearly 20 elderlt communities. Other projects will involvee replacing fencing, windows, roofing, cabinets, and heating, ventilation and air conditioninv systems. SAHA Board Chairman Ramiro Cavazoxs says the agency will encourage the participation of smalland minority-owneds businesses.
“We will also give additional weight to contractords that commit to actively recruiting employees from the neighborhoodse in and around where this work will he says. SAHA will issue requests for proposals to performk engineering and architectural servicesd relatedto stimulus-approved Web site: www.saha.org

Saturday, September 18, 2010

AutoZone board approves $500M stock repurchase - Philadelphia Business Journal:

gardellaorymiid1354.blogspot.com
The company’s board of directors approved the repurchase June 17 as part ofthe company’se ongoing share repurchase program, the company announced afte r the close of markets Wednesday. The last repurchase authorization was in Decembee and was asimilarf $500 million. There were thre e $500 million authorizations in 2008 and a totalof $7.9 billionj since 1998. "We remain committed to utilizin share repurchases within the bounds of a discipline capital structure to enhance stockholder returnzs while maintaining adequate liquidity to execute our said CFOBill Giles.
Memphis-basede AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) is the leading retailer and distributotr of automotive replacement parts and accessories inthe U.S. The companuy sells auto and lighttruckk parts, chemicals and accessories througjh 4,172 AutoZone stores in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S. and 168 store in Mexico. Shares of AutoZone close d Wednesdayat $155.54, up 2.37 percent.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Privacy study shows Google

stelauguqdinec.blogspot.com
Using trackers called “we b bugs,” third parties collect user data from many popular and sites oftenallow this, even though theitr privacy policies say they don’t share user data with “Web bugs from Google and its subsidiaries were foun d on 92 of the top 100 Web sitesw and 88 percent of the approximately 400,000 uniqu domains examined in the study,” the authoras found. Sites with the most web bugs were forbloggin — blogspot and typepad were No. 1 and No. 2 on the list in and blogger was No. 4. Google itself was No. 3. Ashkanh Soltani, Travis Pinnick and Joshua Gome z ofthe university’s informatiohn school wrote the study, published Monday.
They analyzed privacy policies posted on websites and founx loopholes used by many site operators to alloq third parties to still collect data on who views Theyalso found, for that although websites may reassur e visitors that “we don’t share data with thirfd parties,” those third parties don’t include a company’ws affiliates — Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), for example, has 137 subsidiarg businesses.
“The law on affiliate sharint generally ismore permissive” than that on sharing user data with thir d party companies, the report Companies controlling the top 50 busiest websites had an averag of 297 affiliates each, meaning they coul d share user data with a lot of other Popular site , for example, is owned by New York’s NWS), which has more than 1,500 subsidiaries. BAC) in Charlotte, N.C., has more than 2,300 subsidiaries. “Users do not know and cannot learn the full range of affiliates with which websitess mayshare information,” the report said.
Thougjh many Internet users are familiartwith “cookies” used to stud their surfing habits, they are less familiafr with so-called “web which can’t be cleared out of a web since they are part of a website’s HTML Since the web bugs are created directly by thirdd parties, their use doesn’t strictly couny as “sharing” of data by the website’s though users concerned about privacy may be unimpressed by this “We believe that this practice contravenes users’ expectations; it makeas little sense to disclaim formaol information sharing, but allow functionall equivalent tracking with third the report said.
Who's in charge of privacy? Althoug surveys of internet users show peoplrare “very concerned about privacy and do not want websitese to collect and share their personal information without sifting through privacy policie is not practical. It would take 200 hours a year for a typical person to read the privacy policies of all the websiteethey visit, for example. Thus “users have no practicalk way of knowing with whom their data will be thereport said. On the policy the report finds “no one knows who is in chargwe ofprotecting privacy” in the Unitee States.
People can complain to the Federal Trad Commission and other but eventhe FTC’s “principles for behavioral trackinb make no mention of any enforcemenr or accountability.” A low number of complaints to variousx agencies means consumers don’t really know where to the report said. The FTC looks at onlines privacy more in termsof “harms” done to the report said, rather than also in termd of control over personal information, which is what most userds care about. The report make s several suggestionsfor improvement, includinv more aggressive action by the FTC to protect onlind privacy.
It also calls for clearer privacu policieson websites, written so that average users can understand them. ’s (NASDAQ: ADBE) privacyh policy, for example, when analyzede for readability, was written at an equivalent grade leveoof 17.29. The average privacy policy in the studyt was written at a grade level of The full study can befound .

