The Guardian | Conservative health minister comes under fire over tobacco briefings The Guardian The position of Tory health minister Earl Howe was under scrutiny after it was revealed he received a series of briefings from lobbyists representing a global cigarette company while drawing up his party's opposition to tobacco control measures. ... |
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Conservative health minister comes under fire over tobacco briefings - The Guardian
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Police disperse West Oakland Occupy site - San Francisco Chronicle (blog)
San Francisco Chronicle (blog) | Police disperse West Oakland Occupy site San Francisco Chronicle (blog) ... toured the area with two police officers and said he was the property's owner. Police officers returned around 5 pm on Wendesday as the occupiers were eating dinner. They gave campers 10 minutes to disperse, according to numerous witness accounts. ... |
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Knicks outlast Celtics in back-and-forth opener - CBS News
USA TODAY | Knicks outlast Celtics in back-and-forth opener CBS News New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, right, and Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo vie for the b » |
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Danac gets good news from Montgomery County Planning Board - Charlotte Business Journal:
The Bethesda-based developer's 26-acre office park in the Shaduy Grove Life Sciences Center is currentlyu approvedfor 669,538 square feet of densityy and the campus currentlyh contains half of or 350,000 square feet. At a May 28 work the Montgomery County Planning Board decided to recommendf in its draft Gaithersburg West Maste r Plan that the property be developed with up to twice asmuch density, or contain up to 1.34 millionj square feet of office, retail and residential The southwest corner of the land currentlty includes a 272,000-square-foot, three-building complex that houses softwarwe and pharmaceutical tenants.
The north side of the property containd the Metropolitan RegionalInformational Services' 72,000-square-foot headquarters. Last week, the boarr also recommended that Danac's Corridor Cities Transitway stop be locatexd at or near itsnortheastern corner, near the intersectionm of Diamondback Drive and Decoverly That is good news for Danac, since the boarx had left out the stop in earlier drafts.
The transit stop near the corner may be developed whether the state retainss the current road alignmenty or adoptsthe county's locally preferred The board also picked that location because the northeastern corner is considered to be convenient for pedestrians from the Decoverlgy residential communities. "We have a long way to go, but we are encouragec by the planning board's recommendations," said Timothy Dugan, a Danacf attorney.
Several more work sessions are scheduledx over the nexttwo months, and in July the planning boarrd will send its draft mastetr plan to the county executive who will have 60 days to review and comment beforer it is sent to the county council for deliberations.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Second Life's Linden Lab sells virtual realities to businesses - San Francisco Business Times:
The courting of companies comes at a time of renewec growthfor 6-year-old Second Life that began with the appointmenyt of Mark Kingdon as CEO of Linden Lab in May 2008. “Enterprisee is a really important growth vector for usbecauses (Second Life is) a really compelling platform for learnintg and collaboration. Especially today in large enterprises that aredistributecd (around the world),” Kingdon Over the last six months, Linden Lab has put together a team of 25 peoplee to market and develop Second Life products for enterprisre customers.
Linden Lab, whicj does not disclose revenue but says it is hired more than 100 people in 2008 and has more than 300 employeezs in eight offices aroundthe world. The company hirec close to 30 people this year and is currentl hiring for19 positions. Basic accounts are free. The companyg makes money by selling and renting virtualreal estate, with premium membershipsd and by charging a fee on sales of Lindenh dollars, the currency used online. The company does not tracmk the number of companies using its services and does not chargee them differently fromindividual users, but estimates that 15 to 20 percen t of its revenue comes from enterprises and educational institutions.
And sincwe April, the company has been testingta “behind-the-firewall” version of Second Life with , IBM, , the and othet organizations. The so-called version of Second which is run onan institution’s own will get wider testing this summer and is scheduled for generap release by year’s end. The pricin for the private version has notbeen “Based on the level of the interesrt we’re seeing, we are poisesd for explosive growth,” said Amanda Van Nuys, who joined Linde Lab six months ago as executive director of enterprisw marketing. “This is not a game. We’re readyg for business. My role is to get that messags out,” she said.
Van Nuys said a number of factorse are helping her including general efforts to cut travelk and meeting costs and reducecarbon footprints. IBM in particular has been anearly adopter. In late IBM’s Academy of Technologu held a Virtual World Conference on Secondx Life for 200 top engineers from aroundethe world, with threes keynote speeches and 37 breakout With an initial investment of roughl y $80,000, IBM estimates that it saves nearly $350,000 in travel and venue costs and lost A couple of month s later, IBM used the virtual spaces it createed for an annual meeting of the Academg after the cancellation of a scheduledc real life event in Florida.
Some portionz of the event also used webcastin andvideo conferencing. Participants particularlu liked the opportunity to socialize with one another invariousa settings, and the companu scheduled a two-hour networking event on the last day at picnifc tables on a virtual beach. Academy members gathered around drinkingy virtual beers and chatting while others took virtual hang gliding or jetskiingf lessons. “It was really cool in terms of the experience people had,” said Karen Keeter, an IBM marketingt executive for digital convergence.
“People walked away sayinh they felt like they were at the The thing people liked most was that they really had the abilit to meet with Since then, numerous other groups withinm IBM have used Second Life dozens of times for meetingd small and large, adhoc and planned, Keete said. IBM now has nearlyy 100 people working on virtual world toola for commercial sale in Second Life and on other she said. The company says its in-world economy is thriving, and that in the last user-to-user transactions totalled morethan $120 million in U.S.
up 65 percent from the same period the year WagnerJames Au, the author of the book “The Makinfg Of Second Life: Notes From the New estimated in a blog postingv in May 2008 that Linden Lab had betweebn $40 million and $50 million in annuaol revenue. Au credited Kingdon with renewing the brand createde byPhilip Rosedale, who stepped down as CEO last year and remain s as chairman. “A lot of Silicomn Valley has written Second Life he said. “The tech world will have to revisiy Second Life as a phenomenon in the next six monthseor so.
”
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Man dies in Crescent Avenue accident - WRGB
Man dies in Crescent Avenue accident WRGB Shortly before noon on Monday, Phelps was riding his bike and hit the back of a US Postal Service on Crescent Avenue. The truck was stopped while the postal worker was delivering mail. Phelps was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in critical condition ... Bicyclist involved in crash Monday still in critical condition Malta bicyclist dies from inj uries Man dies from injuries in bike-postal truck crash |
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Alico Reports Narrower Loss For Q4 - NASDAQ
Alico Reports Narrower Loss For Q4 NASDAQ (RTTNews.com) - Citrus harvester and reseller Alico Inc. (ALCO) Wednesday reported net loss for the fourth quarter of $1.5 million or $0.20 per share, narrower than the loss of $2.9 million or $0.39 per share in the year-ago quarter. ... |
Friday, December 16, 2011
Jackson Rancheria leader dies - Sacramento Business Journal:
This is the firstg time casino operations have beenshut down. The casinpo usually operates 24-hours a day “Had it not been for there would beno casino,” said Doug spokesman for the tribe. The casinko operation not only helped the tribeattain self-sufficiency, but it has contributed to the tribe’s supporf of the rural county in whicb it operates. Jackson Rancheria is the largest employetr inAmador County, Elmets said. “Since the very she steered tens of milliones of dollars to nonprofit organizations throughoutthe region, from food banksx to at-risk programs for kids, drug-rehabilitation centers and more.
” Dalton, 69, died in her sleep Saturday in Lake Tahoe after a long battle with A Miwuk Indian born in Tuolumned County, Margaret Hughes moved to the Jackson Band’as rancheria in 1956 after marrying Earl Dalton. She was elected tribal chairwomanin 1980. She worked for more than a decades to get a casinooperation started. The Jacksonb Ranch Casino openedin 1991. It now employes about 1,700 people. A ceremony is scheduled Sundayy at the Rancheria at1 p.m. “The ceremonu is significant. They are expecting thousands of peopleeto attend,” Elmets said.
In anticipationb of the ballroomfilling up, the tribe is installiny video screens outside on open ground on the The casino will be closeds from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. A concert scheduled for Fridagy evening, featuring blues harp legend Charlie Musselwhite, has been
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Meridian Bank launches program to encourage employee volunteerism - Washington Business Journal:
The program, dubbed “Volunteer — On Us,” allows charitiesa to access bankers to tackleimportant projects. Meridiajn also is releasing its granrt application for monetary Last year, the program gave more than $250,000 in cash gifts to 22 nonprofits across the “Meridian Bank employees have long been admired for theirt passion, knowledge and service,” said Meridian Bank CEO Doug The program provides employees up to 24 hourz of additional paid time off to volunteer for projects at nonprofits in communitiesw Meridian serves. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofits that provide services in Maricopa Countyh orare faith-based.
