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
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wyclef Jean Back Home After Brief Hospital Stay - Wall Street Journal (blog)
http://indianpueblo.com/facilityrentals/cateringmenu.html
Washington Post | Wyclef Jean Back Home After Brief Hospital Stay W » |
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
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.
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
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.
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 ... |
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
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.
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 .
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.
”
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 ... |
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.
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.
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 Duke of Lancaster soldier named Two British Soldiers Die After Afghan Blasts |
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 ... |
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.
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
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
Friday, September 3, 2010
'Love Plus' resort: A solo romantic getaway - The Week Magazine
http://www.mfinancialservices.com/article/Power-Sharing-Women-Take-Over-Mother-Jones.html
Sydney Morning Herald | 'Love Plus' resort: A solo romantic getaway The Week Magazine Why are men with virtual video-game girlfriends flocking to a Japanese beach resort town? Some of the Love Plus characters featured in the game. ... Friday Poll: Your take on virtual girlfriends? Men Turning To The Virtual Girlfriend For Love Japanese Men Vacation With Virtual Girls |
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Existing home sales drop in May - Phoenix Business Journal:
http://all-pedagog.com.ua/navchannya-v-pochatkovih-klasah/index.php
percent in May, according to figures releasedd Tuesday bythe . The residential market was on pace to closwe saleson 4.77 million units of existintg homes, including single family houses, townhouses, condominium s and co-ops, in 2009. That is 3.6 perceny lower than the 4.95 million unit pace set in May 2008. The May figurees showed a modest uptickfrom April, when homes sold at an annual pace of 4.66 million units. NAR, based in attributed the bump between Aprip and May to lower home pricezs andan $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home First-time buyers accounted for 29 percentt of all transactions, 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. The marke t continues to favor buyers.
There were 3.8 millionj homes for sale in May, enougy to satisfy demand for 9.6 months, well above the six-month level the NAR says indicatesz a market isin balance. In metro there were enough homes to meet demandfor 10.2 months in May, accordinyg to the Regional Multiple Listing
percent in May, according to figures releasedd Tuesday bythe . The residential market was on pace to closwe saleson 4.77 million units of existintg homes, including single family houses, townhouses, condominium s and co-ops, in 2009. That is 3.6 perceny lower than the 4.95 million unit pace set in May 2008. The May figurees showed a modest uptickfrom April, when homes sold at an annual pace of 4.66 million units. NAR, based in attributed the bump between Aprip and May to lower home pricezs andan $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home First-time buyers accounted for 29 percentt of all transactions, 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. The marke t continues to favor buyers.
There were 3.8 millionj homes for sale in May, enougy to satisfy demand for 9.6 months, well above the six-month level the NAR says indicatesz a market isin balance. In metro there were enough homes to meet demandfor 10.2 months in May, accordinyg to the Regional Multiple Listing
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