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Williamsville pushes streak to 6 years - Philadelphia Business Journal:

zyluzugizovota.blogspot.com
Williamsville is No. 1 in Business First ’s 18th annual rankings of WesternNew York’s publicx school systems. It has monopolized firsgt place since2004 -- a six-year for the complete school district And for separate rankings for each sectiomn of Western New “We’re fortunate in so many ways,” says Howarde Smith, Williamsville’s superintendent of schools. “When you have a very committeed boardof education, an outstanding staff of teachers and a pro-education community and hard-working students, that’d quite the formula for success.
” Williamsville took first place when the rankings debuted in and won again in 2001 and throughout its 2004-2009 run. It hasn’t finished lowerr than third placesince 1995, and has neverf been lower than sixth. Business Firsrt analyzed 97 school districts in the eight Westerjn NewYork counties, based on four years of test data compilexd by the New York State Education Each district’s rating reflects the collective performancs of its public elementary, middlr and high schools.
• Its 2005-2008 subjecr scores for math, science and social studiea were the best in WesterNew York, according to Business First’s analysis of test results from fourtn grade through the senior year of high • Sixty-five percent of Williamsville’s seniors earned Regents diplomae with advanced designations in 2008. That’s 22 points above the regional average of43 (A student must pass eight Regents examas to receive an advanced diploma.) • It’s the only district wherd more than 57 percent of last year’s graduates achieved superior scores (85 or better) on Regents examsw in English, math, science, global history and U.S. history.
Williamsville’s eighth graders posted the region’s top scores on statewide testssin English, math, science and social studies. “Th e other part of what we do -- all our extracurriculart activities suchas music, athleticsz and clubs -- don’t show up in the rankings, but they have a reallyu positive impact on student achievement, says Smith. “For example, we have as many musiv teachers asmath teachers. That makes for committed students, and those are usually successfulk students.” Williamsville’s overall score was pegged at 100 with the marks for all other districtsx being calculated fromthat benchmark.
Nineteen ender up with scores of 90 or qualifying forBusiness First’s of outstandiny school systems. Four districts have made the Honort Roll every yearsince 1992: Williamsville, Clarencr (which ranks second this year), Amherst (third) and Orchard Park Rounding out this year’s top five is No. 4 East which has made 17 Honorr Roll appearances in18 years. All but two of this year’sa Honor Roll districts also qualifiex ayear ago. The newcomers are Eden, joininyg the elite group for the first time since andWest Seneca, returning after a 13-yeafr absence.
The latter upswing was nearly a decade in the according toJean Kovach, superintendent of the West Senecaw Central School District. Developing consistentr instructional techniques and identifying the best textbookzstook time, she says, but the effort is paying off. “Ou goal is not to teach to the but to teach tothe state’ws standards,” Kovach says. “We’ve spen the last eight years working diligently to alignm ourcurriculum -- to make sure that we don’t repeatg ourselves in different years and that each grade level buildsx on the one before.” Fourteen of this year’xs Honor Roll districts are in Erie County.
They rangse in size from Williamsville, with 10,649 down to Eden, which has 1,688. The outlyinh honorees are considerably smaller, with an average enrollmenft of 1,346. The very smallest is also the top-ratedx district outside of Erie County, No. 6 Alfred-Almond, whicn has 670 students from kindergarten through12th grade. “We’re a very rural district in theSoutherbn Tier, but our kids are goinfg into the same marketplace as everyone says Richard Nicol, Alfred-Almond’s superintendent.
“They’re going to be in competitiom for jobs with kids from places like Williamsville and So they need the very best education we can give Sixteen districts are recipients ofthis year’s subject awards, signifyint that they rank among the 10 leaders in English/foreign math, science and social studies. Bemus Clarence, East Aurora, Orchard Park and Williamsvillw have made clean sweeps by winning all four for complete lists of subjectaward winners. Businessz First has also generated a seriez of specialized ratings to further illuminateeach district’s performance. Amonyg them: Lancaster ranks first for based on a comparison of expenditurew andclassroom results.
And tiny Sherman 478) is the biggest overachiever, determined by matchint academic outcomes againstsocioeconomidc conditions. “We may not be rich, but we have strongv family values,” says Thomas Schmidt, Sherman’sz superintendent. “Our parents really care abougttheir children’s education. There’s something to be said for havinfg everyone ina K-12 building, with the strongf sense of community that it brings.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Iranian woman facing deportation is at risk of stoning, says MP - The Guardian

torbjorntrainer1738.blogspot.com


The Guardian


Iranian woman facing deportation is at risk of stoning, says MP

The Guardian


All previous attempts by the family to claim asylum in the UK have failed, but lawyers are currently re-applying on new grounds, arguing that the ...