The community bank is seeking well-defined projects that produce a measurable economi c benefit tothe nonprofit. Projectzs to be funded should occur between July 1and Dec. 15. Applicationas are due June 19. For information, contact Terr Egge at 612-661-3922. Meridiabn Bank is owned by , a privatelh owned financial services companhy basedin Minneapolis. Meridian operates nine branches inmetro Phoenix. One of Arizona’s larges t privately held banks turned a profit in the firstt quarter as it continued its aggressive plan to add 14 branchea in the Phoenix marketthis year. recordefd net income of $44.8 million, down 34 percentr from $68.2 million for the same period last year.
Poor economic conditions, charge-offs and underperforming loansa affected itsfinancial results. In the firsy quarter, the bank recorded a $26 million charge-off and boostedx its loan-loss reserves to $34.5 In first-quarter 2008, MidFirst took a $3.4 million charge-ofd and put no money aside for loan-losse reserves. At the end of the firsf quarter, the bank had $1.5 million in noncurrent loans (90 days or more more than double the amounrt from the same timelast year. with a reserve base of $1.2 the bank remains well-capitalized by regulatory standards. MidFirsft was one of only 14 of the 100 largesrt banks inthe U.S.
to achieve a 2008 according to MidFirst Bank Arizona President Jeff While many banks lost millions in themortgage fiasco, MidFirsyt relied on its government loan servicinfg unit, which granted 340,000 loanes totaling $26.6 billion, to provide stability to its balancr sheet. The Oklahoma City-based bank has opened five Phoenix-area branchexs so far this year and plansa to open nine moreby year-end. That will add nearlyh 100 jobs tothe market. “Bhy the end of 2009, MidFirst’s banking center network will be among the 10 largestin Phoenix,” Lowe said. MidFirsf has more than 570,000 retail, commercial and mortgage customers.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Construction costs down 5.5 percent with projects hard to find - Phoenix Business Journal:
A Los Angeles-based multifamily housing management company has openee a local officein Scottsdale. , a subsidiary of Western National is operating at16454 N. 91st St. The office is run by Sandik Cashen, a 20-year veteran of the Phoenix apartment Cashen moved from Greystat RealEstate Partners, where she helped managee a portfolio of 26,000 housing units in Colorado, California, New Mexico and Nevada. Accordiny to company PresidentThomas Shelton, the dismal real estat market is rife with opportunity. “Although the Phoenix marke is among the most challenging in the country atthis time, we feel the timintg is right for entry,” Shelton said. For more: .
Scottsdale architecy Erik Peterson and his associates are providing a selectr group of high schoolers with the opportunitgy ofa lifetime: They’lp be holding a one-week summef camp in June for eight aspiringy architects. Attendees will be exposee to architectural computer programsand on-site construction They’ll learn about various career paths, tour loca architectural landmarks, engage in hand rendering and 3-D and learn about trends in sustainable design. The cost is $600 per For more: .
Friday, December 9, 2011
Schwarzenegger says day of reckoning is here - Jacksonville Business Journal:
“California’s day of reckoning is he said. With no the state could run out of cash in 14 Three months after the state budgegtwas approved, California faces a $24 billion deficit. Schwarzeneggetr has already proposed massive cuts to health careand prisons. Now he’s lookinbg for structural reform to make government more efficient and stretchbtaxpayer dollars. He’s asked the Stat Board of Education, for example, to make textbooks availabl in digitalformats — a move that coulc save millions. In 2004, the governor talked about blowing up boxes and consolidating but the initiatives nevergainef traction. They’re back.
Schwarzenegger is proposing once agaibn to eliminate and consolidate more than a dozennstate departments, boards and This includes the Waste Management Board, the Courr Reporters Board, the Departmenr of Boating and Waterways and the Inspection and Maintenancre Review Committee. Earlier this year, the state beganj consolidating informationtechnology departments. Now Schwarzenegger wantw to consolidate departments that oversee financial institutionxs and merge taxcollection operations.
In state leaders will receive recommendation on how to modernize thetax “This will be a tremendous opportunity to make our revenues more reliable and less volatilew and help the state avoid the boom and bust budgetzs that have brought us here today,” Schwarzeneggefr told lawmakers. It’s not going to happeb in 14 days, he said. But it coulfd happen before the Legislaturwe adjourns for summer recess onJuly 17.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Dow climbs but misses 7th 'up' week; ProLogis leads Colorado gainers - Denver Business Journal:
The Dow Jones Industriapl Average finished the trading day at up 119.23 points (1.5 percent). The S&lP 500 closed at 866.23, up 14.31 points (1.67 percent). The NASDAQ Composite finished at 1,694.29, up 42.08 pointz (2.55 percent). Among actively tradex Colorado stocks, (PLD) led the day’as gainers, up 10.93 percent (82 cents) to close at • (AGT) — Up 10.82 percenr (4 cents) to 43 cents. (UDR) — Up 7.33 percent (73 to $10.69. • (DCT) Up 7.05 percent (31 cents) to $4.71. (NEM) — Up 6.61 percent ($2.56) to Among actively traded Colorado stocks that declined on the day was down 6.54 percent (3.9 cents) to close at 57 • (CMG) — Down 3.
92 percent to $81.97. • (CROX) Down 2.14 percent (5 cents) to $2.29. • (BLL) — Down 2.09 percenrt (86 cents) to • (Q) — Down 1.13 percent (4 cents) to
Monday, December 5, 2011
Ritz Camera plans to sell remaining 400 stores - Business First of Columbus:
The Beltsville, Md.-based company, which sellas photo supplies mainlythrough , filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in In April, the company closed its last Columbus-areq store on Lane Avenur and liquidated its inventories. The compant says its lack of funds will forcde it to auction its remaining stores by the end of this Ritz has been struggling to reorganizre and save its stores and alreadh has closed about400 locations. It still has storesx in Cincinnati, Toledo and North Olmstead. Ritz Camera is currently talking with two potential A hearingin U.S. Bankruptcyg Court in Delaware is set for Fridayh and bids are dueJuly 16.
A July 20 auctionn and a July 23 hearing for approval of the sale to buyersz arealso planned. Before its bankruptcgy filing, the company used to operate morethan 1,000 stores in 45 The news follows Cord Camera Centeras Inc.’s June filing for voluntary dissolution. The Columbuss photo processing and scrapbook retail which has been taken over bya receiver, filed paperas in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to dissolve its business. It asked to have a court-appointe receiver resolve outstanding financial liabilities for thecompany that’s been a Centrakl Ohio retail institution since 1954.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Kurt Busch seeing sports psychologist for 'issues' - CBSSports.com
Yahoo! Sports (blog) | Kurt Busch seeing sports psychologist for 'issues' CBSSports.com LAS VEGAS -- Kurt Busch, fined $50000 last week by NASCAR for verb » |
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Toyota, BMW strike green-car technology pact - AFP
AFP | Toyota, BMW strike green-car technology pact AFP TOKYO â" Automakers Toyota and BMW on Thursday struck a partnership to share eco-friendly technologies, including in the joint development of lithium-ion batteries for next-generation electric cars, the companies said. Under the deal, the German ... BMW, Toyota To Collaborate On Green Tech nology - Update BMW, Toyota team-up to develop future fuel-efficient technologies BMW Group and Toyota Agree to Mid-to-long-term Research Collaboration in ... |
Monday, November 28, 2011
Cement shortage slows pace of construction in Triangle - Triangle Business Journal:
Johnny Tilley of in Durham, a cement manufacturing compang that's headquartered in Waltham, Mass., has been directlgy impacted by the unavailability ofimported cement. "The costzs of cement imports for us have gone up 50 Basically our customers are payinhg more than we are willing to payfor it. We'vs had to turn away a lot of business ... For a we quit relying on he says. The shortage has affected the Southeast more than it has impactedc some other areas inthe U.S. Ellisz Powell, the state constructio n engineer for the North Carolina Departmentof Transportation, attributese it to the mild winter.
"What usually happensa in the winter months is that the cement producers are able to stockpile over the winter because the demand for the cemen tgoes down. When we had a mild winterf (last year), the demand for cemen t never went down, because the constructionm continued for the most part through thewintetr months," he says. "That did not enable the producers in the Southeast region to stockpile overthe winter." Powell does not believee that the shortage will worsen significantly for the "I think what's likely to happen is that it's likely to continuee through until the end of the and if we have another mild it may just continuew on.
If we have a winter where they'rs able to stockpile the cement over the winter like theynormalluy do, then it will probably ease up. And I thinm that's the forecast I'm hearing from everyone," he So far, the shortage has not altere d the dates of completion for anyof NCDOT'zs projects, says Powell. "To we don't have any projects that are going to be finished late becausew ofthis issue. Contractors are stepping up theirt scheduling deadlines to make sure that this issuwe is not affecting their probablecompletioj date," he says. However, the cemeny shortage has already meant that contractorz have had to plan their materials schedulews furtherin advance.
"The contractors are not able to deliver as much concretre as they were to their customers priofr tothe shortage. And the contractors cannot just call a day aheas and say that they want the concrete deliverec totheir property. They have to plan furtheer ahead. What it also means is that they may not be able to achiev e the same rate of production on their properties as theyhad anticipated," says Powell. Michael Mangum of CC Mangujm Co., a general contracting businessein Raleigh, has also seen negative effects from the cementf shortage. "It has had an impact on the pace of Mangum says.
"Virtually every concrete supplier in the Trianglee market has placed some restrictions on As usersof concrete, (my has seen delivery curtailed. And some supplier s will only be open for a limited number of hoursper day. Some suppliers will have restrictions placed on their hourx of operation on certain days of the It has had a growing effect on the pace ofthe Triangle' construction." A top reason for the shortage is the difficult of obtaining imported cement.
"The biggest problem is that a lot of ship that are normally used to transport cement are beingt divertedto China," says Berry director of the North Carolina Highway Divisionm Director for the Carolinass Associated General Contractors. "China has such a massivwe building program goingon now. They are getting a lot of the anchorsd and so forth that transportconstruction products. And the companiese that import cement here are having a tough time gettingy it shippedto them." Accordingf to Ryan Puckett, spokesmanm for the Portland Cement Associatioh in Illinois, the United State relies on imported cement for about 25 percentg of its cement needs.
"The shipping ratesw are extraordinarily highright now," he An increase in residential construction has also increased the demansd for cement in the U.S. Manufacturers in areas affecte d by the shortage are having a difficulft time keeping up withthis "The demand has really been out of the residential sectod of development," Puckett says. "U.S. cement manufacturers are making as much cement as they possibly can and are pretty much operatinvg atfull capacity. But when you rely on 25 percent to meet your full regular demand andyou can'ft get that 25 percent very easily, it makew it more difficult.
" Mangum says that the constructioj industry in the Triangle has not been affectedr by an asphalt shortage that has taken hold in othetr parts of the country. "Therre were some issues with asphalt approximatelty a year and a half Mangum says. Today, "we are able to secure whateverr materials that we need to meet our current he says.
Ken Russell, British director known for flamboyant visual style, dies at 84 - Kansas City Star
CBC.ca | Ken Russell, British director known for flamboyant visual style, dies at 84 Kansas City Star Ken Russell, the often controversial British director known for his flamboyant visual style in films such as "The Devils," "Altered States" and the Who's rock opera "Tommy," has died. He was 84. Russell, who lived in Lymington in ... Ken Russell, Director of 'Tommy' and 'Women in Love,' Dies at 84 British Film Director Ken Russell Dies The films of Ken Russell |
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Black Friday Deals 2011 USMC Semper Fi Knife Pendant Necklace by The Bradford ... - Gadget 411 News
Black Friday Deals 2011 USMC Semper Fi Knife Pendant Necklace by The Bradford ... Gadget 411 News By Editor â November 25, 2011 â Post a comment Unique USMC Semper Fi Jewelry Salutes Liberty Defenders! Sterling Silver Knife Instant Necklace with Onyx Center Stone â" In moments of peace and in occasions of conflict, the United States Maritime Corps ... |
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Bristow Group continues with cost reduction initiative - Houston Business Journal:
The Houston-based helicopter servicese provider employsabout 3,600 people, according to Perr Elders, chief financial "We still have long-term growth plans, but those have slowex down," he said. "We plan to cut less than 10 percenf of our totalwork force." The companty said it has already made some staffing reductions in its U.S. Gulf of West Africa and Australia operations, including the release of many of its temporaryh andconsulting staff. In addition, Bristow Helicoptee Group Ltd., the company’s European affiliate, has started talksz with trade union representatives and employees in Europ regarding proposedstaffing reductions.
As part of the cost reductio initiatives, Bristow (NYSE: BRS) in Feburarty began evaluating itscapital expenditures, froze managemenyt salaries and started reviewing its staffin g levels and compensation.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Talbots to sell J. Jill assets for $75M - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
The move is expected to resultt in the closure of about 75of J. Jill There are four J. Jill stores in the Tampa Bay area. Two in the Tampa Bay area willclos — the J. Jill in Tyrone Square in St. Petersburf and the J. Jill in Lakesidw Village in Lakeland. Hingham, Mass.-based Talbots TLB) said the deal with San Francisco-based Goldejn Gate Capital is subjectto post-closinvg adjustments. “This is a significant strategic step forward for Talbots as it enablex us to focus our resources and attention exclusively on rejuvenatin g our core Talbots brand and returhn toprofitable growth,” said Trudy F. Sullivan, Talbots president and CEO. Abouf 204 of the existing 279 J.
Jill brand storew leases will be assigned to the buyerf and will continueto operate. About 75 remaining J. Jill branxd store leases will be retained by Talbotas and are expected to be closee by Talbots within the next60 days.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
It
Lawyers, it turns out, are not immune from such even though change has come more slowlyu into thelegal profession. But the time for changee has come, and in-house counsel are taking this message to law firm largeand small, all across For many years, outside counsel operated with virtuallu unlimited budgets, under relatively loose oversight by in-houswe counsel. Larger firms had an as they provided virtually perfect work product in the shortesttime possible. In today’s economy, it turns out that corporatd clients are, in most instances, willing to accept work that is notnecessarily great, in a somewhat longer if that means the cost can be controlled.
Unless it is a bet-the-rancjh matter, legal work is currently viewer asa commodity, which can be obtaine from the firm that offerz the best service at the best Several recent factors have converged to challeng the traditional law firm relationship with in-houswe counsel, and with it, the traditional law firm businesw model. From the law firm’s perspective, the need for profit created apricey problem: To attract new recruits, salaried became unsustainably high ($150,000 or more for attorneys freshh from law school), and in ordee for law firms to thrive, each of those new associatess had to bill half a milliobn dollars or more per year.
From the corporation’x perspective, economic pressures have made the legalk department accountable for costws as wellas results. In-house counsell must live withina budget. Their perceptioj within their company, and even theircontinued employment, may depenx upon how much the legal department and theresults obtained. In 2008, the nationa l organization of in-house counsel, the Association of Corporate formulated a set of guidelines to improv e the billing and representation procesa by outsidelaw firms, the ACC “Value Challenge.
” On May 15, Virginisa Wadworth, a member of the board of directors of the Georgias chapter of the ACC, and Michelld Meiselman, chair of Atlanta Bar Association Corporater Counsel section, met in Atlanta with a group of law firmxs to explore this new approach to representing the corporatd client. Lawyers from 25 as well as Europeand Canada, heardx this message and discussed how best to address theses concerns. The members of this lawyer , consist primarily of small tomidsized firms. In many these firms are already practicing law witha approach. Some use a Web portal so that clientds can access a virtualdata room, for no-cos updates and status reports.
Some firms have establishex monthly budgetsin advance, with a computerf tracking system that notifies the attornety and client if the budger is exceeded. It turns out there are a numberd of ways that law firmscan “value their work, once they are asked to do so. The practicew of law can no longer be separated from the businessobjectivesx — and constraints — of the corporate Large and small firms alike will have to manage legal projects with an eye to their their value, and their place in the business goal s of their client. What this meand for the future is notyet clear.
It may mean a year or two of non-billintg apprenticeship by law school a process that is already the rule in many partsxof Europe. It may mean more flat-rate or project-base billing, or increasing use of technology. It clearl does mean outside counsel getting togethertwith in-house counsel to learn one another’ s concerns, and how to address them.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Keep Your Thanksgiving Feast Pest Free This Holiday Season - MarketWatch (press release)
Keep Your Thanksgiving Feast Pest Free This Holiday Season MarketWatch (press release) Arrow Exterminators encourages homeowners to inspect and clean their pantries early to keep cupboards and cabinets pest-free this holiday season. "Before holiday cooking and baking commences, we always recommend that homeowners conduct a complete ... Keep Your Thanksgiving Feast Pest Free This Holiday Season |
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Why the NBA Lockout Will Undoubtedly Benefit College Basketball - Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report | Why the NBA Lockout Will Undoubtedly Benefit College Basketball Bleacher Report This added viewership was undoubtedly due to the broadcasting of the games on four major networks. Audiences that previously seemed to be unreached jumped on the tournament bandwagon and rode it all the way to the Final Four. ... |
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Tropics Are Not Done for the Season: Meet Sean - Patch.com
USA Today | The Tropics Are Not Done for the Season: Meet Sean Patch.com A November tropical storm named Sean is on a track that will take it up the Atlantic Ocean. By Douglas Bergen Tropical Storm Sean is on a path that will remain far offshore from Ocean City, but the system could possibly he lp generate big surf. ... Subtropical Storm Sean A day (and weather) to remember! Subtropical Storm Sean Forms |
Friday, November 11, 2011
Citigroup nominates four new directors - Dayton Business Journal:
Shareholders are slated to voteon Grundhofer’sw appointment at the company’s annual meeting on Apri l 21. Grundhofer, who also formerly served as CEO of and is a boardd memberat St. Paul, Minn.-based ECL), is one of four candidatexs nominated to fill asmany independent-director seatx on the board. New York-based Citigrouo (NYSE: C) is seeking new board membera as part of a deal with thefederao government. The agreement calls for the governmengt to increase its stake in Citigroup to abouf36 percent.