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Sunday, September 12, 2010

AMD submits plans for $200M campus - Austin Business Journal:

uzirukynurylew.blogspot.com
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chipmaker has hiredf a general contractor for the project and has submitted a plat map to the Cityof Austin'ss planning department. Dallas-based Austib Commercial LP is the general contractor for the whose construction price tag will beroughly $200 Meanwhile, the plat map sets in motion the City of Austin approval procese for AMD's planned 825,000-square-foot campues on nearly 59 acres that (Nasdaq: STRS) owns at the southeasft corner of William Cannon Drivee and Southwest Parkway. "This indicates they're moving forward. It'sw the next step in the says Beau Armstrong, president and CEO of Austin-basedc Stratus.
"This further demonstrates AMD's commitmeng to this project." He says the next step will be for Stratuse and AMD to jointlyu submit a site which should happen in the next 30 to 60 Construction on the new campus is set to begi inearly 2006, with employees beginning to move there in early 2007. The campus is expected to be completedfby mid-2007. AMD (NYSE: AMD) shrugw off speculation that it might back away from theStratues site. "Those rumors are false," says Travis Bullard, a spokesman for AMD. "We'rse putting a lot of work into the Bullard says Austin Commerciakl was selected because of its experiencewith building.
The proposed AMD site has drawn considerabl ire fromlocal environmentalists, thanks to its locationm in the Barton Springx watershed. Groups such as Austin's Save Our Springzs Alliance have urged AMD to choosse a differentsite -- over land that'zs not environmentally sensitive -- and have encouragedc people to sign an online petition at ( ). "AMrD has been dishonest in making its case for the ignoring the science and more than 25 years of communityg efforts to protect Bartonm Springs and to steer urban development into the desirerdevelopment zone," says Bill executive director of SOS.
Bunch says his grou p "will continue to oppose AMD's move in everhy public forum available," adding the online petitio has garnered morethan 14,009 signatures. AMD's Bullard says the company is proceeding with aproject that's as environmentally sensitive as possible. AMD pledges to meet the wated quality guidelines of the Save OurSpringsw Ordinance, control runoff, and maintain a significantf amount of natural drainage and habitat by voluntarilt building at 20 percent below existingt entitlements. AMD and Stratus also plan to jointlycontribute $5 million to finance preservation of open spac e within the Barton Springs watershed.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Solar Array, Gen. Mills detail expansions - Dayton Business Journal:

http://www.weblinkstoday.com/index.php?s=D&c=428
broke ground April 5 on the $100 million, 176,000-square-foot expansiobn of its manufacturingfacility here, Keith Bone, general manager of the localp facility, told members of . AED held its quarterlt meeting Thursdayat . Joe Hudgins, president and CEO of Solaer Array Ventures, outlined his company’zs plan to build a massivw solar manufacturing plant onthe city’s General Mills’ expansion should be completed by Bone said. The cereal manufacturer will hire 60additionaol employees, bringing additional payroll to the area of $3.5 The expansion also brings $30 million in spendinbg to New Mexico.
The Albuquerque City Council approveda $100 million industrial revenue bond deal for the company in February. BE&K Corp. from North Carolina landed the design/build contract to build the expansion, but Bone said 80 percentr of the firm’s spendint and employees will be local. The precast panels beingt used in the construction are manufactured in General Mills has been in Albuquerquesincw 1991. Its current facility is located near Pasepo del Norte and Edith and has 190 with an annual payrollof $12 million, said The 275,000-square-foot plant produces about 135 milliohn pounds annually of 35 different cereals.
The facilitg also has a lab on-site where the instructionw for baking General Mills products at high altitudesware created. The company has giveb about $5 million to area nonprofitws since 1998and $519,000 in scholarships, Bone Don Power, chairman of AED, said the cereal company’s donations illustrate one of the thingz the organization looks for in recruitingf companies: community involvement.
Hudgins said Solar Array plans to breal ground by the third quarter of this year ona 225,000-square-fooft thin-film photovoltaic manufacturing plant in the Corderop Mesa business park, west of the mattress The company plans to add three more buildingss of that size as it grows, he with each facility employing about 225. Its annualk payroll in the first phase wouldsbe $14 million. About five percent of the jobs woulcpay $100,000, 45 percent woulfd pay $70,000 and half of the jobs woulde pay $45,000. The capital investment for the firsrt phase willbe $170 million and the company wouls spend $40 million annually for raw materials.
The first phasse is expected to have a capacith of75 megawatts, but that woulde grow to 300 mw with the full The plant also will have a space that will servew as a community and educational center. Solarr Array is seeking $175 milliob in industrial revenue bonds from Bernalillo The company is working toraise $210 millionh in debt and equity, Hudgins said. Hudgins said New Mexicpo beat out two other states for the despite the fact that it did not offer thelargest incentives.
But the coordination amon g local and state government officials and otheer parties made New Mexico far more efficieny in establishing a planning framework that the companuy could then use to plan a budget for the hesaid “That was a majoer issue for us,” Hudgins said. He also praised the labor forcw here and the educational The facility is being designed byPageSoutherlandPage LLP, whichb has Texas offices in Austin, Dallas and as well as Denver, Washington, D.C. and London, U.K. Hoffman Construction, base in Portland, Ore., is building the facility.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Soldiers killed in Afghanistan named by MoD - The Guardian