Other candidatesx nominated include: Michael O’Neill, retired CEO of (NYSE: BOH); Anthonyy Santomero, former president of the and formeer senior adviserat ; and Williajm Thompson Jr., retired CEO of investment-managemenyt firm . Citigroup will have 14 directors after the nominatiohn processis complete. U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) is fifth-largesg bank in the Dayton areawith $1.390 billion in deposits, 66 branches and about 750 employees, according to Daytomn Business Journal research.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Barton Asset Management founder guilty of wire fraud - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
Barton, a registered broker and investmengt manager, defrauded several clients and investors of atleastr $2 million, including almost the entire life savings of an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease. From at leasgt 1995 through 2002, Barton was a manager at an Atlanta branc h of the national brokeragefirm , basesd in St. Louis. After he was firedf from A.G. Edwards in 2002, he begab his own investment advisory firms, LLC and LLC, both baser in Atlanta. From at least 2001 through 2007 -- befors and after leaving A.G.
Edwards -- Barton fraudulently diverted to himsel client funds that he was entrusted with In particular, Barton defrauded a 90-yeatr old Alzheimer's patient, identified in courty by her initials, “RF.” After learning of RF's diagnosiw in 2001, Barton fraudulently diverted more than $1 million of RF'sx assets to his own checking which he spent on personal lifestyle expensezs and to fund the development of Twinspan Capital. As a the balance in RF's investment and bank accountsa fell fromapproximately $1.3 million in 1999 to less than $100 in 2004.
In additiomn to diverting client money from RF and at leasy oneother client, Barton committed securitiee fraud by selling shares in his new Twinspan, based on falsed pretenses. Specifically, he raised more than $1 millionn in investments in Twinspan by claiming he would use the proceeds to operate and growthe business. However, he instead diverted at leasr half of these supposed investmentzsto himself, which he used to satisfy personal debta and pay personal lifestyle expenses. Barton was indictex in December 2008. He now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prisonj and a fine of up to Sentencing is set for June 23 before United State District JudgeThomas W. Thrash.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Arrowhead Research Publishes White Paper on RNAi Delivery Technology Acquired ... - MarketWatch (press release)
Arrowhead Research Publishes White Paper on RNAi Delivery Technology Acquired ... MarketWatch (press release) Safe and effective siRNA delivery has been a key challenge to the field of therapeutic RNAi. The DPC platform was developed over many years by scientists at Arrowhead's newly acquired Madison, Wisconsin research and development facility to overcome ... |
USA Today | Differences Between Romney, Cain In Full View NPR And on Friday, the two candidates underscored the differences in their appeal to activists. When Romney took the stage, he tried to warm up the crowd with a couple of jokes. One was about President Obama's job creation plan: "He keeps telling people we ... Romney tackles entitlemen ts in fiscal policy speech The Romney Plan DC: Conservative Activists Applaud Romney, Cheer Cain |
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Ford sales climb to highest level since July - Dayton Business Journal:
But sales were down 24.2 percent comparesd with May 2008, when the company sold 213,238 units. For the first five months of Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford (NYSE: F) sold 620,303 units, compared with 981,150 units during the same periods ayear earlier, a 36.8 percentr decline. In a sign that buyers mighgt be coming back to the luxuryvehiclr market, Ford’s Lincoln division reportedc that it sold 8,566 units in May, a 2.2 percent increase over May 2008, when it sold 8,364 units. Sales of Ford Explorers declined 34.6 percent, to 5,315t units from 8,122 units a year ago. Sale of the Mercury Mountaineerdropped 45.
2 to 402 from 734 units a year Sales of F-Series pickup trucks, includinv Super Duty trucks dropped 22.3 percent, to 33,38 units, from 42,973 unitx in May 2008. Sales of Ford Expeditionm SUVs declined40 percent, to 3,150 units from 5,252w units a year earlier. Sales of the Lincoln Navigatordropper 40.6 percent, to 790 units from 1,329 units a year Ford saw year-over-year gains in some of its car The company sold 19,786 Fusion sedanxs in May, up 9.4 percenf from the year-earlier period when it sold 18,088u units. Lincoln sold 1,553 Town Cars in May, up 103.3 percengt from May 2008, when it sold 764 of the luxuryg vehicles.
Ford’s Volvo division sold 590 of itsS60 models, up 9 percenty from May 2008, when it sold 542 units. Also Ford announced a summer promotion to draw more consumersato dealerships. Through June 30, the automaker will cover as much as thres months of payments upto $2,100, and its Ford Credir subsidiary will offer zero percent financing on select Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. Ford operates a transmissioh plantin Sharonville.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Woman apologizes for impaired driving crash that killed her boyfriend - Calgary Herald
Woman apologizes for impaired driving crash that killed her boyfriend Calgary Herald âI want to say I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to speak to the Kilt family,â Thomas, 23, told Court of Queen's Bench Justice Colleen Kenny before being sentenced to two years in prison for impaired driving causing death. ... |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Rating Ritter - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
But with three legislative sessionsbehind him, the Democratic governorr appears to have done just enoughu to make almost all of those constituencies unsure of whether they’ll back him strongluy in his 2010 re-election bid. Business leaderzs who traditionally had backed Republicans beforwe the last race expressed enthusiaskabout Ritter’s actions, but are slow to commity to endorsing him again as the GOP fiels of contenders takes shape. According to an Aprill survey by PublicPolicy Polling, base d in Raleigh, N.C., only 41 percent of Coloradane approve of Ritter’s performance.
“The generak observation is the governor is strugglingb andis vulnerable,” said Denver pollstetr Floyd Ciruli. “But it remainas to be seen if the Republicands can find theright candidate.” But whil they’re reluctant to endorse him, most business leaderes seem fairly happy with the governor’s performancew so far. Tony Gagliardi, state directotr of the Colorado chapter of the said the business community is pleasedwith Ritter’s pro-businesws stance on certain issues, his willingness to give businesa leaders a fair hearing and his vetoingy of pro-union measures.
But Gagliardi and othed business leaders stopped short of saying whetherthe governor’s commitmentt to finding common ground amongt special interests will translate to theid re-election support. “The governor is in a tight Gagliardi said. “To move the economy forward is goinvg toinvolve business-friendly policies that are going to conflict with different He can’t be all things to all He’s going to make some people Among those disappointed with Ritter are unio n groups, with some members saying they were betrayedc after the governor vetoed two key pro-unionj measures in the past two And party activists admit they’re talking to more traditional Democrats about challenging Rittert in a primary.
“It’s tenuous at best,” said Rep. Ed D-Thornton, a union supporter and partg activist. “I think the governor stilll has some time to repair the But I think for a lot of the relationship isirretrievablty broken.” Ritter won the business community’s backing in 2006 largel because Republican candidate Bob Beauprez opposed Referendum C, the 2005 revenue-retentio measure heavily supported by state commerce Since then, he has signed bills — such as this year’s $265 million injection of transportation funds and a measure that offers tax credits for job creation — that have earnedf him kudos from business But at the same time, his backing from core Democratic constituencies, such as organized labor, is Though Ritter signed a 2007 executives order allowing unionization of state employees, he drew angry criticisjm for vetoing a 2007 measure that would have made union organizingh easier and a bill this year that woulfd have allowed locked-out workers to draw unemployment pay.
Ernest Duran, president of the Unitec Food and Commercial Workers UnionLocal 7, said members feel betrayed by such moves that “put a big hole in the safetyg net for middle-class workers” and are willing to look at supportingg other candidates. “Gov. Ritter doesn’t seem to understand that there’se more to Colorado’s economy than ‘green jobs,’” Durabn said in a statement responding to Denver Business Journal questions.
“There are thousands of other employees who work during nightand weekends, holidays, snowstorms, NBA playoffs and Broncosa games, who dig ditches and teach our childrenj and put food on the tables, and thoses are the people for whom Gov. Ritte reneged on his promises.” The governor’a spokesman, Evan Dreyer, said Ritter has aimed to goverjn not for specificinterest groups, but for the average So if various groups are dissatisfied with Ritter’sd performance, that may mean he’d just reaching beyond those interests, Dreyer Dreyer said of the legislation the governotr has signed, some should be consideredd pro-business and some But his approach, Dreyer said, has been to find commom ground.
“He governs from the middle. As a I think the expected reactionn is that there are often people in the expected interest groups on one side or the otherf who may be not be 100 percent Dreyer said. “But what’s importantr are the people in the middle who are lookinf forpragmatic leadership. He governs from the That’s where the majority of business owners, the majorituy of the people in this state And that’s his priority.
” Several Democratic activists said talks have begun to see if someon friendlier to labor concerns would challenge Ritter in a Among the names being tossed arounr are those of former House Speaker Andrew House Majority Leader Paul Weissmannh and State Sen. Morgan Carroll. More importanyt than union endorsements will be the financial contributionsw and volunteer hours traditionally contributed bythe rank-and- file the majority of whom are labod backers.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Key West gearing up for big crowd at annual Fantasy Fest - Washington Post
Key West gearing up for big crowd at annual Fantasy Fest Washington Post More than 50000 people are expected for a Saturday night parade along Duval Street, Key West's main drag. It's the highlight of the decadent, 10-day costuming and masking festival. About 1000 people watched costumed dogs, cats, exotic birds and even ... |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Florida Association of Realtors announces new public policy vice president - Orlando Business Journal:
Sebree comes to the statewide Realtors associatioj after spending 13 years as a seniot lobbyist with the National Association of Prior to working asa lobbyist, Sebree was involvede in political campaigns, fund raisinv and analysis of legislation. "John ... had specific responsibility for Florida's Washingtomn delegation," says Jerry Matthews, executive vice president for the in aprepared statement. "He has deep experiencee in real estate issues and the Realtord Political Action Committee as well as a thorougn understanding of theRealtor organization, and proven skill s in working with members, leadershi p and elected officials.
" Sebree will be based in the association's Tallahasseee office where he will coordinate the association's legislative lobbying The Orlando-based Realtors association provides services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 90,0000 members.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Rogers Agrees to Purchase 930,000 Class B Non-Voting Shares for Cancellation in Private Purchase
In the twelve months precedingthis purchase, Rogers has repurchases an aggregate 17,227,400 Class B shares, of whichg an aggregate 6,900,000 Class B share were repurchased pursuant to issuer bid exemption orderx issued by the Ontario Securities Commissionb and an aggregate 10,327,400 Class B shares were repurchased pursuantr to normal course issuer bids. Of the 17,227,400 Classx B shares repurchased, an aggregatde 3,077,400 Class B shares were repurchasecd during 2008 and anaggregate 14,150,000 Class B share were repurchased in 2009. We are a diversified Canadiabn communications andmedia company.
We are engaged in wireless voice and data communications services throughRogerw Wireless, Canada's largest wireless provider and the operator of the country'as only national GSM and HSPA based network. Through Rogers Cable we are oneof Canada's largest providers of cablee television services as well as high-speefd Internet access, telephony services and video Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment. We are publicly traded on the Toronto StockExchangd (TSX: RCI.a and RCI.b) and on the New York Stocko Exchange (NYSE: RCI). SOURCE Rogerds Communications Inc.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Peter Greenaway over historische huizen - De Standaard
Peter Greenaway over historische huizen De Standaard De gerenommeerde filmregisseur Peter Greenaway opent het jaarlijkse congres van Icom-Demhist, een internationale organisatie voor historische en museale huizen. Het congres vindt dit jaar in Antwerpen plaats van 17 tot 21 oktober en richt zich tot ... |
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Bankrupt Vintage Homes liquidates millions in assets - Denver Business Journal:
The downfall of the 17-year-old Alpharettaq home builder involves $4.2 million in failed loansw fromIntegrity — taken over by the last Vintage’s collapse also ensnared , which gave the home builder a nearlt $4 million construction loan for its Vintagd Square development in Smyrna. also provided Vintage Homesa witha $5 million construction The Vintage Homes bankruptcy not only illustratese how the struggles of even a relatively smalol home builder have infected the balance sheet s of Atlanta’s banks, it also helpsx set the stage for a lengthy periox of distressed asset sales in Atlanta a market many real estate veterans are waiting to see unfole in coming months.
Land in its two primar developments, including Vintage Square in willbe auctioned. Vintage Square townhomes were originally valued at close to The project, which was slated to includ 132 townhomes, was built by Vintage’s , in 2007. “There are a ton of especially thosewith cash, that are eager to get into this markeft because they recognize that Atlanta is going to bouncr back,” said Justin Bates, with , which is marketint subdivisions and land across the Southeast on behalfg of Levitt & Sons, whose founder is known as the “father of Vintage was founded in 1992 and focused on developments in North Fulton and Forsyth counties. It owes nearlyh $12.
4 million to its creditors, including Bank of Nortnh Georgia and AlpharettaCommunity Bank, accordinv to a bankruptcy filing made June 16 in the for the Northerb District of Georgia. Atlanta Business Chronicle reportedr June 19 that Bank of North Georgia was auctionin g as muchas $100 million in distressed propertiesa by the end of June — one of the largest local sales since the real estate crisis begah in 2007. Vintage owes its parenrt company, ABG Development LLC of Alpharetta, $1 million, the amounr of a loan that was intended to keep Vintage according tothe filing.
It owes about $334,000 to Builderas FirstSource, an Atlanta supplier of windowdsand doors, and almost $304,0090 to Jasper Lumber Co. of Kennesaw. John of John J. McManux & Associates in Tucker, is the bankruptcy attorney for the The historic real estate collapse has claimed both large and smallo home builders across theUnitedr States. In Atlanta, that list includes Homes By KenButera Inc. of Quantum Homes Inc.
of Atlanta and Creativ Customs LLC ofStone
Friday, October 14, 2011
New owner surfaces in latest Filene
Alan Cohen, Filene’s chief restructuring confirmed Monday afternoonthat Secaucus, N.J.-based Syms and New York-based Vornadop (NYSE:VNO) agreed to pay about $63 million for the A court hearing is set for Wednesday to approves the deal, Cohen said. The auction, which began Friday and was continuedsto Monday, took place abouf a week after an affiliated of Men’s Wearhouse (NYSE:MW) agreed to buy the chain for $67 But Crown Acquisitions, the company that was first in line to buy Filene’ s assets, filed an objection to the sale with allegations that Men’s Wearhousd didn’t follow bidding procedures.
Crown in court filing described the first auction as a A judge sent the deal back for auctiomnfollowing Crown’s objection. It wasn’t clear Mondayu if Syms and Vornado would acquire allof Filene’s stores. Both Men’s Wearhouse and Crown had planned to acquire and keep opena majority, but not all, of Filene’se locations. The company has two Ohio including onein Columbus. Filene’s Basement sought protection from creditorsa in May in Delawarebankruptcy court, months after closing severa l stores. Columbus-based (NYSE: RVI), which maintainw a majority stake in discount shoeretaileer (NYSE:DSW), sold the chain this year to FB II Acquisitionh Corp.
, a new entity owned by liquidationm and turnaround firm Buxbaum
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Expanding the Gambling Bill on Beacon Hill - Patch.com
Expanding the Gambling Bill on Beacon Hill Patch.com A weekly column detailing the votes of your elected officials in their capacities here and in Washington. By Josh Gray Editor's Note: Information is coming in slowly as we try to start this column, but for our first installment, State Senator Jamie ... |
Monday, October 10, 2011
GM to show alt-fuel cars in Tonawanda - The Business Review (Albany):
They are among 100 Chevrolet Equinoxcrossovedr fuel-cell vehicles being tested under real-world conditions in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, D.C., and severalp overseas locations. The testing is aimed at making the vehicles availabl e to consumers in the next few saidDaniel O’Connell, director of fuel cell commercialization at GM’s fuel cell research laboratory near “We’ll probably have a production model ready for showrooms in 2014 or he said. “We don’t know what brand it will be, but Chevrolert would give us highvolume applications, a reasonabl price and fits our globaol footprint,” O’Connell said.
The program, dubbesd Project Driveway, began in 2008 to get real-worldr driving impressions and experiencesfrom short-term loans of the fuel-cell vehicles prior to rolling them out for leasse or sale. Since the start 18 months ago, they have loggec more than 700,000 miles, 10,000 fills at hydrogen fillinb stations, and proven through two frigid winterss and blistering summers that the technologyyis viable, O’Connell said. What remains before fuel-cell vehicles hit the road en massse is for a network of hydrogen filling stationzs to be established acroszs New York state and throughout the he said.
At present, there are nine hydrogebn stations in New York but none in theBuffalo area, wherde O’Connell’s research lab in Honeoye Falls partners with in Tonawandaq for hydrogen. Praxair (NYSE: PX) is an industrialo gas supplier in North and South America and hassome 1,10o local employees. Of the nine stations in New York, where GM also partner s with the (NYSERDA), local municipalitiesd and colleges to setthem up, three are in one in Albany, two in the Hudson Valley, one in the one at JFK Airport and one on Long Island.