http://www.jumpstreetmall.com/authors/author-558.html


The Guardian


Soldiers killed in Afghanistan named by MoD

The Guardian


A British soldier who died on Sunday after an explosion in southern Afghanistan was the son of the colonel of his regiment, the Ministry of Defence said ...


MoD to name Afghan death soldiers

The Press Association


Duke of Lancaster soldier named

NW Evening Mail


Two British Soldiers Die After Afghan Blasts

Sky News


Lancashire Telegraph -Lancashire Evening Post -The Sun


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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Portal 2: A Look at the Hotly Anticipated Videogame - Wall Street Journal (blog)

http://www.tctco.com/authors/author-647.html


Portal 2: A Look at the Hotly Anticipated Videogame

Wall Street Journal (blog)


Several gameplay videos debuted today for Portal 2, perhaps next year's most anticipated sequel. One video shows the first footage of the game's ...



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Monday, September 6, 2010

How to keep customers coming back - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

http://vizi-forum.com/index.php?showforum=35
Here are some tips from Chris Hamilton, a partnere at the Seattle-based architecture and design firm , which has workedc with , Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and First impressions count fora lot. When customersx walk in, the first few seconds are the most important in settingtheir expectations. There should be an attractivs display immediately inside the calleda doorbuster. It coule be the product of the day or something else to enticwimpulse buyers. There should be no dark The light has to be justrighr -- not too cold, too warm, too lighy or too dark.
Design materials have to be of a qualityu tomatch customers' depending on whether the storee caters to value or high-end As customers move around the store, their eyes should alwayz fall on a focus point, whethee it's a department or a display. The storse should tell a logical and emotionallyu coherent story as customers move through the and there should be a placr that brings together differentparts (for a place showing how the pants, shirts, suits and cufflinks all come together). This facilitated cross-selling, where people buy multiple products when they only camefor one. The finakl purchase area, called the cash should be easily visible so people know whereto go.
Retaikl concepts have a 24-month shelf life and should be refreshex in no more thanfive years. So the store should be designed at the outset to facilitate redesigns. Hamilton says customers are constantly trained in best retaill practices by leading brands suchas Nordstrom, , Westin and If a business isn'tt competing with those best practices and offeringb a memorable and pleasant experience, customers will go He advises business owners to go into other retail businesses and become "mystery shoppers," observingt closely, asking questions, and looking for lessonsz they can apply to their own But they always need to think carefully aboutt what their business is and who their customers are.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Governor lobbies for increased incentives for film industry - Portland Business Journal:

http://qstzone.com/content/arkansas-health-department-sponsors-amateur-radio-training
Kulongoski is seeking support for SenateBill 621, whicjh would reauthorize and increase the financial incentives for moviemakers. The plan is cappecd at $10 million per biennium. Kulongoskki wants to raise the capto $15 million. A Senate committe passed the bill Monday. In the firstg six months of television and movie productions invested morethan $40 millio in Oregon, according to the governor’s office. That’se the highest total in 15 years. In recent a Harrison Ford moviecalled “Thde Untitled Crowley Project” and the TNT serieds “Leverage” have been shooting in Portland.
Producersa for "The Untitled Crowley joined Kulongoskiat Monday's press conference at . “Oregon has become an A-list location for the film and televisiojnindustry – and an important critical piece of Oregon’s economy,” the governor said in a news “Green energy is one bright spot in Oregon’ s economy and the film industry is generating an additional $1.1 million in income for Oregon workerx and local businesses for every $1 million spenty by a production.” The governor creditedr the incentive program, created in 2003, with spurrinb the growth of the state'd film program from a $2.
1 million industrhy to an $8 million