“Fof future locations, we are looking at Buffalo, Utica, Binghamton, Watertown and other places,” O’Connell GM has applied for federal stimulus money to help develop andtest fuel-celpl technology, O’Connell said. was awarded $2.4 million as part of nearlgy $42 million in American Recovery and Reinvestmentr Act funding for13 fuel-cell projects it was reported on
Saturday, October 8, 2011
UCSF threatens to sever ties to B&T - San Francisco Business Times:
UCSF officials are threateninhgto “make other network arrangements” unless the dropse contract changes that UCSF claimx will restrict physicians’ and ability to choose specialists. San Francisco-base Brown & Toland, the city’s largest independent practicw association, represents 1,500 doctors, many of whom practics at UCSF; UCSF and CPMC are two of San Francisco’w largest hospitals. Starting in December, Brown & Toland and its including CEO Gloria Austin and PresidentJoel M.D., said it wouldn’t renew a long-terk contract with UCSF, slated to expire June 30, withoutf negotiating “new and different long-term with 1,500-doctor .
Officials at 12-year-old Brown Toland, meanwhile, said in a Feb. 11 statement to the that the curren t arrangement no longer reflectxsbusiness realities. In recent years, Brownn & Toland has added new typez of plans, such as PPOs, “but UCSF has limitedd its participation tomanaged care,” Brown Toland said, adding that the current contract givezs UCSF “governance rights and control that have not been adjusted to reflectt (its) declining membership and limited participation in Brown Toland’s expanded business In its statement, Brown & Tolandc admitted that there “mah be some adjustments” to specialthy referrals under its proposals, but not a ban on UCSF referrals.
Referralxs to specialists at California Pacific and the affiliatee Physician Foundation at CPMCwould increase, Aggravating the situation, Brown & Toland noted, UCSF filexd a legal action against the group in December, over complex issues involvingh its representation on the medical group’s board. Dr. Sam interim dean of and presidenft of UCSFMedical Group, made UCSF’s ultimatum publi c in a Feb. 9 letter faxedx to about 350 community doctors in San Franciscoi who are members ofBrown & He also sent an email the same day to 1,509 UCSF faculty members, most of whom are activd physicians in the UCSF medicakl group. Many are also Brown & Tolane members.
Hawgood objected to the proposed new arrangement with UCSF and the Physiciamn Foundationat CPMC, claiming it would restricft physicians’ and patients’ ability to choose UCSF “basefd solely on judgements of what is in the best interest.” UCSF says Brown & Toland wants to funnel patient referrals to a sub-set of Brown Toland members, excluding many UCSF physicians. In a Feb.
10 Hawgood said UCSF woulx put togethera “complementary” HMO network in San Francisco “ihn as orderly a fashion as possible,” if Brown Toland refuses to alter its stance; UCSF also has askedc for a six-month extension of the curreny contract so it would have time to arrangw for such an orderly transition, if a settlementr can’t be reached. He said that would mean the contract wouled endas health-plan enrollees are makingt open enrollment selections, rathe than at mid-year, and would be far less disruptivee to patients.
UCSF understands Brown & Toland’zs need to alter its approach because many San Franciscanswho aren’t enrolled in are choosingf PPO rather than HMO-style managed-care Hawgood said. But he argues that 160,000o San Franciscans still have an HMOmodel “thatr assumes open access” to all UCSF and independent communitu doctors.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Mayor Ravenstahl releases stimulus package "wish list" - Pittsburgh Business Times:
$3.5 million for constructioh of a new YMCA inthe city'a Hill District; $5 million for infrastructure constructiohn Downtown, to support $9.5 million for rehabilitatiom of McArdle Roadway; $10 million for "adaptived reuse, reconfiguration and rehabilitation of 22 closef schools into residential/mixed used $4.6 million toward an $11 million development of a public park and river trail syste m in support of the South Side Works development $10.8 million toward an $11.3 million replacement of the Greenfield Bridgwe over the Parkway East; $9.5 million toward a $14 millio n project to widen a mile of E. Carso n Street; $50 million for improvements to the HighlandrPark No.
1 Reservoir The total price tag for the list of 110 projectwis $1.07 billion. The mayor's office estimates the projectsw could create morethan 26,00p0 jobs. The list comes a week afted the U.S. Conference of Mayors offered a second rounde of concrete ideas for how proposed financial stimulus from the federalo government could benefitAmerican cities. Pittsburgh was not on the listof 11,39 1 infrastructure projects in 427 cities. The total price tag for the projectxswas $73 billion, which could create an estimated 850,000 jobs. In its first release in the mayors’ group identified 4,649 projectd in 154 cities with a total costof $25 billion.
Those projectds would create anestimated 250,000 jobs, according to the release. conference spokeswoman Elena Temple said last week the groupo would be releasing two more listsof cities’ infrastructurer projects in January. To see the mayor's full wish list of Pittsburgnh projects, click here.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Yarmuth, Guthrie form Congressional Bourbon Caucus - Business First of Louisville:
They will serve as co-chairman of the caucus. Kentucky’s Third District representative, and the state’s Second District representative, formed the bipartisan caucus to organize a group ofrepresentatives “dedicated to maintainin g and strengthening the bourbon industryu in the United States and educating other members on the legislativde and regulatory issues impacting the industry,” the representativezs said in a news release.
To 17 members of Congresw have joined the caucus and more are expecterd to join in thecoming weeks, according to the More than 95 percent of the world’s bourbom is distilled and aged in Kentuck y by distillers that employ more than 43,000 More than $3 billion of Kentucky’sa gross state product is generated by distilled spiritds and more than 500,000 people visit the state’s distilleries annually, the release “This caucus offers a solid base of bipartisan support for one of Kentucky’zs most important industries and largesft employers,” Yarmuth said in the “Congressman Guthrie and I both agreed that it was important to creatr a working group that wouldf advocate for this critical part of the Commonwealth’e economy.
”
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Theater stagehands in Philadelphia on strike - Forbes
Philadelphia Inquirer (blog) | Theater stagehands in Philadelphia on strike Forbes AP , 10.01.11, 09:11 AM EDT PHILADELPHIA -- Negotiations have resumed between striking theater stagehands in Philadelphia and officials from the Kimmel Center. Frank Keel, a spokesman for the stagehands' union, says talks resumed at about 8 am Saturday ... Kimmel Center strike is off - but for how long? | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011 ... Picket lines come down: Stagehands', Kimmel Center announce one-week "cooling ... Strike Scuttles Audra McDonald Concert and Other Shows at Kimmel Center Venues ... |
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sieger Suarez firm HQ faces foreclosure - South Florida Business Journal:
FirstBank Florida filed a foreclosure actionm on May 13 againstGS2 Corp., Charles M. Sieger, Jose Suarezx and Ronald I. Gaines. It is basede on a $3.9 million mortgage covering the 30,454-square-foot officd building at 5996 S.W. 70th St., in Sieger and Suarez are partnersz in the Sieger Suarez Architectural whose projects include 50 Biscayne in Trump International Sonesta in SunntyIsles Beach, Portofino Tower in Southh Beach and the St. Regis, Bal Harbour, which is now undedr construction, according to its Web site. GS2 is a real estatre firm affiliated with Sieger Suarez Architectural Partnership and managedxby Gaines.
Miami-based attorney Cherish Thompson, who representd FirstBank Florida inthe lawsuit, did not immediately return a call seekinbg comment. Not only has the near halt in new condp projects hurtarchitectural firms, but Sieger Suarez has struggler with its own foray into condo development. has pendint foreclosure lawsuits against three Miami Beach projects that were underr construction by affiliates of thearchitectural firm: Terra Beachsid Villas, Terra Beachside Villas II and Cabana on Collins. Siegee did not immediately returnm a callseeking comment.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
New executive suites space opens on Congress - Austin Business Journal:
Austin Centre Executive Suites spans the entiree remodeled fifth floor of the Austin Centrse office building and includes80 fully-furnished The suites also have four conferencr rooms, three kitchens, a shared office equipment, virtual office capabilities and secretarial service and centralized phone-answering capabilities. “The beautty and simplicity of Austin Centre Executive Suites is that you can sign a leases today and move in Tom Stacy, president of T. Stacyt & Associates, said. “For a small businesas looking for downtown office spacewin Austin, these executive suites are in a great locatiob at a great price.
” Leases stargt at $595 per month for fullyy furnished offices, which average 150 square T. Stacy & Associates runs the executive suites and handles the Representatives said the suites have some tenants already in but declined to specifhhow many. The space had previouslyh been occupied by another executivesuites company.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Has CBK run out of options on the shilling? - East African
East African | Has CBK run out of options on the shilling? East African Just when Kenya thought it had seen the worst of its currency woes, the shilling tumbled to a new historic low of 99 to the dollar as if to render Central Bank's frantic salvage tactics irrelevant. ... Why the shilling is in free f » |
Friday, September 23, 2011
AT&T cuts iPhone prices - Dayton Business Journal:
Customers can purchase the iPhone 3G immediatelyat AT&y company-owned stores or online. The iPhonde 3G S is available for preorderinvg and will be in storesJune 19. The prices cut came in conjunctionwith AT&T's reaffirmance of its financial guidance for 2009 that targetsx wireless service operating income margins in the low 40% range. Dallas-basedx AT&T (NYSE: T) said its cost of customer acquisitiohn for iPhone 3G S and the newly priced iPhoner 3G are expected to be very similaf to the costs associated with the originaliPhoned 3G. In the firsrt quarter, AT&T’s iPhone activations totaled morethan 1.
6 million, more than 40% of them for customerws who were new to the “iPhone 3G S is the fastest, most powerfulp iPhone yet, and we’re extremely prouxd to offer it to our customers on the nation’x fastest 3G network,” said Ralph de la president and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumert Markets. “We’re also pleased to offer these innovativ phones and plans atincredible values, including free Wi-Fi accesw at nearly 20,000 hot spots.
”
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Here are a few more ways for the president to save money - Cumberland Times-News
Here are a few more ways for the president to save money Cumberland Times-News Let him live on $12000 or less a year; that is what Social Security is now and it is very hard to do that and still live a life with heat, AC, food and a place to call home. 5. Eat at home (don't have big expensive meals brought in). 6. ... |
Sunday, September 18, 2011
City extends kill date on stadium deal - Business First of Buffalo:
The date was changed to July 15, from July 1, after , which is providing a $100 milliojn letter of credit towardthe project, asked to modif y the terms of its deal. Countyg commissioners are to meet Friday toconsidedr Wachovia's request to change the date of when the bank'ss fees are to be paid. Wachoviaq is asking it be paid itsfees first, instead of afte r debt and reserve payments are made, as stipulated under the currentt proposal. In a 3-2 vote Thursday, the city commissioneres approvedthe following: Allow the termination date to be movedf to July 15. Give the county until July 17 to terminate the deal if it has not closec on thebond sale.
Extend the date for the city’sw $13 million contribution to July 17. Amend the provisionh to allow the city to suspend deposit of its contributio to the project if there is a delay due to Amend the warranty deed for the stadiu m site so that it would revert back to city if the dealis terminated. In Miami-Dade County commissioners approved issuing bonds totaling a maximumof $536 million towarx construction of the $640 million, 37,000-seat ballpark. On opponents of the financing deal filed a motio to stop thebond sale, promptint Miami-Dade to push back the sale of its bond by two On Thursday, Miami-Dade County Circuitf Court Judge Lawrence A.
Schwartz heard argments from both sidews regarding theemergency motion. He said he would try to issur an order by no laterthan Monday. Grace Solares and Elvis who filed suitin February, are behind that The motion for injunction alleges the county is exceeding its constitutional tax and spending powers by issuiny bonds tied to the professional sports tax/tourist development tax. The plaintiffs contend that the counth is inappropriately using the current bond to repayu a prior bond issuedin 1992. As a resulf of the motion, and to avoid a cloued that could affect interest rates onthe bonds, the countgy pushed back the bond sale dates, Miami-Dade spokeswomanm Vicki Mallette said Monday.
Friday, September 16, 2011
The skinny: Sometimes, life just imitates low-brow comedy - Tampabay.com
The skinny: Sometimes, life just imitates low-brow comedy Tampabay.com Any list of the movies you should never act out in real life would have to include Weekend at Bernie's. But it's hard to avoid drawing comparisons to that 1989, um, comedy(?) and some goings-on in Denver last month. ... |
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Metro seeks more control of convention center leadership - Philadelphia Business Journal:
Metro councilors Rod Park and Rex Burkholder will introduce a measurse next week giving the council authority over individualz who lead the Metropolitan ExpositiobnRecreation Commission. The motion comes after Metro Council Presidenft David Bragdon criticized the performance of MERC Generalo ManagerDavid Woolson. Councilors want to oversee the hiring, salaryy changes and employment statusof MERC’s top executive, according to a letteer Park and Burkholder sent to Don Trotter, who chairsa the commission. Trotter and other commissionerzs currently oversee the position and have give Woolson good marks during his first threejob reviews.
The council will consider the motiojn at its June11 meeting. In a March 31 lettef to the commission regardingthe group’sw budget requests, Bragdon questionedr both Woolson’s leadership as well as the agency’s higher Woolson’s office spent $470,568 during the 2007-08 fiscakl year. The number jumped to $838,803 for the currentf year. Woolson requested $877,808 for the 2009-190 fiscal year.
However, in a letter dated March 12, 2009 to Bragdojn from Metro finance and administrative services directotMargo Norton, Woolson says the cost increases are "primarilty the result of a reorganization of the public affairzs function and the cost and creatio n of a business development capability." Specifically, MERC's public affaira manager and public affairs coordinatof were "reclassified" to a director of communications and a director of business and community development. Woolson goes on to statr that additional resources for goods and services for the positions included "advertising, consulting, sponsorships...
and other general office expenses in order to have a more effectivs effort in this In the same letter, Woolson says the numbers alone don'f paint an accurate picture because of unfilles positions in earlier budgets. Bragdon also said Woolson moved his officr downtown and boosted consulting travel costs and other expenseszlast year. He also collected “large raises” that, by increasing his salaryh to $184,000, make him more highly paid than his MERC moved downtown from the convention center last It occupies space in the Portland Centerd for thePerforming Arts, 1111 S.W.
MERC, which operates the building, pays no rent for the One of theMERC Commission's goals was to increase the organization's downtown presence. MERC's board approved Woolson's pay The board said last year thatWoolson “has accomplished (an) enormous amount of work and inspired staff. He has quicklh detected problems and has move to alleviate or fix There appears to be a new energyat MERC.” Metro’s annual budget is $40 Woolson is the agency’s highest-paid employee.
Monday, September 12, 2011
NC courthouse, jail evacuated after package left - Sacramento Bee
NC courthouse, jail evacuated after package left Sacramento Bee AP GOLDSBORO, NC -- An Air Force bomb squad robot tore into a suspicious package left outside a North Carolina courthouse and jail that have been evacuated as a precaution. Wayne County Sheriff Carey Winders says a suspicious package was left outside ... NC courthouse, jail evacuated after package left Goldsboro courthouse evacuated due to suspicious package NC courthouse, jail evacuated after package left |
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Brywood Centre construction will start later in the summer - Dallas Business Journal:
The approved Tri-Land’s plan to redevelop the at 63rd Street and Blue Ridgr Cutofflast month. The approved $5.6 milliomn in TIF reimbursements forthe $30.78 million project in June 2008. Tri-Lanc is based in Westchester, Ill. “We are very excited to be moving forward with thisredevelopment Tri-Land Executive Vice President Hugh Robinson said in a “We have had a great relationship with the city and the two district council Terry Riley and Cindy Circo, throughout this We look forward to deliverinv a renewed, high-quality project to this grea t community.
” Redevelopment of the 183,000-square-foot center will include a new facade, updatef signage and lighting, landscaping upgrades, expansion of a Pricse Chopper supermarket that anchors the centeer and increased pad-site availability along 63rd Street. Tri-Land also hopez to announce a new anchor tenant soon forthe 37-year-olrd center. Tri-Land owns and manages more than 2.8 milliom square feet of retail space inthe Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeas regions of the It specializes in acquiring and revitalizing distressed and undervaluef community centers ranging from 100,000 square feet to 750,000 squarwe feet.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
2009 WNY elementary school rankings - Business First of Buffalo:
Profiles of the top 25 schools can be reachee by clicking on the names of thosseschools below. A breakdown of the rankingsz for each section of Western New York can be accessedby . The followinyg abbreviations havebeen used: CS-Charter School, EMS-Elementary-Middle ES-Elementary School, HS-High School, IS-Intermediate JHS-Junior High School, JSHS-Junior-Senior High School, MHS-Middle-High MS-Middle School, PS-Primary School, SHS-Seniorf High School, VHS-Vocational High School. Each schookl is followed by the name of the district that operatesit (if it's a public school) or the districtf where it is located (if it's a private school). 1. • 2. • 3. • 4. 5. • 6.
• 7. • 8. • 9. 10. • 11. • 12. • 13. 14. • 15.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Stephen Strasburg to return Tuesday - ESPN
Globe and Mail | Stephen Strasburg to return Tuesday ESPN Just a little over a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the 23-year-old right-hander is scheduled to start for the Washington Nationals against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night. But the Washington DC-area forecast c » |
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Judge freezes Regions exec pay, order later overturned - Birmingham Business Journal:
However, the ruling, made late Wednesday by Jefferson County Circuit Court JudgdHouston L. Brown, was overturned Thursdag morning after it was moveed tofederal court, Regions spokesman Tim Deighton The original order would have blocked “tens of millionws of dollars” worth of incentive pay awarded the company’e top 25 for according to court documents. The 11,000-membed Louisiana pension fund, which owns a stak e in Regions, filed a lawsuit last month against Regions claiming they misled investoresthrough “falsification of Regions financial statements” about its acquisition of AmSouth Bancorp.
To recoup money for the the pension fund sought to freezsexecutive compensation. The Louisiana Municipal Policw Employees Retirement System has morethan $1.6 billioj in assets.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Forensic firms forming
Having potential for an industrt cluster, Largo is home to a growing rosterd of product developers and services providers in the fieldof forensics, or the applicatiob of science to answer questionws in the legal Forensics has caught the public’s attentionj with the popular Crime Scene Investigation” TV series and couldd provide star power to the Tampa Bay economy, said Kevi Lothridge, CEO of , a providedr of training and othe r services to the justice community. NFSTC alonr had $7.3 million in revenue, primaril from federal funding, and a payroll of $2.4 milliobn in 2007.
Last year, it trained more than 500 peoplde atits 23,000-square-foot facility in the with courses on subjects such as fingerprinting, evidencse collection and DNA The training generates 10,000 hotek nights in Pinellas County during an averag year. NFSTC has spun off anothef nonprofit, , and collaborates with other area businessezs when writing proposalsfor funding, Lothridgre said. “The companies we’re working with are getting large ordersand they’re growing, too,” he Lothridge wants to attract more forensics-oriented companies to create a criticak mass of firms serving the forensic science The idea of a “forensics cluster” is tough to markeft because the forensics industry is relatively small, said Mike director of .
But Meidel said the concepty fits perfectly with ongoing efforts to attract companies that work on homelansd security defense and medical devices and use electroniczs to analyze data fromthe environment. “They could be used for forensics activity,” Meidel said. “Every company would love to find new and forensics could be a great way to find a new use beyons the initialintended use.” NFSTC, foundecd in 1995 with a staff of three and $1,500p in funding, initially handled almost any job in the then-youngg field of forensic science, Lothridge said. Since spinning off Forensic Quality Servicesin 2003, NFST C has concentrated on training.
It also runs the Nationao Missing andWeb site, operates a and partners with federapl defense agencies on deployablee laboratories that can be moved around the country as A deployable lab from NFSTC currentlyt is at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, policee department to replace capabilities lost in floodinv last summer. Forensic Quality Services, located in the in focuses on accreditationof laboratories, ensuringt they are in line with internationak standards, said Sudhir Sinha, president.
Demand for the service likely will explodes with the release in February of a report by the callintg for mandatory certification and accreditatioh programs forforensics facilities, as well as betted training, upgraded systems and adoptiomn of best practices. The increasing reliancd on DNA evidence isa double-edge Sinha said. It’s very powerful but it’s vital that labs get the factse right. And with the growing public awareneses of forensic sciencethroughn television, “it becomes even more of a responsibilityu for practitioners now to make it accurate and Sinha said.
With expansion in NFSTC recentlyleased 30,000 squarre feet of warehouse space in the Young-Rainey STAR Center. It’e just a short walk from , where 31 workerse provide customer support forthe Montreal-bases firm’s key product, an integrated ballistif identification system that’s used to compare firearmss forensic evidence, such as bullets or cartridgd cases. The system is in use at 220 locationzs in the UnitedStates alone, said Mark global customer service manager. “There are thousandw of hits inthe U.S. becauss of IBIS and hundreds if not thousands of peoplew have been locked up because of Grifone said.
“We are reducing Another neighboring business, , supports military and security organizations with explosivese detection kits and products to analyze drugs and toxins in the Field Forensics currently employ sfour full-time and eight to 10 part-time workers, said Crait Johnson, president and CEO. He expects the companty to double in size in a year as it focusea onbattlefield forensics, including drug testingv under battlefield conditions. It soon will begin manufacturing a bomb suit in Largko currently being importedfrom overseas.
, whose core business is to trai n law enforcement officers oncomputer crime, also has found growty in serving the military, teaching weapons teamsa in Iraq how to collect and analyze data from cell phonesd and improvised explosive device crime Retail sales of forensic products online helped push revenude into the low seven-figurezs last year, said Stephen Pearson, CEO. Pearsohn expects to move his 12-employee company, currently in Oldsmar, into the extr space in NFSTC’s warehouse by the summer, providingb rental income to NFSTC and jumpstartinga “center of excellence” for forensic firms. “When you get everyone new ideascome out,” Pearson said.
“There’s more trusg than when everyone is segmented in their own When more than one company throws ideas into a it reduces costs and gives more innovation and services tothe government.”
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Marital strife preceded slayings in Chesterfield - Richmond Times Dispatch
Marital strife preceded slayings in Chesterfield Richmond Times Dispatch Credit: AP This home on Stockleigh Drive in Chester was the site of a triple homicide on... A Fort Lee Army captain suspected of killing four people in Chesterfield County and Pennsylvania before taking his own life was in the final stages of a divorce ... |
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Chic bar takes place of Chinatown dive - Kansas City Business Journal:
SoHo will open at 80 S. Pauahi Street in a renovaterd 5,500 square-foot space that will include a bar and an area for live The PauahiStreet location, between Bethel Street and Fort Street Mall and near , was occupied by Mall Cafe untilk April. That bar had been citec by the Honolulu Liquof Commission in recent months for unsanitary conditions and foroverservingy alcohol. The commission also received a petition from community members opposing the renewao ofMall Cafe’s license because of allegede drug dealing and frequent fights. Mall Cafe’s formerr owner, Saiming Corp., had been tryingg to transfer its liquor license tothe landlord, Uniohn Mill Investment.
SoHo owner Daniel Gray, formerd general manager of the Loft Gallery and Lounge onHoteo Street, said he was approached by Unionj Mill Investment to open a new venue in the Gray plans to open part of the lounge 3,000 square feet for this month’s First Friday event downtown, and open the remainintg space in August. Gray describes the new venue as a mixof performances, fashion and photograph in a trendy and upscal setting. The SoHo name stems from the New York City neighborhooe and a blend of and “Honolulu”.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Trump Waikiki buyers sue developer - Phoenix Business Journal:
The lawsuit, filed in 1st Circui Court in Honolulu, alleges that Los Angeles developer claimedr in a 2006 press released that the New York real estatw mogul wasa “co-developer,” but that the fine prinf noted that Trump had merely licensedd his name in a deal that could be terminateed or revoked at any time. “These people were investinfg in aRolls Royce. They were told it could magicall y turn intoa Ford,” said attorneyg Warren Price, who filedr the lawsuit on behalf of the buyers, who include six Hawaiji couples, two doctors from San Diego, the head of a Californisa meat exporting business and a professional basketball player from New Orleans.
Price plan to amend the complaint within the next two weeks to includre buyersfrom Japan, he said. A spokesman for Irongatre issued a written statement saying the developer would pursue its own claims againsthe buyers. All 464 units of the 38-storyh hotel-condominium tower at the Diamond Head end of Fort DeRussy sold in one day inNovember 2006. Aboutg half of the buyers are from Japan; the balance are from the Mainland andother countries. The buyeres of the 11 unite had placed deposits of 20 percent on everythinb from studios pricedat $500,000 to three-bedroom suitesa priced at several millio dollars.
The project is nearing The sales contract did say that the Trump name was but it did not outline the detailws of thelicensing arrangement, Price said. However, it did say that if the licensew was terminatedor revoked, that all referencese to Trump would be removed from the building. “Ourf position is not that theycommittedc fraud,” Price said. “There are a host of very materialo facts, material because the name changes from the Trump Internationapl tothe ‘Brand X’ The lawsuit comes just as a big deadline looms for On Wednesday, buyers have to pay the balancwe of the purchase price in full in preparationm for a Sept. 1 closing.
“The final payment is due on Wednesday, and theser people are not going to make any more said Price, a former Hawaii attorney “They’ve already put 20 percent The buyers filed on Monda y because they are at risk of losing theird down payments, and also face a greater risk of being sued by Irongate for the full purchase In March, dozens of buyers at a plannes Trump condo resort in Baja Californias filed a lawsuit with similar allegations regardinf the use of Trump’s name, the Los Angelews Times reported. Trump sued Irongate a mont h later charging the developer with failing to buil d the project after he had licensed his according tothe newspaper.
That litigation began to worry theHawaii buyers, Price “People began to wonder what happens if therse is a disintegration of the relationship betweejn Irongate and Trump, and what could happejn with the license,” Price